Water softener sizing quiz
Softener or salt-free? Sized for your home.
A few quick questions about your water and your household.
- Your hardness, from a number or your ZIP
- The right tank size, with the math shown
- If your water's already soft, we'll say so
Why the quiz
Softer water, sized right.
We'll show you the math
People, hardness and a week of use set the grains your softener needs.
We'll help you pick softener or salt-free
A plain answer on which one fits your water and home.
We'll find a capacity that fits
1.5 cu ft holds 48,000 grains. 2.0 cu ft holds 60,000.
If your water's already soft, we'll tell you
No system you don't need. The quiz says so.
Treatment
Two paths. One clear choice.
Both protect your plumbing from scale. They work differently, and the quiz shows which suits your water.
Benefits
A softer start. Every day.
Match your household and water hardness to the right capacity, with a clear choice between softening and salt-free scale control.
Owner stories
Real experiences, in their own words.
“The unit was installed about two weeks ago. Thus far I am very pleased with the performance.”
“Space saving without having to use a salt container”
“The staff of Crystal Quest is great. Any time I called in they answer all my questions and make me feel good about asking it.”
“The Crystal Quests system arrived on time and was well packaged, installation was easy and clear with solid instructions.”
“Very knowledgeable they helped me through the whole step of the way when I had installation questions.”
“Very positive experience with Crystal Quest and Shae! Helpful in selecting the right system.”
“Best product from the best company. If anyone cares about having a quality filter, this is it!”
“Purchased this product due to high level of iron in our system. The purchase was easy and delivery was fast (even over a holiday weekend).”
“Our whole house has beautiful water!”
“This is a fantastic filter system. I can smell the difference in the water.”
“The first day after install the water tasted a bit funny but now everything is great and we are enjoying the system very much.”
“I bought this filter on a friend's recommendation, and it is fantastic. The tap water is now delicious!”
“I needed help to cure my problem and their expertise got it done. Thanks everyone.”
“This is the second time that I have purchased this water filtration unit. I actually have one setup in my home in South Carolina and one in my home in Mexico.”
“Installation went smoothly. Great water quality. Thanks!”
“The folks at Crystal were very helpful selecting and sizing the unit for my needs”
“no more chlorine smells, no grunge forming in shower heads. Wished we woulda done this a few years ago.”
“I appreciate the quality of the products and the responsiveness of the support team.”
“Great company and great products. Have had perfect customer service and will buy again!”
“So far so good, was delivered quickly and accurately. Easy to install with some experience.”
“Timely shipping, product received in good condition. Installation was quick.”
How it works
A few answers. A clearer next step.
Tell us about your water
Your hardness, from a number or your ZIP, and who lives with you.
See your grains and size
Weekly grains, the capacity that covers them, softener or salt-free.
Your plumber installs it
Connected, set up and backed by lifetime support.
Enjoy softer water
Less scale and spotting, every day.
FAQ
Softener sizing questions.
Straight answers on size, salt and setup, from the people who build the systems.
What size water softener do I need for a family of 4?
It depends on your hardness. Multiply the people in your home by 75 gallons a day, by your hardness in grains per gallon (gpg), by 7 days. At 12 gpg, 4 people need about 25,000 grains a week, so the 1.5 cu ft softener (48,000 grains) covers it. Above 48,000 grains a week, or with 4 or more bathrooms, we step up to the 2 cu ft (60,000 grains), and past 60,000 to a larger commercial tank. The quiz does this math for you and shows it.
How do I calculate water softener grain capacity?
People × 75 gallons a day × hardness in gpg × 7 days gives the grains a softener handles in a week. For example, 4 × 75 × 15 × 7 = 31,500 grains. Choose a softener rated above that number, so it covers the week. If you water a lawn, fill a pool or run a business from home, we add 30 percent.
Does iron in my water change the softener size?
It depends on what comes first. When an iron filter sits ahead of the softener, as in our Complete Well Water System, the iron comes out first and we size the softener on hardness alone. If your well shows rust or dark stains or a rotten-egg smell, the quiz puts iron treatment first. Iron above EPA's staining guideline of 0.3 mg/L can stain fixtures and laundry.
What happens if a softener is too small?
It runs short before the week is out, so it regenerates more often, using more salt and water, or lets hard water through between regenerations. That's why we size for your household and show the math before you buy.
How many grains per gallon is hard water?
By the USGS scale, water up to 60 mg/L (about 3.5 gpg) is soft, 61 to 120 mg/L (about 7 gpg) is moderately hard, 121 to 180 mg/L (about 10.5 gpg) is hard, and above that is very hard. EPA WaterSense says water above 7 gpg is generally considered hard, and softeners are often recommended above 10 gpg.
Softener or salt-free conditioner: which do I need?
A softener removes the hardness minerals and uses salt, for the softest water. A salt-free conditioner leaves the minerals in and changes how they behave, so less scale forms. It needs no salt and no brine tank, and water can feel softer, though it isn't softened. A conditioner can reduce spotting; a softener removes the minerals that leave spots. At 25 gpg or more, a conditioner may need pretreatment or added media, and we confirm the fit first.
Do I need a water test first?
No. Enter a number from a report or test strip, look up your area by ZIP code if you're on city water, or tell us it feels hard. With no number, we size from an assumed 10 gpg and label it as assumed everywhere it appears. A test confirms the size.
Who installs the system?
Your plumber or a qualified contractor. Our installation manuals call for a licensed plumber, and installation is separate from the equipment price. In-stock standard systems ship in less than 3 business days, and lifetime support is a phone call away for you and your installer: 1-800-934-0051.
Your next step
Softener or salt-free? Sized for you.
Find out whether a salt softener or salt-free anti-scale conditioner fits your water, how many grains your household uses and the capacity that covers it.