13
Breaking a Salt Bridge
Sometimes, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in the salt storage area. It is usually caused
by high
humidity or the wrong kind of salt. When the salt bridges, an empty space forms
between the water
and salt. Then salt will not dissolve in the water to make brine.
If the brine tank is full of salt, it is hard to tell if you have a salt bridge. Salt is loose on top, but the
bridge is under it. The following is the best way to check for a salt bridge.
Salt should be loose all the way to the bottom of the tank. Take a broom handle or like
tool, and
carefully push it down into the salt, working it up and down. If the tool strikes a
hard object (be sure
it’s not the bottom or sides of the tank), it’s most likely a salt bridge. Carefully break the bridge with
the tool.
Do not
pound on the walls of the tank.
If the wrong kind of salt made the bridge, take it out. Then fill the tank with nugget or pellet salt only.
In humid areas, it is best to fill with less salt, more often.
Push tool into salt
bridge to break
Pencil
mark
Broom
handle
Salt
Salt
bridge
Water level
1″ – 2″