Water softeners · Placitas
A softener that regenerates on a timer wastes water whether you need it or not. In the foothills, that matters. Ours only regenerate when you've used enough water to need it.
Sometimes the answer is no, and we'll say so. Placitas groundwater comes out of fractured rock, and its mineral content changes from one well to the next. A home on a co-op fed partly by Sandia spring water may test very differently from a private well a mile down NM 165. That spread is exactly why we read your own tap before sizing anything.
When the water does test hard, the case for a softener is strong. Calcium and magnesium build scale inside water heaters and tankless units, crust the shower glass and leave glasses cloudy. In this dry, high-desert air, many people notice their skin feels less tight after showering in softened water.
A softener works by ion exchange: resin beads trade hardness minerals for sodium or potassium, then rinse themselves clean during regeneration. It also handles small amounts of iron. What it doesn't do is remove arsenic, nitrate, chlorine or bacteria, which matters on a Placitas well. For arsenic or nitrate in drinking water, see reverse osmosis for Placitas homes.
The core numbers for sizing a softener, measured right at your tap.
A little iron is fine for a softener. More than that may call for specialty media.
Useful context, especially on wells or if your co-op disinfects.
On a private or shared well, we help arrange lab tests for bacteria, nitrate and arsenic.
The softener usually goes in the garage or a mechanical room near where the water line enters the house. On a private or cluster well, the softener always comes after the pressure tank. On a shared well, it goes on your home's own line, so your neighbors' water stays exactly as it was. Outdoor spigots can stay on untreated water, which keeps salt and regeneration water down for gardens and landscaping.
The softener needs a drain and an outlet for the valve, and we'll show you where both will go. Installation is free, takes about half a day, and comes with a lifetime warranty. Read the general water softener guide or our overview of Placitas water for more.
Every package includes free installation and a lifetime warranty. Financing from $59/mo.
48,000-grain whole-home water softener
Softener + chlorine/chloramine filtration in one tank
Softener + filtration + RO drinking water + alkaline
Financing from $59/mo with approved credit. Final price confirmed after your free water test — no surprises, no hidden fees.
That depends on your hardness and how much water your household uses. Because our valve is metered, it regenerates only after a set volume has passed through, rather than on a fixed schedule. We'll estimate it for your home after the test.
Arsenic treatment and softening do different jobs. If your water still tests hard after the co-op's treatment, a softener addresses the scale. If it doesn't test hard, you may not need one.
No. Softeners don't remove arsenic. Get a lab test, and if arsenic needs reducing in your drinking water, a reverse osmosis system at the kitchen sink is the standard approach.
A 15-minute on-site test with results in real time, a plain-English report, and an honest recommendation. No pressure, no obligation.
