water softener leaking Archives - Custom Plumbing of Arizona

According to the U.S Geological Survey (USGS), over 85% of American households have hard water, which can cause scaling, mineral accumulation, and expensive appliance repairs. An appropriately sized water softener can help avoid these issues, reduce salt usage, and improve water quality. But how big of a water softener do I need for my home?

In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of selecting the appropriate water softener size for your home.

Why Water Softener Efficiency Matters

When selecting the size of your water softener, efficiency is essential. A softener that is too small will have trouble producing adequate soft water, which could result in frequent regenerations, wasted salt, and higher water usage. However, if the softener is too big, you will overpay up front and use more salt than necessary.

A properly sized water softener minimizes salt usage while ensuring that your house never runs out of soft water. This can lead to big savings over time on repairs and salt purchases and potentially extend the life of your plumbing and appliances.

How Big of a Water Softener Do I Need?

So, what is the required size for a water softener? Your household’s water use and the hardness of your water ultimately determine the answer.

Hardness of Water

The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in your water is known as water hardness, commonly expressed in grains per gallon (GPG). While city water users can typically obtain this information from their local utility’s water report, well water users must test for hardness.

Assume that your water hardness is 10 GPG. If your home’s water contains iron, you will need to change the hardness value. To your hardness level, add 3 GPG for every 1.0 ppm of iron. Precise hardness assessments are essential for appropriately sizing and configuring your water softener.

Water Consumption

The daily water consumption of your home is the second element. Examining a recent water bill is the simplest way to calculate this figure. To find your daily average, divide the total amount of water used by the number of days in the billing period. If you don’t have this information, multiply the number of people living in your home by 75 gallons per person per day as a rough approximation.

For instance, a household of four people would need roughly 300 gallons of water daily. You can determine the capacity requirements for your softener by considering both your water hardness and daily water use.

Calculating Daily Softening Requirements

You must first determine how much softening you need daily to fit your water softener appropriately. This is the quantity of hardness grains your water softener must eliminate daily. Here is a detailed example:

Hardness of water: 10 GPG
Water Use per Day: Four persons times 75 gallons equals 300 gallons.
The daily requirement for softening is 10 GPG multiplied by 300 gallons, which equals 3,000 grains.

In this case, the daily hardness that your softener must withstand is three thousand grains. You can calculate the weekly softening capacity required by multiplying your daily softening requirement by seven, as most softeners are only meant to renew once a week.

The weekly requirement for softening is 3,000 grains every day multiplied by seven days or 21,000 grains.

Choosing the Right Softener for Your Needs

Now that you know your household’s softening needs, it’s time to select the appropriate softener size. The two main criteria used to grade water softeners are the quantity of resin, and the number of hardness grains that can be eliminated before regeneration is required. An overview of softener capabilities is provided here:

A resin volume of 0.75 cubic feet is 15,000 grains.
A resin volume of 1.0 cubic feet is 20,000 grains.
1.5 cubic feet of resin may hold 30,000 grains.
A resin volume of 2.0 cubic feet equals 40,000 grains.
3.0 cubic feet of resin may hold 60,000 grains.

For a weekly need of 21,000 grains, a softener with a 1.0 cubic foot resin tank—which can handle 20,000 grains—would be marginally undersized. A 1.5 cubic foot softener with 30,000 grains of capacity can be the best option if you want to guarantee effectiveness and avoid frequent regenerations.

High Salt-Efficiency Water Softener Guide

Another essential factor to take into account when selecting a water softener is salt efficiency. You do not want a system that uses more salt than necessary. The resin sizes and corresponding salt efficiency are described as follows:

Resin volume of 0.75 cubic feet: 15,000 grains, 6 lbs. of salt for every renewal.
Resin volume of 1.0 cubic feet: 20,000 grains, 8 lbs. of salt for every renewal.
Ten pounds and thirty thousand grains in 1.5 cubic feet of resin of salt for every renewal.
Resin volume of 2.0 cubic feet: 40,000 grains, 12 lbs. of salt for every renewal.

More giant resin tanks use salt more effectively and have higher grain capacity. If reducing salt usage is a top concern, choose a high-efficiency model that regenerates less frequently and uses less salt per cycle. Over time, these modest initial costs can result in substantial savings!

Contact Us Today to Find the Perfect Water Softener Size for Your Home

Still wondering, “how big of a water softener do I need” for your home? No worries—we’re here to help! At Custom Plumbing of Arizona, we can guide you through the entire process, from determining your water hardness to selecting the perfect softener that fits your household’s specific needs. Call us today at 602-866-2665 to schedule a consultation. We’ll ensure you get a water softener that fits your home, lifestyle, and budget perfectly. Enjoy softer water and long-term savings with a system designed just for you!

If you notice your water softener leaking, you don’t need to panic, but you should fix it as soon as possible. In this article, I talk about some of the most common scenarios as well as some solutions that you can try on your own before contacting a plumber.

Important note: before trying to figure out where the water is coming from, disconnect the water softener’s power supply. Always remember, safety first!

Scenario #1: Rotor Valve

The rotor valve on your water softener is usually located at the top of the unit. As the source of water into the water softener, the rotor valve is often the source of leaks. Over time, it can develop cracks and need to be replaced.

If you do not notice any cracks or breakage around the rotor valve but you can see water coming from it, the problem could be the seal located on the inside of the valve. In either case, you will need to contact a professional plumber to fix the issue.

