You have installed a water softener in your home for softening the Hard water you get.
But what you see in your utility room where that softener is installed, is overflowing.
How can that happen, you had a top-quality water softener installed, you get it maintained on time, you clean it, and top up the brine tank on time with the salt.
Don’t fret, it happens, it happens with all of us. You can’t stop it from overflowing, it happens once in a while. Don’t get frustrated, you can fix it without breaking any sweat.
But first, you need to diagnose why it happened, the reason for your water softener overflowing, so that not only you could stop it, but prevent it for the next time.
In this guide, we are going to mention the top reasons that can make your water softener overflow.
Not only that, but we will also be mentioned, how could you stop that right now, and take preventive measures to make sure, it never happens with you again.
why your water softener is Overflowing & How to Fix them
If your water softener is overflowing, there is must be something causing it.
The reasons can be more than one once, it can be overflowing of the brine tank, clogging, damages, lack of maintenance, and many more others in the row.
I am going to tell you here the top reasons why your water softener is overflowing and the reasons.
Clogging
Hard water is hard because of the minerals dissolved in it. Your water softener softened the water by removing those minerals.
These minerals leave chalky residue, so the same they leave them behind in your water softener.
Over time, especially when you don’t maintain y our water softener, the accumulation of these minerals and sat can clog the water line that runs through the tank of your water system.
The most obvious sign that your water line is about to clog is chalky residue. The water softener starts producing chalky residue, you start to feel the hardness of the water all over again.
If that has started happening, and you know that you don’t maintain or clean your softener, that means, you need to clean it now.
By following a regular water softner maintenance routine, you can prevent this overflowing issue. For that, you should keep the injectors and screen clean, and there you would not face any problems again.
Drain Line Overflowing
An interrupted drain line too can lead to overflowing. The first thing experts recommend in the case is to maintain a top-notch drain line cleaning mechanism.
And if you see the drain lines are kinked, twisted, or cracked, you may have to upgrade it with a new one.
If the drain lines stay interrupted, and not maintained or cleaned wall, they would not be able to draw enough water to utilize all the brine in the brine tank.
The result would be that the softener will keep adding more water to the brine tank, which leads to an overflow.
So, if you see it is the brine tank from where your softener is leaking, you should first stop the water, or set it to bypass mode, so that no more water goes to the brine tank.
And the next thing you should do is straighten the drain, and remove all the restrictions.
Related: Water Softener Systen Cost
Brine Float set wrong
Too high a brine flow set can also lead to overflowing. Actually, it is a sign of poor installation, because it is the installation when you set the brine flow rate, in that case, there will be lots of overflowing.
If the float is set too high, the softener will continue supplying more water in the brine tank, which will not be good for you.
To fix it, you will have to set the brine float again to the right height. Look at the user’s manual, and adjust it according to the mentioned.
Worn Out Main Piston
A water softener like any other home appliance gets old. There comes a time when the internal parts such as the Main piston gets worn out and you are left with no solution other than installing a new main piston.
If the main piston of your water softener is already worn out, it may be causing overflowing or in the future, it can.
If the piston is damaged or worn out the water will go beyond the seals. Your water softener system would not know this, as it does not have a brain to learn which part is in pain, so it will keep supplying water and it will be overflowing unless you set it to bypass the system.
So, the solution to this is, to change the whole thing. If you use some tweaks and get it to stop overflowing for some, it will overflow again.
And again, you will be in the middle of Hudson Bay, change the whole thing, and fix it all once and forever.
Water Pressure is Low
Yes, it happens. If your water pressure is low, this too can lead to overflowing. Didn’t get it right?
Actually, when the water pressure is low, the brine remains in the brine tank. The water softener keeps pouring water, and the softener will keep adding more water which leads to flooding or overflowing.
Well, it can get easily fixed, you get the water pressure right, and it will stop flooding.
To me, it happens mostly after the regeneration. If it keeps happening to you, you should hire experts and get it fixed once and for all. Maybe the brine tank tube is clogged which is making the water pressure low.
The easiest way to fix it, try to find the damages or issues. Check your water pressure, if it is not good enough to keep the water flowing, take action to fix that, and it will be fixed easily.
Also Read: Water Softener Size
Brine Valve Leaked
For me, the overflow, most of the time caused by the leaked brine valve. It happens lots of times, when there is a leakage in the brine valve, the system keeps supplying the water and the water will be everywhere.
Replace the part, replace the brine leaked valve and you will see the flooding has been stopped.
How to unclog Water Softener which is flooding?
This is the most common reason for overflowing water in the brine tank.
Actually, what happens is that we top up the brine tank with the salt, and the salt with time starts to cling to the sides, and makes a hard crust.
Over time, this crust makes a bridge and stops water from going through the brine tank.
The water softener would not know this issue, it will keep supplying water, as the water is not passing through the brine tank it overflows.
To fix this issue, you can simply take a long and sharp object, and tap at the bottom of the brine tank so that this salt clogging could be fixed or removed.
If it is not fixed even then, you should stop the water softener, use the bypass valve, drain all the water and salt, and clean the brine tank thoroughly to make things go smoother all over again and to fix the overflowing issue.
What is the ideal level of water in the brine tank?
You should not be worried about the water present in the brine tank. It is the level of the water in the brine tank that should put you to the problem.
If the water level is above 12-inches, that means, there is something not going all well. You should keep an eye on the water level, and if it is increasing, you should diagnose the reason and try to fix it, or your brine tank would be overflowing with water.
How to Maintain the water softener to prevent it from overflowing?
Prevention is better than cure. This would not be wrong with the water softeners too. Most of the problems with the water softeners occur due to a lack of maintenance.
For me, keeping the salt bridge clean all the time can prevent it from clogging and overflowing. Check the salt level, and don’t top it up with more than the required salt.
And also clean the brine tank to avoid clogging. Check if the brine line is not twisted, if you follow a regular maintenance regimen, I am sure you will get an extended lifespan.
Conclusion
The mentioned reasons are the most common reasons why most of the water softeners overflow. You can check them; I have also mentioned the way you could fix the issues.
If you don’t get any of the mentioned problems, or you don’t know why your water softener is overflowing, don’t touch anything. The first thing you do is to use the bypass valve, to bypass your water softener to prevent further flooding.
And then call professionals, or call your DIY friend who you think has experience of fixing plumbing issues like that.
I am sure this guide will help you, and make you not only understand why overflowing is happening, but to fix it.
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