Care and Maintenance

Your water filter should be maintenance free. It self-cleans on a pre-programmed cycle. We do recommend if you have an annual service agreement that you have your contractor test your water annually so that you can remain confident that the system is working at peak performance and you will be aware, years down the line, when you might need to replace the carbon in your filter. The media in the system is warrantied for 5 years, but on a properly selected and sized system, you are likely to experience maximum benefits for approximately 3 times that before the media needs to be replaced. The variance in longevity is based on water consumption levels and the levels of impurities in your water supply. All claims are based on expectation that the system is installed on municipal water.

The media in the system is warrantied for 5 years, but on a properly selected and sized system, you are likely to experience maximum benefits for approximately 3 times that before the media needs to be replaced. The variance in longevity is based on water consumption and the levels of impurities in your water supply. Salt or potassium will need to be added periodically as prescribed by your service professional. All claims are based on expectation that the system is installed on municipal water. The life of a water softener is directly affected by the hardness levels of your water. We recommend having your service provider check your system annually to ensure it is working properly.

The media in the system is warrantied for 5 years, but on a properly selected and sized system, you are likely to experience maximum benefits for approximately 3 times that before the media needs to be replaced. The variance in longevity is based on water consumption levels and the levels of impurities in your water supply. Salt or potassium will need to be added periodically as prescribed by your service professional. All claims are based on expectation that the system is installed on municipal water. The life of a water softener is directly affected by the hardness levels of your water. We recommend having your service provider check your system annually to ensure it is working properly.

Maintenance and Care of the Softener System 

How Does Water Get Hard/How Is It Softened 

All of the earth’s fresh water originally falls as rain, sleet and snow. Surface water is drawn upwards  by the sun, where it forms as clouds. As it falls back to earth it is pure and soft, but as it does it also  begins to pick up impurities in the air. Finally, as it seeps through rock and soil it can gather  hardness, iron, and acids as well as unpleasant odors and tastes. Water is known as the “universal  solvent” because over time it dissolves everything it comes in contact with. High concentrations of  dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium, are picked up through limestone and  dissolved by rainwater which leads to hardness in water. Combine this with all of the undesirable  impurities in the environment along with the chemicals used to treat our municipal water and the  need for treatment is undeniable. 

Years ago, people who wanted soft water would gather rainwater in barrels and cisterns before it  was able to pick up impurities from the earth. In today’s world we can produce softened water by  running water through an ion exchange media which by design has the superior ability of attracting  and capturing dissolved hardness impurities found in water.  

And while people used to boil water to make sure it was pure enough for consumption we now use  chemical additives that should be filtered out when they reach your home to give you the best  possible water. 

The Softening Process: 

1. The softener/conditioner directs the flow of your household water through a column of media. The  media making up this column is comprised of minute pockets and crevices. The media captures and  holds the hardness impurities in the water. When they can no longer hold any more, the system  must be regenerated, or recharged. 
2. Next, the media is backwashed to remove any sediment that may have accumulated in the tank. Any  sediment is flushed to the drain. In the second phase of the recharge, the media is automatically  drenched in a salt solution (brine) which removes the hardness impurities. 
3. If the system is installed outside or in a pump house, dirt and debris, such as cobwebs, insects, etc.,  may create mechanical issues. You should occasionally remove the control valve cover and brush  lightly with a very soft, dry brush.

What Kind of Salt to Use 

All Water-Right conditioners and some filters are designed to use salt. All salt can, regardless of its  source, contain insoluble matter which accumulates at the bottom of the brine tank, and as such  requires periodic cleaning. If pellet or rock salt is used, you should clean out your brine tank at least  once a year. If solar salt is used, the brine tank will require less frequent cleaning but you should  check periodically for a condition that can develop called bridging*. For proper operation of a water  softener or conditioner, the brine tank should be at least 1/3 full of salt at all times. For Impression, Impression Plus, Impression RC units: 

Water-Right recommends the use of solar salt for best results. Water softeners and conditioners  manufactured by Water-Right can support the use of potassium chloride (KCI) as a regenerant in  lieu of sodium chloride. 

Care and Cleaning 

These simple precautions will help keep your water treatment system looking like new, and help  ensure that you experience trouble free service for many years to come. 

1. Use only mild soap and warm water when cleaning the exterior of the system. You should never use  abrasive, harsh cleaning compounds or any which contain acid such as vinegar, or an oxidizer such  as bleach or similar products. 
2. Do not stack heavy objects on top of the system’s control valve (timer case) or brine tank. 3. If the system is installed outside or in a pump house, dirt and debris such as cobwebs, insects, etc.,  may create mechanical issues. You should occasionally remove the control valve cover and brush  lightly with a very soft, dry brush. 
3. Should troubleshooting or adjustment information be needed that is not included in this Use and  Care guide, please contact your local dealer.

WARNING: 

Water is always inside your controller, media tank and brine tank, and must be protected to  prevent the water from freezing temperatures. If your unit should freeze, do not attempt to  disassemble it. Call your dealer for service. 

How to Clean Out the Brine Tank 

A periodic clean out of the brine tank is recommended to keep your system operating at peak  efficiency. The following is a step-by-step procedure to properly clean out the brine tank. To lessen  the amount of time to complete the task, it is suggested that you perform this clean out when the salt  supply is low. 

Following is a list of suggested tools to use: 

• Garden hose 
• Scoop 
• Bucket-size container 
• Household scrub brush 
• Philips-head screwdriver 
• Soft rag 

1. Remove the brine tank lid and the plastic cap from the brine well. 
2. Remove the brine well mechanism from the brine tank and carefully set it aside in an upright  position. To do this, disconnect the brine overflow tube and brine line from the safety float  mechanism and holding the nut on the inside of the brine well, unscrew the elbow. Be careful not to  lose the nut. 
3. Should you desire to save any clean, dry salt remaining in the brine tank, remove it and place it in a  clean container. 
4. Use a scoop to dig out and discard as much remaining salt, water and insoluble matter as possible. 5. Carefully lay the brine tank on its side and using the garden hose, wash out the inside of the tank to  rinse out all residue and salt cake that has affixed itself to the inside of the tank. 6. If a salt grid was installed, remove and clean it using a household scrub brush and mild soapy  solution. 
5. Stand the brine tank upright. Place the brine well in position and reaffix it to the tank with the elbow  and nut. Connect the brine line back to the safety float mechanism.
6. Reinstall the salt grid and replace brine well cap. 
7. Fill the brine tank with 2 to 3 inches of water. 
8. Fill the tank 2/3 full of salt. 
9. Replace the brine tank cover. 

Error Codes 

These systems will display an error code if the unit has a malfunction. If an error is displayed in the  window, please write it down and contact your servicing dealer. This display can be cleared by  pressing the NEXT and REGEN buttons simultaneously for five seconds. This will remove the error  display from the screen temporarily but if the unit malfunctions again, the display will return.  Repeated resetting of this display is NOT RECOMMENDED and can damage the unit. Please  contact dealer.  

Battery Replacement  

The AC transformer comes with a 15 foot power cord and is designed for use with the control valve.  The transformer should only be used in a dry location. 

In the event of a power outage that is less than 24 hours, the control valve will remember all settings  and time of day. After 24 hours, the only item that needs to be reset is the time of day and will be  indicated by the time of day flashing. All other settings are permanently stored in the nonvolatile  memory.

The AlwaysFresh® Drinking Water System is easy to maintain: Just one cartridge to replace annually* (*based on average usage and incoming water supply)