Best Water Softener for Bellevue, WA — 17 Things to Know BEFORE You Buy!

Written by Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips

1. The Local Water Problem in Bellevue, WA

Picture your morning coffee tasting faintly medicinal, your dishwasher leaving spots on wine glasses, and your water heater working overtime to heat mineral-laden water from the Cedar River Watershed. If you're a Bellevue homeowner, this isn't imagination—it's the daily reality of living with 3.2 GPG water hardness combined with chloramine disinfection and seasonal sediment fluctuations.

Bellevue's water hardness of 3.2 grains per gallon places it in the "slightly hard" category, which sounds reassuring until you understand what GPG actually means for your home's infrastructure. Think of water hardness like compound interest in reverse—3.2 GPG means every gallon flowing through your pipes carries 3.2 grains worth of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals, building up deposits grain by grain, day after day. Over months and years, this seemingly modest mineral load creates measurable scale buildup in water heaters, reduces soap efficiency, and gradually narrows pipe diameters.

Bellevue receives its water primarily from the Cedar River Watershed in the Cascade Mountains, where natural geological processes dissolve minerals from bedrock and soil into the supply. While 3.2 GPG won't cause the dramatic white crusty buildup seen in desert cities, it's the perfect hardness level to cause subtle, expensive damage that Bellevue homeowners often don't notice until appliances start failing prematurely. Your tankless water heater manufacturer likely requires a water softener to maintain warranty coverage above 3 GPG—a clue about the real costs ahead.

The financial stakes extend beyond appliance replacement. At 3.2 GPG, Bellevue households typically use 40-50% more soap and detergent than necessary, as calcium and magnesium ions react with soap to form scum instead of lather. Factor in reduced water heater efficiency, shortened appliance lifespans, and the gradual decline in your home's plumbing performance, and Bellevue's "slightly hard" water carries an annual cost of $800-$1,200 per household.

2. What 3.2 GPG Does to Your Home

Bellevue's 3.2 GPG hardness level operates in what water treatment professionals call the "stealth damage zone"—high enough to cause measurable problems, subtle enough that homeowners often blame other factors. Understanding the specific mechanisms helps explain why a water softener isn't a luxury upgrade in Bellevue—it's appliance insurance.

Inside your water heater, 3.2 GPG means calcium carbonate crystals precipitate out of solution every time water temperature exceeds 140°F. These crystals don't just float harmlessly—they bond to heating elements, forming an insulating layer that forces your water heater to work 8-12% harder to achieve the same temperature. For a typical Bellevue household spending $600 annually on water heating, this efficiency loss costs an extra $50-$75 per year in electricity or gas. Over a water heater's 10-year lifespan, you're looking at $500-$750 in excess energy costs, plus the shortened equipment life from thermal stress.

The scale formation process accelerates wherever water sits or flows slowly. Your tankless water heater's narrow heat exchanger channels are particularly vulnerable—at 3.2 GPG, manufacturers like Rinnai and Navien report scale buildup that voids warranties within 24-36 months without proper water treatment. The replacement cost for a whole-house tankless unit in Bellevue typically runs $3,500-$5,500 installed.

Bellevue's older neighborhoods, particularly those built before 1980, often feature galvanized steel supply lines that interact poorly with hard water minerals. At 3.2 GPG, calcium and magnesium deposits bond to the interior walls of these pipes, gradually reducing flow rates and creating rough surfaces where bacteria can colonize. While copper and PEX piping handles hard water better, even these materials develop mineral buildup at connection points and fixtures.

The soap interference effect becomes noticeable around 3 GPG, meaning Bellevue households hit this threshold consistently. Calcium and magnesium ions literally steal soap molecules, forming insoluble precipitates instead of cleaning suds. The result: you're buying 2-3 times more laundry detergent, dish soap, and shampoo than you'd need with soft water. For a typical Bellevue family, this translates to $120-$180 annually in wasted cleaning products.

Your skin and hair feel the difference too. Hard water minerals coat hair shafts, leaving them dull and difficult to rinse clean, while calcium deposits on skin can exacerbate eczema and dryness—particularly problematic during Bellevue's already-dry summer months. Parents often notice their children's skin improves markedly after installing a water softener.

