How to turn off the water softener (put bypass mode)

There are times that you may need to turn off the water softener mostly when you want to maintain your system or want to go for a holiday.

To turn off your system, you only need to do the following

The water softening system has three different modes

Service mode- the system is working as it is required.
Regeneration mode-used during regeneration
Bypass mode- The water softener is no longer working or softening your hard water. It shuts the hard water to enter the system but does not shut your home water supply. When your system is in bypass mode, your kitchen tap will run hard water.

When you are maintaining your system, or you want to go for a holiday, you are supposed to put your water system into bypass mode.

Also, you can decide to cut off the main water supply to your home and unplug your unit. Cutting off the water is a lot of work, bypass mode is much easier to do because no plumbing required.

How do you put your water softener into bypass mode?

The bypass mode is also called shut off valve. To put your system into bypass mode trace the hose at the back of your system.

Video on how to trace the hose at the back of your system

You will find three valves (service, regeneration, and bypass mode) known as bypass setting. The valves are marked with arrows in which way to turn. Turn all the three valves into direction marked bypass mode and you are done.

The bypass mode valve is turned on in different ways/styles depending on your system or the year it was made. Such styles include:

Turn style
Lever style
Crank style
Push style

The video below will help understand different styles

How do you turn off the water softener when you want to go on vacation or maintain your system. Share with us in the comment section below.

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