Kenmore Water Softener Hardness Setting: (Step-by-Step Guide)
Want to know the right hardness setting for your amazing Kenmore water softener?
Then, still till the very end of this article.
I have written a step-by-step guide for you, which is very easy to follow.
So, let’s jump in!
Why set Kenmore Water Softener Hardness Setting?
The water that enters your house has minerals like calcium and magnesium present in it. These minerals are not necessarily harmful, but they can, however, cause damage to your other water-using appliances if they accumulate in the plumbing of your house.
Also, these minerals can make your skin rough.
The hardness of water is measured using GPG and mg/L units. Water containing more than 3.5 grams of calcium carbonate per liter is considered hard water.
Setting your Kenmore water softener the right way will help you eliminate these hard minerals and provide you with soft water.
Depending on the settings in your Kenmore water softener, it will use water and salt to remove these minerals. You will require more salt if the setting is higher, and similarly, your Kenmore water softener will use less salt if the setting is lower.
Kenmore Water Softener Hardness Setting
The level of water hardness can be determined in a few different ways. Getting water hardness information from your local water utility company should be possible.
Purchasing test strips are another option. To test the strips, dip them in water and then match the colors with the guide. Water softeners can be properly set once you know your hardness level.
As the hardness of your incoming water varies by region, there is no average or the normal number for this setting.
There will be a Select button at the center of the screen of your Kenmore water softener that should be pressed and released to set your softener. This should be done by choosing from the numbers in the center of the display screen, which are the numbers that will set your Kenmore water softener’s Hardness.
Calculate your number using the Hardness Worksheet written in the question below.
Adjusting the Hardness Setting of your Kenmore Water Softener?
To adjust your Kenmore water softener, you must know some prerequisites and steps.
They are –
Step 1: Data retrieval.
Obtain information about the hardness of your drinking water and its amount of iron.
A. Send your well water to a treatment facility for testing.
B. Contact your local water provider to determine your water’s hardness and iron content.
(We will discuss more on checking the hardness of water below.)
Step 2: Involves Calculating the Hardness of Water:
GPG (Grains per gallon) is the format used by Kenmore water softeners. For GPG conversion, divide PPM or MG/L by 17.1 since hardness values are often reported in PPM or MG/L. As an example, consider the following:
250 ppm / 17.1 = 15 gpg of hardness.
Step 3: Iron Content in ClearWater
Unless you have Clear Water Iron, you should skip this step.
You can calculate the iron content of your water supply by adding 5 to your hardness value. An example would be:
3 parts per million x 5 parts per million = 15 parts per million.
There is a total of 30 gpg value when the iron value is 15 pm plus the hardness value of 15 gpg.
Strep 4: Program the Kenmore Water Softener.
The Hardness programming screen can be found by scrolling through your Kenmore water softener’s Program/Select button. Using the arrows up/down, you can set your hardness value.
This step is the one which will allow you to adjust your Kenmore water softener as per your need.
Checking the Hardness of Water
As far as testing the hardness of your water is concerned, there are a few ways to do so. Using a home test kit like the Water Hardness Test Strip from LaMotte is one way to test your water hardness. Test strips like this measure the calcium and magnesium levels in the water so you can see how hard your home water is.
Sending a sample to a lab for analysis is another way to test your water’s hardness. In addition to giving you a better idea of the mineral content of your water, this will also let you know how alkaline and acidic the water is.
Lab tests are required to measure water hardness accurately, but they are also the most expensive option. Using a home test kit is a more affordable alternative if you need a general idea of how hard your water is.
You should have received a receipt with your test results if you had your water softener installed by a professional water treatment company.
Water hardness can be easily tested with a simple water hardness test kit, even if you installed your water softener.
To determine the hardness level of water, you can use various methods. A few easy ways are outlined below:
- The soap test is as follows:
There’s no simpler way to do it than this. Place tap water in a plastic bottle, and then add liquid dish soap. Shake to mix well, and then close the lid.
Consider the water soft enough if bubbles are visible in it. Alternatively, the water is hard if there is no bubble formation but a milky layer.
- The following kits are available for hardness testing:
A hardness test kit can immediately determine the water hardness level. The hardness can be calculated by dipping it into a water sample and calculating its hardness (GPG).
Depending on the level of hardness, the strips’ color will change.
- Laboratory certification:
You can discover your hardness level by using a certified laboratory. You must send a sample of your water to a laboratory for testing. Besides giving you in-depth results regarding hardness, they will also give you a measure of your water’s grist rate per gallon and PPM (parts per million).
How do I know if my Kenmore Water Softener Hardness Water Setting is Right?
You can have the water tested by a professional to determine the right setting for your water softener.
It is also possible to purchase a water testing kit from most hardware stores. To use a water hardness test kit, you will need to follow the instructions included in the kit.
In most cases, a drop or two of the testing solution is added to a test tube or vial containing a water sample. After a few minutes, the color of the water will vary based on the hardness level. These kits will accurately tell you the hardness level of your water.
Then you can set your Kenmore water softener accordingly after determining the hardness of your water.
Same as this, we have also written guide to Whirlpool Water Softener Hardness Setting.
Conclusion
Wait! Read this before you go…
Test your water to set your Kenmore water softener properly.
Once you calculate the water hardness level, it will be easy to adjust your Kenmore water softener whenever needed.