{"id":59826,"date":"2019-03-25T00:11:31","date_gmt":"2019-03-25T00:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aphw.com\/?p=59826"},"modified":"2019-04-03T13:59:58","modified_gmt":"2019-04-03T13:59:58","slug":"water-hitting-hard-maintain-your-softener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aphw.house\/windermere\/water-hitting-hard-maintain-your-softener\/","title":{"rendered":"Water Hitting Hard? Maintain Your Softener"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/aphw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/WaterSoftenerStory-1024x380.jpg\" alt=\"Water Softener Maintenance\" \/>Hard water can be a financial pain. You use twice as much soap for the same lather, have higher gas and electricity bills, go through clothing items faster, and have a harder time with appliance &amp; plumbing maintenance\u2014never mind what it does to your hair and skin in the shower. It can add up to hundreds of dollars every year, which is why water softeners are a standard household appliance across much of America. So, show your water softener some love once in a while! Your wallet will thank you.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Know Your Salt Stats<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Your user manual will recommend the best salt form and kind to use for your specific machine. Pellet form is the least likely to clog, and there are three kinds of water softener salt on the market:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rock Salt<\/strong> is the cheapest, but it\u2019s also the lowest quality. As the salt dissolves, excess sediment will settle on the bottom of your tank and may lead to clogs in the system. Homeowners who choose this option should clean the tank more frequently.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Solar Salt <\/strong>is of medium quality. It has a higher price tag but allows your tank to run more efficiently.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Evaporated Salt <\/strong>is the highest quality option. It\u2019s the most expensive, but it has little to no sediment and is least likely to cause unnecessary problems with your unit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/aphw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/watersplashGreyBkg.jpg\" alt=\"DIY Water Softener Maintenance\" \/>Don\u2019t Be a Stranger<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Take a peek into your water softener tank at least once a month to check the levels. If your salt is at \u00bc tank or less, it\u2019s time to add more. Fill it up to at least half a tank, and the water level should stop about 3 inches below the salt level.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Common Issues<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Homeowners face two common issues with water softeners: Salt Bridges and Salt Mushing.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A <strong>Salt Bridge<\/strong> is when the salt at the top of the pile has hardened into a solid layer, or \u2018bridge,\u2019 preventing any new salt from mixing into the water below. Take a broom handle and poke through the bridge down to the bottom of the tank, gently breaking it apart and mixing it with the rest of the salt. If this happens frequently, you may want to use less salt, let it drop lower between refills, or clean your brine tank.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Salt Mushing<\/strong> is a more serious problem, when the salt and water at the bottom of the tank have created a sort of salt slush together, causing water to rise above it instead of mixing in. The best fix is to scoop it out and replace the salt, but if you\u2019re looking to save the salt, you could try scooping the salt mush into hot water to dissolve it, and then mixing it back in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Cleaning &amp; Other Tasks<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cleaning:<\/strong> Modern water softeners can typically go between five and ten years in between manual cleanings. You really only need to clean them if your water has turned hard and basic maintenance is not fixing it. Older softeners should be cleaned about once per year, or if you\u2019re experiencing frequent clogs, bridges or mushing. Refer to your user manual for details on how to clean your tank, or take a look at this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.best-osmosis-systems.com\/water-softener-maintenance\/\">article<\/a>. Take care not to dump any waste into your yard\u2014the salt will kill your plants.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Water Softener Cleaner:<\/strong> Flush your tank with Water Softener Cleaner once every few months, following the instructions on the label. This will assist with removing excess sediment as well as extending the life of your unit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bypass Valve:<\/strong> Exercise the bypass valve a few times a year by twisting it to \u2018off\u2019 and back to \u2018on.\u2019 This ensures that you won\u2019t have to struggle to access it if needed, plus it allows you to check for any leaks or drips. If it does leak or drip, you may need to replace parts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Clean the Valve Between Tanks: <\/strong>Twice a year (or when clogs form), clean the valve between the brine tank and the resin tank. Make sure you follow your manual instructions <u>to the letter<\/u> for this: Failure to do so could result in parts damage or personal injury.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Order a Tune Up:<\/strong> It may be worth having a professional plumber take a look at your water softener once every few years, to ensure it\u2019s working properly and has a good, solid cleaning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/aphw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/watersplashBtmGrey.jpg\" alt=\"Water Softener Maintenance\" \/>Was this article useful to you? Please let us know your thoughts on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/notes\/americas-preferred-home-warranty\/water-hitting-hard-maintain-your-softener\/2376292142422195\/\">Facebook<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hard water can be a financial pain. You use twice as much soap for the same lather, have higher gas and electricity bills, go through clothing items faster, and have a harder time with appliance &amp; plumbing maintenance\u2014never mind what it does to your hair and skin in the shower. It can add up to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":59827,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[182,164,183],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v14.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Water Hitting Hard? Maintain Your Softener | APHW Windermere<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you have any idea how bad hard water is for your home? It could cost you hundreds each year, nevermind what it does to your skin. 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