As New York City plumbers, one of the things we help homeowners with is water softener installation, repair and replacement. But sometimes people don’t know if it’s the right time to call for help. With that in mind, here are some of the signs your water softener is starting to go bad:
Scaly deposits in the washing machine, dishwasher, ice maker and more.
Hard water scales look like a brown, gray or white crusty coating forming on the interior of your water using appliances. If hard water scales are forming, your water softener is failing.
Red rings around your sink, tub, and other household drains.
The role of the water softener is to remove tiny particulate matter, including iron and other minerals, from the water supply. Red rings forming around the drains proves that at least some of this material is getting through. Ergo your water softener is failing.
Low water pressure in the shower, washing machine & other faucets
Has the morning shower been way less than satisfying? Diminishing water pressure can be a sign that hard water scale is building up in your pipes and behind showerheads. This can indicate a problem with the water softener, and should be investigated.
Spots on the dishes
Whether you’ve washed the dishes in the dishwasher or by hand, the presence of mineral spots – which can look like a milky film on your glassware – indicates that the water softener may be failing.
Water Softener Repair Vs Water Softener Replacement
The average useful life of a water softener is between ten and twenty years. Factors impacting how an individual water softener will perform include the quality of manufacture, how much use the unit has had, the hardness of the water and more. Your local plumber will use this information to let you know if your water softener can be repaired, or if it’s time for water softener replacement.
