Why Does Water Softener Water Taste Salty?

Written by Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips

Understanding Salty Taste in Softened Water

Ever taken a sip from the tap and found it tasting like the ocean? Yup, softened water can sometimes leave us scratching our heads, wondering why it tastes salty.

We're diving into the hows and whys of this taste, focusing on the role of sodium in water softeners and how it tweaks the flavor of our drinking water.

Sodium in Water Softeners

Water softeners using good old sodium chloride (the salt kind, not the fancy chemical name) can dial up the sodium levels in our home’s water supply.

Definitely worth a thought when we're getting rid of those pesky minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium while also saying goodbye to some of the bits we actually want (Minnesota Department of Health).

And here's a fun fact: the sodium that sneaks into our water is tied to the hardness of the water we start with. Say our water's hardness is sitting at 15 grains per gallon (gpg), we’d be looking at around 25.2 mg of sodium sneaking into each 8-ounce glass we gulp down.

Water Hardness (gpg)	Sodium per 8-ounce Glass (mg)
10	17.1
15	25.2
20	34.2

Switch things up by choosing potassium chloride over sodium chloride, and we can dodge that salty aftertaste. Potassium chloride is the sodium-free buddy keeping things fresh and our limescale worries in check without the extra sodium.

Effect of Sodium on Water Taste

It's no secret that sodium gives plain water a bit of zing, but too much of this zing ain't always a good thing. Using a salt-based water softener can cause sodium levels to skyrocket in our drinking supply. This boost might push us over our daily sodium limit without even realizing, possibly messing with our blood pressure and health in general.

Plus, salt’s corrosive nature can be nasty for the metal guts of our trusty appliances like dishwashers and washing machines, often resulting in repair bills we didn’t ask for. A switch to a salt-free softener might help dodge these headaches and keep those appliances ticking along just fine.

So what's the takeaway here? If we're scratching our heads over the salty taste softeners can bring, tweaking those sodium levels and looking out for our home gear might just be the path to tastier, trouble-free water.

Factors Influencing Salty Taste

Ever sipped from your tap and tasted the ocean? When our water decides to surprise us with a salty taste, there's usually a mix of culprits at play. Once we know what's causing the salty surprise, we can work our magic to fix it.

Water Pressure & Taste

Think of water pressure as the heartbeat of our water softeners. These systems groove best between 45 and 70 PSI. But when the pressure dips below 30 PSI, brace yourself for a splash of saltiness. It might be your well's mood or just a local water hiccup. When our water gets unexpectedly briny, it's time to peek at both the softener and the water supply.

Pressure Range (PSI)	Resulting Water Taste
45 - 70	Normal taste
Below 30	Possible salty taste

Control Settings & Taste

Our water softeners are picky about their settings. If likened to our TV remotes, these settings need to be just right. Fiddle them wrong, and you might end up with water channeling too much sodium. Hence, keeping tabs on these settings is like watering a plant; regular checks are a must to keep taste horrors at bay.

Control Setting Status	Impact on Water Taste
Correctly Set	Normal taste
Incorrectly Set	Possible salty taste

Injector Valve & Taste

The rock star of our water softening band is the injector valve—it's like the bouncer letting through the right mix of rock and roll. When it gets bogged down, the whole performance might falter, leading to a salty pitch in our water. Make sure to check on this valve frequently, keeping it clear for seamless vibes and top-notch water.

Injector Valve Status	Effect on Water
Clear	Normal operation
Clogged	Possible salty taste

Once we've got a handle on these factors, we're one step closer to sipping our soft water with a smile instead of a grimace. So let's work on better water, because nobody ordered the seawater special!

Fixing That Icky Salty Water Problem

Getting a mouthful of salty water from your faucet is a real downer. But don't worry—there's usually a few culprits and we can tackle them together to bring back that crisp water taste. Let's roll up our sleeves.

When the Power Plays Tricks

So, you've lost power and now your water tastes salty? Yep, that's a thing. When the power checks out, the water softener might hit pause on its regeneration cycle and leave extra sodium hanging around. Once power’s back, just kickstart a manual reset. That should do the trick, flushing out the sodium and getting your water back to feeling right.

Problem	What's Happening?	Fix It
Power Outage Interruption	Power drops off, softener stops working.	Do a manual restart when power's back.

Brine Tank Flooding Drama

Sometimes the brine tank gets a little too full of itself, quite literally, leading to salty water. Whether it's a salt clog playing the villain or just too much salt piled up, we need to give it some love. Check for clogs, level that salt, and breathe easy.

Problem	What's Happening?	Fix It
Brine Tank Full Up	Salt is sneaking into your water.	Clear out blockages, balance that salt.

Battling Extra Sodium

Salty water can also result from messy settings or a lazy injector valve. Too much sodium isn't just a taste issue—it can have health consequences too, like boosting your blood pressure.

Stay on top of your system settings, and clean those valves for smooth sailing. If sodium's still getting you down, there’s always the option to ditch salt-based softeners for salt-free ones.

Problem	What's Happening?	Fix It
Sodium Overload	High sodium from softeners pose health risks.	Tune settings, keep system in check.

By targeting these issues in our water softening systems, we can say goodbye to salty sips and hello to fresh, tasty water right from our own taps.

Health & Environmental Impacts

Let's spill the tea on how softened water can impact our health and the environment. Turns out, the saltiness in it isn't just a taste thing—it has more layers!

Impact on Sodium Intake

So, what's the big deal with sodium in our water? Imagine this: each time we down eight glasses of softened water coming in at a hardness of 15 grains per gallon (gpg), we're chugging down around 25.2 mg of sodium per 8-ounce glass.

Not crazy high, right? But when we use salt-based softeners, that number can skyrocket, and it's something to watch, especially for folks sensitive to sodium. Nobody wants risky business like high blood pressure or a heart scare on their hands.

Consumption Type	Sodium Added Per 8 oz (mg)
15 gpg Hardness	25.2
Traditional System (Double)*	Up to 50.4

*Estimated max sodium increase from using sodium chloride.

Skin Irritation & Salt Content

Got sensitive skin? The sodium's got jokes, but it isn't funny when it dries out our hands, feet, and elbows. Softened water can leave us dealing with some serious itchiness, especially if we already have skin conditions.

For those of us on a mission to keep our skin happy, considering a switch to something like potassium chloride can make a world of difference. It lets us keep the perks of soft water without the salty side effects.

Dealing with Staining & Corrosion

Now, let's talk about less glamorous stuff—staining and rust. Salt-based systems can really mess with our pipes and appliances. Think about what mineral buildup can do: ugly stains and some heavy-duty damage over time. Not exactly what we had in mind for home decor, plus, it hits our wallets with repair bills.

Keeping an eye on our water softening system is key. One sneaky culprit of funky-tasting softened water is a clogged injector valve. It tends to gather all sorts of hard minerals and yucky sediment, squashing water flow and taste. A little scrubberoo here and there keeps everything flowing smoothly.

By knowing about these impacts, we can make smarter choices about our water treatment to keep our home comfy and our health in check.