Water Softener Maintenance Tips

Keeping your water softener running for many years is a goal many homeowners have. After all, these systems represent a sizeable monetary investment, so you want to make sure your investment keeps running well year in and year out. Proper maintenance is not hard, but is vital to helping these systems continue running well.

One of the most important things to do is to keep your salt levels where they need to be. Plan to check the supply monthly, and top it off when needed. Each system will go through salt at a different rate, depending on the system and also the amount of water your family uses. If you find that you are completely out of salt regularly on your monthly checks, start checking more frequently.

As you check your salt levels, consider how humid your area is. A water softener in a very humid area should be kept with a lower salt level, and then refilled more often. Humidity can cause what is called a salt bridge, which is an empty space between the water and salt. This will prevent the system from running properly. If you notice a salt bridge forming, you can use a broom handle to break up the salt forming the bridge, allowing it to fall into the water.

Every three to four months, inspect your brine tank. Allow the system to lower its salt levels to about one-third of the full point. Then, look at the walls of the tank to see if there is any heavy residue. If you notice a heavy amount of residue, you will need to turn the unit off and remove it. Clean the tank with soap and water, rinse, replace the salt, and refill the tank. Then, turn the unit back on. This should prevent problems from salt buildup.

Some communities have a water supply that is rich in iron. This can cause a problem for your water softener. If this is true for you, you will want to check your resin bed when you inspect the system each month. This is where iron deposits can build up. If you notice these deposits, use an iron remover to get rid of them.

That is about all there is to maintenance for your system. Of course, if you notice leaks or drips where there shouldn't be leaks or drips, then these will need to be repaired. Otherwise, your maintenance should only take a few minutes each month. This will help ensure that you have soft, comfortable water for many months or years after you install the system. The good news is that if you skip a month, it is not likely to damage your system. Just make up the inspection as soon as you realized you missed it.

A water softener is a vital part of your home's plumbing system. By taking the tome to take proper care of it, you can keep it as part of your home for many years, avoiding the costly replacement of this vital component. All it takes is a few minutes a month to do what needs to be done.