Can Water Softener Cause Low Water Pressure?

You will agree with me when I say, most people can’t stand showering in low pressure. There are many reasons why you could be having low water pressure at home.

One issue that always comes out when tackling this issue is whether water softener causes low water pressure. Manufacturer of water softeners would make you believe that this is a myth that water softeners installation can cause low pressure.

A water softener shouldn’t cause reduced pressure unless it’s incorrectly installed or it’s undersized. However, because water softeners are installed right from the beginning of plumbing in the house, they can affect the whole system. You have to size them correctly to ensure they can keep up with the demand..

If you have been getting good water pressure while the water softener is installed then a sudden drop in pressure could indicate a hitch with the water softener.

Water softener Problem Troubleshooting

To check if a new water softener is causing low water pressure, look for the bypass valve which is normally on top of the water softener. However, if you still have low water pressure when the bypass valve is turned on, the block is not being caused by the softener. I have found most of the time the hiccup could be as a result of pipes problems such as leaking pipe or clogged pipes.

Leaking pipes are the number one reason for reduced water pressure in a plumbing system in homes. Clogged pipes are caused by mineral buildup that blocks the free flow of water. Hard water before it reaches the water softener it has a lot of minerals; therefore, pipes delivering water to the softener are at a high risk of clogging due to mineral buildup inside the pipes.

In other cases, the cause of low water pressure is simply that your city water department is delivering water at low pressure. It’s always a good suggestion to first check with your neighbors if they have the same difficulty.
When troubleshooting a water softener for problems, you probe the following things.

• Testing water that is going into the device and water coming out on the other side. If the water is not changing, it means that the gadget is not working properly. You can use a water testing kit to do this test. You can buy a test kit from your local supermarket or online. This test kits will show you if the water is hard or soft and if it is safe for drinking.
• Checking if the softener is regenerating correctly. One common illusion with softeners is that the salt is the one that softens that water. What softens the water is thousand of resin. Salt is used to clean the resin beads. This clean of resin beads is known as regeneration. A properly working device will regenerate quickly and the quality of water will be noticeably better.
• Salt consumption is a good indication of whether a softener is functioning properly. A standard garget will require to be refilled with salt once or twice a month. If you find your equipment is consuming more salt that might be an indication that it needs a resin refilling.

New Water softener causing low water pressure

When there is a reduction in force immediately after that installation of a softener, you can find out if it’s the cause of the reduced pressure by turning on the bypass valve. If after turning the bypass valve on, the force increases then the problem is with the new device.

If the sizing was not correctly done then the device will not be able to meet the consumption demand in the house. How do you know the size of water softener that is appropriate for your home?

To decide the suitable size for your house, multiply the number of water users in the house with gallons of water that each person uses per day multiplied by grains of hardness. For example, 70 gallons per person multiplied by 4 people in the house multiplied by hardness grain of 15.5ppm. You should select a water softener that can handle that load.

Sudden Change in Water Pressure

A sudden change in force could be as a result of a clogged system or corroded pipes. Let’s dig deep and examine each of these difficulties.

Water softener clogged

There are two parts of a water softener that prone to clogging sediment filters and resin bed.

• Dirty filters- Most softeners have sediment filters that are used to filter out sediment before they reach the resin bed. These sediment filters are prone to accumulation of dirt which then blocks the free flow of water.
• These filters need to be cleaned regularly, and if there is need to be replaced.
• Clogged resin bed is caused by sediments which accumulate on the surface thus preventing the flow of water through the resin. When you suspect that resin is clogged, you can change the media or clean it out.

Corroded pipes

Pipes that deliver water to the water softener can get corroded because of hard water. When this happens, the flow of water is restricted resulting in reduced water pressure.

Conclusion

The answer to the question can water softeners cause low water pressure? Yes, it can. Although when you have a correctly functioning device that is correctly sized this should not be the case. When you have low pressure after installing a new softener troubleshoot it by turning on the bypass valve to see if the problem is the device or something else.

When selecting a softener, you should ensure that you get the right sizing that meets your home’s load depending on the number of people and the hardness of water. Ensure that you don’t have clogged pipes or dirty filters which cause the reduction in water pressure. You might need to install a sediment filter to act as pre-filter before the water reaches the water softener. This prevents the clogging of the resin bed. Finally, if the resin bed is clogged you should replace the resin bed.

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