If your home has hard water, the staining alone is enough to encourage you to install a softening system for the water and the last thing you want is for it to suddenly stop working. Water softeners typically don't require much maintenance and many of the needed repairs are quick and easy fixes. However, there is a chance that your water softener may occasionally not work like it's supposed to. Here are some common issues with water softeners that are caused by the salt, or the lack of it:
Too Much or Too Little Salt
Most water softening systems are salt-based, so most problems are related to the salt; meaning too much or too little of it. If there isn't enough salt in the brine tank, the softener can't work like it is supposed to. In most situations, you don't have to schedule water softener repair services to remedy this problem. Simply fill up the brine tank to the recommended level. It is important to only add the recommended amount of salt, as adding too much can be toxic if it's ingested.
Salt Bridge
Sometimes, the salt in the tank will cause hard deposits, which causes the salt to form a bridge, a hard coating over the water. If a salt bridge forms, it's often hard to tell how much salt is in the tank. In fact, it may look full. The water softener system may continue to function, but the bridge prevents the system from doing its job correctly, allowing the water to regenerate, so the water will continue to be hard. To fix this problem, you should have a water softener repair company thoroughly clean the tank and refill it with fresh brine. It typically takes a couple of days after cleaning the tank before the system begins to work normally.
Although most water softener repairs are the result of a problem with the salt, there are other problems that may occur, such as high iron content in the water. There is a limit to the amount of iron that should be in the water coming from the softener system. Too much iron can pose a risk to your health, as well as to your plumbing, so it is important to fix problems with the iron content as soon as possible. If there is a high iron content, the first thing to check is the filter; it may need to be replaced. If the filter is in good condition, contact a water softener repair service to ensure the bypass valve is working properly and that there are no leaks in the plumbing lines.
Share12 May 2019
Hello, my name is Yvonne Michaels. Welcome to my website about plumbing components. Plumbing systems of all kinds use interconnected components to bring fresh water in and waste water out of the building. By clearly understanding the plumbing components used in your commercial or residential building, you can ensure your systems remain in great operational condition for years to come. On this site, I will help you learn all about plumbing components for every system imaginable. I hope to inspire you to learn about these components and understand how they operate to keep your plumbing system in great shape. Thanks for coming by.
