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Water softener maintenance is necessary to remove harmful minerals from water that can damage pipes and washing machines. There are three types of maintenance: automatic, manual, and professional. Automatic systems are the most common and self-regulate salt levels, while manual inspections should be done every three months. Professional services are also available.
Softener maintenance is required at least three times a year. In some geographic areas, water has a high concentration of calcium and magnesium ions. These minerals are not harmful to your health, but they can negatively impact washing machines, pipes and other water systems. The purpose of a water softener is to remove some of the minerals in the water, often replacing these mineral ions with sodium or potassium.
This type of system is typically purchased from a hardware or water softener store and installed near the main water inlet pipe. In addition to purchasing the softener unit, special salt must also be purchased and added to the unit. Most water softeners include a flow or hardness meter. Salt is added in specific quantities, based on the level of hardness of the water.
There are three main methods of water softener maintenance: automatic system, manual inspection and professional service. All three types of maintenance involve accessing the water softener, reviewing the water hardness level, and cleaning the brine tank. These tasks are not difficult or overly complex, but should be completed on a regular basis.
The most common type of water softener maintenance is the purchase of an automatic system. The softener is equipped with a hardness indicator, self-regulates the amount of salt released and notifies the owner when it is necessary to clean the brine tank. These units are slightly more expensive than the base unit, but are a great solution for people who don’t want to complete the required recurring maintenance.
The manual inspection must be completed at least every three months. Someone needs to check the salt levels in the water softener and test the hardness of the water to make sure the proper salt level is being used. Also, the brine tank should be inspected. In case of accumulation of salt on the walls of the tank, these must be knocked down into the tank to be dissolved. If this job is not completed, hard water will start flowing through the system out of control. This will cause damage to the pipes, as well as foaming problems with soaps and detergents.
Many areas have professional service companies that will come to your home on a set schedule to conduct water softener maintenance. The company is responsible for supplying salt, checking levels and cleaning the brine tank. Additionally, many of these companies will also maintain other systems in your home, such as the gas furnace, electric water heater, and sprinkler system.
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