Hi all, is anyone familiar with Lifesource Water? I have a traditional water softener system, but have been able to find very little information on this company and its products. Apparently they use a technology called "Beotron" to perform no-salt water conditioning and whole-house water filtration. Does anyone here have first hand experience with this product, and whether it works as well as a regular ion-exchange water softener system? I've searched the web and newsgroups, but have found little to no accounts of first hand experience with this company and its products. Thanks!
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Advice on home water treatment systems (Lifesource Water?)
- Thread starter PHOEN$X
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Watery Quackery Schemes and Scams
http://www.chem1.com/CQ/gallery.html
look under beotron and follow the link
http://www.chem1.com/CQ/gallery.html
look under beotron and follow the link
and this from a post on alt.homerepair:
"This BEOTRON energy cell is not New Age mumbo jumbo but old-fashioned mumbo
jumbo with a little bit of New Age smell, i.e. 'LifeSource'. The BEOTRON
gimmick, whatever its form, is equivalent to many other snake-oil cures touted
for water-treatment systems. Usually they feature some sort of energy "fields"
(magnetic, electronic, ionic, force, radiation, etc.) produced by permanent
magnets, electromagnets, radionuclides, special ceramics, metalloceramics and
various other technical-sounding things. Frequently, they will have little
lights to show the thing is running and switches to turn the lights on or off.
They will work off of house current, small batteries or car batteries. Any
combination of hot wordbits such as alpha, beta, gamma, magn, mega, tron, etc.
will be put together as a name to put the mantle of technology over whatever
gadget or system is being hyped.
These scams are usually supported by testamonials from previous users who
don't realise or don't want to admit to themselves and others that they have
been (and maybe still are being) fleeced. We are talking about millions of
dollars per year. Even large companies, e.g. Bethlehem Steel, occasionally
fall victim.
When you talk technical specifics with the people peddling such gimmicks and
systems, they will technobabble with terms like 'ion transfer', 'activation
energy', 'nucleation', etc. When you press them for scientific operating
principles, they may plead proprietorship or show you some charts with
curves. When you ask for data sources, independent test results or
publications with some degree of legitimacy, they generally fold their
laptops and silently steal away.
In many cases, such as with the BEOTRON, the hook is partially disguised by an
apparentally legitimate but frequently unnecessary functional unit such as a
filter. The activated carbon filter associated with the BEOTRON may or may not
be a useful screen depending on your source of water and how much debris the
water carries. At least someone had the grace to suggest backwashing
periodically to prevent the bed from plugging up too soon. Of course, the
activated carbon won't stay active very long but then you would never know.
Don't get me wrong. There are many old and new water treatment systems that
work very well and, in most cases, are absolutely necessary. Unfortunately,
most of them are very expensive on a dollar per gallon basis, both in capital
and operating costs. In a home or small industrial system with no municipal
water, gallonage costs are horrendus and naive people are most vulnerable.
Regards -- Charles J. Sterner, ChE, P.E."
"This BEOTRON energy cell is not New Age mumbo jumbo but old-fashioned mumbo
jumbo with a little bit of New Age smell, i.e. 'LifeSource'. The BEOTRON
gimmick, whatever its form, is equivalent to many other snake-oil cures touted
for water-treatment systems. Usually they feature some sort of energy "fields"
(magnetic, electronic, ionic, force, radiation, etc.) produced by permanent
magnets, electromagnets, radionuclides, special ceramics, metalloceramics and
various other technical-sounding things. Frequently, they will have little
lights to show the thing is running and switches to turn the lights on or off.
They will work off of house current, small batteries or car batteries. Any
combination of hot wordbits such as alpha, beta, gamma, magn, mega, tron, etc.
will be put together as a name to put the mantle of technology over whatever
gadget or system is being hyped.
These scams are usually supported by testamonials from previous users who
don't realise or don't want to admit to themselves and others that they have
been (and maybe still are being) fleeced. We are talking about millions of
dollars per year. Even large companies, e.g. Bethlehem Steel, occasionally
fall victim.
When you talk technical specifics with the people peddling such gimmicks and
systems, they will technobabble with terms like 'ion transfer', 'activation
energy', 'nucleation', etc. When you press them for scientific operating
principles, they may plead proprietorship or show you some charts with
curves. When you ask for data sources, independent test results or
publications with some degree of legitimacy, they generally fold their
laptops and silently steal away.
In many cases, such as with the BEOTRON, the hook is partially disguised by an
apparentally legitimate but frequently unnecessary functional unit such as a
filter. The activated carbon filter associated with the BEOTRON may or may not
be a useful screen depending on your source of water and how much debris the
water carries. At least someone had the grace to suggest backwashing
periodically to prevent the bed from plugging up too soon. Of course, the
activated carbon won't stay active very long but then you would never know.
Don't get me wrong. There are many old and new water treatment systems that
work very well and, in most cases, are absolutely necessary. Unfortunately,
most of them are very expensive on a dollar per gallon basis, both in capital
and operating costs. In a home or small industrial system with no municipal
water, gallonage costs are horrendus and naive people are most vulnerable.
Regards -- Charles J. Sterner, ChE, P.E."
Where I live we have county water supply. Every couple years they send you the "water is clear" report. Just to be safe, I installed a culligan double canister under-sink filter for our drinking and cooking water.
I see no reason to filter the water for showers, gardening etc unless you have a well.
I see no reason to filter the water for showers, gardening etc unless you have a well.
