Hard water makes it hard for soap to lather, leaves spots on your dishes, and can even damage your laundry. This can be especially frustrating if you’ve invested in a water softener. Instead of panicking about a total replacement, you can usually track down the culprit by looking at a few important areas where the system commonly trips up.

Salt Bridges

Salt bridges are the most common reason that water softeners quit doing their job. This is when a hard crust forms at the top of the tank and creates a space between the salt and the water below. The tank will still appear full. However, the water is not touching the salt, which means that your system cannot make the brine solution necessary to clean the resin beads. You can see if this is your problem by pushing on the salt with a broom handle to see if the top layer collapses into the water.

Worn Out Resin and Clogged Injectors

Inside the main tank of your system, millions of tiny plastic beads called resin act like a magnet for calcium and magnesium. Over many years, these beads can get coated in iron or simply break down until they can no longer hold a charge. If your water feels soft for one day and then turns hard again, your resin might be reaching the end of its life.

Furthermore, there is a tiny part called an injector that pulls the salty brine into the tank during the cleaning cycle. If this small nozzle gets clogged with a tiny piece of sediment or a fleck of salt, the machine will go through the motions of a cycle without actually refreshing the beads.

The Wrong Settings or a Hidden Bypass

Sometimes, there may not be issues with the system at all. The problem may be a mistake during the setup process. Setup errors happen, especially when homeowners install the system without the help of a professional.

Additionally, a recent power outage may have caused the internal clock in your softener to reset. When this happens, the machine can regenerate at the wrong time or not often enough.

You should also check the bypass valve. This is a handle usually located behind the system that allows water to skip the softener entirely. It is quite easy for someone to bump this handle while cleaning or moving boxes in the garage. This sends raw hard water straight to your faucets. If the valve is even slightly open, you will get a mix of hard and soft water that makes it feel like the system has failed to do its job.

If problems persist despite following these troubleshooting steps, it is time to call a professional for help. They can thoroughly inspect your system, identify the issue, and recommend the proper repair. For maintenance, repairs, and water softener system leases, contact Aqua Gold Water Treatment in Muncie, IN.