When it comes to adding a practical accessory to your home’s plumbing system, nothing beats the benefits delivered by an advanced water softener. Hard water includes a large amount of calcium and magnesium, which diminishes the ability of the washer to clean your clothes. The increase of limestone in hard water also negatively impacts the quality of water you use for bathing. Because of better technology, water softeners have become much more affordable over the past few years. However, you need to know the do’s and don’ts of water softeners to avoid taking the technology for granted.
What You Need to Do for Water Softeners
Hard water presents easy to spot signs that it has developed in your home’s plumbing system. You want to make sure you prevent the development of hard water by checking the salt levels in the brine tank around one time a month. Staying on top of hard water development means clear glasses come out of the dishwasher and the water from the faucets does not bubble when you hand wash dishes. If you’re unsure if your water is hard, bring a sample of your water to our full-service laboratory.
Here are some other things to do for the home water softener:
- Use high-quality salt
- Inspect the equipment once every two months
- Install a pre-filter
- Clean the brine tank every six months
- Remove bridges
The last tip for what to do for a water softener involves eliminating bridges. One practice used by savvy homeowners that reduces the development of salty bridges is to keep the brine tank about half full. This reduces the possibility of salt turning into crust, which forms bridges that inhibit the performance of water softeners.
What Not to Do with a Water Softener
As we have learned, salt is the most important part of the efficient operation of any water softener. The last thing you want to do is to forget to clean and maintain the brine tank. Even worse, not refilling the tank when the amount of salt reaches a low level can damage your home’s plumbing system.
Don’t Buy the Wrong Type of Salt
It is not just the quality of the salt that matter; it is also about using the right type of salt that is specially designed to function properly in the water softener’s brine tank. First, you need to know whether to use block salt or salt granules, Then, you should read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to optimize the performance of the water softener by using a specific type of salt.
Don’t Neglect the Bottom of the Brine Tank
While the upper half of the brine tank can develop a crusty bridge that diminishes performance, the bottom of the tank can form a soft layer that can cause corrosion to the tank. Don’t forget to check the status of the bottom of the brine tank every time you ensure the top half is bridge-free.
Get the Best Water Softener Advice from Atlantic Blue Water Center
At Atlantic Blue Water Center, our certified team of water quality experts understands that hard water can wreak havoc on a home’s water supply. With the addition of a high performance water softener, you can prevent the type of damage that forces you to buy new dishes and a bathroom countertop. The longer you wait to address a hard water issue, the more money you can expect to pay for the damage caused by hard water.
One of our goals is also to educate our customers about the negative impact inferior quality water has on your health. Check out our website to learn more about how you can optimize the quality of the water pouring out of every faucet.
For more information on enjoying the highest quality of water, call our office at (410) 751-9200 or submit the contact form.