Water Softeners
Stop the scale. Save your appliances. Feel the difference.
A water softener removes the calcium and magnesium that cause spotty dishes, scaly faucets, dry skin, and shortened appliance life. We carry softeners from value single-tank units all the way up to premium multi-chamber systems — and we'll size yours to your actual water hardness, household size, and budget.
What to know before you buy
- How a softener works
- Hard water flows through a tank of small resin beads. The beads swap the calcium and magnesium in your water for sodium — a process called ion exchange. Periodically the softener rinses itself with a brine solution to recharge the beads. That's it. No magnets, no magic.
- Why size matters
- An undersized softener regenerates too often (wasting salt and water). An oversized one wastes money up front. We test your water for hardness and iron, then match the system to your real usage — not a guess.
- Salt-based vs. salt-free
- True softeners use salt. "Salt-free conditioners" change how minerals behave but don't remove them — you'll still see some scale. For Magic Valley well and city water, a salt-based softener delivers the results most homeowners actually want.
What to compare
- Hardness level of your water (grains per gallon)
- Number of people in the household
- Iron, sulfur, or other contaminants present
- Single-tank vs. twin-tank (24/7 soft water)
- Metered/on-demand vs. timer-based regeneration
- Warranty length on tank, valve, and electronics
Water Softeners we sell
Hague WaterMax
Patented multi-chamber softening — the best we sell.
The WaterMax is a softener and whole-house filter in one cabinet. Its patented multi-chamber design lets it remove hardness, sediment, chlorine taste, and iron — all in a single unit that uses less salt and less water than conventional softeners.
- Patented multi-chamber tank — softens and filters at the same time
- Up to 50% less salt and water per regeneration
- Built-in sediment & taste filtration
Wade's Water Softener
Assembled right here in Twin Falls for Magic Valley water.
After 30 years of experience with Idaho's specific water issues, Wade specified the parts and configurations for Wade's Water. Parts are sourced across the USA and the systems are assembled in Twin Falls using commercial-grade valves, chlorine-resistant resin, and modular tank, valve, and media combinations selected for local water. Available as the 40KM (softener) or 40KMC (softener plus carbon).
- Assembled in Twin Falls, ID — parts sourced across the USA, service stays local
- 40,000-grain capacity, 13 GPM flow rate
- Commercial-grade metered valve — regenerates on demand
Hague Maximizer 97
Compact single-cabinet softener + whole-house filter.
The Maximizer Model 97 packs softening and whole-house filtration into one small cabinet. A smart-touch controller, patented valve with built-in bypass, and self-cleaning Ultra-Fil filtration mean less salt, less water, and less maintenance than a conventional softener — with a 15-year limited warranty from Hague.
- Smart-touch controller — flow rates and settings on a color screen
- Patented valve with built-in bypass and test port
- Ultra-Fil self-cleaning filter — no cartridges to change
Not sure which one is right?
Tell us about your home — we’ll recommend the best fit. Free, no-pressure in-home estimates.
Softeners — common questions
What Magic Valley homeowners ask us most before they buy.
What size water softener do I need?
Size is driven by your hardness in grains per gallon, the number of people in the home, and iron content. A rough starting point on Twin Falls city water is 32,000 grains of capacity for a household of two to four and 48,000 or more for five-plus or high-iron well water. We test your water first so the sizing is based on your numbers, not a rule of thumb.
How much salt will it use?
A correctly sized, metered on-demand softener on typical Magic Valley water uses roughly one 40-pound bag of salt every four to eight weeks for a family of four. Timer-based systems that regenerate on a fixed clock burn noticeably more, which is why we install metered valves on nearly every job.
Will a softener make my water taste salty?
No. Ion exchange swaps hardness minerals for a very small amount of sodium — on 20-grain water that works out to well under 100 milligrams per liter, less than a slice of bread per glass. If sodium is a medical concern, we can install a potassium chloride system or pair the softener with reverse osmosis at the drinking tap.
How long does a water softener last?
A quality softener installed and maintained properly runs 15 to 25 years. Resin typically needs replacing somewhere around year 10 to 15 on our water, and valve seals are a routine wear item. We stock parts for everything we sell.