A water softener has a lot of moving parts — a control valve, an injector, a resin bed, a brine tank, seals and pistons. When something's off, the fix is usually a small, inexpensive part, not a whole new system. The key is a technician who actually diagnoses the problem instead of guessing. That's what we do on every call.
Flat fee for us to come out and fully diagnose your system. Any repair (parts and labor) is quoted separately and approved by you first.
Signs your softener needs service
- Hard-water symptoms are back — spots on dishes, soap won't lather, dry skin
- Water suddenly tastes salty
- You're going through salt faster than normal — or not at all
- The softener seems to run or drain constantly
- Low water pressure
- An error code on the display, or a dead display
Our 14-point diagnostic — what we actually check
We don't just swap a part and hope. Here's the thorough process our technician follows on a service call:
- Interview you — symptoms, the system's age, recent plumbing or power issues, and service history.
- Visual inspection — brine tank (salt level, salt bridges, sludge), resin tank, bypass valve, and the drain & brine lines for leaks or restrictions.
- Power & controller — transformer, voltage, display, time of day, and regeneration settings.
- Test your raw water hardness — a sample before the softener, measured in grains per gallon (plus iron if present).
- Test your soft water — a sample after the softener. Working systems read 0–1 GPG; anything higher means we dig deeper.
- Water-pressure check — before and after the unit; a big drop points to a fouled resin bed or a plugged valve.
- Run a full manual regeneration — we step through every cycle to watch it work.
- Verify backwash & brine draw — strong flow to drain, and confirm the system is actually pulling brine (a top cause of "it's not softening").
- Clean the injector — a clogged injector is one of the most common culprits behind poor softening.
- Inspect the brine assembly — float, safety float, air check, and any debris or sludge.
- Inspect pistons & seals — worn seals or a bad piston cause constant draining, salty water, or hard water slipping through.
- Evaluate the resin — older or chlorine-damaged resin may need cleaning or a re-bed.
- Program & sanitize — set the correct hardness, salt dose, and regeneration time, and sanitize the system if needed.
- Final test & walkthrough — confirm 0–1 GPG soft water, normal pressure, no leaks — then explain exactly what we found and recommend.
Common problems & what usually causes them
| Symptom | Usual cause |
|---|---|
| Hard water returned | Bypass left open, clogged injector, or worn-out resin |
| Salty-tasting water | Poor rinse or an injector problem |
| Constant draining | Worn seals or piston |
| Using too much salt | Wrong settings or a valve issue |
| Low water pressure | Fouled resin or a clogged valve |
| Dead display | Transformer or power issue |
Repair-first, always. Because we install non-proprietary Fleck systems, most parts (seals, injectors, pistons) are inexpensive and easy to get. We fix what we can before we ever suggest a replacement — and we service most major brands, not just ours.
Softener not working right?
Call us for a flat $150 service call — a full diagnosis, then an honest quote (parts and labor) for any repair.
Call (210) 269-5446