How To Bypass A Water Softener System

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When you lot want to bypass a water softener temporarily to perform maintenance, it'southward a unproblematic matter of locating the featherbed valve for the softener and setting information technology to stop directing water through the softener. Even so, there are several different types of bypass valves, so it'south of import to sympathise what each kind looks similar and how to set it to featherbed correctly. Y'all'll also need to know how to render the h2o softener to service when you lot desire to commencement directing h2o through it once more.

1
Find the valves by following the 2 large hoses running out of the h2o softener. Locate the water softener, then look for two large hoses running out of it, normally either out of the side or the dorsum. These are the inlet and outlet hoses for h2o moving through the softener. Follow them to pb yous to the featherbed valve.^[1]
- Proceed in mind that the bypass valve may be on the other side of a wall or in a cupboard, merely if you keep following the hoses they volition eventually atomic number 82 you to it.
- If you don't know where the water softener is located, check near the water supply inlet for the building. This might be in the basement or garage and is unremarkably near the h2o heater.
Tip: Depending on what type of water softener you take, at that place might be another smaller hoses and cables running off of it. Yet, you lot need to find the 2 largest hoses. They might be made of flexible plastic or braided metallic.
ii
Close the inlet and outlet valves continued to the ii hoses. The inlet and outlet valves are the 2 plastic knobs located where the 2 hoses connect to the rest of the piping. Turn them 90 degrees and so they are perpendicular to the hoses in order to close them.^[2]
- The knobs have something like wings on the sides that volition show you which way they are turned. When the wings are running across the pipe they are airtight and when they are running in line with the piping they are open.
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3
Open the bypass valve past turning it so the handle is in line with the pipe. The bypass valve is the third valve located betwixt the inlet and outlet valves on the main piping. Plow it 90 degrees so the wings run parallel to the main pipage to open information technology and start bypassing the water softener.^[three]
- The h2o system is now simply running the normal water service without sending anything to the water softener.
4
Return the valves to the original positions when you want soft water once more. Shut the featherbed valve by turning information technology so the wings of the knob are perpendicular to the pipe. Open up the inlet and outlet valves past turning them then the wings run parallel to the hoses.^[4]
- The water organization is now sending h2o through the water softener again.

i
Locate the featherbed valve near the tubes running off the water softener. Expect for a lever-like valve near the inlet and outlet tubes of the water softener. At that place will usually be 2 labels that say "bypass" and "service," or something similar, besides as an arrow showing which setting information technology is on.^[5]
- If you lot don't see a printed pointer that indicates which setting the lever handle is on, then await for a minor metal bespeak on the side that lines upward with either "featherbed" or "service."
- Water softeners are usually located well-nigh the water supply inlet. This could be in the basement or garage of the building and is typically near where the water heater is located.
Tip: Some single-valve bypasses consist of a plastic knob instead of a lever-type handle. They will still have arrows or labeled instructions indicating which way you need to turn it.
2
Turn the valve to the "bypass" position to shut off soft water service. Rotate the lever handle 90 degrees until the arrow indicates that information technology is set to bypass. Make sure it is turned all the manner to bypass and so you know that the softener service is completely turned off.^[vi]
- The inlet and outlet valves for the water softener will now be shut and h2o will not be directed through the h2o softener.
3
Return the valve to the "service" position to start softening water again. Turn the lever handle back 90 degrees in the direction y'all originally turned it from until the arrow indicates that soft h2o service is on again. Double-cheque that information technology is turned as far as it can go in that direction to ensure service is fully on.^[7]
- This volition open the inlet and outlet valves again and redirect h2o through the water softener.

1
Look for the push-knob near the tubes running off the softener. Find the 2 large inlet and outlet tubes at the dorsum or on the side of the water softener. Locate a push knob labeled with "bypass" or "on/off."^[8]
- There are 2 main types of push valves. The first type is called a "push-push" valve and functions by pushing it in from 1 side and then pushing it back out from the other side. The second type is a "push-pull" valve and functions by pushing it in from i side and pulling it dorsum out from the same side.
- If you aren't sure where the h2o softener is located, check nearly the water heater. Water softeners are usually installed almost the water supply inlet for the building, which is often in a basement or garage.
Tip: Some push-push-blazon valves have colored knobs indicating which setting it is on. Typically, if the blue or green knob is pushed in it means the service is on, and if the carmine or black knob is pushed in it means the service is off.
2
Push the knob in to bypass the water softener service. Push button on the end of the knob slowly until it is fully inserted and you can't push it any more. At that place volition be arrows and labels indicating which setting information technology is on.^[9]
- If you take a button-button valve, you will see a knob move out on the other side as you button the knob in from 1 side.
3
Pull the knob out or push button it in from the other side to turn the service back on. Button the knob in from the other side if you have a push-push valve. Pull the knob back out if yous have a push-pull valve.^[10]
- Double-check the labels to ensure that the push-knob is in the "on" or "service" position.