Water softeners can be installed in almost any home, however, there is one factor that will affect the ease of installation. If you have a loop, the installation will be less expensive. A loop is a pre-plumbed connection.If you do not have a loop, your water softener will need to connect to the main water line. Every house has a main water line, whereas not every house has a loop. Without a loop, you will need to run a line to where the softener will be housed and then back to where the water enters your home. This ensures that all water is treated before it goes into the house. The farther the softener sits from the main water line, the more expensive the installation will be.