Water softener guides

Every water softener size chart starts with one sum. Multiply people by daily gallons by your hardness. Here is the math and the sizes.

A salt free water softener leaves the hardness minerals in. A salt based one takes them out. Here is who needs which, with real numbers.

An iron water softener works only up to a point. Here is the iron level where a softener stops and a filter starts, with sourced numbers.

The water softener installation cost splits into three numbers: the unit, the labor and the salt. Here is each one, with published figures.

How long do water softeners last? One published chart says 20 years. Another source says 10 to 15. Here is what decides which end you land on.

A whole house water softener takes out the hard minerals. A filter takes out one named thing. Here is how to tell which you need.