I was told to turn the 2 top knobs on the softener and I see where it says bypass but I can not get them to budge. Is there a trick or tool I need to turn these valves? I want to bleach my lines to help with the strong sulfur smell. I have noted that the smell is mostly from the hot water and did recently replace my water heater so I know it has one of those rods many other posts have talked about. Should I remove the rob to help with the smell or am I just going shorten my water heaters life without solving the problem? Any help in getting rid of this odor would be appreciated, I have company coming and feel a bit embarrassed.

A picture of your valves would help. Some are quarter turn globe valves but some manifolds use a pull/push slide valve, you may even have old time multiturn gates valves but there should be 3 of them. The one in the center is normally closed and you need to open that one, lefty loosey. The right and left righty tighty

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Originally Posted by pattekl

I was told to turn the 2 top knobs on the softener and I see where it says bypass but I can not get them to budge. Is there a trick or tool I need to turn these valves? I want to bleach my lines to help with the strong sulfur smell. I have noted that the smell is mostly from the hot water and did recently replace my water heater so I know it has one of those rods many other posts have talked about. Should I remove the rob to help with the smell or am I just going shorten my water heaters life without solving the problem? Any help in getting rid of this odor would be appreciated, I have company coming and feel a bit embarrassed.

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When that happens to me I put a pair of pliers on the handle for leverage and began to turn clockwise, This shuts off both the house and the softehner, Now open the center valve counterclockwise to pressure the house and isolate the softener, Here's a diagram to help. Good luck, Tom

You can change the material of the anode rod.

This what typical bypass valve on water softener looks like... Is this what yours look like, too ? If positive, than push opposite to present setting to bypass...