Odor or Taste in Softened Water

An unwanted odor or taste from your water softener is likely a result of debris in your resin media. Follow the steps below to give your resin bed a cleanse and backwash (if needed). 

1. Bypass the water softener by pushing the handle in on the back of your unit. This will stop water from coming in or out of the softener while you work:

2. Run a few softened cold water faucets (i.e. bathroom sink) for several minutes and test water again for odor or taste.

     a. If the odor or taste is still present in bypass, the water softener is likely not the source of the problem, and you may want to have your water tested for contaminants. Keep in mind a common sulfur (rotten egg) odor is caused by gas in your water supply, and requires additional filtration past a water softener.

     b. If you do not have an odor/smell when the unit is bypassed, continue to step 3.

3. Run a cleanser through the softener to reduce contaminant, iron, and scale buildup. Purchasing and use instructions can be found in our Water Softener Cleanser article. 

4. If you continue to notice an odor in your water, we recommend applying a sanitizer to the resin bed. Please follow the instructions in our Running an Extended Sanitizing Cycle article. 

5. Extended Backwash (Optional)

Running an extended backwash can clear up any potential clog in the system. Please note this process has a low risk that the bottom distributor may fail (especially on older units), letting resin beads escape into the plumbing.

1. Hold the Recharge button until the motor starts to turn, then let go.

2. When the motor stops, the tank will start filling. We are going to skip this by tapping the Recharge button one time.

3. When the motor stops, the tank will start brining. Press the Recharge button one more time to advance to the backwash cycle.

4. Once in backwash, you will hear a large flow of water through the system and out your drain hose. During the backwash, fresh water flows upwards through the media, moving it around and creating pathways for flow.

5. Unplug your unit from the outlet and set a timer for 20 minutes.

6. After the 20 minutes is up, plug your unit back in and let the softener automatically finish the recharge (about 10-15 minutes).

7. After the recharge is over, run a few cold water faucets for several minutes and check to see if the odor / taste has dissipated. If it remains, please contact us for additional support.