Renting vs Buying a Water Softener

What each option costs

Fixr's rental range is close, at $25 to $50 a month, and it notes that rentals usually include salt and inspections. Check whether yours does. A rental that doesn't include salt costs you the rent plus the same salt bill an owner pays.

The break-even math

Take Angi's average installed price of about $1,500 and a rental at $40 a month. By our math on those figures, you'd pay the purchase price in rent in a little over three years, about 38 months. After that the rental keeps billing you and the owned unit costs only salt and the odd repair.

Run it with your own numbers:

1. Get a real installed quote to buy.
2. Get the rental rate, the contract length and whether salt and service are included.
3. Add a yearly salt cost to the buy side if the rental includes salt. HomeGuide puts salt at $50 to $150 a year.
4. Divide the purchase price by the monthly rent. That's how many months until renting has cost you a softener.

If that number is shorter than the time you expect to stay in the house, buy. For most homeowners it's not close.

When renting makes sense

Angi's view, which matches ours, is that renting suits people who aren't sure they'll stay long enough to get the value out of a softener. That covers a few real cases:

• You expect to move within a couple of years.
• You're not sure soft water is worth it and want to try it without the upfront bill. Angi notes you can cancel at renewal if it isn't helping.
• You'd rather pay someone else to handle every service visit and salt delivery.
• You can't afford the upfront cost right now. Before renting, ask about financing on a purchase, which Angi says some sellers offer.

Rent-to-own plans sit in between. Angi says they usually carry a higher monthly rate, with ownership at the end. Ask for the total you'll pay over the plan and compare it with a cash or financed purchase.

When buying is the better call

Buy if you own the house and plan to stay. Angi says buying saves money over the long run, lets you pick the system, and leaves you paying only maintenance and repairs once it's paid off. A new unit also tends to run more efficiently than an older rental.

Watch the warranty. Angi says purchase warranties are often one year, extendable to three, with some electronic parts covered for three years and tanks for 10. Ask for the valve, resin tank and resin warranties in writing.

The other cost of owning is installation. If your house already has a softener loop, a drain and an outlet, the install is simple. If not, the plumbing can cost as much as the unit. See water softener installation cost and our full water softener cost breakdown.

Questions to ask before you sign a rental

• How long is the contract, and what does it cost to cancel early?
• Is salt included, and how often is it delivered?
• What does a service call cost if something breaks?
• Is there a removal fee when you cancel?
• Can the monthly rate go up at renewal?
• Is the unit new or refurbished, and what size is it?

Ask for the hardness number from their water test, too, and confirm it with your own. A free dealer test is part of the sales pitch. Our water softener sizing guide helps you check the size they're proposing.

Renting a softener when you're a tenant

Tenants need the landlord's permission to install or rent a softener. A rental unit is the most practical route, since the company installs it and takes it away when you leave. Make sure the landlord agrees in writing to any plumbing changes, and that the lease says who pays to undo them.