CAREOFYOUR SOFTENER
SECTION 3
14
3A.SALT¼REFILLINGSTORAGETANK/BREAKINGASALT BRIDGEWHEN TO REFILL WITH SALT:Check the salt
level a few weeks after you install the softener
and every week after that. Refill when the
storage tank is about 1/3 full. Never let the
softener use all the salt beforerefilling. Without
salt, you will soon have hard water.
IMPORTANT:
Youwill have a loss in softening capacity and
mayget partly hard water if less than 10 inches
of salt is in the storage tank.
PLEASESEE PAGE8FORSALTFILLINGDIRECTIONS.SALT BRIDGESometimes, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in
thesalt storage tank. It is usually caused by high
humidityor thewrongkind ofsalt. When thesalt
bridges, an empty space forms between the
waterand salt. Then, salt will not dissolve (melt)
in the water to make brine. Without brine, the
resinbed does not regenerate and you will have
hard water.
Ifthe storage tank is full of salt, it is hard to tell if
youhave asalt bridge. Saltis loose ontop, butthe
bridge is under it. The following is the best way
to check for a salt bridge.
Salt should be loose all the way tothe bottom of
thetank. Hold a broom handle, or like tool, up to
the softener as shown in FIG. 12. Make a pencil
markon the handle, 1, or 2, below the top height
of the rim. Then,carefully push it straight down
into the salt. If a hard object is felt before the
pencil mark gets to the top of the tank, it’smost
likely a salt bridge. Carefully push into the
bridge in a few places to break it. Donot try to
break the salt bridge by pounding on the
outside of the salt tank. Youmay damage it.
Ifthe wrong kind of salt made the bridge, take it
out. Then fill the tank with nugget or pellet salt
only.
FIG.12 A SALTBRIDGEBroomHandle