Spring Cleaning: Don’t Forget the Water Softener
The words “spring cleaning” strike fear into many of us, but while these chores are often more intense than daily cleaning, they give you a sense of accomplishment when you are done and they leave your house feeling refreshed. One appliance in the house that often gets overlooked during spring cleaning is the water softener. Not only can it use a little love every once in a while, but it can make or break your cleaning push. Why is your water softener important for spring cleaning?
Why it Matters
Spring cleaning is all about the deep clean, which is hard to do if the water you are using to clean everything is leaving behind hard water residue. Many cleaning products are mixed with tap water, so you are mixing your cleaning supplies with water that will leave streaks and spots everywhere you clean. Hard water can also make it difficult to clean items that you may only get around to a few times a year, like faucets and showerheads.
Water Softener Maintenance
Your water softener is one of those appliances that you don’t think about until it stops working. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to do a little maintenance to ensure that your softener is running at peak efficiency. A more efficient softener doesn’t just help everything in your home run better, but it also means a longer life for your softener. Here are a few steps you can take when doing your spring cleaning to care for your appliance.
1. Inspect the pipes going in and out of your softener to ensure that they are in good working order and that there is no wear. The last thing you want is for a connector to break or shoot off when the softener kicks in, and you wake up to water everywhere in the morning.
2. Clean the inside of the brine tank. The best-case scenario is to do this when the salt level is already low, remove the remaining salt in the tank and clean the inside of the tank with a towel and a gentle detergent. Rinse the tank and then add salt back in and allow it to regenerate as normal.
3. If you don’t think your brine tank needs cleaning, it is still good to inspect the inside and break up any salt bridges that may be occurring. A salt bridge is a build-up of salt that separates the rest of the salt from the water, which doesn’t allow your softener to work properly. They are generally easy to break up and don’t take any special equipment.
What if There’s a Problem?
If you inspect your water softener and find a problem, there is little time to waste to remedy it. The problem is that you don’t know how long it hasn’t been working and how much damage has already been done. Even if it does seem to be working properly, it is still not a bad idea to add checking pipes and appliances to your spring cleaning regimen. White spots and residue, scale build-up in and on the pipes, and appliances underperforming are all signs that it may be time for a new water softener.
What Next?
If your spring cleaning turns up a potential problem with your water softener, it may be time to replace it with an efficient and updated model. The last thing you want to do is replace all of your appliances because your water has been quietly damaging them. If you are in the market for a new water softener, contact us to learn about the benefits of our Caresoft Elite RC water softener and other services we can provide.
