If you have hard water in your home, you may rely on a whole-home water softener to make your water more usable when washing dishes, doing laundry, bathing, and running appliances. However, did you know that, like all home comfort systems, your whole-home water softener needs to be maintained periodically to ensure its continued performance? It’s true! Your water-softening system needs certain tune-ups and adjustments over time.
Whole-home water softening systems, like the name suggests, treats water at the point-of-entry, offering conditioned water for all fixtures. Point-of-use water softeners, however, offer targeted support for water treatment, often for specific showers, kitchen sinks, and other fixtures. Like all home comfort systems, whole-home water softening systems require routine maintenance in order to continue to provide you with smooth service.
Water softeners might seem like complex systems, but with the right maintenance routine, you can be assured that your system will provide you with great service. Point-of-use water softeners require a degree of maintenance as well, but for this blog, we’ll focus on whole-home water softeners.
Find out below how whole-home water softener system maintenance makes your home’s comfort processes smoother.
Who Really Needs a Water Softener?
Homes with hard water can benefit from a water softener system. Hard water contains high amounts of minerals like calcium and magnesium that can damage appliances like your water heater or dishwasher. Additionally, hard water can cause dull or dry skin and hair and unsightly spots on your bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Because of this, many homeowners opt to have a water softener installed to treat their water.
Wondering how a water softener works and what the most common types are? Good question! Salt-based water softeners are the most common and effective types of water softeners. These systems work by drawing out the minerals in the water, like magnesium and calcium, into a resin within the water softener and exchanging them for sodium, returning the water to a neutral, softer state. The resin within salt-based water softeners needs to be recharged periodically, which is where routine maintenance practices come into play.
How Long Does a Water Softener Last?
Water softeners typically last for decades with the right amount of maintenance and care. Other factors that can influence the lifespan of your water softener are the high degree of mineral content in the water, how often you use the water softener and other factors. Learn to notice any signs that the quality service of your water softener is failing and test your water quality levels frequently.
Why Is Maintenance On a Water Softener Important?
When you make maintaining your water softener a priority, you get peace of mind and consistent, quality service from your home comfort system. With a salt-based water softener, you’ll typically have two tanks to keep up with–the main tank and the brine tank. The main tank is where the resin beads are housed, and the brine tank is filled with salt water, which periodically flushes the main tank from the buildup of harsh chemicals. This cycle is often referred to as the regeneration cycle. The regeneration cycle frequency and length will vary based on a household’s water use and degree of mineral content.
How to Maintain Your Water Softener
Depending on your needs, you can maintain your water softener or rely on expert water treatment specialists to maintain it for you. However, there are signs and activities that you can put into your household routine to ensure your water softener continues to function optimally. These include checking salt levels to ensure the right amount is in your brine tank, changing filters, flushing resin beads, and ensuring that weekly or monthly maintenance is performed. See the other ways below to maintain your water softener.
Choose The Right Type Of Salt
Are all types of salt created equal? Not necessarily when it comes to water softener maintenance! When maintaining the health of your water softener, make sure you’re using the correct type of salt. The three main types of salt used in water softeners are rock salt, evaporated salt, and solar salt. Different types of salt and how they’re processed contribute to the amount of impurities they may contain.
For instance, rock salt, while the most widely available and inexpensive option, can contain dirt or sediment, which, when dissolved, could clog your water softener. Always consult with your water treatment specialist and plumber to ensure you’re using the correct type of salt for your water softener.
Use A Resin Bead Cleaner
Over time, the resin beads in your main water softener tank may become ineffective or eroded due to the high amounts of mineral deposits and use. Although the resin beads are regenerated during the regeneration cycle, some water treatment professionals can advise you on how to clean them for maximum effectiveness.
How often you clean your resin beads will depend on your unique household needs, so be sure to consult with a water treatment specialist from AC by J for more information about different types of resin bead cleaners.
Check For Salt Bridges, Salt Mushing
When keeping up with your water softener maintenance, check for salt bridges and salt mushing, both of which reduce the effectiveness of your water softener and the regeneration cycle.
You might be wondering, what are salt bridges? Salt bridges are an accumulation of salt on the sides of your brine tank, which can form a layer and prevent the water entering the tank from forming a brine. This affects the water softener’s ability to condition the water. Additionally, salt mushing is something to look out for during regular maintenance. Salt mushing refers to dissolved salt that recrystallizes inside the brine tank and forms a sludge at the bottom. This can create blockages in your tank.
Clean Valves Leading from the Brine Tank
Like most plumbing appliances that carry water, you’ll need to inspect your water softener’s valves, specifically the valve that carries water from the brine tank to the main tank. This valve can often become blocked with sediment or other impurities as it comes in contact with the brine solution.
Depending on your household’s water needs, hard water severity, and uses, this valve may need to be cleaned bi-annually, monthly, semi-monthly, or on another frequency. Be sure to consult with your water treatment specialist to determine the frequency with which this valve should be cleaned.
What Problems Could A Water Softener Develop?
Without proper maintenance performed on your water softener, you might be left with an ineffective system that does not meet its typical lifespan to provide your household with perfectly conditioned water. This means you’ll be faced with repair charges or a premature replacement charge to get another water softener.
Don’t fall into the trap of using the wrong salt for your water treatment system and not cleaning your water softener system adequately. Ignoring blockages, salt accumulation in the brine tank, and ineffective resin beads can lead to your water softener not performing optimally. Additionally, spend time getting to know how your water softener works and have your water treatment specialist explain the ins and outs of the system and how you can effectively maintain it.
Contentious, Knowledgeable Water Treatment Professionals
If you’re thinking of having a new water softener installed or you’d like to know how to better maintain your current water softening system, you’re in the right place. At AC by J, our water softening services are comprehensive, personalized, and professional. We make sure you understand every aspect of your system so you know what maintenance is required and how to use it effectively. Better yet, we’ll help you set up a routine maintenance schedule through our Comfort Club.
No matter your water treatment needs, the experts at AC by J are here to help! Contact us today for water-softening system maintenance or installation!
