If you’ve ever lived without a water softener, you’ve seen the damage of hard water. When you have one in your home, it’s essential to know how often to refill the salt in your water softener. Once the salt gets too low, you’ll quickly notice some unfriendly changes in the water. Follow along as we discuss how the salt works and how often you should refill it.

How Salt Softens Water

When water flows through salt, an ion exchange occurs. Hard water contains calcium and magnesium, which builds up around faucets. As the salt runs through the hard water in a water softener, the calcium and magnesium are exchanged with sodium ions. The result is softer water that won’t leave mineral deposits.

When To Add More Salt

Water softeners come in different sizes, so there isn’t one rule to determine how often it needs more salt. Household size plays a large role in how quickly the salt depletes. Here are two things to consider when determining when to add salt to the softener:

• New models run more efficiently than old ones. Some can regenerate automatically, depending on use rather than a set schedule. Older models don’t have that ability and use salt quickly.
• Look under the lid to determine the salt level. You’ll notice if the salt is too low when the tank is less than half full and looks dry. If that’s the case, add more salt until the tank is just over half full. Also, if water is above the salt and the level looks low, add more salt.

Watch Out for Bridging

When bridging occurs, the salt forms a solid bridge and looks like it isn’t going down, even after months of use. You may notice the water coming from faucets feels slimy or tastes off: signs of hard water. However, the water softener appears to have plenty of salt when you check on the salt level. Call your local water softener specialist if you notice bridging.

DIY or Soft Water Specialist?

As you determine when to add salt to your softener, you’ll need to decide who should handle the job. Is it best to add salt on your own or hire a professional to do it for you? The answer depends on your ability and your schedule.

Bags of salt are heavy and not very convenient to purchase at the store. Plus, if you have a busy household, you may be surprised at how often you must add more salt to the water softener.

When you create a plan with a water softener specialist, they can determine the best schedule for your softener, bring the salt right on time, and pour it into the water softener for you!

At Alamo Water Softeners, we are happy to help you find the right water softener for your home and get you on the best schedule so the softener is never low on salt. We are proud to be your top water softener company in San Antonio and surrounding areas. Contact us today to keep your water potable!