Troubleshooting Guide

If you have experienced a problem with your Kinetico Water Softener, please read our guide below before contacting your local Kinetico dealer.

Hard Water

These considerations assume that your water softener has been working, has not been disconnected or that you have not had any plumbing changes since installation. It is applicable to all Kinetico Water Softeners that use block or tablet salt.

When testing, make sure you have tested your water from a tap that is using a soft water supply. For example, the cold supply to your kitchen tap maybe un-softened, so you would need to test from a bathroom tap.

If you have an Essential or a Sumo water softener, ensure the water softener is not regenerating (cleaning itself) when you test and that you have run the tap for 2 minutes if the water softener has just regenerated. It should also be noted that with an Essential or Sumo water softener if you test cold water from a loft tank or hot water from any type of water system other than a combination boiler, it is likely you will always register a degree of hard water.

If your softener has run out of salt, replenish it with the correct salt and manually regenerate the Water Softener. Please allow 14 days before testing as it can this long to achieve a completely soft test result.

If the water softener does have salt in it, check that it is not stuck to the sides of the cabinet. If you are using block salt, ensure that the indentations on the block face the front and back of the water softener.

If you have used Granular salt or salt meant for a dishwasher instead of tablet, you will need to call your local dealer to have your water softener cleaned as this type of salt should not be used in your water softener.

Check that the salt is sitting in water.  If the water softener is making a noise, it may be regenerating so check back again in 20 minutes.  If the salt is not sitting in water, add water to the cabinet until the water level is approximately 1” above the platform on which the salt sits, then manually regenerate the Water Softener.   Should you have to repeat this action on a regular basis, we suggest that you use the Find My Local Dealer function to locate your local Kinetico agent who will need to investigate why the water softener is not refilling correctly.

If your water softener is in by-pass or has the by-pass valve open, you will not receive soft water.

Follow the hoses from the water softener back to the plumbing and check that the bypass valves are in the correct position.

If you have gone through this guide and are still having issues, use the Find My Local Dealer function to locate your local Kinetico agent who would be happy to help.

As a rule of thumb, the average water user will use about 4kg (one block) per month. This will vary in relation to the amount of water actually used if you are a high water user you will use more than 4kg of salt. If you find your salt usage has suddenly increased and you are not using more water, please use the guide below.

Remove one of the salt blocks from the water softener and check if the level of the water is higher than 1” above the salt platform on which the salt sits. A higher water level will cause the unit use more salt.

If the mains water supply has been turned off, water from your property may have back-filled into the water softener’s cabinet. Restore the water supply to the property, when the water softener next regenerates, it will bring the level back down to normal.

If the mains supply is turned off in the future, isolate/bypass the water softener to prevent it filling up. To bypass your water softener, follow the hoses from the water softener back to the plumbing and put the valves in the bypass position. Be sure to put the valves back into the service position when you have finished.

If you are sure that the incoming water supply has not been interrupted, we suggest that you use the Find My Local Dealer function to locate your local Kinetico agent who will need to investigate the cause of the high water level.

Your Kinetico Water Softener meters all the water through your home, therefore we suggest that you check for signs of overflowing loft tanks or toilets (keep in mind, modern toilets overflow into the pan). If you are sure that nothing is leaking or using excess water, contact your local Kinetico dealer who will need to investigate the cause of the increase in salt usage.

If your softener is supplying your outside tap, using it will cause the water softener to use more salt than needed so remember to bypass your water softener before using your outside tap.

To bypass your water softener, follow the hoses from the water softener back to the plumbing and put the valves in the bypass position. Be sure to put the valves back into the service position when you have finished.

If you have gone through this guide and are still having issues, use the Find My Local Dealer function to locate your local Kinetico agent who would be happy to help.

Remove the lids from the softener and follow the instructions below to manually regenerate the softener.

1. Push down firmly with a Phillips screwdriver on the “Actuator” and turn it clockwise until you advance the “Indicator Dot” to the “Brine Rinse” position. The water softener will start making a noise and water will start running down the drain.

2. If you have a twin tank softener, check back in 30 minutes and repeat the process to regenerate the 2nd cylinder.