Is My Water Softener Still Working?
Scale coming back? Soap not lathering? Start with a hardness test, then check power, bypass and salt. Here’s a ten-minute check and when to call for service.
Also asked: What Does It Cost to Run a Water Softener? · Do I Need Whole-Home Reverse Osmosis?
A ten-minute check
In this guide
The short answer
Test the hardness at a tap the softener feeds. A working softener reads at or near zero. If it doesn’t, check four things: power, the bypass valve, the salt level and salt bridges. If the water is still hard after a manual recharge, it’s time for service.
Signs something’s off
- Scale is coming back, or soap doesn’t lather like it did.
- The salt level never drops, or suddenly drops much faster.
- An error on the valve display or the wrong time of day.
- A drop in water pressure.
Old scale can linger after a softener is fixed, so test before you assume.
Check these four things
Power
Is the display on? Check the outlet and any GFCI that may have tripped.
Bypass
A softener left in bypass sends hard water around the resin. Make sure it’s in service position.
Salt level
The brine tank needs enough salt to make brine. It doesn’t have to be full to the top.
Salt bridge
A hard crust can look full on top over an empty cavity. Break it gently with a broom handle.
Test before and after
Test an untreated tap and a cold tap the softener feeds. A strip is a fine first check, and a drop-count kit is more precise. Neither tests for lead or bacteria. A TDS meter won’t help here, because softening doesn’t change total dissolved solids much. Why TDS stays the same.
When to call for service
Call if the water stays hard after a manual recharge, the brine tank overflows or never refills, the drain runs constantly, errors keep coming back, or you see resin beads at a faucet. Don’t open the valve head unless you’re qualified.
Have a Sunstorm system? Request service and our local team will check the valve, settings, brine system and resin.
Repair or replace?
If an older softener needs a new valve and resin, compare that cost with a new system that adds filtration and a longer warranty. HydroOne and HydroDuo pair softening with catalytic carbon and KDF, use durable 10 percent cross-linked resin, and come with a 10-year limited product warranty.
How Sunstorm treats the whole home
We use the highest-performing multi-stage media we can buy, size it to your water and household, and add reverse osmosis where you drink.
HydroOne or HydroDuo
Catalytic carbon, KDF and 10% cross-linked softening resin treat the water where it enters your home, so every shower, sink and appliance gets filtered, soft water.
See HydroOne →HydroSip RO
Four-stage reverse osmosis under the sink with its own faucet, for drinking water, coffee, cooking and ice.
See HydroSip →Want RO at every tap? We install Hydro360 whole-home reverse osmosis too. For most homes, filtration and softening plus kitchen RO is the better value: the same drinking water at the sink, without paying to purify the water you shower, flush and wash with. See Hydro360
Questions homeowners ask
Can I force a manual recharge?
Most metered valves allow it. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. It helps diagnose the problem, but it won’t fix a failed valve or exhausted resin.
Why is my brine tank full of water?
A blocked injector, kinked drain line, stuck float or valve problem. If it’s overflowing, use bypass and call for service.
How long does resin last?
It depends on your water and care. Test performance before replacing resin by age alone.
Can a power outage stop my softener?
It can reset the clock on some valves. Check the time and status after an outage.
Sources
- EPA WaterSense: home maintenance and softener tips
- EPA WaterSense: water softeners
- NSF: water softener standard (NSF/ANSI 44)
About this guide: We check our guides against current EPA, CDC, state and utility sources and update them as rules and equipment change.
