What happens if softener runs out of salt

In this article, you will learn what happens if a water softener runs out of salt and everything you wonder about water softening salts. A water softener is a filtration system. It is used to soften water by removing the high concentrations of calcium and magnesium minerals that cause hard water.

It softens the water through a process called ion exchange. A water softening filtration system can be applied to the whole house or can be used in industries. Water softener addresses a common problem; hard water. What is hard water? What causes those minerals to build up in the pipes? Calcium and magnesium minerals quickly bond with other metals and thus; build up in the pipes, appliances like the residue you see in your shower head.

The residue accumulated over time is caused by the hardening of the minerals that exist in water. Years ago, the introduction of the Ion Exchange Resin Method dramatically helped improve the quality of water. It allows ion exchange through which dissolved ions are removed from the solution and exchanged with other ions. Today, every water softening equipment in industrial facilities is also an ion exchanger. If you are asking what does it have to do with water softeners, well, water softeners replace the calcium Ca and magnesium Mg ions, which cause hardness in water, with sodium Na and chloride CI ions.

NaCI is the chemical compound that we call salt. You may know what salt is. An excess of salt in your brine tank is just as bad as the lack of it. A combination of these two could cause your water softener to malfunction.

If gone unchecked, it could damage your water softener. An uncleaned resin bed could mean exposure to harmful bacteria. Thankfully, most water softener manufacturers provide resin bead cleaners for your resin tank.

But before you grab your soap and scrub, first get familiar with what you should be looking out for in your brine tank. A brine tank left alone for too long could likely have salt bridging. This crusty buildup of salt settles at the bottom of the brine tank. To get rid of it, the salt bridge has to be carefully crushed. Once you manage to break apart the salt bridge, manually set the softener to a regenerate cycle mode to refresh itself.

This presents itself as a moldy muddy mass of salt at the bottom of the brine tank that raises the water level — blocking the brine solution from flowing correctly and possibly overflowing the tank. You can save our water softener from this sludge by cleaning it out with bleach. A typical 9-inch brine tank may need one cup of bleach, while a inch brine tank may need two cups. Do not drink any of your tap water while cleaning out your water softener.

A well-maintained water softener will do wonders for your home, but sometimes its needs could be overlooked. A water softener that has run out of salt will cause all types of harm — not just to your water, but to you and your family. Now you know What happens if water softener runs out of salt.

Find out more here. Check the salt chamber — if your water softener salt is running out, stock up on pure A-grade quality salt for home delivery from our online shop. Buy now. Call Get a 3 month trial. What happens if I run out of salt? Select a category All. About Water Softeners Drinking Softened Water Harvey's Benefits HarveyArc