How Long Does It Take To Get Soft Water After Installing A Water Softener?

Ossiana Tepfenhart
by Ossiana Tepfenhart

Water softeners are one of the best things that can happen to your water. Soft water will help your hair feel better, your body look better, and also improve the quality of your water. If you want to get soft water, you’re going to need a water softener. But, how long will it take to see the results of your water softener’s work?

You can get soft water within 60 to 120 minutes after your water softener is installed. It can take up to two weeks for your water to be softened and for the scale from hard water to be fully removed. Once your water softener starts working, you will continue to have it until your softener needs to be replaced.

Having soft water is one of those things that is often prioritized, especially if you are dealing with a lot of buildups. If you just got a water softener, you’re probably curious about what this means for you.

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How Long Does A Water Softener Take To Work?

When you’re talking about water softeners, the time it takes to work is called the “regeneration cycle.” This is the cycle that flushes out all your sediments that make your water hard. In a typical water softener regeneration cycle, you will have to wait for 60 to 90 minutes for the entire softening process to work. Some softeners can take longer.

During this process, water gets mixed with salt then flushed through resin tanks. The salt helps soften the water and also gives it a cleaner taste. Some softeners can take as long as 120 minutes to regenerate, but they are in the minority.

How Long Does It Take For Your Plumbing To De-Scale After Installing A Water Softener?

Water softeners are going to be able to give you water fairly quickly, but actually seeing a fully de-scaled system is going to be a bit more intensive. You will need to run your water softener for two weeks before you see a scaling reduction. Even then, it’s smart to try to clean some of the water scale off your plumbing.

How Often Do You Need To Reload Salt In Your Water Softener?

Salt is one of the ingredients that people often forget about when they install a softener. In order for your softener to work, you are going to have to keep a fair amount of salt. A family of four will typically need a 50-pound bag of salt for their softener every month. It’s a bit of maintenance, but it’s worth it.

Will I Get Soft Water If I Use My Tap Mid-Cycle?

When you decide to get a glass of water in the middle of the water softener’s regeneration cycle, you are not going to get soft water. It’ll feel and taste like hard water, too. Once the cycle ends, your water will be soft once more. That’s why it’s smart to avoid using your water tap if your softener is currently cycling.

I Installed The Water Softener But It’s Not Softening Anything!

Does this sound like something that’s happening to you? It might be time to check for these common issues:

  • Make sure your softener is plugged in, turned on, and filled with salt. If it’s not set up to work, it will not work.
  • Double-check to see if it’s cycling. This can be sneaky at times.
  • Check if you can manually start a cycle. If you cannot, it may be time to call a repairman. This can be anything from problems with your salt injector to a bad timer. If you notice something like rust around the softener or a clock that reads wrong, this could be a good indicator of what’s wrong.

How Much Does It Cost To Repair A Water Softener?

This all depends on what the problem is. If it’s a minor thing like a timer glitch or too little salt, it could cost as little as $150. If you have a very expensive system with a serious issue, then it can cost as much as $2,000 or more.

It’s important to look at your softener’s warranty. If you bought a faulty softener, then your warranty will most likely cover it for a set amount of time. Calling your warranty could get you the repairs you need for free, or at a greatly-reduced cost.

Moreover, if you literally just installed your softener, it may be a good idea to call the company that installed it. You might be able to figure out what happened for free.

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Related Questions

How often should you change the water softener’s resin?

In most conditions, your water softener’s resin beads should remain in working order for anywhere between 10 to 15 years. However, if you have to do a lot of water softening work or if you have a particularly large home, then you may have the resin wear out faster.Assuming that you are not using a water softener in a large hotel or similar, you probably will be able to keep your resin in use for a bare minimum of seven years.


How long should water softeners last?

If you have an electric water softener that is smaller than usual, then you should expect them to last between two to 10 years. Most water softeners are made to last a minimum of 10 to 15 years. If you get a high-end one made for commercial purposes, you might be able to stretch it to a total of 20 years of use.


How much does it cost to replace a water softener?

Thankfully, the initial installation is going to be the most pricey moment you have. If you want to DIY your replacement, it will come to around $500 to $1,500—roughly the price of a modest water softener system. Professional replacement can be between $1,800 to $2,300 for a typical system.If you have a very large house with really serious water demands, then you may need to step up your water softening game. This means you might have installation costs as high as $6,000. Thankfully this is not the norm.

Ossiana Tepfenhart
Ossiana Tepfenhart

Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.

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