Do you have hard water? If you have hard water, you should consider having a water softener installed. This will be good for you, as your bathing and washing will be more effective, and will also protect your pipes, appliances, and fixtures from hard water build-up. Although water softeners are great, someone is going to have to do the required maintenance.
If you opt for one of the lower-priced models, you may find that they require considerable maintenance. More top of the line models require less maintenance. If you wish the ultimate in convenience and effective function, you can have your water treatment professional install and maintain your water softener system.