We've put together a GE Water Softener Ultimate Guide to help you troubleshoot any problems you might be having with your softener.
You can trust WaterSmart to service your GE water softener, as we have been proudly servicing all brands of water softeners including GE in the Waterloo Region for over 25 years. We’d love to put our expertise to work for you.
This guide will give you solutions to some of the most common problems you might encounter, as well as maintenance and service tips. So, let's get started!
Learn DIY repairs on your GE water softener or contact WaterSmart if you need expert help!
Part 1: YOU HAVE NO SOFT WATER
There are a number of reasons why you have no soft water. These include:
You have a salt bridge
You have no power
Your manual bypass valve is in the wrong position
You don’t have enough salt
Your blending valve is in the wrong position
You have problems with the nozzle and venturi
1. You Have a Salt Bridge:
A salt bridge is probably one of the most common problems. A salt bridge occurs when your salt solidifies in an arc above your water level.
When this happens, the brine water is not able to reach the salt so your water softener cannot do its job.
Solution: Break up the salt bridge by tapping on the outside of the salt tank with a rubber mallet. If this doesn't break up the bridge, then use a long tool, such as a broom handle to chop through the solidified salt.
Once you have broken up the salt bridge, then press the RECHARGE button on your softener to immediately recharge your system.
You can BREAK UP A SALT BRIDGE WITH A BROOM HANDLE
2. You Have No Power for Your Softener
Your GE water softener needs power to work. If it has come unplugged accidentally or if a fuse or circuit breaker has blown, then it won't be getting any power.
Solution: Check that your unit is plugged securely into the outlet. If it is, then check your fuse/breaker box to make sure that you haven't blown a fuse or breaker for that outlet. If it has then you need to replace the fuse or flip the breaker switch back on.
You can also test the outlet itself by plugging in a small lamp that you know is working in the outlet, if the lamp light up, you know that the outlet is working properly. If the lamp does not light up then you know there is a problem with the outlet, in this case, it is best to contact a professional.
Make sure that you haven’t flipped a breaker
3. Your Manual Bypass Valve Is in the Wrong Position
If your manual bypass valve is in the wrong position, then your water softener will not be functioning properly.
Solution: Move the handle for the manual bypass valve into the OUT position.
4. You Don’t have enough Salt
If you don't have enough salt or if you have run out of salt then you won't have soft water.
Solution: To prevent this issue, make sure that your softener is at least 1/3 full of salt at all times. If your salt level was too low, then press the RECHARGE button on your softener after you have replenished your salt supply to immediately recharge your system.
Make sure your GE softener always has enough salt
5. Your Blending Valve Is in the Open Position
If your blending valve is in the open position, then your water softener will not be working.
Solution: Turn your blending valve clockwise until it is in a fully closed position. If you are not sure where your blending valve is, check your owner’s manual.
6. You have Problems with the Nozzle and Venturi
If you get any debris, scratches, etc. in the venturi passages, then this can prevent your softener from working properly.
Solution: To fix this, start by turning off the water to your water softener and take the nozzle assembly apart. You can refer to the "Cleaning the Nozzle and Venturi Assembly" section in your owner's manual to see how to do this.
Inspect the parts carefully and clean and replace anything that is dirty or broken. Make sure that the holes in the gasket are properly centred over the holes in the housing.
Cleaning your nozzle and venturi is a more complicated procedure than the previous problems. If you would like a professional to do this for you, contact us.
For more difficult repairs, contact a professional
Part 2: You sometimes have hard water
There are a few possible reasons why you sometimes have hard water. These include:
Your Water Softener Setting Is Too Low
Your Softener Is Regenerating When Your Are Using Hot Water
Your Softener is not Regenerating Properly
1. Your Water Softener Setting Is Too Low
The Kitchener-Waterloo region has particularly high levels of water hardness. If your softener has not been programmed properly to handle the high level of hardness in this area, or if the hardness setting has been adjusted too low on your GE water softener, you won't have soft water.
Solution: Press the MODE/SET button on your GE water softener until the arrow points to HARDNESS. The number shown should match your actual grains per gallon of hardness in your water.
