- 1). Place the water softener into the service cycle. The control panel on the front of the water softener will guide you in how to do it. If the instructions are not on the front, lift the salt fill lid and the label will be under the lid.
- 2). Check the drain line for clogs, especially in the winter. Many homes have the drain line exposed to the outside elements. Freezing temperatures can cause ice to build up in the outside drain line. The outside line will usually twist off counterclockwise to remove it from the main water softener drain line.
- 3). Open the canister and check the operation of the float on the brine valve. The brine valve is usually toward the inside front of the canister inside the brine well cover. Open the top of the cover, which is the cylindrical tube in front, and locate the brine valve, which looks similar to a flush valve in your toilet. The float should slide up and down freely.
- 4). Place your hand around the float and move the float up and down. If it does not move freely, clean the stem that it rides on with a cloth and soft brush to remove mineral deposits.
- 5). Open the rear top of your canister to access the venturi on the upper left of the valve assembly. The venturi is the large dome-like cap. Twist the venturi cap off counterclockwise by hand. Lift the cap and lift off the O-ring, screen support, screen and the venturi nozzle.
- 6). Clean all items with warm water and vinegar. Remove any silt or mineral deposits with a small brush. Rinse the items well and reinstall them inside the venturi housing. Place the venturi nozzle in first, following with the screen and screen support. Before placing the O-ring inside the housing, coat the O-ring with petroleum jelly. Place the venturi cap back on the housing and hand-tighten.