Thanks, lemansnsx. I read those links too, and they certainly raised doubts for me, however I can't believe there is not more information available (positive or negative) for a company and a technology that have supposedly been around for 20 years. This lack of data seems suspicious to me, plus I have no idea how a "Beotron Energy Cell" works. 
hlweyl, I also receive the water quality reports from my city that state everything is well within federal guidelines. However, like you I also installed a reverse osmosis water filtration system (I assume that's what yours is) because water from the tap just doesn't taste that great to me. As for the water softener, I use it to battle the hard water problem in my water supply. The science behind a conventional water softener is pretty straightforward:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm
I have to admit though, the primary reason I got the softener was for the cars.
hlweyl, I also receive the water quality reports from my city that state everything is well within federal guidelines. However, like you I also installed a reverse osmosis water filtration system (I assume that's what yours is) because water from the tap just doesn't taste that great to me. As for the water softener, I use it to battle the hard water problem in my water supply. The science behind a conventional water softener is pretty straightforward:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm
I have to admit though, the primary reason I got the softener was for the cars.
I can't believe anyone would drink reverse osmosis water or use an old fahsioned salt-based softener with all the independent evidence available on the Internet. Reverse osmosis is a membrane technology usually sold with old fashioned salt-based water softeners to remove the sodium that softeners put in the water. Reverse osmosis removes all the minerals from the water and reduces the pH to very acidic levels. Check out what the World Health Organization or virtually any other semi-conscious health professional has to say about acidic water. The diet of most Americans is far too acidic. RO water is very acidic water. Its about the same as drinking a soda in pH. .
You need the natural minerals in water. And yes calcium, the major hard mineral, does cause spotting. But the harder the water the healthier the water. Don't believe me, there are literally hundreds of health related websites which will tell you the same.
I can understand using an old fashioned water softener to wash a car, but to use in your home? Hot water opens your skin pores,. That makes you much more susceptible to absorbing not only your bathing water but anything that is disolved in the water such as the sodium added by water softeners.
Hard water is simply a measure of the calcium and magnesium in your water. Salt -softeners take the calcium out and replace it with twice as much sodium. You can't simply take the calcium out of the water or it wouls make the water too acidic to run through your copper pipes. The sodium is smaller physically making it less noticeable when it dries on counters or other flat surfaces. But ask anyone who has a salt softener. If you don't wipe up your counters regularly salt softened water also leaves spotting on counters. However, sodium does not cling to surface areas like calcium. In other words, salt softening is not so much a solution to hard water as it trades one problem (spotting and residue) for a far worse problem - sodium saturated water.
I've had two open heart surgeries in less than 2 years. My cardiologist is strongly opposed to salt-based softeners. I'll take his word for it. If you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular or other health problems check with your doctor before using an old fashioned salt softener. You'll find that taking measures to minimize spotting and residue is far preferrable to sodium-saturated salt softened water.
When I checked out whole house water systems, the LifeSource system was by far the most widely recommended by independent experts. It is independently tested and certified by the Water Quality Association to meet NSF/ANSI filtration standards. That is a requirement for selling a water system in Wisconsin.
Buying an untested noncertified system doesn't make much sense anyway.
lemansnsx sounds like he's got an ax to grind. He/she had to run the quote from a news group because Charles J. Sterner, ChE, P.E, removed that analysis from his own website "wonkywater.com". In other words he no longer stands by what he previously wrote, but for some reason others dredge up dated quotes that he himself no longer stands behind.
My LifeSource system provides filtered clean bottle-quality water at every faucet. Its not perfect. There is some spotting especially on counters when water dries. But it is easy to clean up. We had a softener for many years, but dragging those 50 pound bags of salt around got more than a bit tired. And when we found out that the old softener was putting sodium in the water and generating 60 to 80 gallons of wasted salty brine pollution everytime it regenerated (almost daily), we said enough.
Friends have told us that in California have banned the salt-based softeners due to the environemtnal damage they do. I suspect that Wiusconsin and other pregressive environmentally sensitive states won't be far behind.
There are tradeoffs in life that you have to make. LifeSource is not sold as a softener and they make no claims that the Beotron is a softener. Ill-advised attacks on what the Beotron doesn't claim to be don't make any sense to me. Why anyone would want sodium saturated water and a pollution generator like the old fashioned softeners is beyond me.
Soft water is not healthy water. If that is what you want then so be it, but don't be making clownish claims.
Trade in your salt for clean filtered environmentally friendly water.
You need the natural minerals in water. And yes calcium, the major hard mineral, does cause spotting. But the harder the water the healthier the water. Don't believe me, there are literally hundreds of health related websites which will tell you the same.
I can understand using an old fashioned water softener to wash a car, but to use in your home? Hot water opens your skin pores,. That makes you much more susceptible to absorbing not only your bathing water but anything that is disolved in the water such as the sodium added by water softeners.
Hard water is simply a measure of the calcium and magnesium in your water. Salt -softeners take the calcium out and replace it with twice as much sodium. You can't simply take the calcium out of the water or it wouls make the water too acidic to run through your copper pipes. The sodium is smaller physically making it less noticeable when it dries on counters or other flat surfaces. But ask anyone who has a salt softener. If you don't wipe up your counters regularly salt softened water also leaves spotting on counters. However, sodium does not cling to surface areas like calcium. In other words, salt softening is not so much a solution to hard water as it trades one problem (spotting and residue) for a far worse problem - sodium saturated water.
I've had two open heart surgeries in less than 2 years. My cardiologist is strongly opposed to salt-based softeners. I'll take his word for it. If you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular or other health problems check with your doctor before using an old fashioned salt softener. You'll find that taking measures to minimize spotting and residue is far preferrable to sodium-saturated salt softened water.