Calculate Bellevue's annual "hard water tax" for a typical 4-person household: $60 in excess energy costs, $150 in extra soap and detergent, $200 in accelerated appliance depreciation, and $50 in additional cleaning supplies for mineral stains. The total: approximately $460 per year in costs directly attributable to 3.2 GPG water hardness.

3. Bellevue's Specific Contaminant Profile

Beyond the 3.2 GPG hardness baseline, Bellevue residents contend with chloramine disinfection, seasonal sediment fluctuations from the Cedar River system, and controlled fluoride addition—each interacting with water hardness in distinct ways.

Chloramine

Bellevue's water treatment facilities use chloramine rather than chlorine for disinfection, a choice that creates both benefits and complications for homeowners. Chloramine forms when ammonia is added to chlorinated water, creating a more stable disinfectant that maintains effectiveness throughout the distribution system. Unlike chlorine, which dissipates relatively quickly, chloramine persists all the way to your tap.

The interaction between chloramine and Bellevue's 3.2 GPG hardness creates compounded challenges for plumbing systems. Hard water minerals provide surface area where chloramine can concentrate, potentially accelerating the degradation of rubber gaskets, O-rings, and flexible supply lines. Many Bellevue homeowners report the characteristic "medicinal" or "band-aid" odor that signals chloramine presence, particularly noticeable in morning showers when water has sat in pipes overnight.

Chloramine poses specific risks for aquarium enthusiasts and dialysis patients—it's toxic to fish even at municipal treatment levels, and must be removed before medical use. Standard activated carbon filters that remove chlorine are largely ineffective against chloramine, requiring specialized catalytic carbon media for reliable removal. The EPA allows chloramine up to 4.0 mg/L in drinking water, and Bellevue typically maintains levels between 1.5-2.5 mg/L.

The SoftPro Elite HE water softener addresses hardness minerals but does not remove chloramine. Bellevue households seeking chloramine removal should consider a catalytic carbon whole-house filter installed upstream of the softener to protect both the resin and eliminate taste and odor issues.

Sediment

Sediment in Bellevue's water supply varies seasonally, with higher levels during spring snowmelt and winter storm runoff from the Cedar River Watershed. The particles consist primarily of suspended clay, silt, and organic matter that escape the municipal filtration process, plus rust and scale particles that develop within the distribution system itself.

At 3.2 GPG hardness, sediment particles provide nucleation sites where calcium and magnesium can precipitate more readily. This interaction means sediment doesn't just clog filters—it accelerates scale formation throughout your plumbing system. Bellevue homeowners often notice sediment as slightly cloudy water after heavy rains or during seasonal maintenance of the water system.

Sediment particles larger than 5 microns can damage water softener resin beads, creating channels that allow hard water to pass through untreated. The cumulative effect shortens resin life and reduces softening efficiency, particularly problematic given the consistent mineral load from 3.2 GPG hardness. EPA secondary standards recommend turbidity below 1 NTU for aesthetic quality.

The SoftPro Elite HE includes a self-cleaning sediment pre-filter specifically designed to capture particles before they reach the resin tank. For Bellevue homeowners, this feature provides essential protection during high-sediment periods while maintaining optimal softening performance.

Fluoride

Bellevue adds fluoride to the municipal water supply at approximately 0.7 mg/L, following CDC recommendations for dental health benefits. This addition occurs at the treatment plant level and remains stable throughout the distribution system, unaffected by seasonal variations or household plumbing conditions.

Fluoride does not interact chemically with the calcium and magnesium minerals that create Bellevue's 3.2 GPG hardness, nor does it contribute to scale formation or appliance damage. The presence of fluoride essentially represents a separate water quality parameter that functions independently of hardness minerals. EPA maximum allowable levels are set at 4.0 mg/L for health protection and 2.0 mg/L for aesthetic considerations related to dental fluorosis.

Some Bellevue residents prefer to remove fluoride from drinking water while maintaining it for other household uses. Water softeners, including the SoftPro Elite HE, do not remove fluoride through the ion exchange process. The fluoride ions are not captured by the sodium-charged resin that removes calcium and magnesium.

Bellevue homeowners seeking fluoride removal should install a reverse osmosis system at the kitchen sink for drinking and cooking water, while using the SoftPro Elite HE to address the 3.2 GPG hardness throughout the home. This two-system approach addresses each water quality concern with the appropriate technology.

