We do not recommend installing your water softener in an environment that regularly drops below freezing temperatures. The following information is for you if you're experiencing an abnormal and temporary short term weather pattern. For seasonal winterizing steps, head on over to our Winterizing article.
Optional Supplies: Towel & Pliers
Click each section below to expand directions.
Step 1 - Prepare
1. You'll want to start off by turn off the main water supply to your home. The water should stay off during this cold event to reduce freezing potential in your pipes. If that isn't a feasible option, contact your local water department or water treatment center for best practices.
2. Go ahead and bypass the softener by pushing the handle in on the back of your unit. This will stop water from coming in or out of the softener.
If you have a blending valve, make sure it's closed so no hard water is coming through. Refer to What is a Blending Valve for instructions.
3. Now we'll depressurize the unit by running a Recharge cycle. Hold the Recharge button until you hear the motor start to spin, and then release. You'll see ‘Recharge Now’ or ‘Recharging’ flashing on the screen.
4. Tap the Recharge button once. This is going to advance the motor and move the valve to the next position.
5. Continue to tap the Recharge button to advance it through each cycle until the ‘Recharge Now’ or ‘Recharging’ disappears from the screen.
Step 2 - Disassemble
1. You can go ahead and remove the top cover now. If you need more detailed instructions, click here. As you remove the top cover, be careful of the electronic connections. You'll remove them next.
2. You'll need to disconnect the electronic connections from the top of the softener:
- Motor – unplug the thick black and red wires at clear plastic connection piece.
- Switch – unplug the white plastic connector at end of orange and green wires.
- Wire Harness – unclip the harness from around the outlet port.
3. You'll need to remove the black C-clips from the softener/bypass connection. Pull one side of the black plastic C-clip away from the softener, and slowly roll it towards the other side to remove.
***If the clips seem stuck, try to slowly and gently rock the softener back and forth slightly while applying pressure to the clip as described above to free them.
4. Now you should be able to pull the softener away from the bypass assembly.
5. On right right-hand side of the valve head, you'll disconnect the drain hose. You can release it by grabbing the black clip and pulling it up and out. You may want to have a towel nearby in case of any leftover water that may come out here.
6. Now, you'll disconnect the brine hose. You'll unscrew the white ferrule nut from your Venturi assembly or if you have the 'push to connect' type, you'll push the collet in while pulling the hose out to remove it.
With Ferrule Nut
Push to Connect
7. At the neck of the tank, you're going to remove the large white clamps now. You can take them off by unhooking the clips holding them together.
8. With both hands on the valve head, go ahead and carefully wiggle it side to side as you pull it up and off. You'll need to store the valve head in a warm place during the cold temperatures. At this point your softener is prepared for the freezing temps. When you're ready to assemble, come back to this article and head to Step 3 for instructions on how to reassemble.
Step 3 - When Ready to Reassemble
When it's safe to do so, let's set your unit back up again.
1. Grab your valve head from where you stored it and push it back onto the riser tube.
2. You'll secure that by hooking the neck clamps back on.
3. Go ahead and attach the brine hose.
- Either screw the white nut back on:
- Or insert the hose into the collet. You'll need to make sure to push it in until you notice some resistance. Then push it in a little further. The hose should be in about 5/8 of an inch.
4. Grab your drain hose hose and attach it back on, securing it with the black clip.
5. You're ready to connect the softener to the bypass now. Push the softener body back onto the bypass ports. Then secure it by rolling the black C-clips back onto the inlet/outlet connections.
6. You can take the top cover now and connect the wires back onto the valve head. Reconnect the wires to the Motor and Switch and clip the Wire Harness back onto the outlet port. The switch connection should have one exposed terminal/prong.
7. Once connected, you'll put the top cover back onto the tank.
8. You're ready to turn the main water supply back onto the home. Make sure to keep the bypass closed still. You'll want to open/turn on a cold and hot water faucet in your home and let the water run for several minutes.
9. After several minutes, you can close/turn off the faucets. Now, slowly pull the bypass valve back out, stopping every few seconds to allow water to slowly enter the unit again. If applicable, you can adjust your blending valve back. And you're done!
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