Softener Service Call Troubleshooting Guide
Takes the customer's complaint and whatever the tech has seen so far, and produces an ordered checklist of what to check, what each result likely means, and what to tell the customer.
Before and after
Troubleshooting checklist
- Power: outlet live, display on, time correct. Done, no fault.
- Bypass valve: in service position. Done, no fault.
- Salt level: tank looks full, but a hard crust sits on top with a gap underneath. Found, this is a salt bridge. Salt is not dissolving into the brine, so the resin is not being recharged.
- Brine tank water: low or empty. Found, which matches the bridge. No brine is being made.
- Water test before softener: 18 gpg. After softener: 17 gpg. Found, the softener was not softening.
- Fix: bridge broken, mushy salt removed from the bottom, water added, manual regeneration run. Done.
- Water test after regeneration: about 0 gpg. Done, softening is working again.
- Still to check: whether the brine draw and drain run normally on the next scheduled regeneration. Not checked today. Model and age of the unit are not confirmed (owner is unsure of the age, model is a guess).
Customer message
Hi Mrs. Rasmussen, thanks for having us out today. Here is what Percy found.
Your softener had a salt bridge. That is a hard crust that forms on top of the salt with an empty gap underneath. The salt could not dissolve, so the softener could not refresh itself, and your water went back to hard. Before the visit, your water tested 18 grains per gallon going into the softener and 17 coming out. That matches what you were seeing with the slimy feel and the soap not lathering.
Percy broke up the crust, cleaned out the mushy salt at the bottom, added water, and ran a manual regeneration. After that, your treated water tested at about 0 grains per gallon.
What to watch for: bridges can come back. We recommend asking us about the type of salt you are using. If your water feels hard again, call us and we will take another look.
Service call fee: $95. No parts were needed.
Service note
- Customer: Mrs. Rasmussen, 813 Spruce Ln
- Complaint: slimy feel, soap not lathering, about 2 weeks. Well water.
- Unit: timer-style, possibly Fleck 5600, about 9 years old (not confirmed)
- Readings: before softener 18 gpg, after softener 17 gpg, after regeneration about 0 gpg
- Findings: salt bridge, brine tank water low or empty, power and bypass normal, time correct
- Work done: bridge broken, mush removed, water added, manual regeneration run
- Salt in use: low-cost pellets from a hardware store
- Parts: none
- Charge: $95 service call
- Follow-up: confirm normal brine draw at the next regeneration. Confirm model and age on the next visit. Not checked today.
Questions for the owner
- How often do you want the customer to check the salt, and what should she do if she sees a crust on top? I left that out of the message because you did not give it.
What it does
Takes the customer's complaint and whatever the tech has seen so far, and produces an ordered checklist of what to check, what each result likely means, and what to tell the customer. It also writes a short service note for the job file.
Use it when: Use when a water softener service business needs a step-by-step troubleshooting guide for a service call, such as "customer says water is hard again," "softener won't regenerate," "salt bridge," "no soft water," "softener running constantly," or "help me diagnose this softener."