If you’re like most people, your water softener sits back in the corner of the basement and except for the occasional bag or two of salt in the brine tank, it gets very little attention. However, every few months or so while you’re in the basement take a few moments to check over your softener.
Softener Equipment Inspection
Take a look at your softener and the area around it. Check the floor around the resin tank (the one with the control head) for water or signs of recent water. Feel along the tank and around the control head and bypass valve for excess moisture. Visually inspect the water supply lines, bypass valve, and control head for moisture and/or corrosion, it could be signs of a slow leak. Try the bypass mechanism. It may be a little stubborn at first but you’ll want to make sure your system can be bypassed, either for watering your lawn and garden or in the event of a service issue. Next, inspect the floor around your salt storage tank. Pay close attention for white residue around the tank. It could be a sign that brine solution is leaking from the tank and it needs replaced. Feel along the brine line (the black hose that runs from the salt tank to the control head) for excess moisture. Look inside the brine tank for foreign debris. You may see only dry salt and that is OK – if you can see water it should look grey/brown without a lot of other matter floating in it. If you see a lot of debris, it is time to clean your salt storage tank (see How to Clean your Salt Storage Tank). If you see any leaks or signs of leaks, give us a call right away to set up a service call. If you have had the system for more than 2 years and we haven’t looked it over for a while you may want to schedule a system checkup – we will come out and check over your system, clean your salt tank and if needed recondition the resin media in your ion exchange tank. (Why Do I Need to Recondition My Resin Tank).
Much like the softener, most folks don’t give much thought to their reverse osmosis drinking water system on a day to day basis. But when you are cleaning the cabinets under the sink, give it a little extra look as well. As they say, “an ounce of prevention…” If your equipment is installed in the basement you can look at it when you check over the softener.
Reverse Osmosis Inspection
Check the connection to the water supply. This is usually a connection to your cold water supply line directly under the regular faucet. Look for moisture and/or signs of corrosion. Look also directly below this connection for signs of water on the base of your cabinet – if you see water or corrosion the connection may need replaced. Follow the plastic feed line from the supply connection to the systems manifold housing (it holds the filters and reverse osmosis membrane), it should be free of kinks and should not be in the way of items you have stored down there. – Check the manifold housing for moisture and again look under it on the base of the cabinet. You should not see water around, or underneath the housing. Follow the line from the housing up to the RO faucet and to the pressurized storage tank. Look for kinks and stored items that may get caught on the lines – be sure the lines are dry. Check around and under the storage tank for signs of water. If it has been more than a year since your last filter change, now is a good time to set that up with us. When the technician is there he will check over your system thoroughly, but make sure you point out any problems you have noticed or concerns you may have.
All this should take no more than 10 or 20 minutes of your time but it may save you both time and money in the long run. If you see water, signs of water or corrosion on or around your Culligan equipment give us a call. Water will, in time, erode everything and leaks never fix themselves. Your Culligan equipment is designed and tested to last a long time but it does require regular maintenance and occasional repair. So take a few minutes to check over your systems and see that everything is in order. If you have any questions or concerns give us a call, we are here to help