4. Why Most Bellevue Homeowners Pick the Wrong Softener

Walk through any big-box store in Bellevue, and you'll find water softeners priced from $400 to $4,000, with virtually no guidance about which system can actually handle 3.2 GPG hardness plus chloramine and seasonal sediment. The result: well-intentioned homeowners make expensive mistakes that cost more than buying the right system initially.

The biggest mistake is buying on price alone, particularly when retailers emphasize "deals" on undersized units. A 24,000-grain softener might seem adequate for a smaller home, but at 3.2 GPG, a 4-person household generates nearly 1,000 grains of hardness daily. That small system would need regeneration every 3-4 days, wasting salt and water while providing inconsistent soft water quality. When the resin exhausts early, hard water breaks through suddenly, leaving Bellevue homeowners confused about why their "new" softener isn't working.

Mistake number two: confusing water softeners with water filters. Many Bellevue residents assume a softener will address chloramine taste and odor, then feel disappointed when the medicinal smell persists after installation. Softeners remove hardness minerals through ion exchange—they cannot reliably remove chloramine, sediment, or fluoride. Bellevue households dealing with both 3.2 GPG hardness and chloramine concerns need a two-stage approach: catalytic carbon filtration for chloramine removal, plus ion exchange softening for mineral removal.

The third critical mistake involves ignoring grain capacity mathematics entirely. Here's the formula every Bellevue homeowner should understand: 4 people × 75 gallons per person daily × 3.2 GPG = 960 grains of hardness removed daily. Multiply by 7 days = 6,720 grains weekly. Add a 20% buffer for high-usage periods = 8,064 grains minimum capacity between regenerations. A 24,000-grain unit provides only 2-3 weeks between regenerations, while a properly-sized 32,000-grain system regenerates weekly for optimal efficiency.

Finally, Bellevue homeowners often overlook salt efficiency when comparing systems. At 3.2 GPG, your softener regenerates approximately 50 times per year—more than once weekly. An inefficient unit might use 8-10 pounds of salt per regeneration, while a high-efficiency model uses 4-6 pounds for the same grain capacity. Over 10 years, this difference compounds to 1,000-2,000 pounds of salt, worth $200-$400 in additional operating costs.

5. The SoftPro Elite HE: Built for Bellevue's Water

After evaluating Bellevue's water hardness of 3.2 GPG and the presence of chloramine, sediment, and fluoride in the local supply, one system consistently rises to the top for Bellevue homeowners: the SoftPro Elite HE Water Softener. This isn't marketing speak—it's the logical engineering solution for the specific challenges documented in Sections 1-4.

The foundation of the SoftPro Elite HE's effectiveness lies in its salt-based ion exchange process, which physically removes calcium and magnesium minerals rather than attempting to modify them. This distinction matters critically in Bellevue, where 3.2 GPG hardness exceeds the threshold where "salt-free" systems can prevent scale formation. Salt-free units work by attempting to change mineral crystal structure, but they cannot remove hardness minerals from the water. At 3.2 GPG, only true ion exchange resin—where calcium and magnesium ions are physically replaced with sodium ions—delivers genuinely soft water that protects appliances and improves soap efficiency.

Demand-initiated regeneration (DIR) represents perhaps the most important feature for Bellevue households managing 3.2 GPG hardness. Traditional timer-based systems regenerate on fixed schedules regardless of actual water usage, leading to either hard water breakthrough (if usage exceeds programming) or salt waste (if usage falls short). DIR technology monitors actual resin exhaustion and triggers regeneration only when the bed approaches capacity. For Bellevue families generating nearly 1,000 grains daily, DIR prevents the hard water breakthrough that damages appliances while avoiding unnecessary salt and water consumption during vacation periods or low-usage weeks.

The SoftPro Elite HE's NSF/ANSI Standard 44 certification provides verification that both resin performance and materials safety meet rigorous third-party testing standards. For Bellevue residents already managing chloramine, sediment, and controlled fluoride addition, knowing the softening process itself introduces no additional contaminants builds essential confidence in water quality. Certification testing verifies the resin removes hardness minerals without leaching problematic substances back into the treated water.

