Winter is here whether you like it to or not. As the air gets colder, you may be winterizing several things in your life whether it’s your car or your home. If you have a water softener, however, you might have to winterize that too. The requirements aren’t exactly well known, however.
Winterizing your water softener may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually easier than you might think. For some, you may not have to do anything at all. Learn whether or not you need to winterize your water softener and, if so, what steps are required to do it.
The Right Time to Winterize
Not every water softener needs winterization. The general rule is that you only need to winterize it if it’s going to be exposed to cold air for extended periods of time. That means that if you keep your water softener in the basement and you plan to be home all season long, you don’t have to worry about winterization at all.
If you’re going out of town for the winter and leaving your house unheated, it’s time to winterize your water softener. Even if you are home, but your water softener is left in an unheated garage, winterization is a must to ensure it makes it through the winter. The last thing you want is your water treatment system damaged by frozen pipes.
Extra Heating
The main purpose of winterization is to add extra heating to survive the cold. If your area doesn’t get too cold during the winter, simple insulation wraps should do the trick. You can find insulation wraps at virtually any hardware store, and all you have to do is wrap them around your water softener and pipes.
If you’d rather not deal with wraps, you can get an insulated box built around your entire water filtration system. There are insulation items build specifically for water softeners, and installing them is a breeze. Remember that you only need to keep temperatures around your water softener above 32 degrees, so sometimes a space heater is all you need.
Store it for the Winter
Trips away from the cold during Winter can be incredibly rewarding, but that means you need to leave your water softener system someplace safe. Even when it’s not activated, the cold can still cause damage to its internal functions.
Before you head off to warmer horizons for the winter, make sure you disconnect your water softener. It’s absolutely essential that you drain the tanks before you store them away. Your brine tank should be alright with a little bit of water left if you’re feeling impatient since the salt will prevent it from freezing over. Best practices dictate, however, that all the water be drained and you refill after you’re ready to start using it again.
Water Softeners at EcoWater Systems
If you need help to winterize your water softener, EcoWater Systems is happy to help. Our experts know everything about water softeners and can assist with whatever you need. Check out our large selection of water softeners if you don’t have one already or if you think you’re ready to upgrade. Contact us today!