“This site is owned and operated by Freewateradvice.com. I know that’s not as exciting as you might have hoped for, but it is what we want to talk about now. These are the most common reasons that I have found that can make a water softeners salt tank overflow. Dry off the brine line thoroughly and then check for any cracks in it. There are a few different types of bypasses that you may have. When it comes to basement flooding, trust us, we’ve seen our fair share of damage. If you do not see any of these types of bypasses, you may need to bypass the system by turning a few levers on your plumbing. The standard water softener uses the building’s water pressure to perform its regeneration process. If you want to, you can bail out some of the brine or siphon it out, but be sure to dispose of it properly. There should be a bypass connected to the water softener directly behind the unit where the system’s plumbing goes into the system. Not Really! Over last summer we turned the softening system off, and the garden did fine, but the high iron content stained our bathrooms and my white laundry. Installing water softener in basement, no drain; Author: drarchibald (PA) I have purchased a water softener that I'm going to be installing in my basement. We bailed the wter filled the tank with 200 lbs of salt, turned it on, and the salt seemd to dissolve and the tank was full of water… Required fields are marked *. Should you shut off a shower you aren't using. If you cannot get your bypass to move, shut off your water supply, turn on a sink faucet or flush a toilet, and let the system depressurize. On a Hague or Water Boss water softener, the screen and injector can be found behind a cap that is just about right in the front center of the unit, it is square and has four screws holding it in place. Unscrew the nut at the bottom of the float that is on the end of the float guide, be sure not to lose the o ring that is directly underneath the nut. Using pliers or other tools to tighten this cap can cause it to clack or make it very difficult to remove the next time that you need to get at the screen and injector. Look for three levers that are usually close to each other, one should be pointing a different direction than the other two. This is often because of something as simple as a tiny spec of dirt getting lodged between the two seals in the valve that shut the water off. If you are still unable to press or move your bypass, you can try giving it many light taps to get it started, but do not hit it hard in order to get it to move. Get shopping advice from experts, friends and the community! Pull the clip out to the side and then you can twist and pull the top off. When asking if all water softeners need a drain, the answer is yes.How we get to the yes is a different matter. Water flooding your basement can damage walls and floors, destroy carpeting, ruin furniture and other valuables. Use a clean, lint-free cloth to clean the seal and surrounding area until the valve opens and closes easily and makes a good seal when it is closed. This is because there are different types of water filters that can help act as water softeners for your house that help prevent scaling in your pipes with no need for a drain.. That is the very small category of water softeners … It’s a small plunger looking thing that sits inside a cap at the top of the assembly that is held in place by a red or black clip. This assembly usually just pulls straight up and out of the white tube once you pull the end of it out of the little notch that is cut into the side of the brine tank. Over the past 12 months … It also is a REALLY bad practice on a septic field to use lots of Drano. It seemed to start out small but over the last few weeks the amount of water has grown and is now reaching the finished part of the basement … We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. If your washing machine caused the problem and it resulted in a lot of water… Once you have removed the screen and injector, you can use some clean water and an old toothbrush or other soft-bristled brush to lightly clean the area under the cap. A water softeners salt tank will overflow when the systems brine water float shut off assembly fails to shut off the water feed and one or both of two other things happen. Much like when a drain line is restricted, when your water softeners injector gets clogged up from iron build-up or some kind of debris blocks it, it will not draw the brine solution from the brine tank. The brine tank is where you place salt. The brine float shut off is the last line of defense against your brine tank overflowing, so if your a do it yourselfer, you may want to clean and check it annually. There's water in the basement. Even if the brine shut off assembly successfully shuts off the water going to the brine tank that is on the inside of the tubbing, this water on the outside of the tubing will drip down into the tank and in time will cause the tank to overflow. But only put the cap back on with your bare hands. There may be a single lever bypass that requires a quarter turn as directed by a small arrow that should be pointing to SERVICE, turn the lever so that it is pointing to Bypass. Saltwater will kill plants, grass, and flowers, so do not get rid of your brine solution anywhere near them. Anyone have any ideas on what the cause might be, and the best way to fix it. If you do, just run the cold water until the salty water is gone and then the water softener should operate normally after that. Locate the water shut off valve on the brine float assembly. Hoping for a solution. Under the cap, you will see a cup that the shut off sits in. Brine and backwashing water … Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. I'm not sure, but it might also happen when I run the shower upstairs with the washing machine. If the water softener overflow keeps flooding the basement, and you find that this is not stopping, then extra cleaning will be necessary. With a few simple maintenance tips and a keen eye, you can greatly reduce your risk of flooding. I'm concerned that one day my ejector pump will fail and it will happen at 2:00 am when the softener or filter are backflushing large amounts of water. If you see that there is nothing clogging the line itself, take a look at the valves … Your brine float may not be shutting off the water when filling the brine tank. Water … Some people experience a flood in their basement or another part of their home, and there is no apparent cause. