31
Care and
Cleaning of
your Water
Conditioner
(cont.)
Sanitizing Procedure
A water softener in daily use on a potable water supply generally requires no special attention
other than keeping the salt tank filled. Occasionally, however, a unit may require sanitization
under one of the following conditions:
• At start-up time.
• After standing idle for a week or more.
• On private supplies, the appearance of off-tastes and odors, particularly if musty or “rotten
egg” (caused by harmless sulfate-reducing bacteria).
1. Remove the brine tank cover.
2. Pour directly into the brine chamber 1/3 to 1/2 cup of common household bleach (5.25%
sodium hypochlorite) for each cubic foot of resin in the tank.
3. Manually start recharge. Allow the unit to complete the recharge cycle automatically.
If tastes and odors return frequently, even after sanitization, a continuous chlorination system may
be needed. Send a water sample to a qualified laboratory for bacterial analysis.
Caution!
Hazard from toxic fumes! Chlorine bleach and common iron control
chemicals may generate toxic fumes when mixed.
• If the unit uses Culligan Sofner-gard
®
or other compounds containing sodium
hydrosulfite, sodium bisulfite, or any other reducing agent, disconnect the
device feeding the chemical(s) and manually regenerate the unit before
sanitizing.
• Do not use this procedure if the softener salt contains iron control additives.
Note:
If the water supply contains iron, regenerate the softener before sanitizing to
remove iron from the resin.
