How To Install a Water Softener? [Easy DIY Guide]

Benefits of Learning To Install Your Own Water Softener

You’re prepared to install a water softening system after a few too many faded sweaters and additional dishwasher rinse cycles to remove hard water buildup. Although it might be difficult to learn how to install a water softener on your own, the benefits are frequently worth the cost.

What You Need

The tools that you’ll need include: slip joint pliers, adjustable wrench, plumbers tape, tape measure, pipe cutter, soldering torch, screwdriver and sandpaper.

On the other hand, the supplies needed on installing a softener include: water softener, plumbing piping which matches your current plumbing, plumbing fittings, plumbing adapters and plumbing tees.

Preparing to Install Your Water Softener

Check the hardness of your water to see if you need one before incurring the cost of installing a new water softener. You may test your own water using a kit, or you can get a local plumber to do it for you.

If you utilise water from the city, the city might be able to tell you how hard the water is. The United States Geological Survey states that soft water has a milligramme density of 0 to 60, moderately hard water has a milligramme density of 61 to 120, and hard water has a milligramme density of 120 to 180.

Consider the right size water softener to buy for your house. Multiply your daily water usage by the hardness of your water to determine how much softening you need.

Lastly, the location of water softeners must be exact and suitable. Installing them on flat ground, a short distance from an electrical outlet, and 30 feet or less from a drain will maximise their performance.

Our Step By Step Guide For Water Softener Installation

Turn off The Water Supply

Turn off the water supply valve to your home when you’re ready to install your water softener setup. Next, make sure the water supply line is shut off once more before beginning any plumbing projects. We won’t argue if you wish to double-check it.

Your home’s main water valve is either close to your water metre or where the water line enters the building. It can be outside your house if you live on a well or own an older house.

Drain the faucets

Bleed the lines of water next. Open all of the faucets in your house, then shut them again after letting the water run out entirely.

Position the Water Softener

The water softener should be carried to the location where it will be installed. You may wish to enlist the assistance of a friend because a water softener may weigh approximately 100 pounds when it is empty.

Placement of the softener should not be at the point where the main water line enters the house or where it diverts to supply outside faucets. Soft water used outside could prevent grass and plant development.

The water softener should be placed such that soft water may reach your water heater as well. So that the water softener must be used before reaching the water heater, it should be installed along the main line. You can be sure that the water you wash, clean, and cook with is soft by running soft water through the water heater.

Connect to the Water Supply Line


Where the softener will attach, cut a piece of the main water supply line. The length of the water softener’s bypass valve for the water softener unit, which must be trimmed to fit, is typically between 6 and 12 inches, although the water softener’s bypass valve and everything might vary depending on the specific model you bought.

Use a hacksaw or pipe cutter for copper pipes. Using a specific PEX cutting tool is recommended if you have PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing. Sand off any sharp edges before continuing.

Connect the Flex Lines to the Water Supply Line

Start by fastening adapters to both ends of the water supply line cuts before installing the relevant plumbing. (Some adapters may need to be soldered to the existing line, while some just slip on before being clamped in place.)

After that, join the adapters to the flexible lines. Use a wrench or pliers to tighten these fittings, but be careful not to overtighten the water supply line.

Next, join the flexible lines’ opposing ends to the water softener unit.

Connect the flex line to the section of the water supply line coming from the main line at the softener’s input connection.

Attach the flex line to the segment of the water line that leads to the water heater and the inside faucets of the house at the softener’s output connection.

Connect the Brine Tank

Connect the separate brine tank, which houses the salt solution in your water softener unit, to the main softening unit if it is present. The necessary tubes and hose clamps should be included with the softener when it ships.

Connect the Mineral Tank

If there is a separate mineral tank on the softener that has to be connected, attach it after the brine tank. Once more, the necessary drain tubes and hose clamps must be in the softener for the mineral tank as well.

Connect the Drain Tubing

The water softener’s drain tubes should then be connected so that it may discharge often. The floor drain, stand pipe, or utility sink must have the capacity to handle a sizable volume of water because its outflow frequently contains a lot of water.

The softener’s control valve is connected to the first drain tube, which travels to the floor drain or stand pipe for the brine tank. A second outflow tube that some water softeners have links to the brine tank and functions as an overflow tube.

These two drain tubes shouldn’t be connected together because they serve separate purposes for different tanks such as the brine tank.

Turn on the Water Supply


You are prepared to switch on the main water supply once every tubing including the drain tubing has been firmly fastened. Also, use a tap inside your home to let air out when the pipes are filled with water.

Be sure there are no leaks coming from your cuts and connections when the water is pumped back into the supply. (An additional set of eyes could be helpful here.) If there are leaks, immediately shut off the water supply and tighten your connections.