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Did you ever wonder what is inside of the white tube that is inside of your water softeners salt tank? Reroute the softener … If you do decide to replace the brine line, be sure to clear off any burrs that may be on the ends of the tubing. link to How you can fix a noisy water softener? Recommendations for a solution cleaner for evaporative cooler panels (coated in hard mineral water/calcium buildup?)? From your description of how you use the system the main culprit here may be that you are just plain using too much water at one particular time. The brine float on the brine float assembly is sometimes adjustable. You may have a slider type bypass that is a piston that you can push from side to side to bypass your water softener of having it in service. Most of the time, a brief or long-lasting power outage will not create any problems with a standard water softener except that you might have to reset the clock so the water softener will regenerate at the proper time. Usually, with a little wiggling, you can work it out and then use a broom handle to break up the salt at the bottom and vacuum it out with a wet vac so you can put the brine float back in without any blockage. If you like, you can wrap some tape around the rod to keep the float from going up again, but make sure to use a tape that will stick well and not come apart easily. Look at the back of your water softener to determine which one you have and put the system in bypass. The chemicals are REALLY bad for the bacteria in the tank for their survival. When the flow of water going down the brine line is very light, it can be so slow that the brine float assembly will not get enough of a push to shut off the water going into the brine tank. I have a Kenmore water softener. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Does this make any sense? Please do not touch anything on your water softener that you are not sure of or feel uncomfortable touching, a water softener is normally under a great amount of pressure and must be worked on very carefully. Although not very common, the water softeners control piston seals can wear down, allowing water to seep from one section of the valves chamber to another and then trickle down the brine line even after the water softener has completed its regeneration cycles. Hoses – Hoses on a washing machine, water softener, dishwasher, etc. Check your owner’s manual to find out where the float should be set, and slide it to the correct level. Low water pressure is daunting for most homeowners. Freewateradvice.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I believe that if you check for these symptoms, you will find the reason for the overflow and be able to correct it. If the brine float assembly does not completely have the water shut off at the brine tank, the water will continue to fill, and eventually overflow the brine tank. Some times there can be salt or debris at the bottom of the float tube that can make it difficult to take the brine float out. After a quick look around you see that it is coming from your water softener salt tank overflowing, what do you do? It soaks the wood all the way down, causing damage along the way. A fleck type valve will have the screen and injector located to the lower right side of the valve if you are looking straight at the front of the water softener. Main Menu. Still have questions? Why is my water softener tank overflowing? It is not something that you would take apart and put back together, and if you did, it may very well leak again or even worse, leak again in the near future and flood the brine tank all over again. This could be as simple as a disconnected line or as complicated as a severely … Twist the two seals against each other a bit to make sure you don’t feel any grit between them, and then put the float back together and re-install it. ... Keep in mind some warranties may require professionals to service the water softeners … If you don’t have to open this cover, I recommend that you don’t because it sometimes leaks when you put it back on and the cap can crack easily if you try to tighten it. The system either did not remove all the brine from the tank before refilling it, or the system continued to add water to the tank beyond the correct level. You should be able to see a small pinhole going through the center of it. Why doesn’t a circuit work and the breaker is not tripped? These are quite easy to remove and clean, just take your time to be sure to put them back in the correct direction. Any kind of bypass can sometimes be hard to push or turn, depending on your type of bypass. To be … The system either did not remove … The float is usually just held in place by friction between the float and the rod that it is connected to. You know that your water softener makes your water soft by removing hard minerals from your water and your water looks perfectly clear but is your water softener actually purifying your... How you can fix a noisy water softener? A water softeners salt tank will overflow when the systems brine water float shut off assembly fails to shut off the water feed and one or both of two other things happen. So this leaking brine valve will continue to drip water into the salt tank until it overflows. When sizing your water softener… Then give the fittings on each end a turn to see if they are loose or perhaps pinching the tubing. You will know if a natural disaster has occurred, such as a dam or levee breaking or a huge storm or damaging fire, but other flooding-in-the-basement causes are many, varied and sometimes subtle. When your brine float shut off assembly is working correctly, your brine tank should never overflow unless something actually breaks, like a fitting or a piece of tubing. On my softener it is timed to do its thing around 2 am in the morning and it is not piped into the leaching field but just outside on the lawn area. