Do you want to improve the quality of your home's water by using a water softener? If so, you may not know what to expect during the installation of a water softener. By knowing the basics of what will happen, you can decide if you want to install it yourself or hire a plumber to do it for you. 

The Placement

You'll need to decide where you want to place the water softener in relation to the plumbing in your home. Some people only want the water softener to treat the pipes for sinks and bathrooms in their home, and leave the outside faucets alone so that they do not have soft water. When treating all the water going into your home, the water softener can be placed immediately after the water passes through the water meter. 

If you want to selectively treat your water, you may need to make adjustments to your plumbing. You'll need to make an alteration so that the water goes in one of two directions after the pipe enters your home. One direction will go to your interior plumbing, while the other goes to the outdoor faucets. 

The Bypass Valve

Every water softener should have a bypass valve. This allows you to cut off the water flowing to the water softener and allow the water to flow to the rest of the house. It's essential if you want to perform maintenance or make a repair to your water softener, and it is a key part of the installation.

The Drain Valve

Your water softener is going to need a drain line in order to get rid of wastewater and overflow. This will involve running an additional plumbing line to your home's drain system so that the water has a place to go. If you are selectively softening a portion of your home's water, the drain valve may be able to empty into a nearby utility since there will not be that much wastewater. 

The Salt

A water softener is going to need salt in order to soften the water. The salt will go directly into the storage tank, and there are water softeners that require different types of salt. For example, there are coarse, pellet, and granular salt options. These can all be purchased at home improvement stores. 

Think you're not up to the challenge of installing your home's water softener? Contact a local plumber for help with your water softener installation.

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