Salt bridge, Care of your water softener – Kenmore INTELLISOFT 625.38376 User Manual
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Care Of Your Water Softener
SALT BRIDGE
Sometimes, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in the salt 
storage tank. It is usually caused by high humidity or the 
wrong kind of salt. When the salt bridges, an empty 
space forms between the water and salt. Then salt will 
not dissolve (melt) in the water to make brine. Without 
brine, the resin bed does not regenerate and you will 
have hard water.
If the storage tank is full of salt, it is hard to tell if you 
have a salt bridge. Salt is loose on top, but the bridge is 
under it. The following is the best way to check for a salt 
bridge.
Salt should be loose all the way to the bottom of the tank. 
Hold a broom handle, or like tool, up to the softener as 
shown in Fig. 54. Make a pencil mark on the handle, 1" or 
2" below the top height of the rim. Then, carefully push it 
straight down into the salt. If a hard object is felt before 
the pencil mark gets to the top of the tank, it’s most likely 
a salt bridge. Carefully push into the bridge in a few 
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.
If the wrong kind of salt made the bridge, take it out. Then
fill the tank with nugget or pellet salt only.
SALT BRIDGE
Push tool into
Salt
Salt Bridge
,empty space
- Water Level
FIG. 54
Questions? Call The Kenmore Water Line 1-800-426-9345
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