Water remains hard even though the Watersoft softener appears to run normally (no error code)

Safety first: Use caution when handling salt and resin; wear gloves and eye protection.

• Confirm plumbing: Verify that the softener inlet is connected to the hard water supply and the outlet to the house. Check that the Watersoft bypass is fully in service position.
• Test hardness: Use a hardness test kit to measure water before and after the softener. If both are similar, the softener is not exchanging ions effectively.
• Inspect brine tank: Look for a hard crust (salt bridge) or thick sludge (salt mush). Break up bridges and remove mushy salt, then refill with fresh solar or pellet salt.
• Reprogram and regenerate: Set hardness and capacity correctly per your water test and run a manual regeneration. Retest hardness 24 hours later.
• Plan resin replacement: If hardness remains high, schedule replacement of the Watersoft cation resin bed. This involves depressurizing, disconnecting the tank, removing old resin and gravel, and refilling with new media.