Water softener replacement in Hobbs
Replacing a softener is a chance to fix whatever the old one got wrong. Here's what to think through.
Control valves, resin and tanks all wear out eventually. When a unit needs one repair after another, when its parts are no longer made, or when it never kept up with your water in the first place, a replacement is usually the cleaner answer. It's common in Hobbs to buy a house that came with a softener nobody can explain: no paperwork, unknown age, and settings that may have been entered years ago for a different family.
When is replacement the better call?
- The unit is old and needs a major valve or resin job
- Parts for the brand or model are hard to find
- The household has grown or shrunk a lot
- You've switched between a private well and a town system
- A resin tank or brine tank is cracked or leaking
What should be different this time?
Start from a new water test, not the numbers programmed into the old control head. Size the new softener to that hardness and your current water use. Then use the swap to fix any old installation problems: no bypass valve, a drain line without an air gap, a unit exposed to freezing in an unheated space, or sprinkler lines that were softened for no reason.
Salt-based or salt-free?
A traditional ion-exchange softener actually removes hardness minerals, and it's what most people mean when they say softener. You'll also see salt-free conditioners marketed to reduce scale without removing the minerals. They work differently and don't give you softened water in the usual sense. Ask exactly what a product does, and what independent certification it carries, before you buy.
Can it run on potassium instead?
NDSU Extension says potassium chloride can replace sodium chloride if you'd like to cut the sodium a softener adds. It costs more, and the unit uses about 10 percent more of it during regeneration. Ask whether the new model can be set up for it.
What happens to the old unit?
Ask whether removing and hauling away the old tanks is part of the quote, and whether the new unit can reuse the existing plumbing loop.
The water treatment company sets the price after it has tested your water, looked at your plumbing and worked out what equipment fits. We don't quote prices. Treat any figure you hear over the phone, before anyone has tested the water or seen where the unit would go, as a rough starting point only.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
How do I find out how old my softener is?
Look for a label or serial number on the control head or the resin tank. The manufacturer or a technician can often date the unit from it.
Does a new softener need new plumbing?
Not always. If the existing loop is sound and in a sensible spot, it can often be reused. The installer may suggest changes to the bypass, drain or location.
Related services
- Water softener installation
- Water softener repair
- Whole-house filtration
- Reverse osmosis drinking water
More background: Hobbs hard water guide.
Scale on the shower head or a softener that quit on you?
Call the number above and we'll connect you with a water treatment company that works in Hobbs and Lea County.