Water softener repair
When scale creeps back, the softener usually has a specific, fixable problem. Here's how a repair visit tends to go.
Most softener failures look alike from the kitchen: spots and crust return, soap stops sudsing, or the salt level stays put month after month. The cause might be as simple as an empty brine tank or a clock that reset during a power outage, or as involved as a worn valve or tired resin.
What usually goes wrong?
- Salt bridge. A crust forms in the brine tank, salt above it never dissolves, and the unit regenerates with plain water.
- Clock or settings. Older timer units can lose their settings after an outage and regenerate at the wrong time, or not at all.
- Plugged injector or brine line. The valve can't draw brine from the salt tank.
- Worn seals, spacers or piston. Water runs to the drain constantly, or hard water leaks past the resin.
- Fouled or worn-out resin. Age, iron and sediment reduce how much hardness the beads can hold.
- Leaks at the bypass, the fittings or a cracked tank.
What can I check before calling?
- Make sure the bypass is set to service, not bypass.
- Confirm the unit has power and shows the correct time.
- Look in the brine tank. Salt with no water under it, or a solid crust, points to a bridge.
- Write down the brand, model and approximate age from the sticker on the control head.
Is it worth repairing?
Often. A valve rebuild or fresh resin can keep a well-built unit going for years. If the softener is old, parts are scarce, or it was never sized for your water, putting that money toward a new unit may make more sense. Ask the technician to show you what failed and to price both options. More on replacement.
Who should do the repair?
In Colorado, work on water conditioning appliances for others falls under the State Plumbing Board, either through a plumbing contractor or a registered water conditioning contractor. Ask the company which registration it holds before the visit.
The water treatment company sets its price once it knows your water, your plumbing and which equipment fits. We don't quote prices, and any figure given over the phone before someone has tested your water or seen where the unit will go is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Why isn't my softener using any salt?
Common causes are a salt bridge, a clogged injector or brine line, or a control problem that keeps the unit from regenerating. Check the brine tank for a crust first.
Will a company work on my brand?
Many service several brands. Give the brand and model when you call so they can check parts before they come out.
Related services
- Water softener installation
- Water softener replacement
- Whole-house filtration
- Reverse osmosis drinking water
More background: Grand Junction hard water guide.
Scale on the faucets or a softener that stopped working?
Call and we'll connect you with a water treatment company that works in your part of the Grand Valley.