Key Takeaways
Signs Your EcoWater System May Need Servicing
System on “Bypass” Mode
Many indicators are visual or tactile, but we have had plenty of customers who didn’t realize their system was not working. A common issue is water softeners that are in “bypass”, meaning the water is not entering the system at all. That’s why it’s so important to schedule an annual service – we will definitely notice if something is wrong.
No salt or little salt consumption in your water softener
If your water softener is consuming zero or minimal salt, that is a problem. Every night, the system cycles: water is added to the tank, it dissolves some salt, and the water is sucked out. You can’t have soft water if the system isn’t consuming water or salt.
The issue could be a salt bridge, which can happen if your system is in a humid area. A salt bridge occurs when salt hardens at the top of the tank. Underneath the bridge is brine and empty space. When this happens, salt is not in contact with water during the regeneration cycle, and therefore it does not dissolve in the water. This is something you can fix yourself. Just grab a broom and break it up with the handle.
Too much water in the brine tank
There should always be some water in the tank. A couple of inches of water is fine, but two feet of water is a problem.
Spots on your drinking glasses and shower door
If you see spots on your drinking glasses after you pull them out of the dishwasher or on your shower door once the water dries, your water softener isn’t working properly. Spots are caused by calcium and magnesium and are an indication you have hard water.
Restricted water flow
If you notice that water pressure in your shower or kitchen sink is lower than it used to be, something is going on with your water softener. It could be an issue with the brine tank, a filter, the carbon, or resin.
Soap isn’t lathering like it used to
Soft water and hard water interact differently with your soap and shampoo. You need to use far less with soft water. If you are using more soap and the soap isn’t lathering well, it’s a sign your water softener isn’t working properly.
Other persistent taste and odor issues could also indicate your water system isn’t working as intended.
Servicing Your Water System
The Importance of Regular Servicing
EcoWater systems must receive regular maintenance to function properly. Whether you have a water softener, water refiner, neutralizer, or a drinking water system like reverse osmosis, we recommend an annual service.
A well-maintained system can last 10 to 25 years – it really depends on your water.
If you’re on city water, you may have a lot of chlorine or chloramine in your water. Because high levels will affect the resin in your water softener, we may proactively add an extra carbon filter to reduce the amount of chlorine entering the system.
Speaking of resin, its ability to exchange calcium and magnesium ions for sodium ions is never as good as the first day it’s in service. Like a parent of small children on summer vacation, it gets exhausted over time. When we service a water softening system, we use a resin cleaner to extend the life of the resin.
Changing the filters is also an important part of maintenance. If you’re on well water and have a pre-filter with your softener, it’s very important to keep that pre-filter clean. Annual maintenance does more than just extend the life of your EcoWater systems. It also extends the life of your water-using appliances and ensures your drinking water is of the highest quality.
Common Issues
EcoWater systems have a lot of small parts, which means it’s easy to put in a washer upside down or forget to replace a part. When that happens, your system won’t function properly – or it could even cause a flood. For example, if we serviced your water softening system and left a cap off the Venturi nozzle in your water softening system, water will flood your basement when the softener regenerates at 2am.
If you’re on well water, you need a sediment filter installed or the Venturi nozzle could get clogged. (Yes, the Venturi nozzle is very important. It controls water moving in and out of the brine tank.) If the nozzle gets clogged with sediment, it won’t suck water back out. The resin bed will be impacted with hardness, the salt regeneration process won’t happen, and you’ll have hard water again. Every annual service we do involves cleaning this nozzle.
Ecowater DIY Maintenance
With EcoWater systems, there are a few basic maintenance tasks you can do yourself. If you have a water softener, you can refill the salt – more on this below. If you have a reverse osmosis system, you can replace the filter. If you have a cartridge/sediment filter, you can replace the cartridge filter. You can also mix your own Nutra7 to help balance your Ph.
But if you are ever in doubt about whether your system is working properly, call us. We will help you troubleshoot the issue over the phone. If we can walk you through how to fix it yourself, we will. And if it’s a larger problem that requires a technician, we will schedule an appointment.
Top Tips for Increasing the Lifespan and Efficiency of Your EcoWater System
Check Salt Levels and Add Salt When Needed
If you have an EcoWater softener with WiFi, the system will average your weekly usage and send you an alert to add salt in 30 days.