Refer to "Programming the Control" in your user manual to learn how to change this setting.
If you would like help determining what your water hardness level is and would like help programming your water softener, contact the local experts at WaterSmart.
Image Source: K&D Enterprise
Make sure your ge water softener is programmed correctly for the hard water level in your area
2. You Are Using Hot Water While Your Softener Is Regenerating
If you use hot water at the same time as your water softener is recharging, then your hot water tank will automatically fill up with water that hasn't had a chance to get soft.
Solution: Try not to use hot water while your softener is regenerating.
3. YOUR WATER SOFTENER IS NOT REGENERATING
There are a number of possible reasons why your GE water softener may not be regenerating. These include:
A) Your Meter Turbine Is Stuck
Solution: You can check your user's manual in the "Manually Initiated Electronics Diagnostics" section to troubleshoot the issue or you can call a professional to service your machine.
B) Your Sensor Wire is Unplugged from the Control
Solution: You can check your user's manual in the "Manually Initiated Electronics Diagnostics" section to troubleshoot the issue or you can call a professional to service your water softener.
C) There Is a Mechanical Defect
Solution: Call a professional to repair your water softener.
If you notice that your water is hard sometimes, make sure that your softener is regenerating properly
Part 3: How to Clean Your GE Water Softener
Your GE water softener will need to be cleaned from time to time to keep it running properly and well maintained.
You can take the following steps to clean your softener yourself:
Step 1: Unplug your water softener.
Step 2: Push in your bypass valve to re-direct the water so that it doesn't go into your softener.
Step 3: Remove the lid of your softener.
Step 4: Remove the nozzle and take it apart to clean all of the pieces in warm, soapy water. You can remove and replace the 2 flow plugs with a toothpick to clean them as well.
Step 5: Put all of the pieces of your nozzle back together again, replace the lid and plug in your softener.
Tip: as you are taking the components apart, lay them out in the order that you took them out so that you can easily remember the order to put them back together.
The following video will show you how to clean out your brine tank.
Your water softener needs to be cleaned periodically to work properly
Part 4: Water Softener Maintenance Tips and Tricks
Use only pure salt, specially designed for water softeners. Never use regular table salt; it has too many impurities.
Don't add more salt until almost all of the salt has been used up.
Don't add too much salt when you are refilling it. The salt level should come up about two-thirds in your tank.
Clean your brine tank once a year.
Before you replace a water softener, have it checked out to see if it can be repaired instead. Most water softener repairs are relatively inexpensive.
Only use pure water softener salt in your GE water softener
Part 5: GE WATER SOFTENER REPAIR Services
If you need your GE water softener repaired, contact WaterSmart. Our fully trained technicians are highly experienced and are able to work on any make or model of water softener you may have. We will always try our best to repair your water softener before we would recommend replacing it.
If you do, however, need to replace your softener, we can recommend the right type and size of softener that you need for the size of your household.
Even if you didn't purchase your water softener from us, we can still rely on us to fix it for you at an affordable price. You can trust WaterSmart for your water softener repair, purchasing, and installation as well as all your plumbing needs.
WaterSmart has been serving the Kitchener region including Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Brantford, and surrounding areas since 1994 with innovative water softening products and excellent service.
We are committed to helping you improve the quality of your home's water. We live and work in the Kitchener-Waterloo region so we understand the hard water challenges of this area. We know how to program your water softener for maximum efficiency and are familiar with the types of water softener repairs that you might need.
Contact WaterSmart today to book an appointment.
WaterSmart also offers a full range of plumbing services that include, but are not limited, to:
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Leaks
Toilets and Taps
Clogged or Slow Drains
Countertop Pre and Post Installation
Dishwasher Installations
Sump Pumps
Tankless Hot Water Heaters
New Plumbing and Renovations
Master Plumber and Gas Fitter
Backflow Testing or Device Installation
Here's what WaterSmart customers are saying:
"My wife and I recently purchased a home that did not have a water softener since the house was built.…They are very skilled professionals and have great customer service. We also bought a reverse osmosis from them. They gave us detailed instructions on how to operate the softener and reverse osmosis. I would recommend these guys. Thank you Watersmart…[Read more]”
- William
