Given my experience with ion-exchange resins in the laboratory, yes, you have a problem with your water softener. Most of these resins are golden-brown and uniform. How serious the problem is, I can not say. The golden-brown resin is escaping from your softener. Normally, it must be held in its place with a large screen- or filter-like device of some sort that allows high flow. That device must have failed. I am sorry I can not offer any advice about how it might be fixed. I hope it is covered under a warranty.

Thanks ionized. Unfortunately no warranty, so I will need to start budgeting for a replacement.

You may be OK with what you have. When water flows thru a softener, it flows in the direction that tends to loosen the resin beads, instead of compacting them. It is a necessary feature. That means that the water is softened as the resin mingles with the flow, touching as much of the volume as possible  virtually 100%.

A resin tank is designed so that the water flows out and the resin does not. If it depended on a screen, the tiny beads would quickly clog the screen and the flow would stop. It depends on the gentle flow of water, easing its way thru the resin, which allows the ionic interchange.

In other words, abnormal flow would carry the resin into the supply lines. Obviously, excessive line pressure would be the first suspect. But water softeners see a wide range of conditions and any history of abuse could cause the resin bed to have a defect. For example, if the bed developed a hardened, impacted mass it might also develop any number of crevices, which will flow water.

Water exiting the crevices will appear as a high speed stream and carry occasional beads into the outlet, until they eventually amount to a noticeable mass.

I would say, it is much more likely that your tank needs service than replacement. In fact, the whole issue could be in the valve. Understanding a water softener is a skill in itself. IÂd recommend that you visit with the original company installing it or a respected sales and service company. That would start out cost free.

Pinoke

It sounds like Pinoke knows a lot more than I do. I thought about flow rates after I made my post. It is entirely possible that the way the resin beads are kept out of the outlet pipe is primarily gravity. Whatever the means, something is messed up, but you donÂt know if you need a replacement until someone that knows more than I do looks it over.

Pinoke and Ionized

Thanks for the comments. It is a big-box water softener and I am the original installer. I suppose I should bite the bullet and call the local water softener company and have them take a look at it.

Thank you both.

I'd check the cost of the service call and possible repair BEFORE I committed.

Before you put big money into that box store softener consider replacing it with an industry standard softener that is more reliable, easier to work on, and all the tech info and parts you could ever want is a mouse click away. It will out live that pre-built softener by at least a decade.

click here

Industry standard softeners are much less expensive than everyone thinks.

I support small businesses, Conservative that I am. But in reality a softener from a Big Box would be supported by the manufacturer, even on-line or phone. DonÂt spend until you have exhausted options you already paid-for.

Pinoke

Pinoke.

At 4.5 years old the warranty has expired on that box store softener. Warranties on these disposable softeners usually only cover parts, not labor unless you buy the "warranty upgrade" at time of purchase.

These softeners do not do well on other than slightly hard municipal water, are not designed to be easily serviced, are not made of better quality materials, and parts are expensive and only available from very few sources.

Figuring that a service call will be around $75 and that resin cost will be around $100 from the service company plus whatever other parts will be needed then $400 for a new softener that will work properly for much longer than that box store softener and will be easier and cheaper to service starts to look like a more cost effective expense.

These box store softeners often have a problem, then get fixed, then shortly thereafter have a different problem. The marketing theory of these box stores is to get the customer to buy another softener. If they do, then they are treating the symptom and not curing the disease.

The same money they'd spend on a Sears, Whirlpool, North Star, GE, Morton, Waterboss, or similar softener will get the customer a far superior industry standard softener and cure the disease.