How do I check the salt level on a Culligan softener?

This works on any Culligan softener. The salt storage tank, also called the brine tank, has a cover.

1. 1Remove the cover and look at the salt and the water level.
2. 2Compare the two. The EPA's guide says that once the salt level falls below the water level, it is time to add more.
3. 3Make sure the pile is not hiding a problem. Culligan's Medallist guide describes a way to test for a salt bridge, which is a space that forms between the salt and the water underneath. Mark a broom handle 34 inches from the end and carefully probe down through the salt. A solid stop before the mark reaches the tank rim means a bridge has likely formed, according to Culligan.

A bridge matters here because a full-looking tank can still be empty where it counts. Culligan's Medallist guide says that when a space forms between the salt and the water underneath, the salt cannot dissolve to make brine, and "No brine, no soft conditioned water!" The EPA says that if the salt level is not going down over time, bridging or clogging in the brine tank could be the cause. Our page on Culligan salt types, bridging and clean-outs covers the fix in more detail.

On a Culligan High Efficiency 1.25 that has a salt brine tank probe, yes. Culligan's guide says the smart brine tank probe monitors conditions inside the brine tank and predicts when salt needs to be added. The salt level appears on the Information menu:

1. 1From the HOME screen, press the down arrow to view the main menu.
2. 2The first choice is 1) INFORMATION. Select it.
3. 3The first screen is SALT TANK LEVEL. Its status is OK unless the probe detects an overfilled brine tank or a low salt level.
4. 4If the screen shows LOW, the next screen shows APPROX DAYS OF SALT REMAINING.

Culligan's guide says this screen displays the salt level if a salt brine tank is installed. If your unit has no probe, use the look-and-probe method above.

The same guide describes other ways a High Efficiency 1.25 can warn you:

• The Low Salt Level message. In the error table, Low Salt Level means the salt level is low, with less than 15 days of salt remaining. The comment is to contact your local Culligan dealer. For that and the other messages, see what Culligan softener error messages mean.
• The wireless remote. Culligan says the remote displays information about softener performance, problems and days of salt remaining.
• The app and modem. The Culligan Connect app can send low salt alerts, and the guide says a modem lets the system be monitored remotely so salt delivery can be scheduled when it is needed.

Salt matters because it is what recharges the softener. Culligan's guide says a brine solution is automatically made up in the bottom of the salt storage container, and the resin beads in the mineral tank are flushed with that brine as a step in the recharging process. If there is no salt, there is no brine. Culligan also says to ask your dealer about salt delivery service, which can replenish your salt supply on a regular basis.

Your manual is the first source for how much to add. Culligan says its salt economizer, a setting made at installation, determines salt use according to water hardness, the number of people in the household and water use. So two Culligan softeners can use salt at different rates.

For a general rule, the EPA's guide says to fill the tank about half full with salt pellets and check the level every four to six weeks. Do not fill it to the top, the EPA warns, because the extra weight can create salt bridging. It also says that if the tank runs out of salt, the water will not soften and you will waste water and energy.

Culligan's guides add two points about refilling:

• Wait before a recharge. After you refill, the Medallist guide says to wait approximately four hours for the salt to dissolve before you start a recharge cycle.
• Use a good-quality salt. Culligan says all of its water conditioners are designed to use any water conditioner salt of good quality, including rock, pellet, solar or evaporated types. The EPA's guide takes a narrower position, saying to use sodium or potassium salt pellets made for softeners and to avoid rock salt, road salt or table salt. When the two differ, follow the guide for your own softener, and ask your dealer if you are unsure.

If you use purified salt, Culligan's High Efficiency guide says the salt compartment needs less frequent clean-out, but you must check more often for bridging. Rock salt contains insoluble material that collects at the bottom of the tank and needs periodic clean-out, the guide says.

Salt that is present is not the same as salt that is working. Check these in order:

• A bridge. Probe the salt as described above. The EPA says you can use a broom handle or similar item to break up a bridge, and that you should start a regeneration afterward. See how to manually regenerate a Culligan softener.
• A clog at the brine well. The EPA says that if salt hardens over the openings in the brine well, you can pour a gallon of hot tap water into the brine tank, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then break up the clog with a broom handle.
• The bypass. If the blue knob is in the bypass position, the softener is not treating the water at all. See how to bypass a Culligan softener.
• Power or the clock. See what to do with a Culligan softener after a power outage.

Our general pages on a low salt light that stays on after a refill and on a water softener that is not working cover issues that are not specific to Culligan.

Call your Culligan dealer or a licensed plumber if the Low Salt Level message returns right after you refill, or if you see Brine Overfill or Salt Bridging again after clearing a bridge. Culligan says its softener manual is written for trained technicians and that service by an untrained person can cause major damage to equipment or property. A technician can check the brine valve, the lines and the probe, which are not parts a homeowner should open.