WATER SOFTENER

What type of salt should I use?

  • There are several different types of salt that is sold for water softeners. We recommend using solar salt.
  • Solar or coarse salt has far less insoluble matter than rock salt. We sell and can deliver salt should you need it.

What is the difference between salt and potassium?

  • Sodium chloride, known as salt, is a naturally occurring mineral.
  • Potassium chloride (KCL) is also a salt and functions exactly the same in your water softener as sodium chloride.
  • Potassium chloride is a naturally occurring mineral that is primarily used in agriculture. It promotes plant growth and conditions soil.
  • It is safe to use on your plants; whereas sodium chloride is not.

Where do I add the salt or potassium?

  • The salt or potassium (KCL) is added to the brine tank. This is a short round or square plastic tank with a lid on it and is usually black.
  • Lift the lid and add to the tank. Do NOT add to small white tube inside the tank. Keep salt level below the top of the white tube inside the tank.

The level of salt or potassium is not going down and I have hard water.

  • Humidity or wrong type of salt may create a cavity between the water and the salt. This action, known as “bridging”, prevents the brine solution from being made, leading to your water supply being hard.
  • If you suspect salt bridging, carefully pound on the outside of the brine tank or pour some warm water over the salt to break up the bridge. This should always be followed up by allowing the unit to use up any remaining salt and then thoroughly cleaning out the brine tank. Remember to add water to the brine tank after cleaning.
  • Allow four hours to produce a brine solution, and then manually regenerate the softener.

Why is there a loss of water pressure? – see manual

Do I still use the same amount of soap?

  • No, you will want to use 3/4 the amount of detergents and soaps than you did with hard water.

What if there has been a power outage? - see manual

Why is there water in the brine tank?

  • On some models, the brine tank will always have water in it. This is the brine solution that will be used during the regeneration.
  • If the brine tank is more than half full the system may need servicing.

What do I have to do when I switch from salt to potassium or vice - versa?

  • Nothing, just add the new material to the brine tank. You do not have to remove the material that is currently in the tank.

When do I have to replace the water softening resin?

  • This depends on a few factors.
  1. Amount of chlorine/chloramines in the supply water. (Chlorine shortens resin life) Chlorine can be removed with a carbon pre-filter. Average life span with a carbon pre-filter is 11-15 years.
  2. Resin Quality. Average life span without carbon filter is 7-9 years.
  3. How often the system regenerates.