Inside the tank are two bolts holding the tank on to the base. Unscrew these two bolts and carefully lift water conditioner the tank from the base. Remove tank to the trash.
Examine the washer and replace it with a new one. Also replace screws in water line repair case they are old and damaged too. The new ones you buy should be durable and of good quality.
The con to time well spent is only if the fix or installation works. Suddenly, when a pipe is squirting water or the dishwasher is leaking all over the floor, that time seems wasted instead of well spent. Now your time is wasted, plus you have to pay for a professional plumber to come over and fix the mess. That time could have been spent doing something else, like golfing or swimming or gardening.
Service magic only let's licensed and insured tradesmen advertise on the site so that would be a great place to start. I would recommend getting at least three different quotes from different companies. This way you have an exact price of how much your works are going to cost and you will know exactly what you are getting for your money. You will also get the very best price for that work. Most plumbers will often try and sell you work that maybe you don't need as they are trying to make a living.
Keep an eye on any leaks in and around the house. Inspect taps, pipes and your roof regularly. Watch for leaks and if you find them, get it water line repair as soon as possible.
People who own rental properties are great ones to give you information. With all of the service people needed for maintenance on their units, they typically know who to call and what level of work they perform. Most property owners will be more than happy to give you the information you seek. In fact, they were probably in your shoes at one time.
The plumber you hire does not normally do heating but will do hot water heating or in floor heating in the house. Some places you can use the water heater for both domestic hot water and for in floor heating if the heating is a secondary heat. Check with your local plumbing codes on this to be clear.