Water softener replacement
A replacement is a chance to correct whatever the old unit got wrong. Here's what to think through first.
Control valves, resin and tanks all wear out eventually. When a softener needs repair after repair, parts have dried up, or it never kept up with your water, replacing it is usually the cleaner fix. Grand Valley homes that changed hands often come with a softener nobody can date, set up by someone nobody can reach.
When does replacing beat repairing?
- The unit is old and needs a major valve or resin job
- Parts for the brand or model are hard to find
- Your household size or water use has changed
- The resin tank or brine tank is cracked
- The old unit uses a fixed timer and wastes salt and water
What should be different this time?
Start with a fresh test at your tap rather than the settings on the old control head. Size the new unit to that hardness and your current water use. Then fix the installation itself: add a bypass if there isn't one, give the drain line a proper air gap, protect the unit from freezing, and take irrigation lines off the softened side if they were never split.
How do I compare efficiency?
EPA WaterSense gives two useful benchmarks for a new softener: more than 3,350 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt, and 4 gallons of water or less per 1,000 grains removed. It also recommends certification to NSF/ANSI 44. A newer demand-initiated unit can be a noticeable step up from an old timer model.
Salt-based or salt-free?
A traditional ion-exchange softener removes hardness minerals. Products sold as salt-free "conditioners" work differently and don't produce soft water in the usual sense. Ask the company exactly what a product does and what independent certification backs it.
What happens to the old unit?
Ask whether removing and hauling away the old tanks is part of the quote.
The water treatment company sets its price once it knows your water, your plumbing and which equipment fits. We don't quote prices, and any figure given over the phone before someone has tested your water or seen where the unit will go is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
How can I tell how old my softener is?
Look for a serial number or date code on the control head or tank. The manufacturer or a technician can usually date it from that.
Can the new softener use the existing plumbing?
Often, if the loop is in good shape and in a sensible spot. The installer may suggest changes to the bypass, drain or location.
Related services
- Water softener installation
- Water softener repair
- Whole-house filtration
- Reverse osmosis drinking water
More background: Grand Junction hard water guide.
Scale on the faucets or a softener that stopped working?
Call and we'll connect you with a water treatment company that works in your part of the Grand Valley.