What should I record first?
Record whether the change affects hot water, cold water or both and whether it followed a salt refill, power loss, service visit or a change in household use. Feel, spotting and soap behavior are useful observations, but they are not a substitute for a hardness result.
What changes the recommendation?
A provider can compare untreated and treated samples, bypass position, brine draw, regeneration settings and flow demand. Hardness breaking through near the end of a cycle needs a different response from a system that never softens after regeneration.
What should the service scope include?
Bring the valve model, settings and any error code to the service request. Ask for a measured restoration criterion, then review the related repair guide instead of buying additional filtration for an unconfirmed hardness issue.
Apply the correct source evidence
Confirm the supplier on the property water bill. Port St. Lucie’s public report applies to its Utility Systems customers; a mailing address does not prove supplier, and a private well needs its own testing. See the Port St. Lucie source guide before applying a report or selecting a treatment goal.
Review the 2025 Water Quality Report for the appropriate source boundary. Source review: October 4, 2026. This guide provides decision questions; equipment selection and any safety-related interpretation require appropriate measurements and qualified advice.
Continue with the related decision
Softener repair · All solutions · Local Learn guide · Water check