If you are a homeowner who has a water softener installed, you will want to keep it running properly in order to obtain the quality water you expect and enjoy. There are a few mishaps that can occur with a home water softener, making water compromise in quality in the process. Here are some quick fixes to some common water softening problems, along with a few ways you can prolong the life of your water softener.
How It Works
A water softener is hooked up to your water supply outside your home. When water goes into the brine box, sodium (salt) is added to the composition. It then moves to a resin tank where the salt is swapped for calcium and magnesium deposits. This swapping of minerals will make water feel softer as an end-result.
Cleaning Out The Brine Tank
The area where sodium is added to water can become clogged if too much is added or if it is added too frequently. Check the salt content for any areas where there is crusting or hardening. If you notice hardened salt, use a wooden spoon to break up the pieces and remove by hand.
Vacuum out any hardened remnants using a shop vacuum. Follow with a thorough cleaning using a mixture of water and mild dish detergent. This can help water to run through the unit freely without clogging.
Cleaning Out The Resin Tank
If your water contains a great amount of iron, it can gunk up the resin tank during the swapping of sodium for calcium and magnesium. To remove iron from the resin tank, buy a liquid or powder iron removing agent. These can be found in your local hardware or home goods store in the kitchen or bathroom section or where cleaning supplies are found.
Follow the directions on the packaging and turn your water tank to the regeneration mode. This is done by opening up the control valve and turning the knob to "service" or "regeneration" mode. The water will filter through the unit, cleaning out the mechanisms and purging waste water in the process. Turn your unit back to regular mode after waste water has been removed.
Keeping Your Water Softener Healthy
Use pure salt that has iron remover included to keep your softener from getting build up in the resin tank. Using rock salt is cheaper, but it will cause areas of crusting to occur easier, making the water softener at risk for clogs. Only add salt to the brine tank when the previous amount of salt is almost gone so you do not risk overuse. Clean out both the resin tank and the brine tank thoroughly at least once a year to remove any sludge that may have built up on the walls and on the intricate parts within.
These are a few ways to keep your water softener system working. If you need more help or have other questions, contact a company like Metro Water Conditioning Inc.
Share24 March 2015
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