Water Softener Maintenance: How to Avoid Costly Repairs

You enjoy your shower with soft water, stepping out with smooth skin and hair. Now, picture the opposite. The soft water becomes hard, making your skin and hair dry and lifeless.

It seems like you haven’t been maintaining your water softener properly. It's time to take action!

How can you do that? Try these:

1. Check the Salt Levels
2. Clean the brine tank
3. Maintain resin beads
4. Prevent Salt bridge
5. Choose the right salt type

This will tell you whether your water softener needs some maintenance. It's pretty easy to figure out what’s going on.

After that, you can handle the maintenance yourself or hire a pro. 

"Need Expert Water Softener Maintenance? We’ve Got You Covered!"

What is a Water Softener?

Water softeners make hard water soft.

It is a device where calcium and magnesium are swapped with sodium or potassium ions. Hard water consists of minerals. These mineral deposits appear as yellow stains in kitchen sinks or white spots on dishes. Basically, hard water is to blame. Over time, it creates buildup in pipes, appliances, and fixtures. 

Water softeners use an ion exchange process. This technology passes hard water through a resin bed. The resin bed then replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium or potassium ions. This is how the water becomes softer and clearer.

Check out the Top 5 Benefits of Installing a Water Softener and see how it can improve your daily life!

How to Maintain a Water Softener?

Follow these essential steps to keep your water softener running efficiently:

1. Check Salt Levels – Refill the brine tank regularly.
2. Prevent Salt Bridges – Stir salt to avoid hard layers.
3. Clean the Brine Tank – Wash it every 6-12 months.
4. Flush Resin Beads – Use resin cleaner to remove buildup.
5. Inspect the Control Valve – Ensure proper regeneration cycles.

Benefits of Soft Water

1. Prevents Scale Buildup: Soft water eliminates the formation of limescale. It clears out deposits from pipes, faucets, and appliances. Your water heaters and dishwashers run more smoothly. Softer water maintains water flow and prolongs the lifespan of plumbing systems.
2. Enhances Appliance Efficiency: Without scale deposits, appliances work more effectively. They don't need service as frequently. There will be no extra costs for repairs as well. More importantly, soft water consumes less energy, so utility bills are lower.
3. Improves Skin and Hair Health: Hard water can leave a residue on the skin and hair. You will feel that your skin is becoming dry and irritated day by day. Even the scalp loses its natural moisture. When you use soft water, it makes soaps and shampoos lather better. You can rinse the foam quickly, leaving the skin smoother and hair shinier.

The Importance of Regular Maintenance

Extending Appliance Lifespan

Keeping the water softener in good condition has lots of benefits. You are practically protecting your appliance from damage. 

A well-maintained water softener works more efficiently to prevent limescale from forming inside appliances. It will unclog the pipes and reduce the workflow. This is how it prevents the appliances from working harder and wearing out too soon. A water softener mainly expands the lifespan and performance of appliances. 

Cost Savings

When your home appliances constantly deal with limescale, they lose their performance over time. It happens really faster than it actually does in regular conditions. This leads to having you repair and replace the appliances frequently.

Another thing is, since limescale deposits make the appliance work harder, it takes up more energy. You need to maintain your water softener to make all these go away. 

Regular maintenance of water softeners lowers the costs of repairs or replacements. It also keeps the appliance functioning at its best. You will notice a reduction in electricity and water bills. When a water softener operates properly, it helps appliances run efficiently, which decreases energy consumption. Ultimately, this makes maintenance a cost-effective investment in the long run.

"Curious about installation costs? Check out our detailed guide on Water Softener Installation Cost – Price Breakdown & Savings to make an informed decision!"

Essential Maintenance Tasks

Knowing the importance of maintaining a water softener, you need effective maintenance methods. These maintenance methods will consistently provide you with soft water and keep the system in optimal condition. 

Checking Salt Levels

Salt is essential for the ion exchange process. 

This is what makes the water softer. It flushed the minerals like calcium and magnesium down the drain. Another thing Salt does is ensure the brine has the exact concentration needed to rinse the resin beads. 

Without the Salt, the water softener cannot regenerate properly. The hardness will return at any moment. 

How Often to Check Salt Levels

You will need to check our Salt level at least once a month. If we go by the weeks, then it should be around 4 to 6 weeks or less. The reason for less is if you have very hard water issues. 

Tips for Maintaining Salt Levels

• Keep the brine tank at least half-full
• Don’t overfill the Salt 
• Use high-purity Salt to minimize buildup
• Fill the brine tank regularly for smoother function
• Keep an eye out for Salt bridging and mushing

Cleaning the Brine Tank

The brine tank has to be cleaned. This is one of the first maintenance tasks to be done patently to make the water softener work at its best.

Frequency of Cleaning

You should clean the brine tank once a year. Generally, a year is recommended by professionals. However, if you are using lower-purity Salts, be prepared to clean the tank more frequently. Delaying the cleaning of the tank will cause clogs and Salt bridges.

Steps for Cleaning

Preventing and Addressing Salt Bridges

Salt bridges aren’t good for water softeners. They create obstacles that prevent the water softener from operating properly. 

