To ensure your water softener operates properly, there are a few key items that need to be placed near your water softener.
Power: You'll need a 120V power outlet nearby to power the system.
Drain: Your water softener should be near a laundry tub, floor drain, sump, or drain that drains the regeneration water. The main drain of your water softener may be located 8 feet above the water softener (which may be an available drain in the floor above the water softener) or it may extend horizontally to a drain 30 feet away. Always make sure to follow local codes for water softener drain requirements. For outdoor installations, keep in mind that water softener drains can kill grass and are not permitted in many areas.
Close to Water Treatment Systems: Installing your water softener between your water heater and other treatment systems you may have (such as sediment or iron filtration systems) keeps your appliances centralized. By installing in "order of operation," you can ensure that your household water is high quality as it flows through your home. To accomplish this, in most applications, your sediment or special filtration system should process the water first, then the water softener, and finally the water heater. This order of operation protects your appliances and maximizes efficiency.
If your home has a pre-installed water softener loop (a plumbing feature that is increasingly common in new homes), your installation location is even more obvious. This feature specifies where to connect the water softener and separates indoor and outdoor water flows (you only soften the water that goes to your indoor faucet, not the water that goes to your outdoor faucet). While it won't hurt to use soft water for watering your garden or doing chores outside, it usually wastes salt and water, so it's best to separate indoor water use from outdoor water use.
