For a typical single-family home, you’re looking at a price tag between $1,500 and $4,000 installed. Yes, that’s more than a used espresso machine, but less than a used car you’d be embarrassed to drive. The system itself costs about $500 to $2,500, and then you pay a plumber to wrestle it into your basement. Installation labor can add another $300 to $1,000, because plumbers have families too—and apparently, they all own boats.
But wait! That’s not the whole story. You also have to buy salt. Every month. Forever. That’s another $10 to $30 for the rest of your natural life. Congratulations, you now have a new subscription service—like Netflix, but for not ruining your pipes.
