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Musty water from water softener

53K views 51 replies 10 participants last post by  Akpsdvan 
#1 ·
A bit of a story here, so bare with me:

Bought a house built in 1984. I do not know how old the softener is though. We started getting musty water from all house fixtures. I was not sure that the softener had been cycling, so the softener was my first culprit (city water was checked and is not the issue). I bypassed the softener and the musty smell/taste went away. I disabled the bypass and manually cycled the softener and ended up with salt water (brine) at each fixture. I enabled the bypass again and began to disassemble the softener valve (Fleck 5600 Econominder). I thought at least the timer was bad, but it turns out it is fine. I found no real issues with any of the parts (Brine valve, valve assembly, drain). There was a small amount of residue buildup on some parts as we do have very hard water here, but seemingly nothing that would disrupt functionality. I then manually cycled the softener twice and ended up with salt water at the fixtures again. After a weekday of light use (two persons - showers, etc), the salt water seems to be gone and as of today after work has been replaced with.....wait for it....musty water. Thoughts please??
 
#25 ·
You could use about a cup of the bleach down into the 3-4" tube that is in the salt tank and then start the regen on the softener control and let it go through the full cycle.
If the water gets better with out the softener on line, ie moving the bypass handle on the back side of the softener then it is the softener , if after taking the softener off line or out of the water stream the water does not get better then it is not the softener.

One thing that can go bad are the lines from the angle stops under the sinks to the faucets in the sink, I have seen customers replace them and the water clears up.
 
#29 ·
I just looked inside my water softener - I assume you mean by the tube you mean the white plastic cylindrical tube - it has a cap on it with a thin black rubber tube running out of it? I pull the cap off of it and pour the bleach down that?
I had some handymen replacing the hot water tank and they put new salt pellets in for me - right now I think the tank is "online" both valves (?) not sure what you call them are horizontal (not perpendicular) to tank. They put four bags of salt in and filled the tank almost to the top but there is no water covering them. Shouldn't there be water covering the top of the salt?

Thank you for allowing me to ask questions. I am trying to educate myself and learn to troubleshoot myself. The previous owners bought the system and owned it, but when I called the company when we moved in over a year ago they told me ownership didn't transfer. I had them come service it once and they told me it was fine. It is just now I seem to be having this rotten egg smell resurface.
 
#31 ·
Yes you remove that cap. Add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup liquid measure of non scented regular household bleach in a gallon of water and pour it down that tube.

No the water in the salt tank doesn't have to be over the salt.

I don't understand what you mean about the valves, or what valves but... if they are kinda squarish black plastic and there is one on the inlet and one on the outlet and they are pointing sideways/across the water flow direction, that is the by pass position. They both should be inline with the water flow direction and 'pointed' toward/away form the control valve for Service. Meaning water goes through the softener.

When you say ownership didn't transfer, I hope you mean the seller didn't change their name t yours instead of that the seller didn't own the softener.... and now you're being charged rent. If they are charging you rent, talk with the previous owner and make sure they actually owned it or were paying to rent it.
 
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#50 ·
Unless there is an odor at the water softener I think it is unlikely the source of the odor is the softener.

Have you checked carefully to rule out the possibility of some sort of leak--from the roof, around the window, from plumbing lines, or any other possible source?

You said you replaced the carpets--I assume for a reason. Perhaps whatever was in the carpets also permeated the subfloor and is still causing an odor.
 
#2 ·
If you use water during a regeneration, you may get salty water or not but, you should mix a 1/3 cup of nonscented bleach in a gallon or two of water, pour it into the water in the salt tank, not down through the salt, and do a manual regeneration. That will sanitize the softener and should get rid of the musty smell.

Do not mix bleach with Iron out etc..
 
#5 ·
Me too

I got the same softener as you and have a musty taste. I'll try the 1/3 cup clorine trick and see if it helps. I've seen somewhere that the resin needs replaced every so often, (maybe I read it on the sofener site) although I've not done that yet. Anyone else heard of having to replace resin in resin tank? bjr
 
#6 ·
Yes but, resin usually doesn't go bad unless you have a lot of chlorine, like over 1.5 ppm of Free chlorine in the water for years. Then the resin will be mushy instead of hard.

Musty odor is not due to bad/mushy resin.
 
#7 ·
Added bleach through the brine tank and cycled a couple of times yesterday. I wanted to make sure the chlorine was out of the system. I think I will cycle again because it seems apparent to me that the system is not getting fully rinsed out. Had the salty water again after the cycling and water was not in use during the cycle since no one was home (ice maker, heater could have pulled a little water I suppose). This morning's showers were musty again.

