If you have a salt-based water softener, adding salt at the right time will keep it running properly. The size of the brine tank, age of the system, relative water hardness, and amount of water you use will factor into its salt usage and impact how frequently you’ll need to top off its salt supply. Maintaining your system will ensure that you always have soft water available when you need it.
How Do I Maintain the Salt Level in My Water Softener?
In an ideal world, you could plan your salt refill schedule in advance, but unfortunately, your softener may not use salt at a consistent rate. Therefore, you’ll need to check your water softener periodically to see if it needs more salt. Here’s how to do it:
Check the Salt Level Inside the Tank
First, make sure that your brine tank has the right amount of salt by lifting the lid and looking inside—you want to see dry salt rising above the water level. If the water level is above the salt level, you need to add salt to the tank. If the tank’s salt level falls below 50% and the salt looks dry, refill the tank until it’s about 55% full. As a rule of thumb, we would recommend checking your salt level twice a month, adding to it as necessary.
Check the Age of Your Water Softener
Older water softeners tend to be less efficient than newer systems, so if you’ve had your system for more than a decade, it may use a relatively large amount of salt. Newer systems may also use a more advanced demand-initiated cycle that operates as-needed instead of on a set schedule, which can use less salt over time. Many recently released systems are equipped with monitoring devices and indicators that alert you when your salt level is low, which can make maintenance easier. Whatever the age of your softener, it never hurts to check it regularly to ensure that it’s filled to the correct level.
Check the Tank for a Salt Bridge
A salt bridge is a solid salt crust that can form within your brine tank. It can create a barrier between the water and the salt that prevents the salt from dissolving. This stops your softener from creating a brine solution, which can impede the water softening process. If the salt level in your tank seems to stay the same for months or your water is harder than usual, you might have a salt bridge, so open the tank lid and check the brine solution to be sure. To prevent this problem, try to install your softener in an area with low humidity. Use the right kind of high-quality salt, and keep the salt level just over half-full.
Use the Right Kind of Salt
Your water softener will perform best when you use the right kind of salt. Salt pellets are generally the best choice for most systems because they are the purest kind of salt available for water softeners. These pellets tend to dissolve easily and completely without creating salt bridges that can block your system. Solar salt and rock salt are more likely to cause bridging, which makes pellets a better choice for most softeners. If you have any doubts, your owner’s manual should tell you which kind of salt is best for your water softening system.
What Happens If You Forget to Add Salt to Your Water Softener?
If your water softener lacks the salt it needs to create a brine solution and recharge the water softener’s resin, your system will become less effective over time. When the brine tank becomes almost or completely devoid of salt, the water softener won’t be able to perform the ion exchange that removes hard minerals, like calcium and magnesium, from the water. Once the salt is gone, the water softener will not be able to recharge. Eventually, the resin can become dirty or damaged, which can permanently affect the performance of your system, even when you add more salt. An absence of salt can also cause corrosion that can break down your softener’s machinery. Plus, as the water becomes harder, you are likely to notice that your water feels and tastes different and experience other negative effects.
How Often Should I Add Salt to My Water Softener?
In general, older softeners may need to be refilled every month, while newer softeners may need to be refilled every six to eight weeks. It’s a good idea to monitor your salt usage, check your brine tank once a month, and adjust the salt level as needed. If you’re still uncertain about how much salt to add or how frequently to add it, call a plumber to evaluate your system. They can also test your water hardness level, make sure the water softener is working properly, and advise you on how to maintain it.
Enjoy Perfectly Soft Water Every Day with Help From Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
Maintaining the proper salt level in your water softening system is key to protecting its longevity and ensuring that you have a consistent supply of soft water. The expert plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing will be happy to supply you with the salt you need and keep your water softening system running perfectly.