What is a Salt Bridge?

A Salt bridge is a hardened layer of Salt. It forms in the brine bank. This crust creates a gap between the Salt and the water beneath it, opposing regeneration. No hard water passes through the system. 

Detection and Removal

• Gently poke the Salt with a broom handle or similar tool
• If you feel resistance and the Salt doesn't move, it's a Salt bridge.
• Use a broom handle to remove the Salt bridge
• Carefully push down on the hardened Salt to break it apart
• Avoid using excessive force
• Once broken, remove loose Salt chunks
• Add warm water to dissolve any remaining Salt

Prevention Tips

Resin Bead Maintenance

Maintaining resin beads is another important step for water softeners after salt. Resin beads are also essential for the ion exchange process. However, they can wear out over time, so they need some maintenance, too.

Role of Resin Beads

Raisen beads are used for the ion exchange process. These small beads attract and remove calcium and magnesium ions from hard water. Over time, however, they can degrade or become fouled by iron, which can reduce the effectiveness of water softeners if not maintained correctly. 

Signs of Wear

• A noticeable decrease in water quality
• Changes in taste or odor
• Regenerate more frequently
• Use more Salt than usual
• Failing to prevent mineral buildup
• Needs more Salt for softness

Replacement Frequency Considerations

Resin beads don’t last forever. They go through hydraulic shock, oxidation, and general wear daily. Even though some resin beads work till the end with water softener, some need replacements. 

Resin beads typically last 10–15 years. However, the replacement time depends on water quality and softener usage. If the resin beads have too much iron or come into contact with chlorine, they won't last as long.

DIY vs. Professional Service

Choosing the Right Salt

The type of Salt you use in your water softener really impacts how well it works. You’ll find all kinds of Salts out there for softeners. But which one to select?

Types of Salt

Pros and Cons of Different Salts

Recommendation

For better performance, choose high-purity Salts, such as evaporated Salt or high-grade solar Salt. These options reduce maintenance time. Plus, no more Salt bridges. 

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Troubleshooting is used to solve those common problems with water softeners. You can use these tips to keep the system from running nonstop or draining too much.

Water Softener Keeps Running

Possible Causes:

• The system may be trapped in an endless regeneration loop
• The motor or control valve failed
•  A malfunctioning valve may prevent the system from completing its cycle
• Improper programming of the control head

Solutions:

• Ensure the regeneration timer is set correctly
• The softener is plugged in properly
• Reset the system if needed
• Check for clogs in water lines or valves
• Clean all valves annually
• If the issue persists, call a technician

Continuous Draining

Possible Causes:

• A blocked injector can disrupt the brine draw
• Excessive water flow
• The valve head might be stuck open
• A cracked rotor shaft

Solutions:

• Remove and rinse the injector screen
• Soak in CLR or use a toothpick to clean the injector
• Check the valve for leaks or cracks
• Ensure the bypass valve is not stuck in an open
• Check the bypass valve for any signs of damage
• Repair or replace the bypass valve as necessary

Professional Maintenance Services

Isn’t it better to bring in people who really know how to take care of a water softener? 

Sometimes, it’s more than just refilling the Salt. In those days, you definitely want a pro to handle the maintenance. With the right care and attention, water softeners can work way better than you might think.

When to Call a Professional

While you can do routine maintenance, some issues may require expert assistance. You have to know the exact time when your water softener needs more precise maintenance. This is best for the water softener to remain functional. 

Issues like:

• Malfunctioning control valve
• Motor failure
• Severe resin bed damage
• Annual inspection

These types of situations call for professional help. A technician can check how well the system is working. They’ll fix the softener parts, clean the insides, and spot any issues before they worsen.

DIY Maintenance Checklist

A checklist comes in really handy when doing regular maintenance. You can schedule the whole maintenance for a month or a week. We have made a checklist for you to stay on track.

Water Softener Maintenance Costs & Considerations

Maintaining a water softener requires a specific budget for expenses. You'll need to add those costs to your budget. It will remind you when to spend time keeping the system running. 

What is the Average Cost of a Water Softener?

• Depending on type, capacity, and brand, a new water softener costs $500 to $3,000.
• High-end models with smart filtration may cost more.

Water Softener Maintenance Cost

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Fix a Water Softener That Keeps Running?

You can do a couple of things, like resetting, cleaning the control valve and injector clogs, and checking if the brine has enough salt. If it still doesn’t work, call a professional.

How to Maintain Your Water Softener?

Regularly check the Salt level, clean the brine tank, and see if there is any salt bridge. 

Should My Water Softener Be Running All the Time?

No, a water softener should only run during the regeneration cycle, typically every few days. 

Why is My Water Softener Drain Continuously Running?

A continuously draining water softener may point to a clogged injector, malfunctioning control valve, or stuck regeneration cycle.

Pick the Best Water Maintenance Plan

Let NJ Water Systems maintain your water softener. We are the best in New Jersey at offering maintenance plans that fit your budget. Our team will handle A to Z issues on your behalf.