Using a water softener in the home offers many benefits to those living in areas where the water is considered to be hard. Soft water makes it possible for laundry and dish detergents, shampoos and soaps to work better with no need to boost the amount used. Soft water also helps to eliminated the problem of lime scale deposits on bath tubs and showers and mineral build up inside pipes and appliances. If you have become accustomed to soft water only to discover that your water softener is not working properly, the following troubleshooting tips can help you determine the problem so that finding a solution is easier.
Water discoloration issues
Water that has processed through the water softener system and appears discolored, instead of pure and clean can have a number of causes. These include:
In addition, ion exchange resin beads that are yellowish in color can spill into the water supply if the softener system malfunctions. Possible fixes for discoloration issues include flushing the system and pipes, sterilizing with chlorine or hydrogen, peroxide, and taking steps to ensure that the feeder supply is not causing the discoloration issue.
Noisy operation
During the regeneration cycle, it is common for water softener systems to make some sounds due to the number of moving parts and the movement of water through the appliance. If, however, your system suddenly becomes unusually noisy while operating, it may be showing signs of clogs in tubes or valves, damaged air valves, or have loose or worn parts in the timer system.
Salty water
When softened water suddenly begins to taste salty or leaves a salt-laden film on dishes in your dishwasher the appliance may be malfunctioning and using too much salt. If using the controls to reduce the salt dose does not successfully alleviate the problem, it may be that a clog has formed in a drain hose that is preventing the brine from being properly flushed from the resin tank.
Living with hard water because of a malfunctioning water softener is no fun. If you are still experiencing a problem with your system, calling a reputable water softener repair service can help you quickly restore soft water to all areas of your home.
Share19 December 2018
My homes have always had either copper or PVC plumbing pipes. But when my plumbing system needed an overhaul last spring, I wanted a piping system for my home that I could work on myself when needed. There were a lot of good reasons to choose PEX piping, but my favorite thing about the PEX piping is that it's easy to work with, even if you're a beginner like me. Now I can make small repairs myself instead of calling the plumber every time I have a minor leak or other small problem. I still call the plumber for the big stuff, but it's more affordable now that I can take care of small issues myself. I started this blog to help others learn how they, too, can do DIY plumbing repairs at home.