Water Softener Canada Maintenance: What to Monitor and What to Expect After Installation

You installed a new water softener (and an RO system under the sink). The first shower feels different, your dishwasher looks like it’s suddenly doing a better job, and then the questions start.

• “Is the water supposed to feel slippery?”
• “How often do I add salt?”
• “How do I know it’s still working?”
• “How much RO water should I drain after changing filters?”
• “What about sediment, chlorine/chloramine, and that taste filter?”

This guide is your simple, problem-solving maintenance playbook. We’ll talk about what’s actually in your tap water and what that means for your softener and filters.

What changes after installation (normal vs “call someone”)

The first 24–72 hours (totally normal)

Water feels “slippery” in the shower. That’s usually a good sign. Soft water lets your natural skin oils behave normally, and soap rinses cleaner.

Less soap, less shampoo. Most families can reduce their product use once they become accustomed to soft water.

A little cloudiness or tiny bubbles in a glass (especially on RO at first). Often, it clears with a few days of use as air works out of the system.

In the first 1–2 weeks: confirm these 3 settings (this prevents 90% of “is it working?” calls)

Most performance issues after installation are not “broken equipment”, they’re settings. Here are the three you should verify:

• Time Setting (clock on the softener)
  • Make sure the current time (AM/PM) is correct. If the time is wrong after a power outage, the system can regenerate at the wrong hour.
  • Use your manual’s “Set Time” steps (every model is slightly different).
• People Setting (household size)
  • Set the softener to the number of people in your home so regeneration matches real usage.
  • If you have an unexpected guest staying longer than a month, update the setting to reflect the new household size.
• Hardness Setting
  • Hardness controls how much the softener treats before it regenerates.
  • For example, Edmonton is commonly around ~10 GPG, so many Edmonton homes are set close to that.

If you’re unsure about your neighborhood or you’re on well water, a quick hardness test keeps this accurate.

“Stop and check” signs

• Hard-water symptoms return: scale on faucets, dull laundry, poor lather.
• Softener seems to be using salt, but the water stays hard (often bridging, wrong setting, or a stuck valve).
• Constant running water to drain (drain line issue or valve stuck in a cycle).
• RO water production suddenly becomes very slow (filters clogged, low pressure, tank issue).

Book a water check-up and hardness test

The 5-minute weekly check (do this and you’ll avoid 80% of issues)

Water softener maintenance schedule

Use this as your maintenance calendar.

Tip: “How often should it regenerate?” is a sizing/settings clue. Too frequent can waste salt/water; too infrequent can let hardness sneak through.

Not sure your settings match your household? Take this Quiz

Salt tips & tricks (what Canadian homeowners should know)

1) Don’t overfill the brine tank

• Keeping it about 1/2 to 2/3 full is easier to manage than topping it to the brim. Overfilling can contribute to bridging and mushing. 

2) Salt bridging (the #1 sneaky problem)

• What it is: A hard crust forms above, leaving an empty space underneath. Your softener “looks full,” but it can’t make proper brine.
• How to spot it: Tap the salt with a broom handle. If it sounds hollow, you’ve likely got a bridge.
• Quick fix: Gently break it up (do not smash the tank). Remove chunks, let the system recover, then monitor over the next week.

3) Salt mushing (the #2 common problem)

• What it is: Salt turns into a thick, slushy layer at the bottom.
• Usually caused by: lower-quality salt, humidity swings, and overfilling.
• Fix: Clean out and switch to a cleaner salt option.

Sediment + carbon maintenance: tips, timing, and easy diagnostics

Sediment filter 

A sediment filter is mainly used for well water (or homes with noticeable grit/rust/visible particles). Its job is to catch sand/silt/rust before it clogs valves, cartridges, and appliances.

Replace when:

• Pressure drops noticeably, or
• On schedule based on your water conditions (well water homes may be replaced more often than city water homes).

