You open the lid and see standing water. Your brain screams: “Leak! Disaster!” But relax. It’s normal. Really.
During the regeneration cycle, the softener fills the tank with water. Then it sucks that salty water out to clean the beads. After that, it drains and refills automatically.
So if you catch it mid-cycle, it looks like a mini-lake. That’s the system working. Not breaking.
When Water Is NOT Your Friend
But wait. Sometimes water becomes a villain. If the tank is overflowing with water—like, up to the brim—you’ve got a problem.
That’s called “bridging” gone wrong. Or a stuck valve. Or a salt bridge that collapsed. Suddenly, the softener is a water fountain without the fun.
Also, if the water looks murky or muddy, that’s a sign of a dirty salt pile. Give your softener a spa day: clean the tank.
