Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - Culligan Mark 50 Water Softener

My water softener is leaving "salt residue around the tank", and now it has caused the drywall to "bubble" and literally eat the drywall. At first, it just started around the bottom of the tank, and was easily cleaned up by scraping the salt from the floor, like a small thin layer of ice. My wall will now need to have new drywall! Any suggestion as to what to do would be appreciated! What is making this happen?

What kind of salt are you using? Do you normally fill the tank to the top? Is there anyway to measure humidity or moisture content in the room?

Andy Christensen

I am using solar salt, and there is a dehumidifer in the room. Would different type of salt be helpful?

I think you have a leak--probably in the tank that holds the salt. The salt tank is not pressurized so a small crack will only "weep" brine slowly over time.

You will need to remove all the salt and water from the tank to inspect it.

Another possibility is that the unit is malfunctioning and causing the salt tank to overflow. You can check this by starting a manual regeneration and watching the salt tank to see if it overflows during the brine fill part of the cycle.

Thank you! That explains why sometimes by "ring" around the bathtub looks a little "orange"!

Thank you! That explains why sometimes by "ring" around the bathtub looks a little "orange"!

As you throw salt into the brine drum, fine salt dust fills the air and falls around the floor. Most people shake the bag vigorously to empty it. If you turned off the lights and focus a beam of light on the top of the tank, then dumped the salt into it, you would be surprised how much is drifting away. It absorbs moisture compounding the effect. Pretty soon you have crystalline composition that looks like ice.

This dust will easily adhere to any moist surface like the lower section of the brine tank and surrounding floor. It builds up over time. Try not to fill the brine drum to the top and carefully dump it in. Just wipe it away.

I don't think there is much worry unless the IS a leak and you would most likely have a puddle on the floor.

I don't care for the solar salt so much. I prefer cube (not block) or pellet salt. These are usually higher in quality and lower in contaminants. Depends on the manufacturer, as well.

The orange ring is most likely trace iron getting through the softener. More testing and inspection would determine why that is happening. Your cycles may not be set up right; you are exhausting your bed, the resin can be fouled, etc.

Andy Christensen