Getting Rid of an Old Water Softener

The Forgotten Appliance

Water softeners sit in utility closets and basements for 10 to 15 years doing their job quietly. Then they stop working, and suddenly you've got a 200-pound tank full of resin beads, salt brine, and hard water buildup sitting in a corner of your basement that nobody wants to deal with.

Or you've moved into a house with a water softener you don't need (Oregon's water is relatively soft in most areas — Portland, Eugene, and Salem don't typically require softening). Either way, it's taking up space and it needs to go.

What's Inside a Water Softener

A typical residential water softener has two tanks:

• The resin tank: The tall cylinder. Contains resin beads (small plastic spheres) that filter minerals from the water. When full and connected, this tank weighs 100 to 180 pounds. The resin beads themselves aren't hazardous, but they're a pain to clean up if the tank cracks.
• The brine tank: The shorter, wider tank. Contains salt (or sometimes potassium chloride) dissolved in water. Can weigh 50 to 150 pounds depending on how much salt is in it.

Before removal, the brine tank should be emptied. The salt brine can be drained into a floor drain or utility sink — it's essentially salty water. The resin tank can be drained by running it through a regeneration cycle (if it still works) or by tipping it carefully into a drain.

Disconnection

This is the part most people underestimate. A water softener is plumbed into your main water line with bypass valves, inlet/outlet connections, and a drain line. Disconnecting it involves:

1. Shut off the water supply. Use the bypass valve if there is one. Otherwise, shut off the main water supply to the house.
2. Relieve pressure. Open a faucet downstream to release pressure in the lines.
3. Disconnect the plumbing. Most connections are threaded fittings or push-to-connect. You'll need channel-lock pliers or a pipe wrench. Have towels ready — there will be residual water.
4. Disconnect the drain line. Usually a small-diameter hose running to a floor drain or standpipe.
5. Unplug the control head. The timer/control unit runs on standard 110V power.
6. Install a bypass or connect the water lines. If you're not replacing the softener, you need to connect the inlet and outlet lines with a coupling or install a bypass loop. Do NOT leave open water lines.

If you're not comfortable with basic plumbing, hire a plumber for the disconnection ($75 to $150) and have the removal crew handle the rest. A bad disconnection can flood your basement.

Disposal Options

Water softeners are mostly recyclable:

• The tanks are fiberglass-wrapped steel or polyethylene. Steel tanks go to scrap. Plastic tanks go to the landfill.
• The resin beads are technically recyclable but few facilities accept them. Most end up in the landfill — they're not toxic, just not economically recyclable.
• The control head contains electronics that can be e-waste recycled.
• The salt in the brine tank is just salt. Drain it.

Your regular trash service won't take a water softener curbside. Portland-area transfer stations will accept them for standard disposal fees ($30 to $50 by weight). Or a junk removal service handles everything — disconnection assessment, lifting, loading, and disposal.

What It Costs

Water softener removal typically costs:

• Removal only (already disconnected): $100 to $200
• Disconnection + removal: $200 to $350
• Disconnection + removal + bypass plumbing: $300 to $500 (includes connecting your water lines)

Most people bundle water softener removal with other items. It rarely makes sense to schedule a separate trip for a single appliance unless it's the only thing you need removed. If you've got other junk to clear out, add the water softener to the list — the marginal cost drops to $50 to $100 when it's part of a larger load.

Need It Gone?

If you've got an old water softener taking up space in your basement or utility room, let us know. We'll confirm whether it needs a plumber for disconnection or if our crew can handle it, give you a price, and get it out. Most water softener removals take 30 to 60 minutes including loading.