Iron staining persists even though water feels soft

Safety first: Use appropriate protective gear when handling iron-removal chemicals.

Step-by-step checks:

• 1. Test iron level:
  • Use an iron test kit on raw water.
• 2. Adjust settings:
  • Increase hardness setting to compensate for iron (typically add 3–5 gpg per ppm of iron, per Kenmore manual).
• 3. Clean resin:
  • Use a resin cleaner specifically formulated for iron (follow product instructions).
  • Run a manual regeneration after treatment.
• 4. Consider pre-treatment:
  • If iron is very high, install an iron filter ahead of the softener.