A HIGHER number or higher efficiency is better because it means the system can soften MORE grains of hardness per pound of salt.  Highly efficient units cost more to purchase but in the long run may cost less to operate.  Higher efficiency can mean less handling of heavy salt bags, too.

Many water softener companies do not publish efficiencies - they may not reveal this to their distributors or simply do not inform their employees.  Clements Water lists softener efficiencies so you can make an informed decision to fit your needs.

With our price structure, our experience has found that the difference in system cost is typically recuperated in salt use in 2 to 5 years.  So, this may be something to consider if you are planning to move within the next 2 to 5 years.  Renting might even be a better option for you.  Clements Water can help you decide and save you money.

Water hardness, whether you have a WELL or MUNICIPAL WATER ("city water"), can easily be determined with a simple water test.  

Remember, city water is not necessarily soft water.  We have found municipal water supplies providing hardness levels of over 20 gpg (grains per gallon)!  You can expect a water softener to pay for itself if your water hardness is 7 gpg (grains per gallon) or, greater.