How to Change Salt in a Water Softener
Changing the salt in your water softener periodically will help keep the unit operating efficiently, particularly if the type of salt you use is high in insoluble matter. Cleaning your water softener periodically may also help to prevent mushing or bridging. The term "mushing" is used to describe the situation when a fine slurry of salt has broken down at the bottom of the brine take. Bridging happens when the salt turns into a hard solid chunk that sticks to the brine tank. You can easily minimize these issues by changing the salt in your water softener from time to time. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Disconnect the power to your water softener. Remove the salt tank cover and lift off the brine valve assembly. Be careful with the float valve as you perform these tasks.
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Take out any dry salt. Put it in a clean container so you can put back once you're done cleaning.
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Scoop out any wet salt and as much brine as possible. All of this should be tossed.
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Remove the screws on both sides of the salt tank so you can take off the brine valve chamber. Locate the salt plate at the bottom and lift it out. Take these items outdoors to hose them down. Then scrub as needed to remove residue.
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5
Place the cleaned items back. Refill the tank with clean salt. Replace the storage tank cover. Make sure the by-pass valve is pushed in.
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Tips & Warnings
Let your water softener use up all of one kind of salt if you want to switch to another kind. Rock salt, solar salt and evaporated salt are all options, but it is best to consult with the owner's manual for your water softener to see which type is recommended. Your water softener may not function properly if you do not use the recommended type of salt. Assess your water softener's need for cleaning bimonthly. The frequency of cleaning will depend on your family's water usage, the size of your softener and the type of salt you use.
