In industrial and commercial operations, water is more than just a utility — it’s an essential resource that powers critical processes. Yet, the raw water entering your facility often contains dissolved minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese that cause water hardness. Left untreated, hard water leads to scale buildup, reduced heat transfer efficiency, increased energy consumption, and premature equipment failure.
A properly maintained water softener is a key component of your facility’s water treatment program. Regular softener tune-ups not only protect your equipment but also deliver high-quality water while keeping operating costs in check.
Why Water Softener Efficiency Matters
Water softeners remove hardness minerals before they can accumulate in your system. When operating efficiently, they:
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Extend the lifespan of boilers, cooling systems, and other water-fed equipment.
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Reduce maintenance and repair costs.
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Minimize water, salt, and sewer expenses.
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Ensure consistent water quality for downstream processes.
Without regular service, even minor issues can compromise performance, resulting in system inefficiencies, compliance risks, and increased operational costs.
Annual Preventive Maintenance Checklist
Maintaining a water softener doesn’t have to be complicated. A proactive approach, including annual evaluation and these essential checkpoints, can significantly improve reliability:
- Test Raw Water Quality
Check and document levels of total hardness and iron. Water sources — municipal or well — can change over time. If iron is present, consider using a resin cleaner with each regeneration cycle. For fouled resin, apply a shock treatment to restore performance.
- Verify Softener Controller Programming
Controller settings may have been altered over time. If the original program is unavailable, record the current configuration. This ensures a baseline for troubleshooting or future adjustments.
- Clean the Brine Tank
It is recommended to clean the brine tank annually. All types of salt contain impurities, which should be noted on the bag. Even salt with a purity level of 99% still contains 1 pound of dirt for every 100 pounds used. Avoid rock salt entirely. Follow these steps:
• Let the salt level run down in the brine tank before cleaning.
• Disconnect the brine line (remove the grid, if so equipped), brine well, and brine valve and remove any old salt and debris from the system.
• Flush out the brine tank and all components with soapy water and then rinse with clear water.
• After rinsing, reassemble. Make sure all brine line fittings are tight to prevent an air leak. Add new salt and water.
• Wait a few hours for the salt to dissolve before regenerating the system.
- Disinfect the System
For potable water applications, system disinfection is essential. Consult your Watertech representative for proper procedures tailored to your system.
- Confirm Accurate System Time check
Incorrect time settings can disrupt regeneration cycles. Adjust the timestamp if needed.
- Inspect Isolation Valves
Ensure that inlet and outlet valves are open and water is flowing as expected.
- Meter check. Most current softeners have a meter. Double check that the gallons remaining is working correctly and is counting down
- Brine elution study. Run a brine elution study to verify proper salt dosing. Fine tune your brine draw, slow rinse and rapid rinse times based on the results. You may also need to change your injector sizes and brine line refill rate, depending on your results.
- Manual regeneration. If the unit has been down for any length of time, run it through a manual regeneration. Manually step the softener through each step of regeneration observing the flow rate to drain and brine draw. Check for air leaks in the brine lines.
If not treated properly, water hardness can negatively impact your facility. Having softeners that are working properly will save on energy costs, reduce repairs and can help extend the overall life of equipment. They are a crucial part of the system and should be maintained properly.
To request a free softener evaluation or if you have any questions regarding water softeners at your facility, click the link below to request a site survey.
Jason Waack Territory Manager – Central Wisconsin
Jason has over 20 years’ experience in the water treatment industry. He has been a Territory Manager with Watertech since 2015, managing accounts in the central part of Wisconsin. Jason frequently leads educational training events and seminars to promote better water management and improve safety.