Water Softener Maintenance and Repair
Before I begin I want to point out that if you do any maintenance or repair work yourself check your owner’s manual so you don’t void any warranties which may create more problems that you don’t want.
At Affordable Water our trained professionals can repair any problems you may have with most models of water softeners. We will work as quickly and efficiently as possible to fix your Water Softener regardless of whether or not you have purchased it from us. Contact us today and we will get your water softener working again.
Like most home appliances, Water Softeners need a little maintenance or in some cases a repair may be in order. There are a variety of issues that can occur with a water softener over time. We will cover most of these today.
SEAL KITS
In Manitoba, because of the hardness of the water, combined with the high levels of iron we experience, pistons and seal kits have to be changed out sometimes more than once in the lifetime of a Water Softener. Chlorine can also be a problem.
Finding the parts is the first hurdle, and than putting them in properly does take a little care, but follow the directions and you should do ok. You are going to want to clean the valve thoroughly, and in most cases sanitize it as well, before replacing any parts. If it’s something your not comfortable with please CONTACT US and we will be more than happy to be of service.
SALT BRIDGE
The definition of a salt bridge (learn more about a salt bridge in this article on page 10) is when a crusty layer of hardened salt forms in the brine tank leaving a hollow space below. When this occurs, you will think that you have a full tank of salt, when you are actually out of salt!
The first thing you have to do is make certain that you have salt bridge. Tap the outside of the brine tank with a rubber mallet. Work up from the bottom of the brine tank and make your way to the top.. If it sounds hollow, then you most likely have a salt bridge. Continue tapping the tank using a bit more force. This should cause the salt bridge to collapse, allowing you to add more salt.
TIMERS
The Timer on your Water Softener not only keeps time but also has all the settings such as hardness, capacity and salt settings for regeneration. I guess you can refer to the timer as the brain, and needless to say if you don’t program it properly you will end up with hard water.
Timer problems are very common and to make sure your programming is right you need a water test which we do at Affordable Water. Most timers are pretty straight forward but some take a bit know how in which case we would be more than happy to serve you.
Check your time after a power outage to make sure the time is correct. If for no reason the Timer starts showing no display or on the older models you don’t hear the motor running than your power supply may be the issue. First of course make sure it isn’t the wall outlet, and than if you still have no display check your 12 volt power adapter to make sure it is still working, one of these two options will probably be the problem.
Sometimes the Timer itself will malfunction and need to be replaced and at that point you should call a professional. For water testing and Timer problems please CONTACT US.
MOTOR ISSUES
A Water Softener motor puts the valve in the different positions it needs to be in to complete a regeneration cycle so your Softener will continue to give you soft water. Simply put, if your motor is defective then your water softener will not work. If your motor is not working, check to see that it is properly plugged into a working electrical outlet and that the 12 volt power adapter is not faulty.
If the motor still isn’t working, then you most likely have a bigger problem that will require having the motor repaired or replaced. Affordable Water can diagnose and repair or replace the motor on most models or a lot less than the price of a new Water Softener. CONTACT US
BLOCKAGES
In order to function properly, a Water Softener requires a constant uninterrupted flow of water through the valve.
Blockages often occur at the filter screen or the injector gets plugged and the brine functions don’t work properly. Your softener should be serviced by a professional once every two years as recommended by most manufactures to prevent this from happening. These two items can be removed and replaced for cleaning. If you check in the owner’s manual they should give you some guidance in how to do this. If your not sure what you are doing , it’s better to have it done professionally to prevent causing other problems.
You can also check your brine line to make sure it is sucking water and not air if there is a leak which must be fixed.
For service CONTACT US
Fouled Resin
New Resin
SOFTENER RESIN
Water Softener Resin beads are located in the tank located under the valve. These are the life blood of the system and if they are not working efficiently than your water will not be soft. Many things can foul a resin bed such as iron, manganese and other minerals that build up over time.
Another reason that resin stops working is that over time it breaks down and stops taking the calcium/magnesium out of the water.
The best way to determine the condition of the resin in your Water Softener is to have a Resin Efficiency Test done by a technician who will be able to determine this. If the resin needs to be cleaned or replaced Affordable Water would be happy to serve you.