Northland Water MN

Water Softener Troubleshooting

Many customers can save money by checking a few common problems and symptoms first. No matter where you purchased your water softener, Northland Water always provides free troubleshooting — both online and over the phone. After checking the following items, please call Northland Water to schedule a service call.

Always check the following items before calling Northland Water to schedule a service call:

  • Is there salt in the brine tank?
  • Is there a salt bridge in the salt tank?
  • Is the water softener plugged in and receiving electricity?
  • Is the time of day on the timer correct?
  • Is the bypass valve in the ‘service’ position?
  • Are there kinks in the drain line?
Problem You Are Experiencing Cause of the Problem Solution to the Problem
My Water softener will not regenerate. Electricity is not getting to the system. Check the outlet, circuit breakers, and that the water softener is plugged in.
My water softener will not regenerate. Timer motor is defective. Call Northland Water to replace the timer motor.
My water softener will not regenerate. Power failure. Reset the time of day after power is restored.
My water softener is not softening the water. There is no salt in the brine (salt) tank. Fill the brine tank with salt and manually regenerate the softener.
My water softener is not softening the water. There is an internal leak. Call Northland Water to replace seals, pistons, or distributor tube.
My water softener is not softening the water. Hot water is hard. Drain the hot water heater and fill with soft water.
My water softener is not softening the water. Water softener is not regenerating often enough. Increase hardness setting.
My water softener is not softening the water. Salt bridge at bottom of brine (salt) tank. Break up salt bridge in brine (salt) tank to allow salt to mix with water at the bottom of the tank.
My water softener is using too much salt. Water softener is regenerating too often. Decrease the hardness setting.
My water softener is using too much salt. Too much water in the brine (salt) tank because brine draw is not functioning. Clean injectors.
I am experiencing a loss of water pressure. Iron build up in water softener. Clean control and add resin cleaner. Increase regeneration frequency.
I am experiencing a loss of water pressure. Inlet of control is plugged. Remove piston and clean control of foreign objects.
There is iron in conditioned water. Fouled resin bed. Add resin cleaner or replace resin and increase regeneration.
There is too much water in brine (salt) tank. Plugged drain line flow control. Clean flow control. Put system into brine, rinse and draw until 4″ of water is left at the bottom of the brine (salt) tank.
My water softener is is failing to drain brine. Internal control leak. Call Northland Water to replace seals, spacers or pistons.
My water softener is failing to drain brine. Injectors are plugged. Clean the injectors.
The valve cycles continuously. Faulty timer mechanism. Call Northland Water to replace the timer motor.
My drain flows continuously. There is an internal leak. Call Northland Water to replace seals, pistons, or spacers.
The drain flows continuously. Timer motor stopped or jammed. Call Northland Water to replace the timer motor.
The drain flows continuously. Control valve jammed in brine or backwash position. Call Northland Water to replace seals, pistons, or spacers.