Two softeners can look identical on a quote sheet and still run on different logic. The control head decides when the unit regenerates, and that choice quietly drives how much salt and water you use, how often the unit is out of service, and whether it regenerates when your household actually needs it. Before you compare providers on price, compare the valve type each one proposes.
The two control types
A time clock head regenerates on a schedule you set, such as a fixed hour on fixed days or every set number of days. It does not look at how much water the house used. That makes it simple to understand and easy to check, but it can run when the tank barely got used, and it can fall short on a heavy day if the schedule is spaced too far apart.
A metered head, often called demand initiated, counts the water that passes through and regenerates after a set volume has been used. It follows your actual household, so a week of guests or a run of heavy laundry brings the cycle forward instead of waiting for a calendar day. The trade-off is that it depends on the flow meter working and on the capacity figure being entered correctly. Some heads combine both, with the meter as the main trigger and a time setting as a backup.
Match the head to how the water is used
Steady, predictable use, the same number of people at the same hours, is the case where a time clock can be accurate enough. If the house swings, with visiting relatives, a home office, seasonal loads, or a second unit on the same line, a meter-initiated head usually tracks real demand better. Write down what your household does over a normal week before you accept any head type, because a provider's recommendation may reflect what is easiest to install rather than what your water needs.
Questions to put to each provider
Ask what triggers regeneration on the head being proposed, and whether it runs on a time clock, a meter, or both. Ask who sets the schedule or the volume figure, and whether you can change it yourself later. For a meter head, ask what happens if the meter sensor fails, how that failure shows on the display, and what the sensor costs to replace. For a time clock, ask how the regeneration time was chosen and whether it is set for an hour when the house is not drawing water.
Ask for the setting in writing. If one provider proposes a meter head and another proposes a timer, get both to state the regeneration trigger and the figure used to size the unit, then compare the two side by side. Two quotes that disagree on the trigger can look equal on price and still behave differently every week.
What to check on the unit itself
Look at the head before the install is signed off. Is there a readable display that shows the current time, the remaining capacity, and the last regeneration? Is there a manual override that lets someone start a regeneration by hand, or is that locked behind the installer? A head you cannot read is a head you will end up calling about. Confirm that the owner's manual is left with the unit and that the settings page names the trigger in plain words.
Where this fits in the bigger decision
The valve type is one line in a larger choice. For the full order of steps, from the first water test to sign-off, see the Missouri Water Softener Buyer's Guide. For how we weigh providers when we rank them, see our methodology.