How to Troubleshoot a Water Softener Salt Bridge

Water softeners use salt to remove excess minerals from hard water, making it soft. Over time, too much salt being added to a water softener or humid weather can result in the formation of a salt bridge. A salt bridge is a hard, solid bridge of salt between loose, new salt and the water in the tank that prevents the water softener from working properly. Troubleshooting a salt bridge is easy, and only requires breaking the salt bridge.

Things You'll Need

• Broom handle
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Stand a broom handle up against the water softener tank. Other tools can also be used if they are as long as the tank is tall and can easily be marked with a pencil.

2. Mark the broom handle with a pencil, making a line on the broom handle about one or two inches from the top of the water tank. This line will mark how tall the water tank is when you use the broom inside of the water tank.

3. Open the water tank as if you were going to pour more salt into it. Gently push the broom handle into the tank, starting from the end of the broom handle that was touching the ground while you measured the tank. If you feel resistance before the mark on the pencil meets the rim of the tank while you push the broom through the tank, this is the salt bridge. Tap at the bridge with the broom until it is broken.

Tips & Warnings

• Never hit the sides of the water softener tank to dislodge a salt bridge, as this can damage to the tank. The salt bridge should dissolve once it breaks and falls into the water below, but if it is difficult to break you can add some warm water to the tank to help dissolve it while you try and break through it.

References

• Twin Cities Water Systems: How do I Clear A Salt Bridge from my Water Softener

Resources

• North Star Water Treatment Systems: Frequently Asked Questions