To stop the supply of softened water, you need to set your water softener to bypass mode using the bypass valve.
Understanding Water Softener Modes
Most water softening systems operate in three different modes:
- Service Mode: This is the normal operating mode where your water is being actively softened.
- Regeneration Mode: In this mode, the system cleans the resin beads that are used to soften water.
- Bypass Mode: This mode stops the water from passing through the softener, supplying you with unsoftened water. This is how you "turn off" soft water, according to the reference.
Turning Off Soft Water
Here's how to turn off your water softener, using the bypass valve:
- Locate the Bypass Valve: It's usually found at the back of your water softener.
- Switch to Bypass Mode:
- The bypass valve usually has an arrow or some indication.
- Rotate the bypass valve so the arrow points to the 'Bypass' position.
- Confirm: Once the bypass valve is in the correct position, only unsoftened water will flow.
Why Turn Off Soft Water?
Here are some common reasons why someone might want to bypass the water softener:
- Watering the lawn or garden: Softened water isn't needed for outside use and is sometimes harmful to plants.
- Troubleshooting: If there is an issue with the softener, bypassing it will ensure you still have a water supply.
- Maintenance: When cleaning or doing any maintenance on the water softener it will need to be bypassed.
- Conserving Salt and Water: Bypassing prevents the softener from regenerating unnecessarily when softened water is not required.
By understanding how to use the bypass valve, you can easily control when your home is receiving softened or unsoftened water. Remember to switch back to service mode when you are ready to use softened water again.
