Water softener owner’s manuals are not only boring, there are many that don’t even tell you what you need to know for water softener maintenance so that it works at peak performance. Here are a few quick points that will get this task off your mental list.
How to Maintain a Water Softener
There are really only two things that you need know for water softener maintenance once it has been installed. I’m focusing on whole house water softener systems here, but in general, even the very small water softeners that are used for just one area of the house work very much in the same way (they are just smaller).
Just Add Salt
Most water softener systems use Salt: sodium chloride or NaCl. There are some that use other types of salt, but the vast majority just need for you to keep salt supplied to the brine tank so that the water softener can do it’s job. We’ll give you all the details below for “Job #1”.
Be sure to set up a reminder to regularly check the salt level and add more when it’s low. Running out of salt during the regeneration process can damage the resin beads and decrease the efficiency of the water softener system.
Throughout our articles about Water Softening systems, we refer to “the brine tank”. In case you are brand new to these systems, most of them have two large components. Usually the shorter, wider unit is the brine tank. It will have a lid on the top front that will look similar to the featured image for this article. Lift the lid and you should see salt inside it.
Refresh the Resin When Needed
The resin is what really makes the water softening system work – but more about that at the bottom of this article if you are interested. Right now it’s just enough to know that it’s one of the two things to pay attention to.
By the way, the resin lives inside the other large cylindrical unit of your water softener system.
Adding Salt to Your Water Softener
I like bullet points – it makes things really clear. So this is all you need to know about adding salt for regular water softener maintenance:
- Fill the brine tank up with water softener salt to the top fill line. This will be above the water line
- Don’t let the salt level fall below about 1/3 of the brine tank capacity
- Most people find that if they add salt once a month (to the top line), that it won’t fall below the 1/3 mark in a month’s time. If you have lots of people using water or if you have very hard water, you may need to have a more frequent schedule
- Water softeners work best when the salt level is above the water level, so if you check the brine tank in the middle of the month and see this condition, just fill it up and adjust your schedule
- Only use good quality water conditioner salt in your system. For more about that subject, see A Guide To Water Softener Salt: Pellets, Blocks, Cubes, or Crystals
- Water softener manuals most often recommend either Pellets or Solar Salt
- Never add water to the Brine tank. After the system is setup and running, the system will add the correct amount of water
- If you see the salt turning into big clumps or sticking to the sides of the tank, it’s good to break that up and push the salt down into the water if you can. If this gets really bad, it is called a ‘salt bridge’ – the salt forms a bridge or a dome over the water and the water underneath can’t reach the salt. If your salt is clumping consistently, you may want to consider a better salt product. For detailed information about salt bridges, see our article Bridging The Gap: Preventing Salt Bridges In Water Softeners
- After you add salt, it takes about 2 hours for the brine to be saturated enough to run a regeneration cycle
- Don’t mix different forms of salt – such as pellets and crystals. This encourages clumping
- There are products called ‘resin cleaners’ that can be used once a month. Check with your system provider if a product like this is recommended for your system and the hardness of your water
Most water softener salt comes in 40 pounds bags, similar to this neatly stacked pile on a pallet.
When Does the Resin Need to be Replaced?
Basically, any changes you notice in the operation of your system or the quality of your water might be a sign that the resin in the system is breaking down. For long term water softener maintenance, these are the signs to look for:
Symptoms of Hard Water
If your water starts to revert to how it was before you put your system in, it might be time to replace the resin. For example, you are using more soap to get things clean or the dishwasher is leaving spots on the glasses, this could be due to the resin. It is a fairly slow process, so you might not notice right away.
If you have to use more soap to work up a lather, or if the soap is feeling dry instead of slippery, your water may be getting harder.
System Runs More Often
If you notice that the system is running the regeneration cycle more often, it might be a sign of the resin not being as efficient. Also, if you seem to be using a little more salt than usual, this is a sign of decreased performance.