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. So, to keep you, and your basement dry, we’ve compiled a list of seven ways to prevent basement flooding… Ejector pit? Even though most water softeners have an electric timer and motor to control the functions of the water softener, it is the water pressure coming from the home that is actually powering what’ is going on inside of the system’s tank. Why Is My Water Softener Tank Overflowing? Freewateradvice.com also participates in affiliate programs with Bluehost, Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. Water softener backflush location? Hello Mr. Willard and thank you for the question. Behind the cap, you will find two slots. I thought it was a partially blocked pipe, so I put a bunch of Drano down both the kitchen sink and the tub/shower upstairs. First, you need to determine if it is local waste produced in your home that can't get out due to a blockage in the main … If not properly cleaned up and treated, it can also lead to mold. The issue could be a problem with the water softener, and this can cause localized flooding … it sounds more like your main drain is partially plugged and will only get worse. With a clean, lint-free cloth, clean out the cup and the rubber seal at the very end of the float guide. Let the injector sit in the warm water solution for a good ten minutes or so, and then gently brush off the outside of it and rinse it thoroughly. The cap will have two screws on it on top and bottom with an o ring on the inside of the cap. Washing Machine and Washtub Basin Backing Up. Clean the screen in the same way, soak it in the warm water solution and then gently brush it to clean off any debris, then rinse it thoroughly. The Clack valve will have a large round cap on the very top of the water softener that can be unscrewed by hand or with a little help from a pair of adjustable pliers. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Try reading up on the proper use of a septic system and maybe alter a few habits. There may be a partial blockage of the piping or a situation where the leaching field just can't absorb the water fast enough. If the pressure is too low, the water softener will not be able to draw the brine solution from the brine tank, and when the water softener adds more, the salt tank can overflow. And I decided to give it away FOR FREE! Take a look at your water softeners drain tubing, are there any kinks or bends that would inhibit the flow of water while the water softener is regenerating? The injector along with a screen is underneath a cap that can be easily removed once the system is bypassed and depressurized. But it is still happening. If this brine line develops a crack in it or one of the fittings on either end of it becomes loose, water can dribble out and run down the brine line. I have a quad level home with a full bath upstairs, 1/2 down stairs and laundry in the basement. When this happens, the water is on the outside of the tubing and will flow down the tubing and into the brine tank. Drying the rod off well and using a few wraps of cloth electrical tape seems to do a good job holding the float in place. I decided to create this website so I could share some of my experiences and solutions to some of the problems that you may have with the water in your home. Any dirt will normally be visible when you take the cap off so you don’t have to take anything out. When this happens, the water softener will still fill the brine tank with the same amount of water as it normally should. The problem seems to happen when I have the washing machine running in the basement, and the faucet running in the kitchen sink. Call your local professional water treatment service person if you do not feel capable of doing anything that I have described. If the water softener has added too much water to the brine tank, you could experience some salty water after the water softener regenerates the next time. A pressure-regulating valve can also be installed in the incoming water line to correct high pressure. Ok, we’ve got the water bypassed and the overflowing has stopped. Remember to not over tighten the cap as you replace it as that could result in cracking it. Large leaks cause obvious flooding but small leaks cause trouble because the water travels down roof trusses and follows the framing down to the basement. Test that your float shutoff is working when you put the system back into service and keep an eye on it for a few days to be sure the water level does not get higher than it should be. A water softener typically has two discharges (other than the connection supplying the potable water distribution system of the building): the brine tank overflow and the resin bed backwash discharge line. