Sometimes you do not need to replace your water softener. It just needs a quick repair. A quality water softener can make all your hard water problems disappear:
- No more filmy coating on bathroom and kitchen surfaces, cookware, glassware, and other utensils.
- No more undue wear and discoloration on your laundry.
- No more insoluble soap.
- No more funky lime-crusted showerheads.
- No more clogged drains and broken-down pipes.
- No more sediment accumulating in your hot water heater.
You’ve traded in your old calcium for new sodium, and your water has been soft and luxurious ever since. How long have you last checked your water softener? On average, water softeners near me last between 10-20 years. If you have had yours for over a decade, it might be time for a repair or replacement.
Water Conditioning Near Me in Sheboygan, WI
While there is no definitive time for exactly when to replace your softener, there are telltale signs that indicate its wear and tear. Electricity breaks down, and components fall apart. Valves get jammed, and salt goes missing in the brine tank. Softeners can malfunction even faster in homes where the water softener is often used due to hard or iron-rich well water. Sometimes these signs don’t mean you need a replacement; you might simply need a repair. You can easily get your water softener inspected by your local Sheboygan plumber at Plymouth Plumbing & Heating to determine what specific issues may need servicing.
Signs You Need to Replace or Repair Your Water Softener
Water conditioning near me is often overlooked, and systems can become worn or inoperative. Here are some signs you need repairs for water softeners near me in Plymouth or Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Soap Won’t Lather
A water softener can create soluble soap. When your soap is not lathering, it indicates hard water chock-full of contaminants like calcium, magnesium, iron, bicarbonates, and sulfate. So if you can’t work up a sudsy scrub, it may be time to get your water softener serviced.
Itchy, Dry Skin and Dull Hair
Speaking of lather, if you leave the shower feeling itchy, the problem may also be hard water. Insoluble soap will clog your pores and absorb moisture, causing you to itch. Shampoo your hair dull and dry. Installing a new water softener may get that shine back in your bob or that softness back in your skin.
Water Just Tastes Different
Most people can taste the difference between soft and hard water. People love the smooth taste of quality water through water treatment. During that treatment, your hard water exchanges its calcium and magnesium contaminants for sodium and potassium ions. A difference in taste strongly indicates the resurgence of those contaminants.
Water Is Too Salty
Additionally, if your water tastes overly salty, this may indicate the presence of too much salt in your softening system. You may need to clean your tank or add the appropriate amount of salt. If thoroughly cleaning your tank does not solve the problem, it may be a damaged valve. In that case, call a 24-hour emergency plumber or a water softener expert near me in Sheboygan.
Laundry Is Stiff or Stained
There may be a malfunction if you notice mineral stains on your freshly cleaned clothes. Hard water leaves its mark due to its inability to lather washing machine soap. Minerals also seep into the washing machine, making it harder to do its job. Not only that, hard water leaves your clothes feeling stiff and scratchy. If you’re going through tons of fabric softener with no results, it might be time to get that water re-softened.
Pipe and Faucet Buildup
Unsightly buildup in your pipes and faucet is a major telltale sign. If your shower head looks like you bought it at an antique store, you find white crusty stains on your faucets, or your pipes are breaking down — it might be a hard water problem. Clogging pipes is also a red flag.
If you notice low water pressure, this may be due to a deposit buildup obstructing your lines or even your water heater. Call us immediately for 24-hour water heater repair or other plumbing emergencies. One of the best things about softened water is that it increases water-based appliances’ lifespan and durability. You don’t want to shell out tons of money to repair a busted pipe that could have been easily solved with a new water softener.
Stained Toilets, Sinks, and Bathtubs
If discolored water leaves stains on your sinks, toilet, and bathtub, it’s probably time to change your softener. While discolored water is not necessarily harmful to your body, it isn’t pretty! Those brownish water stains were perhaps the reason you got the original water softener in the first place.
Spotty Silverware and Scummy Dishes
Finally, utensils, plates, pots, pans, and tea kettles are excellent indicators of the hardness or softness of the water in your home. Since they are washed often, you’ll notice if a spotty, filmy, or gritty texture is left behind on your silverware. That scummy coat comes from un-latherable soap and contaminants that adhere to surfaces in the water. Hard water strikes again.
Help with Water Softeners Near Me
Installing a new water softener gives you spotless silverware, cleaner clothes, more durable pipes, and shinier hair and softer skin, too! Replacing your water softener allows you to keep up with the new advances in water treatment technology.
Some modern water softeners feature Water Efficient Technology (W.E.T.), which refreshes your system’s proportionality to help you save on salt and conserve water. There are also salt monitors that alert you when you need to add more softener salts. Another feature is chlorine generators which help you maintain a clean system.
Furthermore, ionization, filtration, and even water softener WiFi innovations will keep you on the cutting edge. After 15 years with your old water softener, it might be time for something new. Call Plymouth Plumbers today to see if you need help with water softeners near me. We offer service and replacement options with some of the most advanced water softener systems available.