Problems with hard water? Here is help with how to position and install a water softener.

By Don Vandervort, HomeTips

Hard water is more than an unpleasant nuisance; it can stain sinks, reduce the cleaning power of detergent, cause buildup in faucets and pipes, and shorten the life of a water heater. Though several types of salt-free water softeners are available, a salt-based (ion exchange) softener is still the most popular. (See the Water Softener Systems Buying Guide for more information on choosing a water softener.)

Though most homeowners choose to buy and maintain their own water softener, a viable option is to rent one. Over the long run, renting will cost more than buying, but it can save you the trouble of installing, maintaining, and repairing a system.

Where to Install a Water Softener

If your home has an older water softener that you wish to replace with a new one, plan to put the new unit in the same location. If there is no existing water softener in your home, consider the following advice for locating your new softener.

For starters, a new water softener should be located where it is easy to tie it into the plumbing system--in most cases, this is in a basement, garage, or utility room, often near the water heater. In addition, the water softener will need a nearby electrical receptacle that can handle the needed amperage (check the manufacturer’s specifications) and it will need a drain such as a floor drain or utility sink.

In households where sodium in the drinking water may cause a health risk, it may be necessary to bypass certain drinking water faucets (such as the kitchen sink) or, in some cases, soften only the hot-water side of the water supply system. In the latter case, you’ll need to place the softener after (downstream from) the water heater—but be aware that your entire cold water system will lose all of the benefits of water softening. Another option is to opt for a salt-free water softening system (see Salt-Free Water Softeners).

Why we like it: • Generous flow rate of 16 gallons per minute • Treats water for the entire house • Salt storage capacity of 300 pounds

Softener Installation Basics

Installing a water softener calls for basic plumbing skills. Unless you’re simply replacing an old water softener, you may need to cut into and connect new fittings and pipes. (If you have copper pipes, see Cutting & Joining Copper Pipe for how-to help.) If doing it yourself looks like too much trouble, consider hiring a local prescreened water softener installation pro.

Cabinet-type water softeners are installed as a single unit, which houses both a softening tank and a salt brine tank. Some water softeners have a separate salt brine tank that sits to the side of the softening tank.

Plumbing a Water Softener

Most water softeners come with a bypass valve that you must assemble and attach to the unit. In addition, some local plumbing codes require that you install shutoff valves to the pipes that lead to and from this bypass valve so the water to and from the softener can be turned off easily. If your softener has such a bypass valve, attach it to the softener, following manufacturer’s instructions.

Position the water softener where it belongs so you can easily measure for the connecting pipes. Turn off the water at the water heater and shut off the house water supply valves. Then open a couple of bottom-floor faucets or hose bibbs to drain the water from the pipes. (For more about shutting off the water supply, see How to Shut Off the Water to Fixtures and Your House.)

Using a pipe cutter, cut into the water supply line and install elbow fittings so you can run two lines, to the inlet and the outlet ports of the bypass valve. Hard water from the water supply will run into the softener’s inlet, and soft water will run out to supply the house's fixtures and faucets. If you want an outlet, such as a hose bibb, to carry hard water, install a T fitting prior to the softener and run it to the outlet.

Cut and install the pipes that lead to the bypass valve. Solder all the fittings and nipples before attaching them to the plastic bypass valve (the heat from soldering could damage the plastic). If the pipes are too large, use a reducing fitting to install pipes of the correct size. Use the compression fittings supplied with the softener to attach the pipes to the unit.

Clamp the drain hose to the softener, and run it to a drain or utility sink. The end of the hose must be at least 2 inches above a drain hole and should be securely clamped. Connect the brine tank’s overflow tube, and follow manufacturer instructions for any additional assembly.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, set the bypass valve to the “bypass” position and turn on the water to run through the softener for a few minutes to flush out sediment and expel air in the pipes. Set the valve to the “service” position and plug the unit into a nearby receptacle. Fill the tank with water and salt as directed by the manufacturer.

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