When I checked out whole house water systems, the LifeSource system was by far the most widely recommended by independent experts. It is independently tested and certified by the Water Quality Association to meet NSF/ANSI filtration standards. That is a requirement for selling a water system in Wisconsin.
Buying an untested noncertified system doesn't make much sense anyway.
lemansnsx sounds like he's got an ax to grind. He/she had to run the quote from a news group because Charles J. Sterner, ChE, P.E, removed that analysis from his own website "wonkywater.com". In other words he no longer stands by what he previously wrote, but for some reason others dredge up dated quotes that he himself no longer stands behind.
My LifeSource system provides filtered clean bottle-quality water at every faucet. Its not perfect. There is some spotting especially on counters when water dries. But it is easy to clean up. We had a softener for many years, but dragging those 50 pound bags of salt around got more than a bit tired. And when we found out that the old softener was putting sodium in the water and generating 60 to 80 gallons of wasted salty brine pollution everytime it regenerated (almost daily), we said enough.
Friends have told us that in California have banned the salt-based softeners due to the environemtnal damage they do. I suspect that Wiusconsin and other pregressive environmentally sensitive states won't be far behind.
There are tradeoffs in life that you have to make. LifeSource is not sold as a softener and they make no claims that the Beotron is a softener. Ill-advised attacks on what the Beotron doesn't claim to be don't make any sense to me. Why anyone would want sodium saturated water and a pollution generator like the old fashioned softeners is beyond me.
Soft water is not healthy water. If that is what you want then so be it, but don't be making clownish claims.
Trade in your salt for clean filtered environmentally friendly water.
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I also live in Wisconsin and have a water softener. 8oz of soften water has the same amount of sodium as one slice of bread so saying softened water is saturated with sodium is incorrect at best. If you need to or choose to limit your sodium intake then you may not what to drink and cook with softened water.
I have also had an RO system for drinking water and as far as I know RO water is not acidic but since it has had everything taken out of it, it is aggressive and will dissolve copper pipe so every thing it touches needs to be plastic.
I have also had an RO system for drinking water and as far as I know RO water is not acidic but since it has had everything taken out of it, it is aggressive and will dissolve copper pipe so every thing it touches needs to be plastic.
Some of my work gets me involved in commercial water treatment for central plants. I am quite familiar with water softening, chemical treatment, reverse osmosis, eletromagnetic pulsing, hydrodynamic cavitation, electrolysis, and ozonation. As far as I can tell, I've never heard of Beotron water treatment. I couldn't find any information on it either.
As far as I can tell from the website, all their entire system consists of is a carbon fitration system with backwash blowdown cycle. If that's what they coin as the "Beotron" then that's probably all it is. Which, isn't per se, a bad thing depending on what you are looking for and the cost. The carbon filter is much like your Brita water filter and gets rid of the same stuff the Brita filter gets rid of; things like lead, odor, taste, particulates, etc. The backwash blowdown will keep it effective longer, but you'll still need to replace the carbon filter. I'm not sure it will do much for hard water or hard water precipitation deposits; typically carbon filters don't to much in that regard. This is confirmed that the website never specifically address hard water or calcium or magnesium ions. The good news is that it doesn't add sodium to the water. In many areas, the added sodium is as much polution as typical waste and because of that, many water authorities hate salt based water softeners.
As far as I can tell from the website, all their entire system consists of is a carbon fitration system with backwash blowdown cycle. If that's what they coin as the "Beotron" then that's probably all it is. Which, isn't per se, a bad thing depending on what you are looking for and the cost. The carbon filter is much like your Brita water filter and gets rid of the same stuff the Brita filter gets rid of; things like lead, odor, taste, particulates, etc. The backwash blowdown will keep it effective longer, but you'll still need to replace the carbon filter. I'm not sure it will do much for hard water or hard water precipitation deposits; typically carbon filters don't to much in that regard. This is confirmed that the website never specifically address hard water or calcium or magnesium ions. The good news is that it doesn't add sodium to the water. In many areas, the added sodium is as much polution as typical waste and because of that, many water authorities hate salt based water softeners.
Briank. Appreciate your thoughtful response. Where in Wisconsin? I'm down south in Janesville/Beloit area.
I did a lot of research before buying. The idea that an 8oz glass of water only has as much sodium as slice of bread is simply wrong. Your water softener salesman made that up. The amount of sodium depends on the hardness of the water. Harder water will result in higher amounts of sodium in your water. And besides, why lug the salt bags around. I grew tired of that when it was my job while I was in high school!!
The very fact that you can't run reverse osmosis water through copper pipe is the evidence of low pH. The lower the pH the more acidic the water. The EPA sets MCL (Minimum Contaminant Level or Maximum Contaminant Level) for water at 6.5 to 8.5. Water below 6.5 - won't happen in city treated water but does occur in private well water upon occassion. We had that experience on our private well up north. The solution was a calcite feeder which added calcium to the water to bring the pH above 6.5. Below 6.5 produces that bluish-green residue you may have seen.
Drinking water that is too acidic to run through copper or other metal pipe does not make sense to me. Again check out the experts like Dr. Cass Ingram (How to Eat Right to Live Longer), Dr. Martin Fox (Healthy Water for Longer Life), Chet Day's Health & Beyond website http://chetday.com/reverseosmosis.htm, or the World Health Organization website (www.who.int and search "minerals in water") to name just a very few independent references of the adverse effects of reverse osmosis water.
