A water softener is a device that removes minerals from the hard water in your home. The lifespan of a water softener depends on many factors including how often you use it, where you live and how well you maintain it.
Knowing the lifespan of your water softener is an important factor in determining whether or not you need to replace it.
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What is the lifespan of a water softener?
A water softener usually lasts about 10-15 years, but it really depends on the quality of the water. Hard water will wear down the resin in a water softener much faster than softer water; so chances are if you have hard water, your device won’t last as long.
Most water softeners today are designed to regenerate every other day, but if your home is using a lot of water and you aren’t using the appliance very often, you might need to replace it more often. Alternatively, if you live in an area with really soft water and use your appliance daily, you might be able to go for years without having to purchase a new one.
How to calculate the lifespan of your water softener?
The lifespan of a water softener can be calculated by looking at the number of regenerations it has gone through. Regeneration is when you recharge your water softener with salt so that it can clean your home’s hard water again.
On an average, the lifespan of a water softener is about 8-12 years if you have hard water which needs to be recharged more often than 7 times per week, 12-14 if you have soft water that is recharged every 2 days, and 14-18 years for a unit in medium-hard water.
The lifespan of a water softener can vary per household due to the amount of water being used, how often you regenerate your unit and the hardness of your home’s water supply. If your home has hard water, then you should know that your water softener will need to be replaced more often than one in homes with softer water.
Factors that affect the lifespan of a water softener
When you first purchase your water softener it will last for many years. After some time, the resin beads that act as a filter to soften the water inside of the tank lose their ability to do their job. Below are some factors that will affect the lifespan of your water softener:
Usage frequency – If you have a large household and everyone uses hot water on a daily basis, then the water in the tank is being used more frequently than if just one person is using the water in the home. A water softener that has to work harder will not last as long as one in a household with fewer occupants or who use less hot water on a daily basis.
Where you live – Where you live affects your water softener. If you have very hard water, then it will need to be replaced sooner than one with softer water. The resin beads in the tank wear out more quickly when they are used to soften hard water than if they were softening soft water. If you live somewhere that does not have very hard water, then your softener will last longer.
Maintenance – Just like any other home appliance, a water softener needs to be maintained properly. You should periodically clean your softener which extends the lifespan of it. Always refer to the owner’s manual for proper maintenance instructions for your water softener.
When should you replace your water softener?
If your water softener is not performing like it used to, then it may be time to replace it with a newer, better quality one.
For example, the salt in the tank might not dissolve completely when you put more of it in or when you use different brands of salt. You can also tell that your softener needs to be replaced if you can see a lot of dark sediments at the bottom of it. If you experience a decrease in water flow or pressure, then your softener may be clogged and does not have as much resin as it used to. These are all signs that indicate that your water softener has outlived its usefulness and is ready for a replacement.
Tips for maintaining your water softener to extend its lifespan
- Always refer to the owner’s manual that came with your softener for instructions on how often you should replace the resin beads. You can also ask a local plumber what they would recommend as a frequency of replacement since many factors will determine this number.
- Clean your softener at least once a year. The more often you clean it, the better and longer it will last.
- Use only salt with your softener and make sure to use the exact amount that is recommended in the owner’s manual for your model of water softener. Using too much or too little salt can affect how well your softener works and it can even build up sediments at the bottom of the tank.
- Never put anything other than salt into your softener. Most softeners have a chemical chamber that can be damaged if you put something other than salt in it.
- Do not take apart the tank of your softener or pull out any parts unless you know exactly what you are doing and why you need to do it. If it is broken and you take it apart to fix it, then you may just break more parts and make it worse. Contact a local plumber for help instead of taking it apart yourself.
Conclusion
Most people think that their water softener will last forever, but this is not always the case. The lifespan of a water softener depends on many factors including how often you use it, where you live and how well you maintain it. If your home has hard water, then your water softener will need to be replaced more quickly than if it had softer water. Knowing the lifespan of your water is an important factor in determining whether or not you need to replace yours.