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
No email needed. No test needed to start.
Over 1,000,000 people served since 1994 · ISO 9001 certified quality management
How it works
Three steps to a softener sized for your home.
A few questions, one clear match, and the math behind it.
Answer a few questions
Your water, your home, then soft water or salt-free. No email needed.
See your match, with the math
The system and its size, the grain math behind it, and one live price.
Buy it sized, or ask us first
Add it to your cart with the size already set, or talk to a specialist.
An example match
What your match looks like.
An example for 4 people on a private well at 12 gpg. Your answers set yours.
Soft water, sized for your home.
Whole House Water SoftenerFiberglass, 1.5 cu ft
- You want the softest water: a softener removes the minerals.
- 12 gpg, very hard by the USGS scale: sized for it.
- About 25,000 grains a week: the 45,000-grain tank covers it.
Example only. Your match shows its live price.
What we check
Four short parts. Each one counts.
Every answer changes your size or your system. Nothing is asked for show.
People×75 gal a day×gpg×7 days=grains a week
- Your waterWhat hard water is doing, city or well, and your hardness from a report, a ZIP estimate or an assumed 10 gpg we label.
- Your homePeople, bathrooms and big water use, plus 30 percent for watering, a pool or a home business.
- Your choiceThe softest water (a softener, uses salt) or scale protection with zero salt (a salt-free conditioner).
- Your setupA drain and an outlet near where water enters. It never blocks your match.
Reviews
Sized with help. In their words.
“I would strongly recommend Crystal Quest to supply a filtration system which is ideal for your specific needs. The company is reputable, reliable and a pleasure to deal with!”
“The folks at Crystal were very helpful selecting and sizing the unit for my needs”
“Very positive experience with Crystal Quest and Shae! Helpful in selecting the right system.”
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 (45,000 grains) covers it. Above 45,000 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.
Built by people who answer the phone.
- 1994Designed and hand-assembled in the USA since 1994
- 1,000,000+Over 1,000,000 people served since 1994
- ISO 9001Certified quality management
- LifetimeSupport by phone, 1-800-934-0051. One-year limited warranty.
Your softener, sized in a few questions.
No email needed. No test needed to start.