Let’s be honest: you’re standing in the hardware store aisle, staring at a pallet of 40-pound salt bags, and you feel like you’re solving a cryptic math problem designed by a sadistic plumber. Spoiler alert: It’s not that complicated, but the consequences of guessing wrong are oddly dramatic. Get too little salt, and your water turns into a mineral-bomb that ruins your appliances. Get too much, and you’ll feel like a medieval king hoarding salt for no reason.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s nail down the one truth that will save you from a salt-related existential crisis: You don’t need a PhD in hydration. You just need to understand your water softener’s appetite. Think of it as a pet—a very thirsty, slightly grumpy pet that eats salt like it’s on a secret mission.
