If your home has hard water, a water softener is an excellent addition to your property to help you reduce your water consumption, enhance the quality of your water, and get your dishes and clothes as clean as possible.

Like any system, a water softener needs periodic attention to function properly. Our real estate agents suggest following these maintenance tips to prolong the lifespan of your water softener and maximize its performance. 

• Regularly Clean Your Water Softener's Brine Tank
  Your water softener's brine tank holds the salt that attracts undesirable minerals out of your water supply. When your brine tank is almost out of salt, make time to clean it before adding more salt. Begin by removing any remaining salt pieces from the brine tank. If there's a lot of sludge in your tank, you can loosen it with a stick. Once the sludge and salt pieces are out, use water, a mild detergent, and a brush to clean the tank. You can also use mold remover if you spot any mold in the tank. Thoroughly rinse the tank before adding more salt. Make sure you let the salt sit for a few hours before restarting your water softener. 

• Confirm That Your Water Softener Has Sufficient Amounts of Salt
  If your water softener doesn't have enough salt, it won't function properly. Every couple of weeks, open the brine tank and make sure that the salt is wet and covered by water. Salt that's dry or low water levels means that you need to add more salt (and potentially more water) to your brine tank. 

• Use a Quality Salt
  The salt that you use in your brine tank should be high quality to decrease the chances of impurities clogging your water softener. While higher quality salt is a bit more expensive than other options, the additional expense is worth it when you consider the impact it has on the longevity of your water softener. Evaporated salt is the purest type of salt you can use in your water softener. It's also your best alternative if you have very hard water. Solar salt is a high-quality, eco-friendly selection, but it isn't ideal for softening extremely hard water. Rock salt is your cheapest alternative, but it's less pure and can cause build-up that requires more frequent maintenance. Avoid using block salt unless your water softener specifically recommends that you do so. When producing block salt, some companies add bonding agents that add impurities to your water softener. 

• Eliminate Salt Bridges
  Salt bridges occur when salt residue collects in your brine tank, forming a crust that won't dissolve. This can prevent your water from being properly softened. While some salt bridges are formed by low-quality salt or high humidity, they can also indicate that there's an issue with your water softener. If you consistently see salt bridges, have a technician examine your water softener system to confirm that everything is working correctly. You can break up the occasional salt bridge yourself by using a stick or a broom handle. If the salt bridge refuses to break up, pour one gallon of warm water into your brine tank to encourage it to dissolve. If high humidity levels are causing salt bridges. fill the brine tank with less salt and add salt more frequently to keep them from forming. 

• See if Your Water Softener's Resin Needs to Be Replaced
  The resin in your water softener permits the ion exchange process that's necessary to remove impurities from your hard water. Usually, the resin is designed to last for the whole lifespan of your water softener. Occasionally, the resin fails prematurely and needs to be replaced before the water softener system. If you notice that your water softener is using salt at a normal rate but is producing lower amounts of soft water, this can indicate that your resin needs to be replaced. Or, if you spot small particles in your water, these particles may mean that your resin is breaking down. Should you suspect that your water softener needs new resin, it's best to call a technician to check the levels and replace the resin if necessary. While it's possible to replace your resin yourself, the process is fairly complex and time-consuming, especially if you've never done it before. 

• Use a Pre-Filter
  A pre-filter removes sediment, clay, and sand from your water that can clog or even damage your water softener. Most pre-filters last for six to nine months before they need to be replaced. If your water softener doesn't have a pre-filter, a technician can add one to your unit. By following a few guidelines and specific maintenance tasks, you can extend the lifespan of your water softener and ensure that it's efficiently providing your home with soft water. 

A water softener is an attractive feature that buyers will appreciate! Interested in putting your home on the market? Contact us today to get started.