What is Salt Bridging and how to deal with it
-
If you encounter salt bridging in your water softener, this is caused by salt starting to harden inside the tank, forming a ‘bridge’. The problem being that it will stop the newer salt from reaching the bottom of the tank, hindering the regeneration process in your softener. So, it’s a nuisance and needs to be removed as soon as you notice it, to avoid a larger build-up.

Why does salt bridging occur?
There are a number of reasons why a salt bridge occurs.
It’s often due to using the wrong type of salt in the softener, so check that you aren’t feeding it with an inferior or inappropriate product.
If you are confident that the salt you are using is the correct type then there are other factors at work.
Modern water softeners do get through less salt than older versions. This is good because it means you spend less on salt. The downside is, as less salt is used, it has more time to clog.
The other cause could be if there is a lot of humidity in the air, this can also lead to clogging.
How to check for a salt bridge
When the salt bridges, an empty space forms between the water and the salt. This mean that the salt won’t dissolve in the water to make brine. Without brine, the resin bed is not recharged – and you’ll end up with hard water.
If the storage tank is full of salt, it is difficult to tell whether there is a salt bridge because the bridge may be underneath loose salt.
The good news is that it’s fairly easily fixed. Here’s the best way to check and what you should do if a salt bridge has formed.
- Salt should be loose all the way to the bottom of the tank. To check if it is, hold a broom handle, or a similar blunt tool, up to the conditioner/refiner, as shown in Figure 105.
- Make a pencil mark on the handle 3 – 5 cm below the top of the rim. Then, carefully push it straight down into the salt. If a hard object is felt before the pencil mark is even with the top, it is most likely a salt bridge.
- Carefully push into the bridge in several places to break it. Do not try to break the salt bridge by pounding on the outside of the salt tank. You may damage the tank.
- Once you’ve dislodged the bridge, remove any loose chunks of salt from the tank.
- Add warm water: Dissolve any remaining salt by pouring warm water into the tank and make sure the salt is evenly distributed.
Here’s how to prevent salt bridging in the future
- Use high-quality salt recommended by your water softener’s manufacturer. Not using the correct salt can invalidate the manufacturer warranty.
- Avoid overfilling the brine tank.
- Regularly check and maintain the salt level in the tank.
Dealing With Salt Mushing
Salt mushing is something else to watch out for. This is when the salt forms into a mushy layer at the base of the tank. Instead of mixing with the water, it clogs the brine. If you aren’t careful, it can result in water overflowing.
Just like with salt bridging, use a broom handle to break it up before scooping it up. As long as it isn’t looking dirty and discoloured, you can retain the salt. Dissolve it with hot water before pouring it back into the tank.
If in doubt….
If you get into difficulty removing salt bridges or mushy salt, please do give us a call on 01243 607494 or via email: scott@sjbs.info
Scott Jenkins Water Softeners are a leading supplier of water softeners, water filters and filtration systems in the south of England. We operate throughout West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset and Greater London.