Showerthought: I blew $2,300 on a whole-house water softener before I even tested my water
Back in 2019 I got spooked by a door to door guy in Marietta and bought a softener the same week. Our water hardness was only 4 grains per gallon, so it barely did anything except eat salt and take up half my garage. Should have spent $30 on a test kit first and saved myself a lot of grief. Anybody else get talked into a system they didn't actually need?
Man, I used to be the guy who thought a softener was just one of those things every house needed, like a furnace or something. Then I actually read up on it and learned hardness is measured in grains per gallon, and anything under 7 is considered soft enough that a softener is basically pointless. Your 4 gpg is right in that sweet spot where you'd never notice a difference. So yeah, you got hosed, but at least now you know to test first and let the number tell you what you need instead of a salesman.