FAQ's

Q) Why should I buy over the Internet versus from a Water Conditioning Professional or a Big Box store?

A) We do not condemn water conditioning professionals as others do. In fact we sell to them as well as to plumbers and well drillers. Most of these companies are very qualified to install and service our products. We also operate retail stores and we install and service any system that we can support with parts. We have the experience that other companies who just sell equipment and claim to be experts do not. You can order our systems at wholesale prices, so you can save hundreds of dollars by buying from us and either installing it yourself, or having a qualified and experienced water conditioning professional, plumber or well driller install it for you.
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Regarding Big Box retailers, they sell off shore manufactured disposable water conditioning products (disposable means that when it breaks down, it is more cost efficient to replace it than repair it). We sell name brand quality products that are far superior to those found in a discount house that will last many years longer than the "throw away" models. All of the controls, salt tanks and softener/filters tanks up to 13" in diameter that we sell are made in the U.S..

Q) Why don't you offer fine mesh or "salt saver" resins as other companies do?

A) Fine mesh resin will break down and turn to mush much quicker than standard resin and does not provide higher efficiencies in spite of the false claims you may read. Companies who sell "salt saver" resins are making false claims on a product that they charge more for!

Q) What is the difference in the resins that you offer?

A) Our standard 8% cross-linked resin (which relates to bead strength) is made in China and is certified by the Water Quality Assn in the U.S. and is superior most other resins in the marketplace today.
Our optional premium 8% cross linked resin is manufactured in the U.S. by Dow (HCR-S) and can be found on each softener link.

Q) There is so much information on the web, what do I believe?

A) You are exactly right. Companies who say that they have an exclusive product that pretty much looks like many other systems are telling you a "sales story" so you will buy from them. There are no secrets in this industry, but a lot of gimmicks. Beware of medias that have a unique name as this usually means that there are a variety of medias all mixed into the same tank in an attempt to cover all bases in one unit. Filter medias are mined out of the earth or manufactured. We operate in a small industry and there are no unique products, just unique ways of presenting them. We will recommend exactly what you need and do not try to up-size you to a bigger model.

Q) Does an RO (Reverse Osmosis) remove essential minerals from the water?

A) The minerals that you require comes from the foods that you eat and vitamin supplements. Typically companies who promote the myth that water has "essential minerals" in the water are trying to sell you some type of supplement or an alternative device that is not recognized within the water improvement industry. Other misinformation includes reports that drinking "just water" is somehow bad for you. This is comical and unsubstantiated by any medical information. Go to www.webmd.com for accurate information regarding this matter. Reverse Osmosis has been the choice of consumers for nearly 40 years to provide the best available technology in their homes for drinking water.

Q) How much sodium does a water softener put into the water?

A) A water softener exchanges an equal atomic weight of sodium for the hardness minerals calcium and magnesium. It does not add "twice the amount of sodium" as is misrepresented by a company that sells a high priced electromagnet on the Internet.

Q) You don't offer a tank jacket?

A) These inexpensive thin styrene covers crack and break after a short period of time and detract from the units appearance. If you have an issue with the tank sweating, wrap the unit in a water heater insulation wrap.

Q) How do I know what size system I need?

A) We have a water softener sizing calculator on our home page or you can contact us for a recommendation. You will need to know the hardness, iron levels (if any) and number in your household for this calculator to make a recommendation. Go to our "testing water / test kits" link if you do not know your hardness or iron levels.

Q) Can you help engineer a system for me?

A)

Yes! We need the following information to engineer a system for you.
(1) Your water hardness and iron levels. Other water test data may be required depending on the application and the water issue.
(2) Water usage per day (maximum). The average person uses 75 gallons per day at home and 20 gallons per day at work.
(3) What is the gallons per minute of the application? A total count of all water using fixtures is required in all commercial applications.

Q) What is the difference between a time clock and a metered water softener?

A) A time clock system regenerates on a set schedule (every 2 days, every 3 days, etc.). A metered unit (on demand system) regenerates based on your water usage and is more efficient in it's salt usage. Metered water softeners need to be sized for a minimum of three days between regenerations to be efficient. A time clock model does not necessarily need to be sized this way.

Q) How much will shipping cost?

A) Orders over $90 ship free ground to anywhere in the continental United States. Orders under $90 ~or~ if you live in Alaska, Hawaii or Canada, put your zip code or postal code in the estimated shipping cost box and it will calculate your shipping costs.

Q) Is there any assembly required with your products?

A) Many of our residential water softeners come completely assembled (we say on each product link). Unassembled systems come with a media funnel to pour the media into the tank. Some units come with the media preloaded.
Reverse Osmosis systems come completely assembled with the filters and membrane shipped separately.

Q) How long does it take for my order to ship?

A) We ship any order by the next business day (Monday - Friday). Refer to our UPS ground shipping chart under our help desk link to determine when your order will arrive. You can track the shipment from our site. We will provide you the tracking number and the carrier. UPS will send you an e-mail at the end of the day that the order ships giving you the ability to track the shipment. Some larger orders will require a semi truck with a lift gate delivery service (bringing the product down to the ground).

Q) Why do I need a bypass on a water softener or whole house filter?

A) A bypass allows to have the ability to turn off water supply to the softener without interrupting water supply to your home. The bypasses we sell will connect onto the back of the control valve. You may not need to order a bypass if you already have a "house bypass" that is in good working order and not connected to an old system.

Q) What do I need to know about the connectors to a water softener or whole house filter?

A) Our available piping connectors are shown on a drop down box on each product link. You will need to know what size your plumbing is. Lay a ruler or tape measure across the pipe. 3/4" copper or CPVC pipe is 7/8" in diameter. 3/4" PVC would measure 1 & 1/8". 1" copper and CPVC would measure 1 & 1/8" in diameter and PVC would measure 1 & 3/8".

Q) Do I need to add a grid to my brine tank?

A) You can add an optional grid from the SALT TANK link as some cheaper pellet salts tend to mush or cake. A grid holds the salt off of most of the water in an attempt to prevent this. Use a better grade of pellet salt or solar salt to prevent caking or mushing.

Q) What is the optional turbulator for?

A) The turbulator is an optional device that allows for increased backwash rate during the softeners' regeneration and for iron bearing well water only. It is also highly recommended that you use an "iron cleaning" type of salt in your water softener if you have iron in your water source. The Fleck 5600SXT, 6700 and 7000 series can be programmed to backwash both before and after the brine cycle, eliminating the need for the turbulator.