If you’re on a municipal water supply, installation is usually straightforward. They just tie into your main line under the kitchen sink. Easy peasy.
But if you have well water? Buckle up, cowboy. You might need an additional filter for iron, a UV light for bacteria, or a pre-filter the size of a trash can. This can easily add $1,000 to $2,000 to your bill.
Suddenly, your “simple” $2,000 project becomes a $4,500 science experiment. You start Googling terms like “manganese” and “redox media,” which sounds like a band from the 90s.
The Salt Delivery Dance
Installation is a one-time cost, but don’t forget the ongoing fee. You have to buy bags of salt. Those big, heavy, 40-pound bags that leave a white dust trail in your garage.
You’ll lug them down the basement stairs, miss a step, and land on your butt while the bag splits open. It’s a rite of passage. Budget about $10-15 a month for salt, and maybe a chiropractor.
It’s like having a pet that eats rocks and poops salty water. But hey, soft hair.
