Water softeners are troublesome to
maintain
While this was a somewhat valid argument for the softener owner of the 1950's, virtually all modern water softeners fully automate the process of starting, stopping, recharging, bypass, and back-washing. Salt will have to be added to a softener about twice a month (a fair estimate for a typical household unit in very hard water area) in a process that takes no more than several minutes. Many softener dealers will maintain a softener for the homeowner who does not want to be bothered with the minimal maintenance involved. The fee is usually minor and easily accepted by those who place extraordinary value on their spare time.