I read too that the resin can wear out over time. Is there a way to gain access to check for mushy-ness? I tried removing my valve from the tank a couple of times, but wasn't sure how hard to crank on it. It should screw off, yes?

Even if they are not mushy, I am afraid that the system may have sat unused for long enough that bad things began to grow inside the tank, especially with our hot summers here in Phoenix. If that happened and standard cycling is not able to clean out the resin, it seems the resin would need to be replaced (or separated apart and cleaned well).
 
#10 ·
You should have done the chlorination and no more and then used the water to see if the musty was gone. Had you needed to do the extra cycles, I would have told you to do them.

You could have IRB even if... you are on city water.
 
#11 ·
I did follow the instructions. Not too interested in drinking bleach water! And I may have put a little too much in, so couldn't take the risk and what do the extra cycles hurt? Will try some Iron Out I guess. Would still like to get the valve assembly off just to get a look at the resin (curiousity if nothing else).
 
#12 · (Edited)
I did follow the instructions.
Actually you did not follow the directions.

Here they are again; ... mix a 1/3 cup of nonscented bleach in a gallon or two of water, pour it into the water in the salt tank, not down through the salt, and do a manual regeneration. That will sanitize the softener and should get rid of the musty smell.

Do not mix bleach with Iron out etc..
***************

Not too interested in drinking bleach water! And I may have put a little too much in, so couldn't take the risk and what do the extra cycles hurt?
Your assumption that you would be drinking bleach water is incorrect. And why did you NOT follow the 1/3 cup directions and use MORE!!

CHLORINE damages RESIN!!

The valve went through a backwash and then a final rinse before getting back to service; but you didn't know that, but I did but...

THINK, one you don't know what to do, two, not following directions will get you what?, three, becasue you don't know what to do, you can only assume and mostly incorrectly, if you THINK about it.

You are looking to get rid of a musty odor, why would you have to drink the "bleach water" to see if it smelled musty!! SMELL IT.

Will try some Iron Out I guess. Would still like to get the valve assembly off just to get a look at the resin (curiousity if nothing else).
Iron Out etc. won't kill bacteria or odors.

You want to check the resin, go for it, you unscrew the control valve out of the tank. Even if you assume it's too hard to do 'cuz ya might break something like you already said IIRC. Trust me unless you beat on it, you won't break anything.

When you take the valve off, beware of pulling the distributor tube up any and that later when screwing the valve back into the tank you break the bottom basket causing your gravel if any and resin to get out into your plumbing as soon as you turn the water back on and run any water in the anywhere in the house. That shouldn't sound like something you'd want t ohappen...

If you aren't going to follow directions as if the thing will blow up in your face, don't expect me to tell you what and how to do anything more. So if you want more help, follow the sanitizing directions and SMELL the water for musty after flushing the stagnant water out of the plumbing and see if it does or not. And if it does if it gets stronger as you use water.

ps. the distributor tube with your brand of control valve, can not stick up out of the tank more than 1.25".
 
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#14 ·
It's do that, live with the musty smell or, by pass the softener If that gets rid of the odor. I'd by pass the softener first and run a few gallons of water to see if the odor goes away, because the odor may not be from the softener.
 
#17 ·
Get a couple of friends to give it the sniff test. It may be Hs and your nose can't differentiate the smell. If it's a sulpher smell then you will have to treat after the softener (or live with it) Otherwise, if it is musty you can bypass the filter ( do not run chlorine through the resin bed) and then chlorinate and flush the piping.

Hi AK, welcome. How you been?
 
#19 ·
Several others notice the same smell. All the plumbing is new cpvc as the bathroom was remodeled a year ago. Do you think the brand of salt being used for the brine could be the problem or that using potassium chloridre would make a difference?

Does the smell go away if the softener was put into a bypass mode?

If bypassing the softener the smell goes away then a cleaning bath with bleach, iron out or some other resin cleaner would be in order.. just using them as per the information on the side for the iron out or resin cleaner.. and the unit going through a few extra cleaning cycles about 6 hours apart should clean up the resin...

Using some chlorine or bleach to clean the resin is not going to shorten the life of the resin that much. It will be used like the salt, pulled in run through and then flushed out of the softener.

If the smell does not go away with the softener in bypass... then a carbon filter is going to be needed... either block 4"x20" or full tank much like the softener.

