Kinetico Water Softener Problems – Top 15 issues and solutions

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Written By John Roe Stephen

No matter how sturdy the home appliances are built, there will be a time when you face the problem with them. Repair would be the only solution to get the device back to normal condition. Kinetico water softener problems can occur due to various reasons. 

Knowing these issues would allow you to fix the problem yourself or get it repaired by an engineer.

The guide will help you to make things a little easy for you.

You will be able to understand the cause of the problem before you even call the repair guy.

If you can handle some of the hardware tools well, you will fix the problem yourself after learning this guide.

So keep reading to know what kind of problems generally occurs in the Kinetico water softener and how to solve them.

How to shut off Kinetico water softener ? (solved)

There will be a tree valve connected to the water softener. Every valve performs a specific task. Turning the blue valves clockwise installed on the left and the right would stop the water flow from the mainline to the water softener.

After that, turn the red valve installed in the center of the pipe to open the gates for water to flow directly to the house. 

Now the water will directly bypass through the red valve pipeline, and you can easily disconnect the water softener from the pipe.

The process turns off the water softener and gives you a safe environment to maintain the water softener.

Watch this video to safely bypass the water from the water softener to your mainline while maintaining the water softener.

How to bypass Kinetico water softener ?

It will also have a bypass valve in the center that works as a bridge to pass the water when the water softener is turned on. The flow of the water is adjusted with the valves connected to the water softener and mainline.

Turn off the water flow from the mainline to the water softener, open the bypass valve, and turn off the valve connected at the softener at the rare end.

Now the water will flow smoothly from the mainline to the bypass valve, and from there, it will go directly to the home connection.

How to clean Kinetico water softener ? 

Cleaning is necessary to keep the Kinetico water softener in good condition and last longer. Regular maintenance ensures that water supply through a water softener is getting filtered and sediments are removed.

Also, it avoids any clogging in the tank and keeps the water flowing smoothly in the tank.

Read this article to learn the professional cleaning method of Kinetico water softener.

How to clean Kinetico water softener

How to adjust Kinetico water softener? 

Kinetico water softener comes with an adjustable manual setting that can be changed with the help of the screwdrivers. The marking is provided on the top of the valve, where you can find the explicit instruction with the arrow mark.

To adjust the Kinetico water softener, you need a Philips screwdriver. Use the screwdriver to firmly turn the screw clockwise and move the indicator to the desired setting. 

Let’s say you want to turn on the brine tank, move the indicator to the brine position, and the water will start flowing in the brine tank.

The message on the indicator will be different depending on the brine or rinse written on the head.

How to adjust Kinetico water softener (Fixed)

Why does the Kinetico water softener stop working ?

A common issue with the Kinetico water softener is the lot’s salt level.

The system needs sufficient salt in the brine tank to regenerate the water and soften the hard water.

Remove the lid and inspect the salt level in the brain tank.

Pour more salt into it to make the water softener work again smoothly.

Build-up can also cause the water softener to stop working. Check the water softener condition inside.

If it is clogging that blocks the water supply in the tank, then the water softener may not be performed efficiently.

Kinetico brine tank float adjustment (how to do it) ?

The brine tank float adjustment setting is mounted on the top of the tank.

It is adjusted using a mechanical switch; most probably, the large size screw is given to set the brine tank float.

Use the right screwdriver to turn the screw to the desired position and reset the brine tank.

Read more about the Kinetico brine tank float adjustment setting with step by step guide by visiting the below link.

Kinetico brine tank float adjustment

Water too law in the brine tank

Brine tanks need sufficient water levels to work efficiently. In some conditions, the water level might go below the required level.

You should inspect what causes the water to not pass to the brine tank after regeneration. Blockage in the pipe or clogging could be an issue. 

How long should a Kinetico water softener last?

The sustainability of the water softener depends on the water condition in your region. Generally, water softeners last for 10 to 20 years if you put them in regular maintenance.

If more water is filtered through the softener than their average capacity, the quicker the softener equipment will be worn out, and the water softener no longer is efficient.

A single tank water softener lasts for 12 years. 

Remember that the softener age entirely depends on the water condition in your area.

If you maintain the water quality, regular maintenance, and essential repair every year, you can easily extend the life of the water softener.

Why does Kinetico water softener water taste salty ?

The minerals build-up causes a change of water taste in the drain hose. Rusted water generally tastes bad and may cause health issues. The Kinetico water softener needs cleaning to make it run as usual.

The mineral build-up also slows down the water supply. The low pressure in the tap water can be experienced. 

Either contact the engineer to repair, or you can clean the water softener by yourself.

Open the lid of the tank and see where the build-up has occurred. Give a tank complete flush and regenerate the water again. 

Check the brine tank as well if the salt has changed the color. Sometimes the trapped water enters the brine tank making the white salt brown.

Replace the salt with the new one and rerun the regeneration process to remove sediments from the tank.

Resin beads

A water softener that uses salt would have resin beads. It enhances the effectiveness of the water softener. The beads are excellent in cleaning the water and removing unwanted substances from the tank. 

The beads last for an extended period and keep the water clean. However, there will be a situation when these resin beads break and lose their effectiveness overnight.

You may need to replenish salt more often to keep the water condition intact.

Why is my Kinetico water softener using so much salt ?

Leakage in the valves is the most common problem in the water softener that pours excess water into the tank. When the water overflow above the brine tank system, the water enters the salt container.

The dissolved salt then reaches the water and makes it taste salty.

This salted water comes to the mainline, and from there, it runs into the home tap water.

The concentrated salt gets lost in the process before the regeneration system starts.

Water entering the salt tank

Water entering the salt tank is the most common problem owner of the house will face in their water softener. The kind of software you use would decide how challenging it is to maintain the water softener in your home. 

