Handling common water softener problems

Regardless of the type of ionic exchange system you use to soften your water, there is the potential for you to experience maintenance problems. Your first reaction may be to call a technician. In serious situations this is the best form of resolution. However, there are some steps you can take to respond to minor water softener problems.

The clock feature on a water softener system is very important. If it set incorrectly, you may experience alternating hard and soft water. The reason for this has to do with the regeneration process that must take place when water is not in use. If the clock is set incorrectly so that regeneration occurs in the morning, for example, when people are taking showers, the process is delayed. When the system is finally able to regenerate without interruption, it may take a significant amount of time for it to regenerate. This can result in you having untreated (hard) water. This problem is often a result of a power surge such as during an electrical storm.

The most common problems in affecting water softener are the lack of salt in the brine reservoir. The regeneration process needs salt, and if there is not sufficient salt during regeneration, the system cannot do its job and produce soft water. As a standard, you should strive to ensure the salt level does not drop below one foot. If the salt level goes below the one foot mark, you will need to manually start regeneration once you fill the tank with salt.

Problems can also result from improper installation. There are specific plumbing standards associated with installing a water softener system. One of the most important standards is the amount of water allowed to flow throughout a home. Problems such as “hard” water or low water pressure can occur if the water softener capacity is not able to support the water flow for a home. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the standard for your home before you have a system installed. Plumbing codes vary according to the area in which the home is located. You will have to contact your builder or a plumbing professional to learn the plumbing code standards for your home.

Another water softener installation concern that can also become a safety hazard relates to the system being installed in a home with a fire sprinkler system. Fire sprinkler systems must use a specific amount of water pressure determined by an area's fire code. If the water softener is installed incorrectly so that it reduces the flow of water for the fire sprinkler, this insufficiency can allow a fire to spread out of control.

Since methods to soften water can affect a community's water supply, there is constant research performed to test their level of safety. The research conducted by the National Home Builder's Association (NHBA) is reviewed by all levels of government and is considered one of the most reliable sources of information for making sound decisions about water softeners. Other organizations that perform in-depth research and alert consumers of important water softener problems that they discover include the Water Quality Association (WQA), National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), and Consumer Reports.

You can obtain more information about each organization and different aspects maintenance of water softener they have discovered by visiting their website:
National Homebuilder's Association (NHBA): www.nahbrc.org.
Water Quality Association (WQA): www.wqa.org
National Sanitation Foundation: www.nsf.org
Consumer Reports: www.consumerreports.org



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