Water Softener Maintenance Tips

Despite its slightly misleading name, “hard water” doesn’t refer to a block of ice! When there’s an abundance of calcium and magnesium in your San Antonio water supply, it increases its hardness. A water softener can reduce the minerals in your household supply but will require maintenance over time.

Kinetico San Antonio is dedicated to providing your home with technology that boosts water quality. Our team keeps the needs of your South Texas home in mind during every single service. Read ahead to learn a few significant maintenance tips for your softening system.

Forms Of Water Softener Maintenance

A water softener is an investment that will benefit your home in numerous ways. When this system is in need of a little TLC, a few methods can help it operate efficiently! Ultimately, maintenance is the key to getting the most from this technology and your daily water use.

Check The Salt Levels

Your water softener uses resin beads to replace hard minerals with softer inorganic substances, such as potassium and sodium. These beads use salt to function and wouldn’t be able to complete the ion exchange process without it. If you can see water at the bottom of the tank, there isn’t enough salt in the system. To refill the salt levels, follow these steps:

• Locate the brine tank and open the lid.
• Check if the salt pellets are covering visible water in the tank.
• Loosen any salt sticking to the side of the tank.
• Refill the salt until the tank is half-full. 

Checking the owner’s manual on your water softener can help you determine the exact amount of salt to put in the tank. This task doesn’t require professional assistance and is a simple form of DIY maintenance.

Clean The Tank

It’s recommended that you clean the water softener tank at least once per year. Regular cleanings ensure that the appliance is clean and will boost the effectiveness of your system. The tank may need to be cleaned more often if your water has high amounts of sediment.

Remove Salt Bridges

A salt bridge is a crusty, residual build-up of salt that can form anywhere in your brine tank. They are created when salt clumps together, causing it to not mix with the water. These bridges can form by using low-quality salt or when humidity is high.

Pour hot water into the tank and over the salt to break up this buildup. The water will loosen them and remove the bridges from the sides of your tank. If salt bridges occur frequently in your system, it may be a sign of an issue that requires professional attention.

Use The Correct Type Of Salt

Adding salt to your water softener isn’t like adding salt to a recipe you found online! Your system requires a specific type of salt to operate correctly. An incorrect kind of salt could increase the number of impurities in your softener, creating clogs and other issues. Check your manufacturer’s guide to determine what type your system needs.

Say Goodbye To Hard Water In San Antonio

Are you ready to take control of what’s in your water? Kinetico San Antonio offers a variety of water treatment systems to benefit your supply. When the time comes for your next water softener installation, contact our team to explore your options!