Water enters when it is not able to pass through the pipe while regeneration or after cleaning.

Clogging will block the flow of the water and make the water climb higher and reach the top lid of the salt tank from where the water enters the salt tank. 

Another reason is the fast-moving water in the tank. It will overflow the tank quickly and enter the saltwater tank.

There are many other reasons why saltwater may get water from the filter. A broken pipe, holes in the tank, etc., are the common reasons the tank gets filled with water.

Salt Bridges

Salt is an essential ingredient of the water softener; thus, companies who manufacture the salt for the water softener use fine-tune salt that doesn’t cause problems. The salt dissolves quickly and avoids clogging in the tank. 

However, as the water softener becomes older, it prevents minerals from scaling. It scales from pipes to fixtures and blocks the path of the water. 

As a result, the salt bridges are formed below the water, causing the water flow to get disrupted. The base of the tank gets filled with salt pallets, and it prevents water softening. 

Salt bridges are easy to remove. Break the bridges and clear the path for water to flow inside the tank. You should know how to open the lid and reach the tank’s base to clean the bottom of the tank. Also, clean salt builds up near the edges.

Softener not using salt

Water software might have failed due to that the hard water was not getting cleaned.

The common reason would be no use of salt during the softening process.

Either the salt container is blocking it, or be salt container is empty.

Softener Salty Taste

The salt dissolve rate decides how the water will taste when it reaches the home connection. Generally, the salty taste problem occurs when too much salt passes through the brine tank. You will have an unpleasant experience.

A person who drinks water with high salt content could develop serious health issues.

The stomach is a common problem caused by the uses.

Kinetico water softener salt (Unlimited guide )

Best salt for Kinetico water softener (Where to buy)

Kinetico water softener stuck regeneration (Solved) ?

The regeneration process is vital for water softeners. When it is stuck, you have to reset the settings manually. In some cases, the clogging will block the water flow, and it will not allow the water to get dully drain.

As a result, the sediment build will cause the water to taste bad.

Without cleaning the clogging, it is not possible to rerun the regeneration process.

Read this article to find how to solve the Kinetico water softener stuck generation problem.

Kinetico water softener stuck regeneration Solved

Regeneration process not working

Correction functioning of the entire system installed in the water softener is essential to keep the water flowing in the house.

The regeneration process ensures that the sediment trapped in the tank gets removed after every regular water cleaning cycle has reached the set level.

You must perform the regeneration process regularly to avoid build-up in the tank.

Without the proper regeneration process, the system will fail, and it will not work efficiently.

Not softening water

The most annoying situation you face with the water softener in your home is the water softener not softening the water. A build-up of salt in the brine tank could be one reason why the salt is not reaching the bottom.

Bridge might have formed, or the cristal of the salt got interlock in a way that it is not allowing the salt to move in a downward motion.

As a result, the hard water is not getting cleaned and passing through the pipe without getting filtered.

How long do Kinetico filters last ?

The Kinetico filters generally last for 3 to 6 months. If you face the water pressure decreasing over time, there might be something wrong with the filter. Based on the water condition, the water filter functionality changes.

Clogging will fail the filter, and you may have to replace it to make it function smoothly.

Do unused water filters expire ? (Everything you should know)

Do Kinetico water softeners need maintenance ?

Most of the Kinetico water softeners are automated. The system runs autonomously without needing human touch. It is a gravity-based water softener that runs smoothly and provides soft water to the home.

However, maintenance is still necessary to keep it up to date and function as aspected.

Like any other home appliance, maintenance improves the life of the device and offers long-term sustainability.

The whole system and equipment are engineered in a way that the water quality will be managed itself.

Purity, quality, sediment removal, and regeneration, every process is wisely designed to avoid any trouble to users.

Performing regular maintenance to this equipment would ensure that everything is working fine in your system and no need to have any repair.

Motor failure

Mechanical equipment could fail more often because they have to manage most of the dirty work. The motor is a vital part of the water softener that puts the equipment running.

Motor parts decay over time as they all are made of metal. Continues friction and heat decay surface area making it inefficient. 

If you do not hear the sound of the motor in your water softener, you should inspect the engine to see what is going on there.

Before you take any decision, check the wire connections.

Sometimes the wire gets disconnected from the system and disrupts the flow of the energy. 

Water becomes brown

When water turns brown in your water softener, there might be a severe issue with the tank. Usually, a problem occurs due to worn-out pipes or equipment made of iron. When the surface of the iron-made equipment comes in contact with the water, they become rusted. 

Another reason would be the water condition in your region might have been affected due to storms or some unforeseen events.

As the water flows near the iron metal, the rust gets mixed and starts flowing with the water. Check with the neighbor to confirm if they are also facing a similar issue before you conclude anything.

Trapped dirt and sediment that suddenly get washed out during the regeneration may also cause the water to turn brown. Close inspection is needed to find the cause of the problem. Cleaning the entire water softener tank would help you to get rid of the problem instantly.

Kinetico water softener leaking

Damage water softener tank may start leaking the water. Generally, leakage occurs when the water softener becomes too old.

It cannot handle the pressure, and the damaged area will get opened and start water from leaking.

Leakage can happen due to broken pipes as well. You need to conduct an inspection to identify the source of the problem. Check the outer layer first.

See if the pipes are broken.

After that, you may have to open the lid and see the inside of the tank to find the cause of the leakage.

Kinetico water softener low water pressure

Low water pressure in the tank could be the reason for the broken pipe or blockage.

When the system pipe is too small, the water flow may drop when hard substance flowing from the water starts building up in the line.

Check the outflow from the water softener tank.

See where the pressure drops and inspect the condition of the pipe.

Sediment build-up can cause clogging and block the area inside the pipe, decreasing the water pressure.

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