Owning the system: the complete maintenance routine.

Water treatment has a deserved reputation for surprise costs, so here is the entire ownership routine for our systems, itemized. It fits on an index card, and nothing on it is hidden.

The whole home system: salt, and that's it

Every two to three months, lift the brine tank lid. If you can see water above the salt, or the salt is below half, pour in a bag. Any water softener salt from Home Depot or Lowe's works, $8 to $10 a bag. A typical LA household uses one bag every couple of months, so budget roughly $40 to $60 a year.

That is the complete owner routine for the tank. No filters to swap, no media to replace on a schedule; the resin bed is warrantied for five years and typically lasts far longer, and the carbon is sized for years of service.

What regeneration is, and why you don't manage it

About once a month, overnight, the system rinses accumulated minerals off its resin using brine, then flushes them down the drain. It sounds like a faint wash cycle from the garage. The valve tracks your actual water use and decides when. Your only role is keeping salt in the tank. If the power goes out, water still softens and filters; regeneration simply waits for the power to return.

The RO system: one appointment a year

The tankless RO carries three filters that change once a year. We do it in a short visit, $199 including all three filters and labor. Between visits the unit auto flushes its own membrane; a brief rinse sound and blinking light now and then is the machine cleaning itself, not a fault.

The salt free system: nearly nothing

The Salt Free System has no brine tank, no drain, no electricity, and no salt. The conditioning media works for years without attention. It is the lowest maintenance option we sell, which is exactly why some homeowners choose it despite the tradeoffs covered in the comparison guide.

The optional annual service

For $199 flat, once a year, we test your water hardness at the tap, verify the valve programming, inspect connections and the brine tank, and confirm the system is performing to spec. It is optional and stays $199. For comparison, the national brands' annual visits commonly pass $300 before the upsells begin.

Warning signs worth a call

• Spots are back. Glassware spotting or soap not lathering usually means the salt ran out weeks ago or the valve needs adjustment.
• A salt bridge. Salt can crust into a dome above the water so the tank looks full while the brine underneath is weak. Poke it with a broom handle; if it collapses, that was the problem.
• RO flow slows noticeably. Filters are due, or the membrane wants attention.
• Any leak, ever. Call immediately. Trip fees are free in year one and $99 after; the parts themselves carry a lifetime warranty.

The annual budget, totaled

Call it $200 to $350 a year all in, less for salt free. Weigh that against what hard water quietly costs in appliance life and energy, and the math tends to settle itself.