How to Repair a Water Softener | This Old House
Renewing an old water softener with This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
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Richard and a local expert helped a pair of Florida homeowners repair a broken water softener. A plastic basket inside one of the tanks had ruptured, allowing “resin beads” to clog water pipes and fixtures inside the house. To fix the problem, they cleaned the inside of the tank and installed a new “control head” and resin beads.
Shopping List for How to Repair a Water Softener:
– control head, the electronic brains of the water softener
– manifold tube, carries water through water softener tank
– resin beads, used to attract calcium and other mineral deposits
– gravel, for filtering water at bottom of water-softener tank
– brine-solution tank, used to hold blocks of sodium
– electrical tape, used to temporarily seal manifold tube during rebuilding process
– PVC pipe and assorted fittings, primer and cement, used to make new plumbing connections
Tools for How to Repair a Water Softener:
– pliers and wrenches, for tightening threaded fittings
– PVC cutter, used to cut plastic pipe
Technical support was provided by Culligan Water Conditioning, Inc [https://www.culligan.com/]
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How to Repair a Water Softener | This Old House
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Looks like roe
Definitely not in New England.
What a job! Pain in the ass! I would hate hard water!
y is the Water Softener outside? i have 1 & its in the basement.
So how far did Richard have to travel to meet with these people and tell therm… "Call an expert!"???
The husband dissapeared 😉
Woah! The technician is using an Acqualung wrist watch!
And oh, I wish we had this kinda product here in Brazil.
Is the that a fleck head unit?
Over many years I have learned so many things. Both for my own remodeling, and to help others with their remodeling jobs. If for nothing more than to get the verbiage correct. Its very helpfull to be able to name the items being used. And to have a understanding as to how they work, or operate in your home! The Experts on these serieses, are extremely helpful in how there take the time to both show and talk we the viewers through the processes! This is extremely important to have a correct remodeling job, but to understand how it all happens! Thanks to everyone involved with THIS OLD HOUSE!!
you never use block salt, u dont have enough contact time with salt and water around it, amd that 5600 fleck they r using is a generic head, use hague products, or aqua systems both made in the USA all the way every part
Great Video!!! Thank you, exactly what I was hoping for.
Thank you guys for walking through this process. I don't think anyone else here on YouTube ever walked their viewers through these steps and explained the process in such great details. You got yourself a subscriber. Keep it up!
Get rid of the RainSoft unit and get a maintenance free Avanta Pure Water Treatment System.
It's easy to forget how important water is in our lives. Of course we need it in our diet, but in our homes, it's a tool–a fluid medium that carries material from one place to the next. And one of the reasons it does this job well is that it's very good at holding things, either by suspending them or dissolving them.
Unlike most tools, though, water doesn't come with an instruction manual. If it did, you'd know why the dishes you thought were washed are covered with spots when dry, why the water in your shower leaves a film on everything it touches, and why what you thought was clean water has clogged up your plumbing system. More details here- https://sites.google.com/site/drinksafewaterdaily/
c
Has anyone had iron bacteria contaminate the tank? If so would cleaning the system and replacing the bedding be sufficient enough to get the system back to functioning? Just bought the house and its an expensive system. Don't have money to spend on a new system.
No more Salt Bridges , http://www.saltauger.com
my area charges about $250 to do this maintenance… but from the looks of it, it looks straightforward enough to do this on our own. am I missing anything, or should a specialist be hired to do this work?
Interesting how the doctor brags about his job, says how easy plumbing must be, and then disappears when it comes time to actually work.
😉
Lol is that cpvc?
Whats the point of this shot 2:31 to 2:37 ?
Awesome vid! Very concise, easy to understand explanation of how a water softener system works.
Rain soft – yesterday's technology at tomorrow's prices
Interesting that they replaced the Rainsoft valve with a different brand.
should have used SS flex lines. makes servicing the filter much easier.
This is how I rebuilt mine https://youtu.be/F3NGoL45JQs
Richard asks the expert: What does Grace have to do to make sure this thing runs for the long haul? Answer: basically, just keep salt in it. 30 seconds later he says to have a maintenance guy come out once a year. For what?
So these professionals glued the PVC manifold back together without unions to allow disconnect and recharging in the future of the system. BRILLIANT….job well done!
Hi! I have a question after I do the maintenance what should I do with the old salt?
Poor manners, didnt hear one please or thank you.
"Get the resin beads changed often" what the heck?? I thought that was the point of the brine tank. The salt recharges the beads.
Before going through that process, I would recommend purchasing a bottle of Res Care Resin Cleaner and a pack of Sani-System Water Softener Sanitizer. You can pour both down the brine well and the regenerate the water softener. This could bring back the resin to life and also sanitize water softener.
this is the only video I've seen where a gravel bed is added. Is this an optional thing? Best practice? How much gravel do I add? If you don't add it what happens?
It's good video, but who can do by himself. On this video two high level pro fix this. What we can learning from this video nothing.
"How to repair a water softener" Step only: call an expert. How has this show stayed on the air for 40 years?
They should build a shed and put the softener inside.
Ew. Puts pipe on floor. Then into clean tank.
So glad I don’t live in an area that needs this
holy f, why would you put a water softener outside? dumb homeowners…
"Eww! Is this good for you?" … no response lol
Bogus, replace the fitter basket for $30, do a clean/regen and you've repaired it. 10 year old head? i know people with 40 year old units still working great with regular maintenance. Video should be titled "how to replace a water softener"
Is this fix cheaper than buying a new water softener given labor etc.?
That head could have been saved.
I did my own with new resin I bought off of eBay for $92. This new resin should last about 10 years.
Replace the control head? Not necessary.
Annual service? Definitely not necessary.
Just keep the brine tank filled with salt.
How often do you need to replace the resin beads?
How does the unit discharge? does it use gravity or is there a motor that pushes the discharge out to the drain?
I have never seen a water softener installed outside – exposed to the elements.
Lord the acting in these is C grade jesus…. What . Should . We . Do