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Most water softeners require a minimum water pressure of 20 psi to properly regenerate the system’s water softening resin. Your email address will not be published. These knobs can be hard to turn at first but after you get them started, they should turn very easily. Then you can put the injector in some warm water with a little bit of iron out cleaner, or a few sprays with some calcium, lime and rust cleaner should do the job. If your brine tank has overflowed due to the water softener putting too much water into the brine tank, then the brine float did not shut off the water going into the brine tank. If you have a non-electric water softener, the float assembly shut off is likely to be at the bottom of the float assembly. Many water softeners have a dual knob bypass, just give these two knobs a quarter turn and your system will be bypassed. Home page Menu Toggle; harvey water softener overflowing One with two injectors, one behind the other and the other with a round screen in it. Not Really! If water is overflowing in your water softener, it is typically because of a malfunction in the brine line, float, or a valve. The best protection from foul basement flooding is probably the costliest option, too. When this happens, the water softener will add water to the tank as usual and it will be more water than it is supposed to be, which could result in a brine tank overflowing. Water Softener Leaking Overflow. The water softener should really cycle in the off use periods so that the water use is staged out over the whole day to give the field a chance to disperse the water from the heavy use times. Did I take good precautions  to prevent frozen pipes? There has to be issues when the pump runs during a softener discharge cycle temporarily blocking flow via the check valve. Well, today you are going to find out, it’s your brine float assembly. This water thus raises the level of water in the sewer system, and if your basement sewer drain is lower than that level, it will result in backflow. HELP! In that case, the brine float should then stop the water once the water reaches the brine float. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Even small trees can be affected by saltwater, so be careful where you dump the brine. With Videos! Over the past 12 months I've started getting minor flooding coming from the water softener overflow tube in the basement. If you lose power while an electric water softener is regenerating, it will stay in whatever cycle that is was in when the electricity went off. link to Do Water softeners Purify Water? These lever bypasses can stick a bit, but with a little muscle, you should be able to get it to turn. Your brine float assembly is simply a float that triggers a valve that is designed to shut off the water going into the brine tank if the water level gets too high. Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2q0dO0D https://amzn.to/2q5A8pIhttp://www.water2buy.com/amazon/best/www.facebook.com/water2buycomWater Softener … Sump pumps are most commonly used when basements regularly flood, and also to solve issues associated with dampness (again, if the basement is located below the water table level). Once you have it in bypass, it may take several minutes before the brine tank stops overflowing because the system is under pressure. Do not stick anything into the hole if it looks like it is blocked, blow through it, or use the tip of a paper towel to make sure that it is completely dry, sometimes water inside the pinhole can make it look like it is not clear. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. WE replaced that , no more flooding, but the softener keeps filling up without working properly. Since there is water left over from before, the amount of water in the tank will be too much and if the brine float shut off does not successfully shut off the water, the water will overflow the tank. Jan. 6 'didn't seem like an armed insurrection to me', Larry King's estranged wife to contest secret will, 3-time Pro Bowler Vincent Jackson, 38, found dead, Family talks about young 'Jeopardy!' We are going to try the potassium chloride, since water from sodium chloride was killing my plants and garden. I had the septic pumped out last year so I don't think that is the problem. Would a power flutter during regeneration cause the softener to allow too much water to the brine tank/ Even so I would expect the float valve to shut off the water. If the water softener can not drain properly, the system will be unable to use all of the brine (saltwater) in the brine tank and therefore leave some behind. call a plumber and have him rotor router your main drains out all the way to the street. could burst and spew gallons of water. Put the nut aside in a safe place, then push the threaded screw in and gently pull the float up and out of the tube. Occasionally, the brine float can stay in the closed position. Inside there is a simple shut off valve that may be stuck or may have some debris in it. If salty water continues, you may have a clogged injector which can cause high water levels in the brine tank because the water softener may not use all of the water in the brine tank. You have noticed that your water softener is making some strange noises lately and you don’t want to wait until your water softener finally stops working because of whatever is making the noises.... As a water treatment specialist since 2006, I have helped people with all kinds of water issues. The injector cap can usually be found in one of five areas. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Once the system is depressurized and with the water still off, push or turn your bypass. Or you could use it to melt snow if it is winter time right now where you are. The brine line is just standard 3/8 inch tubing, so go to your local hardware store if you find any problems with it and just replace it. It is not hard to do and will give you peace of mind knowing that you should not have any more problems with it. The problem is there is no drain line in the basement … Know the Causes for Water in the Basement. I don't know why it is happening, may be a blockage. