The short answer
About two 40 lb bags every two months for an average household, according to Morton Salt. Diamond Crystal says most households use about two 40 lb bags every one to three months. Harder water and more water use push the number up.
The manufacturer averages
Morton Salt's softener FAQ says salt use varies with how hard your water is and how much you use, and that the average household uses approximately two bags every two months. The directions on Morton's Clean and Protect bag say the same thing: fill the softener with two bags every two months.
Diamond Crystal gives a slightly wider range: most households use approximately two 40 lb bags every one to three months.
What pushes your number up or down
Three things decide where you land in that range.
- How hard your water is. The more hardness the softener removes, the more often it has to clean itself with brine. Peoria's utility lists 19 to 37 grains per gallon, which is very hard. See the Peoria numbers.
- How much water you use. Morton's Rust Defense directions tie the two-bags-every-two-months guideline to the number of people in the home. More people, more showers and laundry, more salt.
- How efficient your softener is. The EPA's WaterSense program measures salt efficiency in grains of hardness removed per pound of salt, and says softeners that regenerate on demand are more efficient than ones that run on a fixed schedule.
Turning that into bags per year
Morton's average of two bags every two months works out to about 12 bags a year, or about 480 lb of salt. Here is how different paces add up:
| Pace | Bags a year | Pounds a year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bag every 2 months | 6 | 240 |
| 2 bags every 3 months | 8 | 320 |
| 2 bags every 2 months (Morton average) | 12 | 480 |
| 2 bags every month | 24 | 960 |
Matching it to a Simply Salt plan
Our Individual plan includes up to 6 bags a year and is built for a one person household. The Household plan includes up to 13 bags a year for homes with two or more people. Morton's average of about 12 bags a year sits inside the Household allowance. If you go over, extra bags are $16 each on Individual and $8 each on Household.
You do not have to estimate any of this yourself. The sensor in your tank reports your real salt level, so refills follow your actual use instead of a guess. Compare the plans.
| Plan | Solar Crystals with Rust Remover | Morton Clean & Protect Pellets | Bags included a year | Extra bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual (1 person) | $16/mo | $20/mo | Up to 6 | $16 each |
| Household (2+ people) | $26/mo | $30/mo | Up to 13 | $8 each |
Common questions
About one 40 lb bag a month on average. Morton Salt puts the average household at two bags every two months. Diamond Crystal says two bags every one to three months.
Yes. Morton Salt says salt consumption depends on how hard your water is and how much water you use.
The Individual plan includes up to 6 bags a year. The Household plan includes up to 13 bags a year.
Additional bags are $16 each on the Individual plan and $8 each on the Household plan.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below or from Simply Salt's own published plan details.
