Pour a glass of water from a faucet connected to your softener. Take a sip. Does it taste salty or metallic? That can mean the resin is breaking down and leaking into your water, or the control valve is failing. Healthy soft water should taste neutral—just clean, maybe a bit smoother. If it’s weird, the resin beads might be contaminated with iron or silt, which gives them a rusty, gritty feel.
Also, run your wet finger over a clean mirror or glass. If it leaves a chalky white residue after drying, that’s calcium—another sign the resin is exhausted. It’s like checking a tire’s tread; if it’s bald, you need a replacment.