And by the way, the average person absorbs more water from showering or bathing during a day (assuming you use hot water) than he/she drinks. Your body's digestive system can be a defense mechanism against adverse effects of something consumed. But Dr. Ingram makes the point in his book that absorbing the same through the skin may be more harmful than drinking the same water. Besides the wife enjoys showering in chlorine free water. Says she does not need to use as much creams and lotions. Can't say I notice much difference in my skin - but I do know that I hated the slick slimy feel from the salt softener.
Sorry to be so lengthy. Health and environment are two hot buttons for me!
I am in Brookfield, WI
I disagree, see http://www.cargillsalt.com/dc_salt_about_faqs_water_cond.htm#P2_2988
"Can salt enter my drinking water?
No. Salt's sole purpose in your water softener is to regenerate the resin beads that actually take the hardness out of your water. This exchange does not make your water taste salty or significantly increase your sodium intake."
Again I disagree, evendence is not fact.
See http://www.wqa.org/sitelogic.cfm?ID=1372
"Answer
.....Reverse Osmosis-treated water is aggressive to metallic pipe or to substances that can ionize and dissolve in water—not because of low pH (acidity), but because it is highly pure and has few dissolved substances in it.
.....Water is called the universal solvent; it always "wants" to have substances dissolved in it. The less it has, the more aggressive it becomes in attacking things that can dissolve. This doesn’t hurt the human body, of course, because our physiology quickly obtains homeostasis using saliva, stomach fluids, etc. to equilibrate all bodily fluids."
Just because water has all the minerals removed does not make it bad it just makes it lacking in the minerals that may be benificial.
The recommended intake of water is 8oz X 8 = 64 oz I have trouble with the thought of soaking up more then a half a gallon of water a day. People loose way more then they soak up through reparation and perspiration.
Sorry for challenging your assumptions and misunderstanding but getting the fact's right is my hot button.
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Amazing the amount of views vs. comments.
I have a rain soft system, and got ripped off when I got it. To this day I cant stand when they have to come out and do their yearly check up. For a week before and after, I try to find a better system, then I forget until they come again next year.
It is a salt system.
I have a well with lots of particulates.
I hate to pay them every year to come out.
Vega$ NSX: you work with this stuff, what would you suggest?
Any body else have a good experience with well water treatment?
I have a rain soft system, and got ripped off when I got it. To this day I cant stand when they have to come out and do their yearly check up. For a week before and after, I try to find a better system, then I forget until they come again next year.
It is a salt system.
I have a well with lots of particulates.
I hate to pay them every year to come out.
Vega$ NSX: you work with this stuff, what would you suggest?
Any body else have a good experience with well water treatment?
Here is another link to technical info on a variety of water treatment systems:
Household Water Treatment
I am in the process of reserching and shopping for a water treatment system for a home we will be moving into in a couple weeks. I stumbled across this thread, which has been very helpful! Thanks to all of you who have contributed, either for or against the LifeSource system. We have a LifeSource guy coming out next week to give us his schpiel, but I'm still a little suspicious of this whole industry after spending a day Googling everything I can find on it...
Look, I don't think we care much about the hardness or the water. The water here in Northern California is relatively soft. But we have a 3yo little boy and want to be sure all of the water in the house is fine for drinking, bathing, etc.. I found lots of info on the different systems out there, but it's been VERY hard to find any good independent reviews of these whole house systems. In fact, I haven't found on that wasn't biased in one way or another. So what am I to do? I'd prefer a system that doesn't require a ton of maintenance, if possible. I'd be willing to pay a little extra for that. But I don't want to pay a $2k-3k premium for a nicely dressed carbon filter that washes itself off.
Any advice?
Thanks again for the great info!
eddie
Look, I don't think we care much about the hardness or the water. The water here in Northern California is relatively soft. But we have a 3yo little boy and want to be sure all of the water in the house is fine for drinking, bathing, etc.. I found lots of info on the different systems out there, but it's been VERY hard to find any good independent reviews of these whole house systems. In fact, I haven't found on that wasn't biased in one way or another. So what am I to do? I'd prefer a system that doesn't require a ton of maintenance, if possible. I'd be willing to pay a little extra for that. But I don't want to pay a $2k-3k premium for a nicely dressed carbon filter that washes itself off.
Any advice?
Thanks again for the great info!
eddie
Brian,
I see that you are as misinformed as previously but now with many misleading sources to support your errors.
Here's a tip. Going to a salt company to to ask about their products is not the best way to get objective information about salt and related products. They are not likely to give you the most accurate information.
That being said, Cargill did not lie on their website. But you did not ask the right question. No one ever said that salt water softeners put "salt" in your water. The process used by all salt water softeners is known technically as "ion exchange."
What this means is that a salt softener has resin beads which are charged or coated with salt (usually sodium chloride). As water moves through these resin beads they remove the calcium and magnesium from the water. Since removing calcium and magnesium from your water would make it very acidic (reduce its pH) those minerals are replaced with twice as much sodium. This keeps the mineral level up and balances the water's acidity or pH.
"Salt" is not added to your water. No one ever said it was. But plenty of sodium is added to your water. Therein lies the problem.
You might want to check a bit more reliable a website about how things work. Try http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm to understand how a water softener works. Or you might want to read Dr. Cass Ingram's bestselling book HOW TO EAT RIGHT TO LIVE LONGER. He has a chapter on water and includes an accurate description of how a salt softener works. Another website which includes accurate information is from the Minnesota Real Estate Update (Minnesota has very hard water in general):
www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/04/06/how-does-a-home-water-softener-work/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmnrealestateupdate.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fhow-
does-water-softener-work.html&frame=true.
