a clean glass of water

How to Clean a Water Softener System Like a Professional

You rely on a water softener system to provide your family with clean and healthy water at all times. This type of home appliance is key to prevent calcification, staining, and harmful minerals from entering your water supply.

In turn, your system relies on you to regularly clean the water softener components. There are three elements to be concerned with—a control valve, a mineral tank, and a brine tank. While some systems have a built-in cleaning cycle, it is important to know how to clean a water softener system thoroughly.

In addition to following the manufacturer’s recommendation, here are a few tips for cleaning water softening systems in Ontario.

Empty the Brine Tank

The brine tank of a water softener system holds the required salt content used to flush the tank of minerals before recharging. It’s important that the brine water can easily flow without clogging the system. The ideal time to schedule a cleaning is when the salt deposits are low to prevent removing a large amount by hand.

Place the system in bypass mode to drain the brine tank. Disconnect the water lines connected to the brine tank before removing the salt. Any salt found above the plate can be reused. Use hot water to dislodge any salt chunks that have built up in the tank itself.

The bottom of the tank may need a thorough cleaning as dirt and mould may be visible.

Use Bleach Wisely

Bleach can be your friend, if used properly. An excessive amount can damage the resin bed, the place where resin beads work to remove hard minerals. A safe amount of bleach ranges between 50 to 100 PPM (parts-per notation). If you are concerned about harming the system, use a smaller amount for each gallon.

Upon removing the salt content, if you discover mould, it can be cleaned with a bleach cycle, as recommended by the manufacturer.

Choose the Correct Cleaning Solutions

To choose the correct water softener products in Barrie, Ontario, use the cleaners designed for the particular tank and targeted minerals. There are cleaning products for iron, calcium, and other relatable minerals that cause hard water.

The owner’s manual for the system, or the online site of the manufacturer, will specify the type, brand, and detailed information on how to use the correct cleaning product.

Flush the Debris from the Water Softener

Flushing the debris from the water softener system is essential to maintain a constant flow of clean water. The control valve of the system will need to be switched to the regeneration mode. This is usually performed up to six times per year, depending on the mineral content.

Flushing the lines and pipes frequently may see the need to increase the amount of salt added to the system. Time the cycle for when the water will not be required to be used in the house, but not at night as the regeneration cycle can be loud.

Eliminate Salt Bridges

A salt bridge forms when a buildup of salt crystals no longer dissolves and develops into a hard chunk. This can slow down the regeneration cycle as the resin needs a particular amount of salt to eliminate minerals.

Salt bridges are found with high humidity and the use of the low-quality salt products. These salt bridges will need to be manually broken up before warm water is added.

Clean the Water Softener Filter

Homeowners with water treatment systems in Ottawa may find the need to clean the water softener filter frequently. A system with reusable filters can be cleaned as per the instruction by the filter manufacturer.

There are some water softener systems that allow the use of disposable filters, for easier handling. The design of these filters can provide the same quality of filtering as the reusable ones.

Clean the Water Softener Resin Tank

To clean the water softener resin tank, use a resin-designed cleaning product. These products can be available for the particular mineral buildup the system is targeting, such as iron. Again, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for using the solution to clean the resin bed.

If you are unsure of which mineral is causing the most problems, have a water test done to determine any irregular mineral levels.

Scrub and Rinse the Tank

It is recommended to clean the entire tank and components with soap and water, in addition to using the proper cleaning solutions. Mix 3 tablespoons of dish soap with 7 litres of water to pour into the brine tank.

Use a gentle-bristle brush to scrub the inside of the tank with soapy water. Drain the tank before scrubbing the inside with a brush dipped into the cleaning solution. Extra scrubbing may be needed in corners and the base of the tank.

Rinse the inside of the tank, deposing of the solution residue in a container with a lid or in a hole in the yard. The salt and solution remnants can harm plants, grass, pets, and children.

Switch Back to Normal Mode

Reconnect all of the water lines and remember to turn off the bypass mode for the water to reach the tank.

Refill the brine tank with 19L of clean water before adding 22.7kg of salt. Allow the salt time to begin dissolving, approximately two hours, before setting the regeneration cycle of the system.

Contact Georgian Water & Air to Learn More about Water Softeners

Cleaning a water softener system can be time-consuming, if not tedious work. The friendly team at Georgian Water and Air can help you by providing regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning of your water softener system near Barrie.

As a leading water filter supplier and provider of residential water softener system installations, our technicians are highly trained to handle any issues, including cleaning of the system. We offer a 25-year service plan for all of our products and provide annual inspections. Contact us today to learn more.