Water softener repair guides
Your water softener removes hard minerals such as calcium and magnesium from your house's water supply, preventing white-scale buildup on plumbing fixtures and inside your pipes and water heater. When your water softener quits working, use our repair guides and videos for replacing common parts such as the venturi and timer. Check out our water softener repair help section for error code charts covering Kenmore, Whirlpool and GE water softeners, and find out how to determine your water's softness. Search for your model number to find a complete list of replacement parts, then order the part you need.
Repair guides for Repair guides common to all water softeners
These step-by-step repair guides will help you safely fix what’s broken on your water softener.
How to replace a water softener venturi
The venturi valve in your water softener draws brine water from the salt tank to the resin tank for regeneration. Follow…
How to replace a water softener rotor position switch
The rotor position switch detects the position of the valve rotor. If the rotor position switch fails, follow these step…
How to replace a water softener timer
The timer is the control board you use to program the water softener. If the timer isn’t accepting commands when you pus…
How to replace a water softener valve motor
The valve motor rotates the valve rotor to operate the water softener. If the water softener valve motor fails, follow t…
Symptoms for water softeners
Choose a symptom to see related water softener repairs.
Main causes: faulty brine valve assembly, bad rotor valve…
Main causes: clogged drain hose, faulty rotor valve, leaky rotor valve seals…
Main causes: salt bridge inside the salt tank, bad timer, valve motor failure, faulty rotor valve, clogged venturi…
Main causes: loose water line connections, cracked water-carrying components, bad rotor valve seals…
Main causes: lack of electrical power, bad power transformer, faulty timer…
Main causes: empty salt tank, salt bridge, depleted resin, clogged or damaged venturi, broken rotor position switch, fai…
Main causes: broken resin tank screen, bad resin tank seals, cracked upper distributor in resin tank…
Main causes: broken water flow meter, faulty timer, water flow to softener is bypassed…
Articles and videos for water softeners
Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your water softener.
Learn some of the most common symbols found in a wiring diagram and what they mean.…
Learn how to use a multimeter to check for wiring problems in an appliance that's not working…
Keeping a water softener clean inside and out improves operation and appearance.…