Grain capacity options ranging from 32,000 to 80,000 grains allow precise sizing for Bellevue households of different sizes. Using our earlier calculation: a 4-person family generating 6,720 grains weekly needs approximately 8,064 grains minimum capacity with buffer. The 32,000-grain SoftPro Elite HE provides nearly 4 weeks of capacity, allowing regeneration every 5-7 days for peak efficiency. Larger Bellevue households or those with high water usage should consider the 48,000-grain model to maintain optimal regeneration intervals.

The 10-year warranty coverage takes on special significance in a 3.2 GPG environment where resin sees consistent daily mineral loading. While softener resin can last 15-20 years in soft water cities, the continuous calcium and magnesium removal required in Bellevue creates measurably higher wear patterns. A decade-long warranty provides protection during the period of heaviest mineral stress, covering both parts and performance degradation.

The self-cleaning sediment pre-filter addresses one of Bellevue's seasonal challenges directly. During spring snowmelt and winter storms, sediment levels in the Cedar River system fluctuate, sometimes carrying particles through the municipal treatment process. Without pre-filtration, these particles embed in softener resin, creating channels where hard water passes through untreated. The SoftPro's integrated pre-filter captures sediment automatically and backwashes it away during regular regeneration cycles, protecting resin life without requiring separate filter maintenance.

High salt efficiency becomes economically important when regenerating 50+ times annually at 3.2 GPG usage levels. The SoftPro Elite HE uses approximately 4-6 pounds of salt per regeneration cycle, compared to 8-12 pounds for less efficient systems. Over a year, this efficiency difference saves 200-300 pounds of salt—worth $40-$60 annually in Bellevue. Compound this savings over the system's 15-20 year lifespan, and salt efficiency represents $600-$1,200 in operating cost reduction.

For Bellevue households dealing with 3.2 GPG of water hardness and the compounding presence of chloramine, sediment, and fluoride, the SoftPro Elite HE is not a comfort upgrade—it is infrastructure protection for your home.

6. How to Size Your Softener for Bellevue

Proper softener sizing for Bellevue's 3.2 GPG water requires precise calculation rather than guesswork, since undersized units fail quickly while oversized systems waste salt and water. Follow this step-by-step process to determine the right grain capacity for your household.

Step 1: Count household members. Include all full-time residents—temporary guests don't significantly impact sizing calculations.

Step 2: Multiply by 75 gallons per person per day. This represents average consumption including drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, and dishwashing for typical American households.

Step 3: Multiply household gallons × 3.2 GPG = daily grain demand. This calculation determines how many grains of hardness minerals your softener must remove each day.

Step 4: Multiply by 7 = weekly grain demand. Weekly calculations provide better accuracy than daily estimates since water usage varies significantly between weekdays and weekends.

Step 5: Add 20% buffer for high-usage days. This accounts for parties, extended family visits, or periods when multiple household members increase water consumption simultaneously.

Step 6: Match to SoftPro Elite HE grain tier. Choose the capacity that accommodates your buffered weekly demand while allowing regeneration every 5-7 days.

Let's work through this sizing calculation for a typical 4-person Bellevue household at 3.2 GPG:

Step 1: 4 people
Step 2: 4 × 75 = 300 gallons daily
Step 3: 300 gallons × 3.2 GPG = 960 grains daily
Step 4: 960 × 7 = 6,720 grains weekly
Step 5: 6,720 + 20% = 8,064 grains minimum capacity
Step 6: SoftPro Elite HE 32,000-grain model provides optimal capacity

This sizing allows regeneration approximately every 5-7 days, which maximizes salt efficiency while ensuring consistent soft water delivery. Regenerating more frequently wastes salt and water, while longer intervals risk hard water breakthrough during high-usage periods.

7. Installation in Bellevue: What to Know

Bellevue requires a plumbing permit for water softener installation, and the city recommends using licensed contractors for connections to the main water line. While experienced DIYers can legally install softeners, working with a local plumber familiar with Bellevue's plumbing codes ensures compliance and proper system performance.

Optimal placement positions the SoftPro Elite HE after the main water shutoff valve but before the water heater. This configuration treats all household water while maintaining access for system bypass during maintenance. The unit requires approximately 24 inches of clearance on all sides for salt loading and service access. Bellevue's typical basement and utility room layouts accommodate the SoftPro's compact footprint, but measure carefully in condos or townhomes with limited mechanical space.

