My water softener is using a lot of salt and always has, why?
Q:
My water softener is using a lot of salt and always has, why?
A:
Really the only way to know why your water softener is using a lot of salt, is for us to come out and check it. There could be a number of reasons why it is using a lot of salt but it is not something we could give you a definitive answer to without checking the water softener first.
A common reason which, we see often, is a water softener that was sold to a customer that is not the correct size for the dwelling, the number of people in the dwelling and the water usage of the people in the dwelling. When a customer is sold a water softener that is too small for the amount of water processed in a day, the regeneration interval is shortened ( i.e. instead of once a week, the water softener regenerates every other day). The more frequent a water softener regenerates, the more salt you will use and you will have a higher yearly salt bill. This will cost you more in the end! Sometimes a customer will not pay for the unit they really need and will buy a smaller unit because they cost less. The main problem with buying a smaller unit because it cost less, will be your yearly salt bill which can sometimes be as much as what you paid for the cheaper water softener. Don't fall into that trap! Companies that sell salt will love your extra business!
Another common reason a water softener is using too much salt could be a mechanical problem with the control valve that sits atop the water softener media tank. A bad o-ring, a clogged educator or jet or a malfunctioning float valve can also cause a system to over use salt or no salt at all which would mean some simple maintenance could fix the issue.
The valve that diverts the water flow through the water softener may be stuck or sticking during the brine draw cycle or the diverter is not parking in the proper position sending brine down the drain line.
The most common reason is technical error. Either your settings are off due to a technician that does not know what he or she is doing or loss of power causing settings to be lost and was reprogrammed incorrectly by owner or technician.
Whatever, the reason our 28 point water softener inspection will find out what is wrong with your water softener. Just give us a call. 772-538-0284