Since you are partial to the Water Quality Association, see its explanation of how a water softener works: "A typical water softener works on the principal of "cation exchange," in which the ions of hardness minerals (an ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms) like calcium and magnesium are exchanged for sodium ions, effectively reducing the concentration of hardness minerals to insignificant levels. As the water enters the softener, it passes over a resin bed in a special tank. The resin is made up of tiny beads . . . . These beads attract and hold sodium or potassium ions. The beads will exchange sodium or potassium for hardness ions such as magnesium or calcium whenever the hardness ions are encountered. . . . See the whole article at http://wqa.org.
I am not quite sure what you mean when you write "Evedence (sic) is not fact." regarding RO water. If evidence isn't fact what is?
To argue that RO water is aggressive, corrosive and can actually eat holes in metal like copper pipe, but that it is not acidic or potentially harmful for human consumption is simply ludicrous. Calling a rose a tree does not change the fact that a rose is a rose. Saying that RO water is not acidic (an assertion that is easily disproved by doing a simple pH test from kits that are available from most hardware stores) is simply factually wrong.
But to argue that "Reverse Osmosis-treated water is aggressive to metallic pipe or to substances that can ionize and dissolve in water—not because of low pH (acidity), but because it is highly pure and has few dissolved substances in it." and conclude therefore that it is ideal for human consumption is simple nonsense.
Water is not that hard to understand. Common sense is all that most people need to separate the nonsense: "Salt softened and reverse osmosis water is good" from the bad: "Hard water is bad." The facts clearly show the opposite.
The idea that reverse osmosis water that is corrosive to metal is NOT potentially harmful is simply ridiculous. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released an extensive report on the dangers of salt softened and reverse osmosis water (both of which they grouped as "demineralized" water).
An excerpt from the World Health Organization's Rolling Revision (August 2004) “Rolling Revision of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality” reads:
“The group concluded that there is sufficient epidemiological evidence of an inverse relationship between calcium and magnesium concentrations in drinking water and ischemic heart disease mortality, and that consumption of water containing calcium and magnesium, and therefore also the reintroduction of Mg and Ca into demineralized water in the remineralization process would likely provide health benefits in those consumer populations. There are no known harmful human health effects associated with the addition of calcium and magnesium within a large range and the nutritional benefits are well known. In addition, limited but suggestive evidence exists for benefits associated with other diseases (stroke, renal stone formation, cognitive impairment in elderly, very low birth weight, bone fractures among children, pregnancy complications, hypertension, and possibly some cancers). Adding calcium and magnesium to the demineralized water would be a relatively inexpensive preventive intervention that does not require individual behavioural change, and it is already done as part of many water treatment processes. The intervention could not only provide health benefits but also help reduce medical care costs.”
Contrary to your assertion, demineralized water IS bad for you. The evidence is clear and compelling. While you claim that you are simply looking for facts on which to base decisions, it seems much more likely that you already reached a conclusion and have done your best to justify it.
Finally a good independent website by a doctor who specializes in water is www.healthywater.com, written by Dr. Martin Fox. Dr. Fox is the author of the water classic "Healthy Water for a Longer Life." All articles are heavily documented with sources from professional journals.
Read what Dr. Fox says about reverse osmosis or demineralized water under the title:"De- Mineralized Water: Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Distillers":
"De-mineralized water contains very little or no minerals. This is the type of water you get if you use a distiller, reverse osmosis (RO), or de-ionization.
"Creating a "healthy water" means removing the harmful agents but keeping the beneficial minerals. According to Dr. John Sorenson, a leading authority on mineral metabolism, 'Minerals in drinking water are more easily and better absorbed than minerals from food.'"
He includes pages of professional references.
You should also take a look at his comments titled:
"Bottled Waters: Are all Created Equal?"
"Bottled water is big business. And it usually tastes better than what comes out of the tap. But is it "healthy water?" It depends.
"Is it hard? Is it moderately high in TDS (total dissolved solids)? Most bottled waters in the United States do not give the information you need to know to answer the questions. Request a complete water analysis from the company or check their web site.
"Many bottled waters are processed water using distillation, reverse osmosis, de-ionization or filtration. Frankly you can do this yourself and save money.
"With over 700 brands of bottled water available in the US around 80% are processed water.
"Purchase only bottled natural spring or artesian well waters that come closest to the "healthy water" criteria – hardness 170 mg/l and TDS around 300 mg/l."
While you don't believe that skin absorption of sodium from softened water is a concern (contrary to the American Heart Association's position) I would suggest you reconsider. You are correct, people do in fact lose water from heat caused dehydration etc. However, they do not lose the sodium or other contaminant that they may already absorbed through their skin. And as I stated before, my primary objection to bathing in salt softened water was the slick, slimy, can't-get-the-darned soap off my skin feel. The fact is, salt softened water is not good for drinking, cooking, using on your plants (even salt softener companies tell you not to use softened water on flowers and plants) or bathing.
Bathing in filtered clean water is much to be preferred to bathing in sodium-saturated water.
And we have not even talked about the disastrous environmental aspects of both salt softened water and reverse osmosis. Many cities in California have banned salt softeners due to the tremendous pollution water they produce from the chloride waste generated from their regeneration cycle. And that doesn't even count the great water waste each time a system regenerates.
Every time the resin beads in the salt softener need to be recharged to produce more soft water (typically every couple days for a family of four) it generates a corrosive deadly salt brine waste that is flushed into the sewer system. That brine makes it very difficult and expensive for the water district to reclaim that water even for agricultural purposes.
Water is a diminishing resource throughout the world. Reverse osmosis units waste was much as 6 to 8 gallons for every one gallon produced for consumption. Many of the same states and cites that are moving to ban salt softeners due to their waste and pollution are now taking up potential bans on reverse osmosis.
