Short answer
Without salt, your softener can’t clean itself, so hard water goes straight into your home. Scale starts building up again in your pipes, water heater and appliances. Check the salt once a month and keep the tank at least a quarter full.
Why a softener needs salt
The resin inside your softener holds on to hardness minerals. Every few days it rinses them away with salty water from the brine tank, which is called regenerating. No salt means no regeneration, so the resin fills up and stops working.
Signs you’re out of salt
- Spots on dishes and shower glass are back
- Soap and shampoo don’t lather well
- Laundry feels stiff
- You can see the bottom of the brine tank, or the salt hasn’t gone down in weeks (a salt “bridge”)
What it costs you
Every day without salt, scale builds up inside your water heater and appliances. It makes the water heater work harder, shortens the life of dishwashers and washing machines, and clogs fixtures. Those repairs cost far more than a bag of salt.
How often should I add salt?
Check it monthly. Most East Valley homes go through roughly a bag or two a month, depending on hardness and household size. Keep the tank at least a quarter full, and break up any hard crust you find.
Never think about it again
We deliver salt and load the brine tank for you. An optional wireless sensor lets us know when your salt is low, so you never run out. Text Blake to set it up.
Common questions
Is it bad if my water softener runs out of salt?
It won’t break the softener, but hard water flows into your home until you refill it, and scale starts building up again.
What kind of salt should I use?
Clean pellet or solar salt. It leaves less residue in the brine tank than rock salt.