If you don’t have WiFi or an EcoWater system, check the salt level on a monthly basis. At month two, your tank may still have plenty of salt. At month three, the salt may be reduced by half. Now you know to add salt every three months. Do not let the system run out of salt!
As a side note, EcoWater’s predictive algorithm predicts your future usage based on your historic usage and adjusts the amount of salt it consumes. Salt usage with EcoWater systems tends to go down over time, but our competitors’ systems use more salt over time.
That’s because our competitors’ systems count gallons. When it reaches a set gallon point, it will backwash. If you hit your max capacity at 8am, but your system won’t backwash until 2am the next morning, hardness could enter the system.
Inspect for Salt Bridges
A salt bridge occurs when salt hardens at the top of the tank. Underneath the bridge is brine and empty space. When this happens, salt is not in contact with water during the regeneration cycle, and therefore it does not dissolve in the water. This is something you can fix yourself. Just grab a broom and break it up with the handle.
Maintain Proper Water Pressure
If you notice that water pressure in your shower or kitchen sink is lower than it used to be, something is going on with your water softener. It could be an issue with the brine tank, a filter, the carbon, or resin.
Check for Leaks
Inspect the system for any signs of leaks, especially if water usage patterns change unexpectedly. For example, if you notice that your water usage dropped to nothing two months ago, your system could be in bypass. Conversely, if your water usage suddenly spikes, you might have a running toilet or a leak somewhere.
Common EcoWater Maintenance Questions
How Often Do the Tanks Need to Be Flushed for Water Treatment Systems?
Today’s systems automatically backwash or flush themselves. How often they do this is based on your water and how much water you use. A calcite filter for a water neutralizer backwashes every two or three days. On average, a water softener backwashes roughly once a week (sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less, based on your water usage). A sediment filter backwashes every two or three days. If you have a lot of iron in your water, the cleaning cycle may need to run often.
How Do We Know How Much Salt to Add and How to Reboot the System to Erase the “Maintenance” Message?
If you have an EcoWater softener with WiFi, the system will average your weekly usage and send you an alert to add salt in 30 days. If you don’t have WiFi or an EcoWater system, check the salt level on a monthly basis. At month two, your tank may still have plenty of salt. At month three, the salt may be reduced by half. Now you know to add salt every three months. Do not let the system run out of salt! Rebooting to erase maintenance messages usually involves following the manufacturer’s instructions or contacting Carroll Water for guidance.
Why Is My Water System Full of Water?
Some water in the brine tank is normal, but excessive amounts (e.g., two feet) indicate a problem that needs addressing.
How often should I change EcoWater filters?
Depending on your water chemistry, cartridge filters may need to be replaced annually or if the water has heavy sediment, may need replaced monthly. Automatic backwashing filters normally need to be inspected and maintained annually.
The Carroll Water Difference- We Can Monitor Your System for You
Thanks to EcoWater’s Wi-Fi monitoring system, we have the ability to remotely monitor our customers’ systems. When we set up your system, you can grant us permission to view it, and this allows us to diagnose issues remotely over the phone. When you receive an alert, call us. We will look at your system and figure out what’s going on. For example, we might see that your water usage dropped to nothing two months ago. Your system could be in bypass, so we will explain how to check that. If it’s not in bypass, it’s a bigger issue and we will schedule a visit. Conversely, we might look at your system and see that you were averaging 200 gallons of water usage per day. But thirty days ago, you started averaging 500 gallons daily. We will ask if you installed a sprinkler system for the yard or if your kids are home from college. If the answer is no, chances are you have a running toilet or a leak somewhere. We have saved people thousands of dollars in utility bills by helping them find a running toilet that they never use in the basement.
Is It Time to Call in an Expert?
If you have any questions at all, call us – we don’t charge for virtual phone consultations! But if we realize it is a bigger issue than breaking up a salt bridge, changing a filter, reconnecting your monitoring system to WiFi, or taking a system out of bypass, we will schedule a service visit with an expert technician.
By following these maintenance tips and recognizing when to seek expert help, you can ensure your EcoWater system operates efficiently and effectively, providing clean and soft water for years to come.