Your devotion to a dangerous, outdated and environmentally damaging technology is understandable only in light of the great amount of misinformation that the salt based water softening industry uses to promote its products. But the very fact that you are obviously sharp enough to do research that clearly disproves all their claims belies your devotion to "facts."
I see that you are as misinformed as previously but now with many misleading sources to support your errors.
Here's a tip. Going to a salt company to to ask about their products is not the best way to get objective information about salt and related products. They are not likely to give you the most accurate information.
That being said, Cargill did not lie on their website. But you did not ask the right question. No one ever said that salt water softeners put "salt" in your water. The process used by all salt water softeners is known technically as "ion exchange."
What this means is that a salt softener has resin beads which are charged or coated with salt (usually sodium chloride). As water moves through these resin beads they remove the calcium and magnesium from the water. Since removing calcium and magnesium from your water would make it very acidic (reduce its pH) those minerals are replaced with twice as much sodium. This keeps the mineral level up and balances the water's acidity or pH.
"Salt" is not added to your water. No one ever said it was. But plenty of sodium is added to your water. Therein lies the problem.
You might want to check a bit more reliable a website about how things work. Try http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm to understand how a water softener works. Or you might want to read Dr. Cass Ingram's bestselling book HOW TO EAT RIGHT TO LIVE LONGER. He has a chapter on water and includes an accurate description of how a salt softener works. Another website which includes accurate information is from the Minnesota Real Estate Update (Minnesota has very hard water in general):
www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/04/06/how-does-a-home-water-softener-work/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmnrealestateupdate.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fhow-
does-water-softener-work.html&frame=true.
Since you are partial to the Water Quality Association, see its explanation of how a water softener works: "A typical water softener works on the principal of "cation exchange," in which the ions of hardness minerals (an ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms) like calcium and magnesium are exchanged for sodium ions, effectively reducing the concentration of hardness minerals to insignificant levels. As the water enters the softener, it passes over a resin bed in a special tank. The resin is made up of tiny beads . . . . These beads attract and hold sodium or potassium ions. The beads will exchange sodium or potassium for hardness ions such as magnesium or calcium whenever the hardness ions are encountered. . . . See the whole article at http://wqa.org.
I am not quite sure what you mean when you write "Evedence (sic) is not fact." regarding RO water. If evidence isn't fact what is?
To argue that RO water is aggressive, corrosive and can actually eat holes in metal like copper pipe, but that it is not acidic or potentially harmful for human consumption is simply ludicrous. Calling a rose a tree does not change the fact that a rose is a rose. Saying that RO water is not acidic (an assertion that is easily disproved by doing a simple pH test from kits that are available from most hardware stores) is simply factually wrong.
But to argue that "Reverse Osmosis-treated water is aggressive to metallic pipe or to substances that can ionize and dissolve in water—not because of low pH (acidity), but because it is highly pure and has few dissolved substances in it." and conclude therefore that it is ideal for human consumption is simple nonsense.
Water is not that hard to understand. Common sense is all that most people need to separate the nonsense: "Salt softened and reverse osmosis water is good" from the bad: "Hard water is bad." The facts clearly show the opposite.
The idea that reverse osmosis water that is corrosive to metal is NOT potentially harmful is simply ridiculous. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released an extensive report on the dangers of salt softened and reverse osmosis water (both of which they grouped as "demineralized" water).
An excerpt from the World Health Organization's Rolling Revision (August 2004) “Rolling Revision of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality” reads:
“The group concluded that there is sufficient epidemiological evidence of an inverse relationship between calcium and magnesium concentrations in drinking water and ischemic heart disease mortality, and that consumption of water containing calcium and magnesium, and therefore also the reintroduction of Mg and Ca into demineralized water in the remineralization process would likely provide health benefits in those consumer populations. There are no known harmful human health effects associated with the addition of calcium and magnesium within a large range and the nutritional benefits are well known. In addition, limited but suggestive evidence exists for benefits associated with other diseases (stroke, renal stone formation, cognitive impairment in elderly, very low birth weight, bone fractures among children, pregnancy complications, hypertension, and possibly some cancers). Adding calcium and magnesium to the demineralized water would be a relatively inexpensive preventive intervention that does not require individual behavioural change, and it is already done as part of many water treatment processes. The intervention could not only provide health benefits but also help reduce medical care costs.”
Contrary to your assertion, demineralized water IS bad for you. The evidence is clear and compelling. While you claim that you are simply looking for facts on which to base decisions, it seems much more likely that you already reached a conclusion and have done your best to justify it.
Finally a good independent website by a doctor who specializes in water is www.healthywater.com, written by Dr. Martin Fox. Dr. Fox is the author of the water classic "Healthy Water for a Longer Life." All articles are heavily documented with sources from professional journals.
Read what Dr. Fox says about reverse osmosis or demineralized water under the title:"De- Mineralized Water: Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Distillers":
"De-mineralized water contains very little or no minerals. This is the type of water you get if you use a distiller, reverse osmosis (RO), or de-ionization.
"Creating a "healthy water" means removing the harmful agents but keeping the beneficial minerals. According to Dr. John Sorenson, a leading authority on mineral metabolism, 'Minerals in drinking water are more easily and better absorbed than minerals from food.'"
He includes pages of professional references.
You should also take a look at his comments titled:
"Bottled Waters: Are all Created Equal?"
"Bottled water is big business. And it usually tastes better than what comes out of the tap. But is it "healthy water?" It depends.
