Warning Signs That Your Water Softener Doesn’t Work Properly

A water softener is a filtration system for your home. It removes the calcium and magnesium from your water. Calcium and magnesium make the water in your home hard, which can cause a myriad of problems for your home.

Hard water can cause buildup in your pipes, clogging your pipes and decreasing the water pressure. It can also cause your hot water appliances to die faster. Because of this, you need to know the signs of a bad water softener.

White Crust on the Showerhead

If you find white crust on your water faucets, this likely means the water softener does not work correctly. The white crust is calcium and magnesium that were not filtered out by the water softener. This crust can be difficult to scrub off, leaving behind long-lasting stains.

Rusty Ring in the Toilet

This rusty ring will only show up when your water softener does not work. The ring will show up right around the water ring where the water and toilet meet. As long as you do not fix the water softener, the rusty ring will keep coming back.

Brittle Hair

Hard water is not good for your hair or skin. When you notice that your hair is brittle or tangling more than normal, get your water softener checked out. Hard water can also make your skin extra dry and itchy.

More Soap

Hard water makes it more difficult to effectively clean things like your clothes and your dishes. If you have to use more soap just to make sure your clothes come out clean or your dishes are not cloudy, your water softener is likely bad.

Too Much Salt

You should only replace your water softener’s salt every six to eight weeks. If you replace it more often and it still does not do its job, it could need recalibration, or you may have a leak somewhere.

No Use of Salt

On the other hand, if your water softener does not use salt at all, this is also a bad sign. If the salt in your water softener is not used, you may have a salt bridge. A salt bridge is a solid layer of salt that forms at the top of the brine tank.

If it is extra humid, the salt can bind together. This makes it hard for the water softener to do its job. This should be a quick, easy fix, but still leave the job to a professional.

Leaking

When anything leaks, this is a bad sign. A few different areas could cause a leak in a water softener, so call a professional as soon as you notice the leak. If you try to fix this on your own, you could put yourself at risk of electrocution. Leave it to the professionals.

Salty-Tasting Water

When your water softener starts to go bad, the salt from the tank can sometimes sneak into the water supply. This could simply mean you have a clog, but get a professional to check on your water softener as soon as possible. The salty water can end up causing damage to your plumbing, and it is not fun to drink.

Your water softener will usually last around 15 years with proper care. If you are ready to replace your water softener or your water softener is acting up, contact us at Streamline Plumbing AZ today. We will figure out the best plan for you. Please let us know of any questions or concerns you have so we can address them. We look forward to seeing you soon and providing you with the best water softening solutions.