IF you are on a municipal water system the a correctly sized and properly set up water softener should be installed in the main water service line after it enters the house before it branches out to feed anything so it can treat ALL the water in the house. You'll need to have a drain and an AC outlet at that location.

If you are on a well then the softener should be installed after the pressure tank and before the water service branches out.

Thanks. We are on a well. The water softener is after the hot water heater. We have water in our line somewhere and it keeps the water softener from working. It blows some type of ball out of place in the water softener. I think the air is coming from the hot water tank because we have so much sulfur and other things in our water that I think it is causing a reaction that is causing the air. (The water only sputters and spits in the hot lines.)

If your description is accurate your water softener is installed wrong.

How long have you had the softener?

Who installed and set up the softener?

Sounds like you have more problems than just the softener.

Yeah, definitely have problems. The water softener is after the hot water heater. The water softener people say that the air in the lines are keeping the water softener from working properly because it blows out some ball thing that makes the water softener work. The water softener has been installed for over ten years and has never worked right. I need to get the air out of the lines but don't know where to start. I was hoping that it came from the hot lines since that is the only time it spurts and sputters. Maybe if we moved the softener before the hot water heater it would solve the problem. What do you think?

Let me try again...

Your water softener is installed wrong. If hot water is plumbed to the softener that's double, triple WRONG. If the softener isn't treating the water going IN to the water heater then what is the softener softening (if the softener works) and what good is that?

Your softener may be working or not. Without knowing the layout of your well plumbing there is nothing that can be done long distance to help you.

Call a well specialist and get them out there to see if your well plumbing is correct and operating properly. When that is known to be good...

You need a comprehensive water test from a certified independent lab to know what in the water needs to be treated.

Then the softener needs to be identified so we know if it is capable of treated the well water as needed. Then we need to see if the softener is working at all.

Probably best to get a water treatment pro out there after the well people give you the thumbs up on your well plumbing.

Thanks for your help! I'll see what I can do.