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. You head into your utility room and see water on the floor, oh no! This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can use a utility knife or a strong thumbnail to run over the rim of the ends to make sure that they make a good seal when it is connected. It's a below-grade sump pit and pump with plumbing that routes the overflow into the main system in the event of a flood. So your basement floor drain is backing up and flooding. Once you’ve located these levers, simply turn all three a quarter turn and your system should be bypassed. What is causing this condensation on the windows inside and how do I prevent it please? With Videos! Freewateradvice.com is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.”. (Intellisoft 350 if that matters...) Every time it runs through a regeneration cycle I get water bubbling up through the floor drain. This can keep the float down which will not allow the brine solution to be drawn from the tank and then when the water softener goes to refill the brine tank at the end of its regeneration process, the tank may overflow. You can normally remove the brine float assembly by removing the nut on the outside of the brine tank, right behind the white brine tube. First water came out the broken nut ferrule. If your water softener is leaking from the bottom, it is almost certainly a brine tank issue. Replace the screen and injector as they were, then carefully replace the cap or cover. A few other popular name brand water softeners may have the screen and injector on the top left side or towards the back of the system on the top with a silver metal cover. champ's death, Coast Guard: 16 people missing off Fla. coast, How Biden's vaccine rollout compares with Trump's, 'Idol' accused of exploiting Claudia Conway: 'Disgusting', Troubled 'Pacman' is in trouble once again, Teigen shares unfiltered photos of surgery scars, Celebrity chef laments historically tough time in biz, The It List: Dwayne Johnson runs for president. Another commonly used basement-flooding … Although it is quite rare for a brine piston to not shut off completely, if a little piece of dirt or grime gets stuck on the rubber seal, it can cause the valve to allow water to seep down the brine line. Now that we have made sure that the screen and injector are clear and free of debris, the water softener should be able to draw all of the brine solution from the brine tank so that when it goes to refill it, the water will be at the correct level for the proper brine solution dosage. This might be the cause of small puddles in the basement … Be sure to remove these carefully as they can sometimes leak if you move the rubber seal that is underneath the cover. If it is totally frozen, leave your water off and call your plumber for help. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The brine valve is a series of small parts that are compressed together. An Autotrol water softener will have the screen and injector on the lower left side of the front end of the valve. Author: Pabloguitar (IL) My water softener and water filter each drain into my ejector pit in the basement which is finished. Sump Pump – If a sump pump stops working or it gets unplugged, this could cause water to fill the pit and overflow into the basement. Do NOT use a hammer or other tool to hit it hard in an attempt to move it. I have a quad level home with a full bath upstairs, 1/2 down stairs and laundry in the basement. It is relatively inexpensive and easy to replace. Moreover, in 2019 (and for the past 20 years, at least) the brine tank should have a sensor & alamr to prevent overfilling and flooding of the floor or basement… designers are lazy. These cookies do not store any personal information. Do Water softeners Purify Water? If your water softener was in the brine refill cycle when your electricity went off and then back on again, the water softener may have started the brine refill cycle from the beginning which means that it will put more water than normal into the brine tank. The upstairs tub/shower drains into the septic via one outlet through the basement wall and the 1/2 bath, kitchen sink, washing machine and the water softener overflow exit via another pipe. this can be due to dirt or debris stopping its movement or sometimes salt will re-crystallize on the float causing it to catch on the brine tubes sides. Get your answers by asking now. The installation instructions for the water softener … If you are having overflow issues, there are a multitude of reasons for it. A water softener that’s leaking at the base is usually caused by an overly … When was running water with indoor plumbing invented? These knobs will sometimes have an arrow on them or be shaped like arrows, point the arrows towards each other, and your water softener should be in bypass. A simple modern pump would be more reliable and efficient. In most cases, a water softener may cause low water pressure issues in the following cases: The system is too small: An improper sizing of the system can cause low water pressure. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. So if the brine valve is not shutting off correctly or if it is just sticking a bit, I highly recommend just replacing it. Why does my water softener overflow keep flooding the basement? When saturated, the control valve begins a new regeneration cycle-- cleaning, then flushing the hard minerals down the drain.The Overflow ChecklistDuring normal operation of a water softening system regeneration cycle, water fills the brine tank ¼ to half of the way, then the brine is drawn back into the softener … If you do decide to check under the cap on a Hague or Water Boss system, I suggest that you take the cap off and if it looks relatively clean underneath, just put it back on and do not overtighten. The main purpose of a sump pump is to pump and send water …
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