Softer Is Better: 4 Tips To Keep Your Water Softener Working Properly
Posted on: 14 March 2016
If you live in an area that has hard water, a water softener can be a real life saver. Water softeners remove harsh minerals that can damage your plumbing and water-using appliances. Another benefit of having a water softener is that you won't need to use as much bath soap or laundry and dish detergent. To remove the minerals properly, your water softener needs to be in good working order. Here are four quick steps to properly maintain your water softener.
Crush the Salt Bridges
To make sure your water softener is working properly, you should inspect the salt bed at least once a week. If your softener is working properly, you should be able to see the salt level decreasing at each weekly inspection. If you haven't seen the level decrease in at least a week, your tank may have developed a salt bridge. This happens when the upper layer of salt hardens and forms a crust over the salt below. When that happens, the salt isn't processed properly, and your water doesn't get softened. Simply force a broom handle through the salt crust and move it around vigorously to break up the salt. The salt will now process properly.
Add Fresh Salt
If you've been keeping your tank filled with salt, you might be creating problems. You should only refill your salt once the tank is nearly empty. Once the tank is nearly empty, add fresh salt to about the two thirds full level. Waiting until the tank is nearly empty, and only filling your tank about 2/3's of the way, will help prevent salt bridges.
Clean the Resin Bed
When you had your water softener installed, you probably had your water tested. If your water tested positive for high iron content, you should add resin bed cleaner to your tank at least once a year. A dirty resin bed will be ineffective at removing iron from your water. You can purchase resin bed cleaner at most home improvement centers, or from your water softener distributor. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label when using your resin bed cleaner.
Power Outages Require a Reset
Your water softener is designed to clean and recharge overnight. However, if you've recently experienced a prolonged power outage, you should reset your water softener. Power outages can cause an error in your cleaning and recharge settings, which means your system may recharge too often or not enough after a power outage. Your owner's manual will have complete instructions for how to reset your particular model.
If you have a water softener, you want to keep it working properly. Use the easy-to-follow tips provided above to keep your water softener in good working order. For more information, contact companies like Johnson Water Conditioning.
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