Carbon prefilter 

A carbon prefilter is for taste and odor improvement and to reduce disinfectant taste/smell (common on city water). This is typically part of our Platinum unit configuration.

Replace when:

• Taste/odor changes return, or
• Flow drops / filters clog, or
• On your recommended schedule based on usage.

RO maintenance (under-sink): what to replace, and how much to drain/flush

If you have RO for drinking water, here’s the straight answer.

RO filter replacement schedule (typical)

A common baseline schedule is:

• Sediment prefilter: every 12-16 months
• Carbon prefilter: every 12-16 months
• Post (polishing) filter: about 12-16 months
• RO membrane: often 16-24 months, sometimes longer depending on water quality and usage

(Always follow your system manual if it differs.)

How much RO water should you drain after changing filters?

There are two “flush” steps homeowners mix up. Do both and you’ll avoid weird taste and carbon fines.

Step 1: Flush lines right away (quick flush)

We recommend flushing about 1–2 gallons through the RO faucet with the tank valve closed to push out air and carbon fines, then you open the tank valve. 

Step 2: Flush the tank (the “dump the first tank” step)

Many manufacturer start-up procedures have you fill the RO tank, then drain it полностью, and repeat. We instruct draining the tank completely and repeating that flush step multiple times during initial startup, noting the “fourth tank” is for drinking. 

Practical homeowner rule:

After prefilter changes: quick flush plus dump 1 full tank (unless your manual says otherwise).

After membrane replacement / brand-new install: quick flush + dump 2–3 full tanks if your manual instructs it.

Troubleshooting flow (save this for later)

If your water feels hard again

• Check salt level (empty or low)
• Check for bridging (hollow salt crust)
• Confirm softener is regenerating (no error code, correct time) 
• Check bypass valve (it happens more than people admit)
• If everything looks fine, book a service call to confirm hardness and dial in settings

If the RO water flow is slow

• Most common cause: filters are clogged (especially sediment/carbon stages)
• Next: tank pressure issue or low incoming water pressure
• If it’s been a couple years, the membrane may be due

Post-install “best habits” that keep everything running longer

• Mark your filter change dates on a phone reminder.
  
• After any power outage, confirm the softener clock is correct (regeneration timing matters).
• Short vacations (up to 2 weeks): You usually don’t need to change anything. Your softener can stay in normal service. If you want to be extra safe, do a quick visual check: salt level is fine, no leaks, drain line looks normal.

Long vacations (2+ weeks):

1. Run a regeneration the night before you leave (or the day you leave). This ensures the resin bed starts “fresh.”
2. If your controller has a Vacation Mode, enable it (it reduces unnecessary regeneration while no one is using water).
3. When you return, run one regeneration and flush a couple of cold taps for a minute or two.
   • If you have RO (under-sink) and you’ll be away longer: When you return, plan to dump the first full tank(helps refresh taste after stagnant water).
   • If you notice taste changes or pressure drops, act early. Waiting turns a cheap filter swap into a bigger service call.

When to book a maintenance visit (you’ll save money doing it early)

Call for service if:

• You see recurring error codes
• The drain line runs constantly
• You’re topping up salt but hardness keeps returning
• RO is producing very slowly, even after filter changes
• You want a yearly “tune-up” and settings verification for water condition.

 Thinking about remineralization after RO? Learn more here.

FAQ 

Q1: How often should I add salt to my water softener?

Most homes top up on a routine cycle, often every 1-2 months, but it depends on hardness and water use. 

Q2: Is slippery shower water normal after installing a softener?

Yes, many people describe softened water as “slippery,” and it can be a sign your softener is working. 

Q3: How often should I replace RO filters?

Common schedules: sediment and carbon stages 12-16 months, postfilter 12-16 months, membrane around 16-24 months, depending on water conditions. 

Q4: How much RO water should I drain after changing filters?

A practical approach is a 1–2 gallon flush with the tank closed, then dump a full tank after it refills. Many manufacturer procedures instruct filling and draining the tank as part of startup/flush steps.