"Is it hard? Is it moderately high in TDS (total dissolved solids)? Most bottled waters in the United States do not give the information you need to know to answer the questions. Request a complete water analysis from the company or check their web site.
"Many bottled waters are processed water using distillation, reverse osmosis, de-ionization or filtration. Frankly you can do this yourself and save money.
"With over 700 brands of bottled water available in the US around 80% are processed water.
"Purchase only bottled natural spring or artesian well waters that come closest to the "healthy water" criteria – hardness 170 mg/l and TDS around 300 mg/l."
While you don't believe that skin absorption of sodium from softened water is a concern (contrary to the American Heart Association's position) I would suggest you reconsider. You are correct, people do in fact lose water from heat caused dehydration etc. However, they do not lose the sodium or other contaminant that they may already absorbed through their skin. And as I stated before, my primary objection to bathing in salt softened water was the slick, slimy, can't-get-the-darned soap off my skin feel. The fact is, salt softened water is not good for drinking, cooking, using on your plants (even salt softener companies tell you not to use softened water on flowers and plants) or bathing.
Bathing in filtered clean water is much to be preferred to bathing in sodium-saturated water.
And we have not even talked about the disastrous environmental aspects of both salt softened water and reverse osmosis. Many cities in California have banned salt softeners due to the tremendous pollution water they produce from the chloride waste generated from their regeneration cycle. And that doesn't even count the great water waste each time a system regenerates.
Every time the resin beads in the salt softener need to be recharged to produce more soft water (typically every couple days for a family of four) it generates a corrosive deadly salt brine waste that is flushed into the sewer system. That brine makes it very difficult and expensive for the water district to reclaim that water even for agricultural purposes.
Water is a diminishing resource throughout the world. Reverse osmosis units waste was much as 6 to 8 gallons for every one gallon produced for consumption. Many of the same states and cites that are moving to ban salt softeners due to their waste and pollution are now taking up potential bans on reverse osmosis.
Your devotion to a dangerous, outdated and environmentally damaging technology is understandable only in light of the great amount of misinformation that the salt based water softening industry uses to promote its products. But the very fact that you are obviously sharp enough to do research that clearly disproves all their claims belies your devotion to "facts."
As usual I really have nothing to add, There was a guy I met many years ago who was in his 50's. He was trying to get me to buy some water system he developed and apparently sold to hollywood stars and athletes. The cost was over 10k. I never did buy the system, but here is the shocker...huge shocker. I met with him again on a seperate issue, I was buying his mothers house. He looked 10 years younger than he looked 5 years eariler when I first met him. He had grown back a full head of hair and just looked VERY vibrant. He told me it was because of the water filter he had created. I was just shocked. I don't know the name of the system and have since lost the guys phone number.
I was just shocked at how much younger this guy looked.
I was just shocked at how much younger this guy looked.
This is an interesting thread. I think it is interesting to note that the LifeSource site offers no information whatsoever on how their system works. Click the technology tab and you see the various components but none explain the science. Only the carbon filtering has obvious benefit. The mysterious beotron module is unexplained. I suspect the long life of this system is due to its simplicity.
I see no inherent reason to trust the Water Quality Association. It is a trade association and exists for the benefit of the water treatment industry.
Some ridiculous statements in this thread. More water absorbed through the skin in hot showers than ingested orally? Please cite some references please. I find a few studies that discuss the absorbtion of chlorine but none that suggest meaningful water intake through the skin. It seems this would be easy to test simply by weighing the body before and after a shower after fully drying the skin and hair.
I see no inherent reason to trust the Water Quality Association. It is a trade association and exists for the benefit of the water treatment industry.
Some ridiculous statements in this thread. More water absorbed through the skin in hot showers than ingested orally? Please cite some references please. I find a few studies that discuss the absorbtion of chlorine but none that suggest meaningful water intake through the skin. It seems this would be easy to test simply by weighing the body before and after a shower after fully drying the skin and hair.
Or just simply not having to pee after a shower.:biggrin:
I don't know too much about home water filtration, but my wife just had a kenetico (sp?) installed in our house. A friend of ours who got a smaller kenetico system than us took a sample of their water to Sears to see what systems they offerred that could get the same results and the lab guys/saleman there told her not to bring in Bottled water because no home system can get the water that clean. Came right our of her sink...
(It's cool because I'm to lazy to turn on the bypass, so I wash the NSX with filtered water :tongue: )
(It's cool because I'm to lazy to turn on the bypass, so I wash the NSX with filtered water :tongue: )
Basically any system has it pluses and minuses and it comes down to how clean you want your water. yalizh's militant and baseless comments are all about justifying with extreme prejudice his expensive purchase and use of the LifeSource Carbon filtration system.
Just one of yalizh's many kooky claims.
In all of the content he cites for why reverse osmosis is "bad" by the WHO etc., i see nothing that says anything of the sort other than that people need to get the missing minerals that are not in the RO filtered water.
Yes, RO wastes water. But it is pretty much the only option if you want water that is completely clean. Also, it is expensive since filters need to be replaced yearly.
RO filtered water is equivalent to rain water, neither of which have any minerals. So if RO is so bad, then the water all of life has been consuming for all time is harmful.
This website has information about reverse osmosis:
http://knol.google.com/k/reverse-osmosis-water-filter-guide-truth-lies-minerals-your-health#
ex. One glass of orange juice has the same amount of minerals as 30 gallons of tap water.
ex. Reverse osmosis removes many contaminants that countertop and faucet carbon filters cannot including viruses, bacteria, pesticides, arsenic, fluoride, drugs, cryptosporidium, mercury, nitrates, microbes, heavy metals, all radioactive materials, and many more.
