Blog

If you’ve been seeing symptoms of hard water around your home, such as white buildup on the fixtures or decreased water pressure, you really should consider buying a whole house water softener. 

Similarly, if your old home water softener is starting to fail or is being banned in your state, you are probably in the market for a new one. But that will take some serious consideration, mostly how much it will cost?

You may think that the cost of a water softener system is easy to find, but there’s a bit more to it than just a Google Shopping search. The style of system you’ll need should be considered, as should the maintenance and installation costs. 

So, to help, we’ve made this NuvoH2O guide on the costs and basic features of a water softener.

Whole House Water Softener Cost Factors

Before getting into a list of the various types of home water softeners, it can be helpful to know what factors in your home will contribute to the cost of your system. Even if you have your heart set on one type of water softener, these factors can significantly affect the price of the system you buy.

For most water softening systems, you’ll have to consider the amount of water you use per day to pick the right size of system. This can be very accurately determined by measuring your average daily water use in gallons, but a second reasonable measure can be the number of people living in your home. 

Some systems may measure the appropriate size based on square footage of the home or number of bathrooms, but they should still have daily, weekly, or monthly water use as one of the measurements.

The condition of your water will also be important. Generally, this has to do with how hard your water is, which can be measured with most standard home water tests or may even be reported by your utilities provider, measured in grains per gallon (gpg), but it is important to note that not all systems require this measurement. 

You should also consider getting a water test to be sure there are no other issues in your water that need to be addressed, such as sulphur, copper, and more. Most water softeners will not treat anything else in your water, so being sure that your water issues are caused by hard water and what other water treatment you may need will be critical to knowing how much it will cost.

Types of Water Softeners

Okay, so how much is a soft water system based on the factors above? While water softening is a broad subject with many unique solutions, most systems on the market can be broken down into four main categories, each with its own quirks and costs.

Ion Exchange Systems

• Price Range: $300-$2000
• Old-fashioned water softeners use Ion Exchange to soften water. This process uses salt to replace Calcium and Magnesium with sodium.
• This type of system is easy to find and works, but is banned in some areas due to various environmental and financial issues.
• Additional Costs: Monthly Salt bags cost around $15 a month, may increase water bills due to water discharge, water treated with this can hurt plants, and treated water has a slimy feel.

Full Home Reverse Osmosis

• Price Range: $1000-$3000 or more
• It is not technically a water softener but a powerful filter that can remove hard water minerals. These filters are often large, complex, and expensive to buy and install.
• Be wary that carbon-based filters and similar cannot remove hard water minerals.
• Additional Costs: occasional filter replacement, and may increase water bills due to wastewater. The WHO has also cautioned against demineralized water from Reverse Osmosis treatment

Electronic/Magnetic Softeners

• Price Range: $75-$300
• This includes any system that uses magnetism, electronic fields, or similar methods to reformat hard water minerals.
• This style of water softener is often controversial and unproven as a home softener option.
• Additional Costs: uses some electricity

Salt-Free Softeners

• Price Range: $600-$3000
• Any system that does not remove hard water minerals but instead prevents them from forming hard water scale buildup. The NuvoH2O system is in this category!
• Salt-free softeners are the most effective systems for reversing and preventing hard water buildup.
• Additional Costs: replacement cartridges and filters every six months

How Much Does Installing a Water Softener Cost?

Once you select and buy a system, it’s important to look at the cost to install a water softener.

For DIY plumbers who are confident in their abilities, it may cost a little more than the tools and parts, but for the rest of us, it’s important to be prepared to get a professional installation. This can cost around $200 or $500, depending on a few factors.

In the case of a more complicated system, like a reverse osmosis system, a plumber may need to become familiar with the system being installed, which can drive up costs. Also, the size of the space you have available can be a cost factor, as can how long it will take to install a system and the experience and rates of the installer in question.

But it is generally worth the expense. A subpar installation of any plumbing appliance can lead to expensive problems in the future. A professional installation can prevent future leaking and flooding, broken appliances, or water pressure problems and, in the end, save you the money and hassle of needing it fixed later.

Ultimately, the Cost of Water Softeners Varies

As you can see, totaling the water softener system cost isn’t just a simple case of addition. It’s knowing what problems you need to fix, what future costs you most want to prevent, and what size and quality of water softener you need for your home. 

To minimize costs and maximize benefits, you need to pick the right home water softener, the right size, and the right installation.

The NuvoH2O system is one of the best Salt-Free home water softener options available. It uses the power of citrus to prevent and reverse hard water symptoms, saving money on appliance repair, water bills, and more!