The water softener has many uses in the house. Installed directly upstream of the piping, it prevents the deposit of scale in household appliances, guarantees softer water for washing and drinking. Like any device, it must also be maintained rigorously so that it retains its qualities over the long term.
Why maintain your water softener?
The water softener reduces the hardness of the water through an ionization process. It contains a resin composed of porous beads which retain the calcium and magnesium ions present in hard water and replace them with sodium ions. The components of the softener will lose efficiency over time, especially because of the substances they filter.
This is why it is necessary to fight against this deterioration by carrying out regular maintenance, to guarantee longevity of life for your device but also optimal hygiene for your softened water.
The necessary equipment to maintain your water softener
Before starting any work on your water softener, first cut off the general water supply and open a tap to purge all the pipes. Leave your faucet open throughout the operation.
1. Check the salt supply to your water softener
The special salts present in the tank are useful for regenerating the resin, softening the water and preserving the piping. The first thing to do is to check if the salt level in the tank is sufficient. If you start to see the water or the bottom of your tank, you need to add more salt.
It is also advisable to clean the entire brine tank and the brine regulator with clean water once every 3 or 4 years . This removes salt deposits.
2. Renew the pre-filter cartridge
It is advisable to change the prefilter cartridge of your softener every 6 to 12 months depending on your running water network. If the cartridge is ocher in colour, it means that it must be changed, because it no longer performs its function. Here are the steps to change the cartridge:
- Unscrew the air vent located above the pre-filter
- Place a basin under your pre-filter
- Unscrew the pre-filter bowl and collect the residual water in the basin
- Change your cartridge
- Screw the pre-filter bowl back on making sure that the black gaskets on the bowl are in place against the white gaskets on the cartridge. They must not be distorted.
3. Clean or change the resin of your water softener
The water softener resin can be cleaned once a year or after a period of 2 weeks or more without using the water in the home. This cleaning makes it possible to limit the risks of microbiological proliferation.
Cleaning the resin includes disinfecting it with bleach, the amount of which is indicated in the softener instructions. Ready-to-use solutions are also available.
Introduce the dose of disinfectant in the chimney of the brine regulator of the water softener and start a manual regeneration of the resin via your control panel.
When to change the resin of a water softener?
It is advisable to renew the resin beads every 10 to 12 years. The wear due to the friction between them means that the diameter of the balls decreases over time. If maintenance is done regularly, the resin of your water softener, therefore, has a long lifespan.
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