The salt you choose for your water softener is an important decision that impacts your softener's performance and longevity. Selecting a lower-quality salt could cause costly problems and negatively impact your water quality. Remember: Cheaper is not necessarily better regarding water softener salt.
The type of salt you use can affect the efficiency of your water softener and the regeneration process. It can also impact the amount of sodium that gets into your softened water, the cost of salt changes, and how often your brink tank needs to be cleaned.
Evaporated Salt. Many water softener manufacturers consider evaporated salt pellets to be the best choice. These are pellets that have been distilled down to as much as 99.99% pure salt. One of the methods for doing this involves forcing water into underground salt deposits.
The truth is, not all softener salt is created equal. There are many different types of salt available on the market, and each one has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. So, let's look at different types of softener salt so you can decide which one is right for your needs!
There are different types of water softener salt... pellets, cubes, solar crystals, blocks, etc. In general, all types of loose water softening salt work well together and there is no particular harm caused by mixing different types.
Sometimes a hard crust or salt “bridge” forms in the brine tank. This is usually caused by high humidity, temperature changes in the area of the water softener, or the wrong kind of salt. When the salt bridges, an empty space forms between the water and the salt. Then salt will not dissolve in the water to make brine.
Crystals are ideal in a two-part water softener, or for homes with low water use, while pellets are best suited to all-in-one water softener systems, or for homes with medium-to-high water use.
For a properly sized water softener system, the industry standard for an average family of four, (with a water hardness level of 7-10 grains per gallon) will use approximately 10lbs of salt each week or one 40lbs bag of salt each month.
Solar Crystals are in the blue bag, Pellets are in the yellow bag, and rust / iron fighting comes in the green bag.
You would be hard pressed to watch someone take their first drink of soft water and react by saying “it tastes salty.” Although a modicum of sodium is present in soft water, it usually isn't enough to taste briny. Why? Because of the way water softeners use salt to soften water.
Its 99% purity prevents debris from contaminating the water softener's brine tank. The larger salt crystals also dissolve more slowly than sidewalk salt. Additionally, the refining process makes water softener salt more expensive than sidewalk salt.
As mentioned above, the usage will vary depending on your family's needs and the hardness of your water. If your softener is sized and programmed correctly, you will probably use between 40-50 pounds of salt per month. Make sure you check your salt levels at least once every month.
The latest systems also have low salt indicators or even a remote monitoring alert to let you know you are running low on salt and help make water softener maintenance easy. Overall, because newer models are more efficient with salt use, they typically only need to have salt added every 6-8 weeks.
If there is a layer of sludge, you'll need to completely clean out your brine tank and refill it with salt and water. Note: Salt clogs in small valves and other assembly pieces can prevent your water from being softened. We suggest having a professional find and remove the clogs as this may require disassembly.
An empty salt tank, salt bridge, depleted resin, clogged or damaged venturi, broken rotor position switch or failed timer can prevent the water softener from producing soft water. If your skin doesn't feel slick after taking a shower, that's a good sign you don't have soft water.
Containing up to 99.5% pure salt, this water softener is highly effective and has a white, opaque appearance and a low insoluble content, so they are sure to last.
Morton® Clean and Protect™ is America's #1 trusted water softener salt, that helps prevent buildup, and is good for long-term use. Morton® Clean and Protect™ Plus Rust Defense™ helps prevent rust accumulation, while helping remove iron buildup and hard water stains.
Water softener salt tablets are very common. These small pellets are sold in sacks and can be used in most domestic systems. Block salt comes in 4kg chunks and, although more expensive than tablets, lasts for longer between refills.
Water softeners today work off gallons going through the system. A house with one person with a 30,000-grain unit will go through a 50Lb bag of salt every five to six weeks.
Salt Level Is Too High (or Water Is Too Low)
More than that could mean you're adding too much salt, which is wasteful and encourages crusty build-up. Ideally, you should fill salt to an appropriate level for your household, then let the salt drop until you see the water level in the brine tank.
Excessive salt usage can oftentimes be the result of leaking valves or improper controls leading to overflowing brine systems, causing highly concentrated and highly valued salt water to be lost before even entering the regeneration process.
How long does a 40 lb bag of water softener salt last? We hear questions like this often, and the answer is that it really just depends on your system and your household water needs. While the average family will go through a 40 lb bag about once a month or so, your amount will vary.
Do not use rock salt. You may use a salt substitute (such as potassium chloride) in place of water conditioner salt. If potassium chloride is used in place of salt, multiply compensated hardness by 1.12. Program the water softener to regenerate at a time when water is not being used.
Solar salt is the most common option. Purer forms, like pellets, may help keep your brine tank cleaner. You might also consider varieties of water softener salt that are formulated to help fight iron buildup and related problems within your water softening system and throughout your home.