Blown Softener
2012-12-14
Turning on the faucet and being rewarded with hot water is a luxury many of us take for granted.
So when the taps run cold, it's easy to blame the water heater.
But sometimes, it’s not the water heater’s fault.
⚠️ When the Softener Fails, Everything Else Can Too
In this case study, a tankless water heater became the victim of another appliance’s silent failure: the water softener.
Water in the Kitchener-Waterloo area is notoriously hard, so water softeners are common — and essential for the longevity of tankless systems.
Without a softener, hard water can cause limescale buildup that clogs the heater.
But in this case, the softener itself failed.
The softener’s resin tank ruptured, releasing zeolite beads (tiny rubbery plastic particles) into the home’s plumbing.
Those beads clogged the internal conduits of the tankless unit — completely cutting off hot water.
🔥 How Tankless Water Heaters Work (and Fail)
Tankless systems don’t store water like conventional tanks. Instead, they heat water on demand as it passes through multiple narrow conduits inside a heat exchanger.
This makes them highly efficient — but also more sensitive to blockages.
If even a few of those passages are obstructed by resin beads, the entire system can fail to heat water.
🧠 Smart Troubleshooting Matters
Many techs will jump straight to blaming the water heater.
But at Afterglow, we take a broader view — inspecting the full system and diagnosing the root cause.
In this case, the homeowner was lucky to have a patient, experienced technician who traced the issue back to the softener and avoided an unnecessary replacement.
🧼 Protect Your Plumbing
If you rely on a tankless system, make sure your water softener is properly maintained and inspected regularly.
It’s the first line of defense — and when it fails, it can take your whole hot water system with it.
Need help diagnosing a tricky plumbing or HVAC issue?
Call Afterglow. Water, warmth, well-being.