Scenario #2: Punctured Brine Tank

The brine tank is where you place the salt. In case you didn’t know, water softeners work by replacing calcium and magnesium ions in your water with sodium ions. A puncture in the brine tank usually means that you need to replace the tank altogether. In some cases, certain sealants might work, but be careful what you use—picking the wrong one could seriously damage your water softener system.

Scenario #3: Loose Hose Connection

In this third scenario, the solution is often straightforward. If you notice your water softener leaking from the supply hose, try tightening the connection. The problem could be that simple.

If tightening the connection does not stop the leak, the hose could be punctured. When this happens, you will need to replace the hose.

Scenario #4: Defective Bypass Valve O-Rings

Some water softeners have a valve that allows the water to bypass the system. The bypass valve is a convenience in case you need to repair or replace part of the water softener without cutting off water to your home, but if you notice your water softener leaking, it could be the cause, too.

On the bypass valve are located what are called O-rings. As your system gets older, these O-rings may need to be replaced if you do not maintain them. Replacing the O-rings requires special tools and skills, so it is best to contact a plumber with experience fixing water softener systems.

Water Softener Bypass Valve Leaking? Here’s What You Should Know

What is a water softener bypass valve?

In place of a drain valve, there is the bypass valve on the water softener. The switch opens the bypass by introducing water from the main system to the water softening system. The water goes through and flows into two or more lines, creating unique flushes for every single household connected to this household unit.

It is possible that you’ll face a water line disruption in your home, which might require replacing the water softener. During this time the displaced water needs to be cleaned and flushed through the system. This can normally take at least 90 minutes of continuous activity to complete.

If you want to avoid the situation where you have to drain the softener first and then clean it, you can use something called a bypass valve. When using a bypass valve, you utilize it before getting water from the softener by opening a valve before bringing in the water.

The bypass valve gives you full control over the water flow system. You can turn the valves on or off in accordance with your needs.

Do not be confused while looking at the valve, though complicated it looks. The pipes fixed to the wall might have a variety of control tabs, which indicate how the water goes through them and gets to your plumbing system. Examine each tab so you can understand what’s going on at each point in the pipe, but pay attention to the flow of water all throughout!

Once you understand how the whole structure works, it’s easy to bypass the water softener by changing the valves themselves.

Learn the basics of what a bypass valve does

The bypass valve is used to change the water flow from the water softener to the mainline connection to the home.

However, your home has a backup system in place to give you the reassurance of never having to go without water.

A bypass valve is used to help better control the water flow in and out of your faucets. Shut off your water valves and use this valve to free up the system so you can continue using water.

How to replace your water softener bypass valve

Know where the water softener valve starts, where it ends, and the location of the bypass valve before you start

1. Cut the connection of the water softener system from the main water line.

2. Remove the bypass valve from the connection.

3. You can first use another pipe to serve as a valve and then connect the two pipes at the connection or use other pipes to assemble the water.

You should be sure that both the inward and outward flow of the water softener system are properly sealed. If they are not, you could risk a leak.

4. When complete, turn the water on to allow the water to flow into the softener.

Water softener resin tank leaking from bottom? Here’s how to fix it.

One of the most common problems that homeowners run into with their water softener is a leaking resin tank, which can be caused by a variety of different factors. Luckily for you, this blog post has an easy fix for any leaking water softener resin tank!

Softener resin tank leaks from the bottom

Resin tanks are designed to be watertight to prevent leaks, but in some cases, resin tanks will leak from the bottom. When a leak occurs, the tank must be patched or replaced. When installing a new resin tank, it is important to use the same brand and model of resin tank as before.

How to fix a leaking water softener resin tank

A resin tank is one of the most important components of a water softener. The water passes through the resin and becomes softer. Over time, the tank can develop leaks, so it is critical to know how to fix any holes that form. To fix the problem, you will need to drain, clean, and patch the leaking resin tank.

Step 1: Drain the Resin Tank

First, you will need to shut off the water. Wait for as long as it takes for the tank to drain, noting where the leak or crack is located for future reference. Once the tank is drained, you can disassemble it and clean it.

Step 2: Clean the Resin Tank

Once you have disassembled the resin tank and set the resin beads to the side, it’s time to clean the tank. One way to clean the tank is to use a bleach and water solution to soak the resin tank in. After it has soaked, be sure that any salt and iron deposits are removed using a toothbrush. Now that the tank is clean, you can start the repair process.

Step 3: Patch the Resin Tank

Remembering where the crack or leak was located on the resin tank, sand the area around the crack to create an abrasive surface. This allows the epoxy to bind with the resin tank more firmly. Now take some waterproof epoxy and fill any cracks in the tank with a putty knife. Allow the epoxy to dry according to the instructions on the container. Once the epoxy is dry, you can reassemble the water softener.
Be sure to check on the leak as time goes on. Sometimes repairing a leaking resin tank can take a few attempts. If you need to repatch the resin tank because it is still leaking, follow the above steps again.

Is Your Water Softener Leaking? Contact Custom Plumbing of Arizona for Help

In Arizona, having a water softener is critical to protect your home’s plumbing and appliances from hard water buildup. Is your water softener leaking? Don’t wait too long to fix it. It could turn into a much more expensive problem.

Need help with your water softener leaking? That’s why we are here. Contact us today to schedule a visit from one of our expert plumbers.