NHM ,,, been doing great..road trips for customers.:no:
 
#22 ·
From a company called Pro solutions there is
A) Pro-Softener Mate
B) Pro-Res Care
they may or may not be at the Box stores like Home Depot or Lowes.. might have to find a Water Treatment company that has them..
There are a few others out there, but a search of those 2 should turn up some others that are on the same path.
It does look like some thing got into the system that is now giving you the smell.. it is not there when the system is off and there when it is on...
 
#23 ·
IMO a resin cleaner rarely gets rid of an odor in a water softener but a good resin cleaner for rust in a softener is Iron Out or Super Iron Out found in most grocery stores (detergent isle) or any hardware store or wherever softener salt is sold.
 
#24 ·
I have been having the same issues - it is in the hot water only - moved into a house that had been vacant for a year - thought it was the hot water heater - drained that thinking it was bacteria in the heater and had a large amount of calcium deposits - ended up replacing it because it needed to be done, but that did not take care of the problem - now we think it is the water softener. I am trying to trouble shoot as well. On city water. It is definitely almost a rotten egg smell but only from the hot water tap and from all taps, kitchen, bath, tub. Got better with the new hot water heater but now after a week I smell it coming back so think it must be the water softener. Unfortunately I just filled the brine tank (?) with salt pellets and do not know much about water softeners - first time owning one and husband just deployed for 13 months so I am doing this blindly.

So should I try to do as you advised and do the 1/3 cup bleach diluted with water? I have a rain soft and no manual. I see a regeneration button - is that what I hit for the cycle?
 
#28 ·
If the odor is in the hot water only, it's the water heater allowing IRB or SRB (iron or sulfate reducing bacteria - they are harmless) to thrive in the water heater. They use material off certain types of anode rods to create H2S gas.

Raising the temp on the heater to 140f for an hour kills all bacteria in the heater. Just don't let anyone use the water and get burned. You could shut the outlet valve on the heater if there is one.

If the odor is in both hot and cold water, do the bleach in the salt tank water thing and then do a manual regeneration by pushing that button etc..
 
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#27 ·
The bypass is either metal with a single handle that when in service is between the in coming and out going lines or it is plastic with two little handles.
If the metal then that handle will be moved so that the other end that is pointing to service shows that is it pointing to bypass and it could be hard to move if it has not been moved for some time.
If it is the plastic each one will move 90degrees, best to put a light on it and one should see that each handle can be moved from where it is clock wise when looking down from the top.
 
#32 ·
sorry, using wrong terms - I said valve for "inlet" - I will try the bleach.

I am still trying to understand what you are explaining. I think my water softener is online - working now. the inlet is in the same direction as the water pipes coming into it. Does that mean they are turned on and the water softener should be online and functioning? I apologize if I am not using terms properly. I am a newbie and still learning

and I said "ownership" when I meant "warranty" - to clarify the company said the warranty doesn't transfer from owner to owner - so when we bought the house even though the water softener came to us with the house the warranty did not transfer to us so we have to pay for any service every time they come out to look at the water softener. Which is neither here nor there. :)

Either way I want to be familiar with my equipment and more knowledgeable about my house and able to fix small things.
 
#34 ·
Is the smell as strong in the bath tub as it is at any sink?

The cup of bleach could go into a tube that is within the salt tank, that tube is about 3 or 4" across and often has a cap on the top. Some of them have a 3/8 tube coming out of the top , others have that line out the side.

It could also be that the softener will need to go more often because of your low usage, nothing wrong with your low usage , it is your usage.
 
#36 ·
The smell are equally strong in the kitchen tap and next closest bathroom (stronger in bath tub tap than sink tap). I can barely notice the smell in the master bath which is at the far end of the house (I do not use that shower at all and only use the sink to wash hands and brush teeth at night using cold water.

The sink and bathroom I use that smell the worst are the ones nearest the hot water heater and softener which are in the garage)


I did put diluted bleach into the tube within the salt tank the bleach and hit the regenerate on the system but still trying to figure out if my system is online. The level of the salt within the tank did lower.

I apologize that I am having so much trouble understanding the concept of whether or not the system is offline or online. I do not see any markings on my water softener. I wish I could post pictures. I would think if I used the metal tool to change the inline valve so that it looked like this "+" that would mean it was offline and shut off - is that correct? and if it looked like this "l" - ie. in the same direction as the pipes coming into and out of the system that it was online and the water was going through the softener. It that correct or do I have it backwards
 
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