If you are thinking about a water softener in Murrieta, there is one thing worth checking before you call anyone for a quote. A lot of homes out here were built with a softener loop already in place, and if yours has one, the install is faster and cheaper. If it does not, that is fine too, it just changes the job a little.
The good news is you do not need any tools or any plumbing knowledge to check. It takes about five minutes and a walk out to the garage. Here is exactly where to look and what you are looking for.
What is a water softener loop?
A softener loop is a spot in your plumbing the builder set up so a softener can connect to two existing pipe stubs instead of cutting into the main water line. Plenty of Murrieta homes from the 1990s and 2000s have one, which makes the install quicker.
A softener loop is a spot in your plumbing that the builder set up ahead of time so a water softener can be added later without cutting into your main water line. Instead of rerouting pipe, a plumber just connects the softener to the two stubs that are already there. That is why having one makes the job quicker.
Builders started including these in a lot of Southern California tract homes, and plenty of Murrieta houses from the 1990s and 2000s have them. Not every home does, and there is no way to know for sure from the outside, which is the whole reason for this check. If you want the full picture on what a softener costs and how the install works once you know what you have, our Murrieta service page walks through it.
Where is the softener loop in a Murrieta home?
Nine times out of ten it is in the garage, low on the wall near where the main water line comes in, often close to the water heater. If it is not there, check the wall with the main shutoff valve and behind anything stored against it.
Nine times out of ten, the loop is in the garage, on the wall near where the main water line comes into the house. Start by finding your water heater, since the loop is very often close by. Look low on the wall, usually somewhere between knee and chest height.
If you do not see it near the water heater, scan the wall where the main shutoff valve is, and check behind or beside anything stored against that wall. In some homes it is tucked in a corner or partly hidden behind boxes. It is almost never up high, so keep your eyes on the lower half of the wall.
What does a water softener loop look like?
It looks like a squared-off U or two pipe stubs coming out of the wall a few inches apart, often with a drain opening and an electrical outlet nearby. If the stubs are capped, the loop is there and ready for a softener.
The classic softener loop looks like a squared-off U or a pair of pipe stubs coming out of the wall close together, spaced a few inches apart. One side is where water goes out to the softener, the other side is where the softened water comes back in. Very often you will also see a drain opening and an electrical outlet nearby, because a softener needs both.
If the two stubs are capped off, that means the loop is there but nothing is connected to it yet. That is exactly what you want to find, because it means the home is ready for a softener. The caps are usually threaded fittings or short capped pipes, sometimes with a loop of pipe between them.
Not sure what you are looking at in the garage? Send us a photo or have us take a look. We will tell you whether you have a loop and what a softener would actually cost for your home.
What if a softener is already connected to the loop?
A tall tank or tank-and-cabinet unit on those pipes means a softener is already installed, so check its age and condition. Older units can stop regenerating and quietly stop softening, so have someone confirm an inherited unit actually works.
There are three things you might find. First, a capped loop with nothing on it, which means you are ready to add a softener. Second, a loop with a softener already installed, which is a tall tank or a tank-and-cabinet unit connected to those pipes. Third, no loop at all.
If a softener is already hooked up, take a look at its condition and age. Older units can stop regenerating properly and quietly stop softening, so if you inherited one with the house and never touched it, it is worth having someone confirm it actually works.
Can I get a water softener without a softener loop?
Yes. A plumber ties into the main line and, depending on the layout, runs a drain line and adds an outlet, which costs a bit more than connecting to an existing loop.
Plenty of Murrieta homes do not have a loop, and it does not stop you from getting a softener. It just means a plumber has to tie into the main line and, depending on the layout, run a drain line and add an outlet. It is more work than connecting to an existing loop, so it costs a bit more, but it is a normal job we do all the time.
So the check is not pass or fail. It just tells you which kind of install you are looking at, which is useful to know before anyone gives you a number.
Does a softener loop make installation cheaper?
Yes. With a capped loop the softener connects straight to what is already there, so the labor is shorter and the price comes down.
If you found a capped loop, you are in the best spot. The softener connects straight to what is already there, the labor is shorter, and the price comes down accordingly. That is the real reason it is worth spending five minutes in the garage before you shop for a system.
When you are ready, we can test your water, confirm what you have, and give you a straight quote based on your actual setup. No pressure, and we will tell you honestly if your home does not really need a whole system.
Found a loop, found a softener, or found nothing at all? Either way we can help you figure out the right next step. Call Pipe Dream Plumbing Co. at (858) 330-2881 or request a free quote.