How To Service My Master Water Conditioner

Water softener maintenance is amidst the chief concerns of homeowners debating whether or not to have i installed.

The bad news? Water softeners do require some regular checking up on your function. The skillful news? This checking up is minimal — and very inexpensive. In fact, the cost is downright negligible when you lot consider the impacts hard water in a metropolis like Phoenix, Arizona tin have on your plumbing and water heater.

These vii simple tips will teach you everything you lot need to know nigh how to maintain a water softener.

Water Softener Maintenance: 7 Fundamental Tips

#ane. Check the Salt Regularly

Yous should only actually demand to refill your water softener'south brine tank (which is where the common salt goes) every two months. However, information technology's notwithstanding a skilful idea to check more ofttimes than that. Open the brine tank lid every now and again and make sure the salt is wet and covered in water.

If the table salt is dry and the water level looks low, it'south fourth dimension to refill the brine tank with salt!

Checking upward on your softener's common salt level every now and once again is particularly important if your water softener is older than 10 years.

This right here tends to be the only 'water softener maintenance' yous demand to perform. But the following tips will ensure your system lasts equally long as possible.

#2. Utilise Good Table salt

When y'all practice refill your water softener's brine tank, make sure you use quality salt. Thankfully, water softener table salt is adequately cheap.

For the best of the best, get with evaporated table salt pellets, which are the purest out in that location. Generally, any salt with practise, though — except block salt, which is to exist avoided unless your water softener manufacturer specifically states otherwise.

#three. Know How to Make clean a Water Softener Brine Tank

Knowing how to clean a water softener — and then putting that knowledge to use regularly — is a nifty form of preventative maintenance.

The best, easiest mode to practice this? Wait until the brine tank is nearly out of common salt and and so scoop any remaining rocks out. If your softener is peculiarly dirty, the salt will look more like sludge.

If the sludge is caked onto the lesser of the alkali tank, light prodding with a stick or broom handle should pry it free.

Once you lot've gotten the sludge costless, clean the tank with detergent, water and a castor. If mold has built up on the bottom, feel gratuitous to utilise mold remover.

Once you're done, give the tank a rinse, refill it with common salt and then let information technology regenerate at night.

Voila! That's how to make clean a water softener.

#4. More Rarely… Know How to Make clean a Water Softener Resin Tank

Cleaning a brine tank is a no-brainer since y'all'll be opening and refilling information technology roughly every two months anyhow.

Knowing how to make clean a water softener resin tank is a skill you may non call on as regularly, merely it's useful nonetheless.

Your water softener contains resin beads. While the regeneration process volition remove buildup from these beads, this becomes less effective as the beads reach the 7-year mark.

The simplest way to deal with this is to have a professional person replace the beads themselves. This can be somewhat plush, with chaplet and a professional'due south time running between the ballparks of $100 and $300.

Remember, though; yous'll only need to do this nigh every seven years.

Nonetheless, a DIY workaround involves using an atomic number 26-cleaning formula to cleanse the beads and restore some efficiency to them.

#five. Know How to Spot Trouble

1 telltale sign of water softener is soap that won't lather properly.

As far equally how to maintain a water softener, possibly the most valuable skill lies in being able to spot problems before they arise.

Checking the brine tank regularly is a groovy way to remove ane possible cause in the case of an issue.

Notwithstanding, you lot don't even necessarily need to open up the softener to notice something is amiss.

Hard water interacts with lather in a style that prevents it from lathering up properly. This is a very elementary, easy style to monitor your water softener'due south status on a daily basis.

Another things to look out for:

scale (buildup in pipes, sinks, and bathtubs)
noticeably different water taste
stiff laundry
unusually-frequent regeneration (some systems regenerate more often than others but there should be some regularity; if your system begins regenerating on an unusual schedule, accept a closer look)

#6. Watch Out for Common salt Bridges

A salt span is a layer of crust that builds up and separates the water and salt in your tank. This prevents the system from running properly.

By sticking to quality salt, as outlined in tip #2, you lot'll avoid this. Even so, it'south proficient to check for table salt bridges occasionally. If you spot one, just poke at it with a broom and it'll give way soon enough.

#7. When in Doubt, Call the Professionals!

Water softener maintenance is a pretty standard affair. For almost of a quality softener'due south life, you shouldn't encounter many bug that require a professional'due south care.

Nevertheless, it's time to telephone call a professional if issues persist even after you've gone through the essentials, including:

allowing the softener to regenerate
checking the salt levels
clearing any salt bridges that appear
rinsing or replacing the resin beads

A professional person can salve you from the hassle of poking around in your h2o softener's electronic components without a solid understanding of what you're doing.

Trust American Home H2o and Air for Your H2o Softener Needs in Phoenix

If you're in Phoenix, Arizona we hope you lot'll trust American Home H2o and Air for all your water softener maintenance and installation needs including h2o softener loop installation. (we likewise do maintenance and cleaning for air conditioners). You can also detect other fix it guides for common HVAC and plumbing problems like an air conditioner not cooling properly. Phoenix has historically been plagued past specially difficult water. Luckily, we have more than 30 years of experience helping thousands of clients choose, install, and maintain all sorts of water handling systems — including softeners.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my water softener runs out of table salt?

If your water softener runs out of salt, the system simply won't work. Thankfully, this isn't dissentious to the system — but it does mean that it will take a couple days to resume softening h2o properly throughout your home.

Just refill it as you unremarkably would then allow it to regenerate.

How to replace resin in a water softener?

Exactly how to replace resin in a water softener will depend on your specific system; refer to the transmission. Generally, though, the process requires some skill and specialized tools. You'll demand to undo the softener, unscrew the valve head and then dump the existing resin chaplet and replace them with the correct amount and type.

Do h2o softeners demand to be serviced?

A adept water softener system can last years without professional attention. Eventually, you may need to hire a professional to replace the resin beads or troubleshoot a more complicated issue — but day-to-24-hour interval service and maintenance can be done by you.

Tin bacteria abound in a water softener?

Leaner can indeed abound inside a water softener. It is important to cheque the brine tank's cleanliness frequently and clean out mold or bacteria when you encounter information technology.

How long does a water softener last for?

While a water softener'south resin beads will start to lose efficiency later seven years, the organisation itself should concluding y'all upwards of 20 years granted y'all maintain it properly.