Let me tell you
into a little secret, hard water not only makes it hard for you to wash your
clothes, but it also spoils your plumbing as well as your appliances. Truth be
told, your water heater and dishwasher will not last you as long as you wish
under the assault of mineral ions found in hard water. As you might guess, this
is why water softeners were developed, to help reduce the ions in your water.
Dealing with Water Softener Problems
The solution to
problems caused by hard water can only be solved when the ions that make the
water “hard” are eliminated. Some of these ions include calcium and magnesium.
The water softener helps eliminate these ions to the lowest levels. However, as
beneficial as these softeners are to your pipes and appliances, there are some water softener issues you will
encounter. Let us look at the water softener problems in detail.
Salinity
To softened water, you need some salt to
develop and retain osmotic pressure in the water filtration system. The
resulting water usually contains this salt. The salt can cause a lot of
complications when ingested. This is especially true if your doctor has
restricted your salt intake. This is common when you are suffering from
hypertension or heart conditions.
Reduced Brine Flow
Reduced or no
brine flow is a common problem with water softeners. The cause may be due to
clogging of the line by salt particles, which may impede the flow of brine.
This is not all, the filter screen and the injector system may also be spoilt.
Additionally, the problem may be coming from the pressure gauge. Just a tip,
for brine to flow freely, the water filtration system needs to be maintained at
a specific pressure.
Ineffective
Filtration
Another problem
with water softeners is the tendency of not filtering your water effectively.
This may be as a result of several reasons. For one, if the tank is clogged
with deposits, then filtration will not be effective. Secondly, when you read
the user manual, then you know too well that the softener must have proper salt
balance for filtration to happen successfully. The degree of salinity must be
indicated somewhere in the guide. In case something happens and your water
softener isn’t working effectively, you need to check the salinity, because
this level differs from one manufacturer to another.
Effective
filtration needs the softener to have a specific rate of regeneration. Check
with the manual to find out the recommended frequency. You may have to increase
this rate for the water to be filtered effectively.
Complete Water
Softener Failure
Yes, it happens.
Your system may completely stop working. In this case, the first culprit is the
fuse. If the fuse is working properly, then the next culprit may be the cables
which may be loose or incorrectly connected. Everyone knows that everything
eventually wears out, which may be the reason why the motor is not running.
There is no doubt
that a water softener is an important component of healthy living. However, the
system can fail to deliver the results you desire. The problems range from
salinity to a spoilt motor. When your water softener starts acting up, try and
troubleshoot the cause and find a solution.