The regeneration process requires a drain connection capable of handling 40-60 gallons of brine discharge over 90 minutes. Most Bellevue homes can connect to a utility sink, floor drain, or standpipe. The drain line should not exceed 20 feet in length and must maintain a downward slope to prevent backflow. Avoid connecting directly to septic systems, as the salt discharge can disrupt bacterial processes.

Bellevue's municipal water pressure typically ranges from 45-65 PSI, well within the SoftPro Elite HE's operating requirements of 25-80 PSI. However, homes in elevated areas near Cougar Mountain or the Eastgate plateau may experience lower pressure that requires a booster pump for optimal softener performance.

Salt type selection impacts system performance at 3.2 GPG hardness levels. For Bellevue's moderate hardness, high-quality solar crystals provide cost-effective performance with minimal brine tank residue. Evaporated pellets offer slightly better purity but cost 20-30% more with minimal performance improvement at this GPG level. Avoid rock salt, which contains impurities that can foul resin and reduce system efficiency.

Check salt levels monthly during the first three months after installation to establish your household's consumption pattern at 3.2 GPG. Most Bellevue families use 40-60 pounds of salt monthly, depending on household size and water usage habits.

8. Maintenance Schedule for Bellevue Homeowners

Maintaining a water softener in Bellevue's 3.2 GPG environment requires consistent attention to prevent performance degradation and extend system life. The moderate hardness level creates steady but manageable mineral loading that responds well to regular maintenance.

Monthly maintenance tasks focus on salt management and basic system monitoring. Check salt levels in the brine tank—consumption runs moderate at 3.2 GPG, typically requiring 40-60 pounds monthly for average households. Look for salt bridges, which appear as a hard crust above the water line that prevents proper brine formation. Gently probe the salt surface with a broom handle—if it feels solid rather than loose, break up the bridge to restore proper regeneration. Confirm the bypass valve remains in the service position unless you're performing maintenance.

Every three months, perform more detailed inspections that catch problems early. Clean the brine tank by removing undissolved salt residue that accumulates over time. Test post-softener water hardness using test strips available at hardware stores—readings should stay under 1 GPG consistently. If hardness creeps above 1 GPG, investigate potential resin fouling, salt bridging, or system sizing issues before appliance damage occurs.

The SoftPro Elite HE's self-cleaning sediment pre-filter requires quarterly inspection during Bellevue's high-sediment seasons (typically March-May and November-January when Cedar River runoff peaks). The filter backwashes automatically during regeneration cycles, but manually inspect the housing for accumulated particles that might bypass the cleaning process.

Annual maintenance involves comprehensive system evaluation and cleaning. Perform complete brine tank cleaning, removing all salt and scrubbing interior surfaces to eliminate bacteria and mineral buildup. Conduct a thorough resin bed performance check by testing both incoming and outgoing water hardness—significant variance indicates resin degradation or fouling. At 3.2 GPG loading, properly maintained resin typically lasts 12-15 years before requiring replacement.

Audit the regeneration cycle annually to ensure timing and salt dosage remain optimal for your household's actual usage patterns. Water consumption often changes as families grow or lifestyle patterns shift, requiring regeneration frequency adjustments. Document the regeneration schedule and salt consumption rates to identify gradual changes that signal emerging problems.

Every five years, evaluate resin replacement needs by testing soft water quality and monitoring salt efficiency. At 3.2 GPG, resin degrades more slowly than in very hard water cities, but continuous mineral exposure eventually reduces ion exchange capacity. Signs of resin aging include gradually increasing post-treatment hardness, higher salt consumption per regeneration cycle, and reduced time between regenerations.

Bellevue residents should establish baseline water quality measurements before installation and retest 30 days afterward to confirm the system meets performance expectations. Keep these records for warranty purposes and to track long-term system performance trends.

9. Frequently Asked Questions for Bellevue Residents

10. Is Bellevue's water at 3.2 GPG dangerous to drink?

Bellevue's 3.2 GPG water hardness poses no health risks for drinking—calcium and magnesium are essential minerals that can actually contribute to daily nutritional needs. The EPA classifies water hardness as a secondary (aesthetic) standard rather than a primary health concern. However, the minerals do cause measurable damage to plumbing systems, water heaters, and appliances over time, making treatment an economic rather than health decision for most Bellevue households.

