How To Double The Life Of A Residential Soft Water System
Brad Berdon • Apr 07, 2017

Have you ever purchased an appliance, electronic or other product where the selling company tried to tack on a “replacement warranty” at the conclusion of the purchase? Me to, sometimes I purchase the additional coverage other times I do not. It does however seem to dampen my purchase enthusiasm for the new product, computer, I Pad…Etc., and leaves me asking is this product going to let me down? Residential water softeners are fantastic appliances that protect your homes plumbing system from hard water damage and reduces the amount of detergents needed for the laundry and dishwasher, which saves you money. If you apply one simple step (pre-filtration) to your homes soft water system you will easily double the life of the water softener, not through additional warranty cost’s but through the application of sound water treatment fundamentals.

Purchasing a water softener system is a significant investment. Why not protect it with sound water treatment fundamentals of pre-filtration? A whole house filtration system doesn’t have to be expensive and can be applied to any water softener system, new or existing. By installing, what we call, a Big Boy 20” carbon pre-filtration system you achieve tremendous benefits.

Pre-Filtration Accomplishes Two Things

Keeps both Chlorine and Fine Sediment out of the Water Softener

Why is it important to keep chlorine and fine sediment out? Chlorine is detrimental to many of the soft water systems internal parts and will cause resin failure (the heart of the softener) in a relatively short amount of time compared to its expected life. Chlorine is an oxidizer and will work against the critical parts of the soft water system so if you remove the chlorine before the softening process you will easily double the life of the softener. Fine sediment also works against you. Over the year’s fine sediment can block orifices and cause mechanical problems inside the water softeners control valve. The control valve facilitates how often the system will regenerate, counts how much water you are using and regulates the use of salt in the system. Think of fine sediment as debris that can cause your car’s engine performance to suffer. A pre-filter will help.

Is a Pre-Filter Expensive?

No. Our company can provide a whole house pre-filter to your softening system for around $380 parts and labor. It’s a simple cartridge based system and as long as you use the right cartridge the system is very easy to maintain, simple and cost effective.

By Brad Berdon 13 Sep, 2023
If a water softener system stops using salt you will not get soft water. The most common reason a water softener stops using salt is due to the formation of a "Salt Bridge". A Salt Bridge is a clump of salt that has been fused together due to moisture that's spans entire diameter of the salt tank. This clumped salt resembles concrete and is very hard to break up. Consequently, the salt bridge prevents the salt on top from coming in contact with the water beneath it. That is why we call it a Salt Bridge. How is a Salt Bridge formed? A salt bridge is formed when the dry salt is exposed to moisture. Moisture causes the once granular salt crystal or pellet to merge into one giant clump of salt. By chance if it makes it from one side of the tank to the other side a bridge is formed. Once the bridge of salt is formed the salt level will no longer go down. At this point the salt bridge needs to be broken up. How to remove a salt bridge. I hope you ate your Wheaties because removing a salt bridge can be intense. Once the salt has fused together the consistency resembles concrete. So, breaking it up will take some effort. Method 1. The Rubber Mallet First. Use a rubber mallet and gently tap/hit the side of the salt tank all around it. Next, grab the rim of the salt tank and give it a good shake. Note, the salt tank is hundreds of pounds so shaking it may be difficult for some people. Method 2. The Broom Stick If Method 1 did not work it's time to move onto method 2. Brut force and a firm tool. By using a broom stick, a shovel, or an iron rod, you will attack the salt bridge until you succeed. Start by removing all the loose salt from the salt tank into a bucket or onto a drop cloth. Once you see the bridge start pounding trying to locate a weak area of the bridge. Keep working the weak area until you make it all the way through the bridge. It might be a few inches to a foot thick. Then keep working the salt bridge until the entire bridge breaks up and falls down inside the salt tank. Remember, the greater the obstacle the greater the glory when you overcome it. Method 3. The Water Method If you cannot physically break through the salt bridge then you may have to add water. To do this, use a hose to spray water into one dedicated spot while continuing to work the area with a broom stick. The salt bridge will quickly give way however your salt tank will have a lot of water left in it. Stop spraying water and thoroughly break up the remaining clumps of salt. From here, place the system into regeneration either immediate (right now) or delayed (tonight at 2am). Different models of water softeners will have different configured buttons and programming. You may have to consult your owners manual. Note, adding water is an effective way at breaking up a salt bridge but all the salt gets wet during the process. Wet salt will have the potential to bridge again. If you have to use the water method, break up the salt daily to avoid another salt bridge. How to Avoid a Salt Bridge Preventing a salt bridge in a water softener system in Jacksonville FL is easy. Either before you refill a low/empty salt tank, or if you are filing the tank for the first time simply place two pieces of scrap pipe in the shape of an X. As the salt level lowers it falls around the pipes and avoids bridging. This is our standard practice when installing our water softener systems in Jacksonville FL.
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