If there are no leaks, open the remaining faucets in your home to let water fill the pipes and eliminate air. Keep an eye out for leaks around the installation location.

Start the Water Softener System

You are prepared to switch on the main water supply once every tubing has been firmly fastened. Also, use a tap inside your home to let air out when the pipes are filled with water.

Be sure there are no leaks coming from your cuts and connections when the water is pumped back into the supply. (An additional set of eyes could be helpful here.) If there are leaks, immediately shut off the water supply and tighten your connections.

If there are no leaks, open the remaining faucets in your home to let the water fill the pipes and eliminate air. Keep an eye out for leaks around the installation location.

Run a Backwash Cycle

After adding salt, most manufacturers will instruct you to conduct a regeneration cycle, often known as a backwash cycle. To find out if you need to take this step, consult the softener’s instructions.

Lastly, verify that all of the water levels in the different tanks on the water softener system are within the manufacturer’s guidelines after the backwash cycle.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

When thinking about how to install a water softener, you might want to employ a plumber. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to do that. In addition to being a very large machine, installing it is difficult without the correct equipment and expertise, and plumbing errors may be quite expensive.

A skilled plumber should be able to do the task in two to three hours. In addition to the other costs involved in installing a water softener, allocate a total of $150 to $500 for hiring a professional to conduct the job.

Water Softener Installation Cost Considerations

The cost to install a softener is less than a professional installation if you’re willing to do some workmanship. As manpower is no longer a factor, the price is mostly determined by the grain-based water softening unit’s capabilities.

Generally speaking, the price of a water softening system increases with grain count.

The minimum amount of grains you should be searching for in your next unit is based on the number of individuals in a household: 1-4 People: at least 30,000 grains; 5–6 people: a minimum of 40,000 grains

The simplicity of installation might also have an impact on the final cost of your DIY water softener system project. You may save time and money by not needing extra plumbing if the pre-plumbing for your softener is easily positioned near the machine itself.

Are you setting a budget and wondering how much it will cost to install your water softener? Get the perfect product for your requirements by browsing our assortment.

Why Should I Install a Water Softener in My Home?

The minerals in hard water are taken out by a water softener. By doing this, you may make your home’s water kinder to your pipes, appliances, and you personally.

Mineral-rich hard water can cause a considerable bit of harm. It may result in a buildup in faucets and pipes, lessen the effectiveness of detergent cleaning, and discolour sinks.

A scale of calcium and magnesium minerals forms when hard water is heated. This may result in the malfunction or inefficient functioning of water-using equipment. This scale has the potential to choke household pipes. If this occurs, the water flow will be decreased, necessitating eventual pipe replacement.

Where Should I Install a Water Softener?

If you want to replace the old water softener installed in your home, you should try to put the new one in the same spot as the previous one. Here are some suggestions to assist you locate the ideal location for your water softener installation if you’re putting one in your house for the first time.

General Location

Installing your water softener somewhere out of the way but still accessible is a smart idea. This is frequently found in a basement, utility room, or garage, close to the water heater. Make sure there is ample room for maintenance around the water softener.

Avoid having the water softener installed in an area where it can freeze, since doing so could void your warranty and permanently harm your water softener. Moreover, it’s crucial to stay out of the sun, so keep your softener indoors.

Required Hookups

You will need to connect your water softener to a drain, such as a floor drain or utility sink. Moreover, a nearby electrical outlet that is capable of handling the required amperage and is not controlled by a switch is required for your water softener. Now, it’s crucial to review the water softener’s manufacturer’s requirements.

Where to Connect the Pipes

Install the water softener before the water heater if you want to soften the water supply in your entire house. Also, this lessens the accumulation of silt in your water heater.

It can be important to avoid some drinking water faucets in your home, including the kitchen sink, in families where salt in the water poses a health concern. It can also be necessary to soften your water supply system’s hot water only. The water in your cold water system won’t be softened at all if you select the later option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a water softener ruin a water heater?

The anode rod in the heater may become worn out and lose efficiency due to the chemicals in a water softener. Yet, for the majority of people, the softener’s advantages exceed this possible disadvantage.

Although repairing the anode rod is far less expensive than replacing the complete water heater, have a plumber check it for damage once a year.

What is an alternative to a water softener?

A water descaler, which employs chemistry to change the mineral ions in the water to lessen their danger, is preferred by some individuals. When compared to a water softener, a descaler is less effective in resolving serious difficulties with hard water.

Is it okay to drink softened water?

Although drinking soft water from a water softener is harmless, some individuals don’t enjoy the flavour of softened water. Your health may suffer over time from the additional salt in the soft water. Most people add a reverse osmosis filter to the water before drinking the soft water to get the salt out.

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