Water Smells or Tastes Weird
If you notice a difference in the smell or taste of your water, this could be due to the resin.
Tiny Beads in the Water
If you notice an clear tiny beads in your water or sitting in plumbing fixtures (like the toilet bowl), this is a fairly dramatic sign of the resin breaking down. If some of these tiny beads get stuck in a plumbing valve or faucet, you could experience a drop in water pressure.
Older Systems
If it has been 10 years or more since your system was installed, or since the resin was last replaced, you are nearing the end of the effective life of the resin. Typically resin is expected to last from 10 to 15 years, on average. Some of this has to do with how much ‘load’ the system experiences. If you have a lot of people using water in your house, this will accelerate the timing on replacing the resin.
Multiple Signs
While any single one of these signs might not mean you need to replace your resin, once you start noticing a few of them, or if any if the issue get pronounced, it’s time to start planning on replacing the resin.
If you are still unsure whether your system is working correctly, there are water hardness testing kits. You can test the incoming water and then test the softened water that is coming out of your tap and see the difference. These kits usually at a miniimum will show you calcium and magnesium levels, and sometimes other minerals like iron. Of course, the company that installed your system is usually willing to come out and evaluate the system – some will waive the service fee in hopes of being able to get a repair job. Be sure to ask before scheduling an appointment.
How Much Salt Does a Water Softener System Use?
There are several factors that affect how much salt you will use – here are the ones that will have the most influence:
- How hard is the incoming water?
- How many people are in your household? A typical water usage by one person is usually estimated at 75 gallons, so a family of four would use 300 gallons per day.
- How efficient is your water softener?
- How efficient is the resin in your system? (resin wears out after 10-15 years)
- How pure is the water softener salt that you are buying?
In general, a rule of thumb is that a family of four with water that is ‘average’ for homes that use a softening system (a water hardness level of around 7–10 grains per gallon) will go through about 40 pounds of salt in a month. Here is a graphic visualization of typical salt usage in a household that factors in usage and water hardness:
Some modern water softeners come equipped with alert systems or smartphone apps that notify when the salt levels are low, ensuring timely replenishment.
I’ve seen formulas for calculating a more exact amount, but they all seem complicated and need values that may be hard to figure out. Close enough. Give it a few months and you will know what your run rate is. If you are determined to calculate the amount that should get used every month for your particular situation, see our article How To Calculate The Salt Needed For Your Water Softener.
Common Problems & Troubleshooting
Growing up with hard water allowed me the opportunity to learn a bit about some of the most common issues seen with water softener systems and how to troubleshoot them.
- System Not Regenerating – A multitude of problems may be the culprit behind is issue – from a malfunctioning control valve to simply needing more salt in the brine tank. Also be sure to check the program on your controller to understand what the settings are – sometimes it can be a simple mis-setting.
- Water Hardness Not Reducing – An issue with your water softener could stem from several root causes including a clogged line, an unresponsive control valve, or even trouble within the resin beads if your system has been in service for many years.
- Inconsistent Water Pressure – If your sprayer isn’t working correctly, it could be due to a blockage in the nozzle or venturi. The control valve can also cause issues with water pressure within the system.
- High Salt Usage – This could be caused by a malfunctioning control valve or the system regeneration frequency set incorrectly.
How Long Does a Water Softener Last?
A water softener can last up to 20 years or more with proper maintenance. However, some factors, such as the quality of water in your area and the frequency of regeneration cycles, can affect the lifespan of your water softener. Appliance professionals often point out that even if something like a water softener or washing machine CAN be fixed, at some point it is more cost effective to just replace very old systems. The cost of the labor to repair old components can quickly outstrip the cost of getting a new system.
How Does a Water Softener System Work?
We describe the water softening process within our article Water Softener Salt: Its Effects on Pipe Corrosion. There is also a very good article provided by Penn State University on Water Softening that provides more detail about water hardness levels and the softening process.
Hand washing Photo by Sora Shimazaki