11. Will a water softener remove chloramine from Bellevue's water supply?

No, the SoftPro Elite HE water softener will not remove chloramine through the ion exchange process. Softeners specifically target calcium and magnesium minerals that create hardness. Chloramine removal requires catalytic carbon filtration, which can be installed upstream of the softener to address both taste/odor concerns and protect the resin from chloramine exposure. Many Bellevue homeowners choose a two-stage approach: catalytic carbon for chloramine plus ion exchange for the 3.2 GPG hardness.

12. How much salt will I use per month in Bellevue at 3.2 GPG?

A typical 4-person Bellevue household uses approximately 45-55 pounds of salt monthly with a properly sized SoftPro Elite HE system. This calculation assumes 300 gallons daily usage generating 960 grains of hardness, requiring regeneration every 5-7 days. Salt consumption varies with household size, water usage habits, and system efficiency. At current Bellevue salt prices ($8-12 per 40-pound bag), monthly operating costs run $12-18 for salt.

13. Does Bellevue require a permit to install a water softener?

Yes, Bellevue requires a plumbing permit for water softener installation when connecting to the main water supply line. The permit process ensures proper installation, backflow prevention, and compliance with local plumbing codes. Most licensed plumbers handle permit applications as part of their installation service. DIY installation is legally permitted with proper permits, but professional installation often provides warranty benefits and ensures code compliance.

14. Why does soft water feel slippery in the shower?

Soft water feels slippery because soap actually works properly without calcium and magnesium minerals interfering with lather formation. In hard water, minerals combine with soap to create a sticky scum that provides artificial "grip" on your skin. With soft water, soap rinses away cleanly, leaving only your skin's natural oils. Most Bellevue families adjust to the sensation within 2-3 weeks and report improved skin and hair condition afterward.

15. How quickly will I see results after installing a softener in Bellevue?

Bellevue homeowners typically notice immediate improvements in soap lathering and reduced spotting on dishes and glassware. Existing scale buildup from 3.2 GPG hardness dissolves gradually over 3-6 months as soft water circulates through the system. Water heater efficiency improvements become measurable after 60-90 days of operation. Skin and hair improvements often appear within 1-2 weeks as mineral buildup rinses away.

16. Can the SoftPro Elite HE handle Bellevue's water without a separate filter?

The SoftPro Elite HE effectively addresses Bellevue's 3.2 GPG hardness and includes sediment pre-filtration for particle protection. However, chloramine taste and odor require catalytic carbon filtration, which is not included in the softener. Fluoride removal, if desired, requires reverse osmosis at point-of-use. Most Bellevue households find the SoftPro Elite HE alone addresses their primary concerns, with additional filtration added only if taste and odor issues are bothersome.

17. Final Verdict for Bellevue

Bellevue's water hardness of 3.2 GPG demands professional-grade treatment—not because it creates dramatic visible problems, but because it causes expensive subtle damage that compounds over years. The combination of moderate hardness with chloramine disinfection and seasonal sediment creates layered challenges that require engineered solutions rather than band-aid fixes.

Chloramine, sediment, and fluoride compound the hardness problem in specific ways that generic "water treatment" cannot address comprehensively. Chloramine requires catalytic carbon for reliable removal, sediment needs mechanical filtration to protect softener resin, and fluoride removal requires reverse osmosis technology if desired. Understanding these distinctions prevents the expensive mistakes detailed in Section 4.

The SoftPro Elite HE rises as the optimal match for Bellevue households because of three specific feature-to-data connections. First, its demand-initiated regeneration prevents hard water breakthrough during the variable usage patterns common in growing Bellevue families. Second, the integrated sediment pre-filter protects resin during seasonal turbidity peaks from the Cedar River system. Third, the high salt efficiency reduces operating costs during the 50+ annual regenerations required at 3.2 GPG usage levels.

Check current SoftPro Elite HE pricing and available grain capacities for Bellevue households—the 32,000-grain model handles most families efficiently, while larger households benefit from the 48,000-grain capacity. Professional installation ensures compliance with Bellevue's permit requirements and optimal system performance from day one.

From the tech corridors of downtown Bellevue to the wooded neighborhoods near Lake Sammamish, protecting your home's plumbing infrastructure makes the same financial sense as maintaining your roof or foundation—and with 3.2 GPG flowing through every pipe, waiting only gets more expensive.