How to Care for Your Water Softener and Make It Last Longer: Tips from a Pentair Water Softening Company in South Elgin, Illinois

Hard water can make your life frustrating. It leaves spots on your dishes, turns your laundry scratchy, and can even leave your skin feeling dry and itchy. A water softener is the only solution that consistently delivers soft, clean water to your home and helps you avoid the challenges of hard water.

But like any other appliance, your water softener cannot do its job forever without some attention and care. Below, this Pentair water softening company in South Elgin, Illinois is going to share some tips on how to keep your water softener running smoothly, and why a little maintenance goes a long way.

The benefits of regular water softener maintenance for your home.

If you skip regular water softener maintenance, your system can start to struggle. Over time, minerals like calcium and magnesium build up inside the system, salt can turn into sludge, and parts of the softener may wear down.

When that happens, you are back to dealing with all the problems of hard water. Soap scum starts to form in sinks and showers, your dishes look cloudy, your pipes might clog, and your skin feels dry after every wash. Of course, you will be using more water to clean up these messes.

Regular maintenance can prevent all of this. With regular maintenance, your water softener works as it should — it gives you soft water, protects your water appliances, and saves you money on costly repairs. 

So how do you stay on top of your water softener’s needs? Continue reading for tips that will help:

Check salt levels regularly.

Salt is an important part of your water softener. It creates the brine solution that removes hard minerals like calcium and magnesium from your water. Without enough salt in the brine tank, your water softener is simply not going to work, and you will be left with hard water problems all over again.

To avoid this situation, it’s recommended that you check your salt levels every month. Look inside the brine tank and if you see water above the salt, or if the salt level is below halfway, it is time for a refill.

If you don’t know how to check your brine tank or refill the tank, you can always reach out to a professional. A reputable Pentair water softening company in South Elgin, Illinois can show you how or handle it for you during a scheduled maintenance visit.

Clean the brine tank and break up salt bridges.

Sometimes, your brine tank can develop a problem called a “salt bridge.” This is when salt hardens into a solid layer, preventing it from dissolving properly to make brine. When that happens, your water softener can’t work effectively, and hard water makes its way back into your home. High humidity or using poor-quality salt often causes these bridges to form.

Breaking up a salt bridge is easy. Use a broom handle or a similar tool and gently break apart the hardened salt. If this keeps happening, it might be time to switch to better salt or adjust how often you refill the tank.

Don’t forget that the brine tank also needs a deep clean once a year. This cleaning prevents clogs and improves the water softener’s performance and efficiency. If disassembling the tank and cleaning it sounds overwhelming, you can always reach out to a Pentair water softening company in South Elgin, Illinois to do it for you.

Check its resin and replace it if necessary.

Inside your water softener, tiny resin beads are what remove hard minerals from your water. These beads are strong, but they do wear out over time, especially if your water contains too much iron or chlorine. When the resin wears out, your softener struggles to deliver soft water, and you might notice issues like hard water stains or particles in your water.

Resin does not need to be replaced often. Sometimes, it lasts the entire lifespan of your water softener, but in some cases, you might need to replace it every 10 years or so. If you think your resin needs replacing, a professional Pentair water softening company in South Elgin, Illinois can handle the job quickly and make sure your system is back to working perfectly.

Looking for a Pentair Water Softening Company in South Elgin, Illinois?

Are you tired of dealing with hard water problems? Worried that your water softener is not performing its best? In either case, Johnson Water Conditioning is the company to call. As the top-rated Pentair water softening company in South Elgin, Illinois, our team can provide an effective solution for your hard water concerns. Contact us today to begin the process.