Hard Water Treatment: 5 Tips to Follow for Cleaner Water
Water-softening salt is a simple hard water treatment. However, it’s most effective when you keep an eye on the systems that utilize it. Gunther Salt Company wants you to get the most out of our water-softening products — read on to improve the way you treat hard water.
Test Your Water
Before installing a water softening system, we recommend you test for water quality. You may test through at-home testing kits, lab testing services or a consultation with a water treatment professional.
The results will give you an idea of the grains per gallon (GPG) in your water. This measurement will help you establish an expectation for regeneration cycles and salt consumption. For example, if your GPG is high, your system will have to work harder for the same result.
Additionally, testing may reveal other contaminants worth addressing. For example, most hard water treatments cannot remove lead. You may need additional filters or new plumbing to resolve the issue.
2. Choose the Right System
Size matters in water softening. You must match your softener size to your predicted water usage to ensure optimal flow rate, efficient softening and lower operating costs.
The average American uses about 82 gallons of water per day. Homeowners may estimate their water usage by multiplying this average by the number of people in their household.
Although this calculation is helpful, a water bill for your home or facility will provide your most accurate water usage.
3. Use High-Quality Salt
Salt quality is integral for water softener performance. Lower-quality salt often contains insoluble materials that may leave a film or residue inside the brine tank. This buildup can lead to clogs, reduced water flow and decreased softening efficiency.
To avoid maintenance costs, we recommend sourcing high-purity salt for your water softening system. Gunther Salt Company sells evaporated and solar salt products that treat hard water effectively and leave behind less residue.
However, solar salt is both affordable and pure — making it our best value.
4. Maintain Your Softening System
A water softening system is just any other piece of equipment: You need to maintain it to keep it running.
As you treat hard water, we recommend checking your brine tank for optimum salt levels. Low salt levels can lead to hard water resurgence, while excessive salt levels can cause system malfunctions. However, you can mitigate these issues with the right salt product. For example, excess evaporated salt pellets may cause salt bridging — solar salt will eliminate that issue.
For more effective hard water treatment, we recommend that you clean the brine tank 1-2 times a year. Regular cleaning prevents mineral buildup, salt bridging and bacterial growth — ultimately, extending the lifespan of your system.
5. Monitor Long-Term Performance
Water-softening systems may lose efficiency over time, especially if salt levels dip too low, resin beads wear down or parts begin to clog. It’s important to monitor signs that your softener is not functioning properly.
The signs might be subtle: soap that doesn’t lather, spots on glassware or a dry-skin feeling. Staying mindful will help keep your system at peak performance — and your water feeling soft.
Searching for Hard Water Treatment?
Gunther Salt Company helps homeowners and business owners tackle hard water treatment through water-softening salt products. Currently, we offer solar salt and evaporated salt, which are available in both pellets and cubes.
To place a bulk order, visit our Bulk Ordering page and provide your product and delivery information.
To request a custom pallet delivery, visit our Other Ordering page and contact a representative. Local customers are eligible for deliveries less than a truckload — customers outside the metro area must order a full truckload.