I personally have a RO system that i spend $200 on having serviced every year as well as a Kitchenaide Superba refrigerator based carbon filter for drinking water and ice cubes. I split my use of these systems depending on application and it works fine. I just wish the RO servicing wasn't so expensive.
When it comes to health, there is so much BS coming from every direction you have to look for well grounded science to make a decision as well as considering your budget and exact purity requirements.
Good luck, PHOEN$X.
Just one of yalizh's many kooky claims.
In all of the content he cites for why reverse osmosis is "bad" by the WHO etc., i see nothing that says anything of the sort other than that people need to get the missing minerals that are not in the RO filtered water.
Yes, RO wastes water. But it is pretty much the only option if you want water that is completely clean. Also, it is expensive since filters need to be replaced yearly.
RO filtered water is equivalent to rain water, neither of which have any minerals. So if RO is so bad, then the water all of life has been consuming for all time is harmful.
This website has information about reverse osmosis:
http://knol.google.com/k/reverse-osmosis-water-filter-guide-truth-lies-minerals-your-health#
ex. One glass of orange juice has the same amount of minerals as 30 gallons of tap water.
ex. Reverse osmosis removes many contaminants that countertop and faucet carbon filters cannot including viruses, bacteria, pesticides, arsenic, fluoride, drugs, cryptosporidium, mercury, nitrates, microbes, heavy metals, all radioactive materials, and many more.
I personally have a RO system that i spend $200 on having serviced every year as well as a Kitchenaide Superba refrigerator based carbon filter for drinking water and ice cubes. I split my use of these systems depending on application and it works fine. I just wish the RO servicing wasn't so expensive.
When it comes to health, there is so much BS coming from every direction you have to look for well grounded science to make a decision as well as considering your budget and exact purity requirements.
Good luck, PHOEN$X.
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Unbelievable how many posts from knuckleheads who search water treatment, see a thread here, spew their sales pitch and never come back.
I found a solution for my well water from this website:
http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/
I talked to Gerry, he advised me what I needed for my water situation.
Its been 2 years and I am extremely happy.
Water treatment is like buying a mattress... a mystery wrapped up in an enigma.
Gerry at The Clean Water Store was great, I definitely recommend them.
Edit: I put the entire system in myself, and maintain it myself.... This to me is huge.
I found a solution for my well water from this website:
http://www.cleanwaterstore.com/
I talked to Gerry, he advised me what I needed for my water situation.
Its been 2 years and I am extremely happy.
Water treatment is like buying a mattress... a mystery wrapped up in an enigma.
Gerry at The Clean Water Store was great, I definitely recommend them.
Edit: I put the entire system in myself, and maintain it myself.... This to me is huge.
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Damn, I keep hoping this thread would die but it still gets views and responses after more than 7 years.
Anyway, I ended up going with a traditional water softener (from Home Depot) and RO system (from Costco). I'm pretty happy, and healthy, so far.
THE END.
Anyway, I ended up going with a traditional water softener (from Home Depot) and RO system (from Costco). I'm pretty happy, and healthy, so far.
THE END.
- Joined
- 18 April 2017
- Messages
- 1
I am planning to add a water softener to my home since we have hard water problems. I plan to also run a separate line off the softener so I can wash my cars.
I am also planning on buying a electromagnetic water softener which my plumber recommends. This will allow it to be run through the entire house and be used for cooking, ice cubes and drinking.
Have any of you had any experience with this kind of water softener instead of the typical salt based systems.
Thanks!
Update: I finally got my Water Softener from Amazon and I am just loving it..
I am also planning on buying a electromagnetic water softener which my plumber recommends. This will allow it to be run through the entire house and be used for cooking, ice cubes and drinking.
Have any of you had any experience with this kind of water softener instead of the typical salt based systems.
Thanks!
Update: I finally got my Water Softener from Amazon and I am just loving it..
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Tips for Choosing the Right Water Filter For Your Home
You have made the wise decision to install a water filter system into your home. Water is what you drink, cook with, and bathe in, so having poor water can easily make you and your family sick. The more proactive you are about your home’s water quality, the more proactive you are about your health.
Water filter systems change many noticeable properties in water, including turbidity, taste, color, iron content, and odor. Dirty or chemical-filled water is easy to change with a simple water filter, but finding the right home water filter to fit your needs best can be tricky. At water treatment Systems, we believe that each customer has a unique situation, so the “one size fits all” concept does not apply to water systems.
Tips for Choosing the Right In-Home Water Treatment System
Find Your water’s problem before purchasing a filter
A free water test can easily determine what, and how severe issues are with your water filter. A free water test can detect iron, hydrogen sulfide gas, acidity, chlorine, and many other issues. After receiving the results from the water test, determine what factors are important to you. Is a pH balanced water supply important when deciding the type of filter to purchase? If so, consider a water filter that concentrates on that issue. If reducing chlorine is your biggest concern, then finding a water filter that can remove chlorine is a smart investment. Many filters can remove a combination of problems, and your water filtration company can help you find a system that fits your unique needs.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Home Water Filters
Typically, after a home has been built, it is difficult and more expensive to install a water filter for both your indoor and outdoor water supply. Usually installing only an indoor filter is more cost effective and simple. If your primary concern is to only filter water indoors, let your water filtration company know to concentrate on systems meant for indoor use only. If you are hoping to filter outdoor water as well to improve landscaping or ensure your children’s water toys are not spreading germs and hoarding unwanted chemicals, your water filtration company can find a system desired for both indoor and outdoor use.
Know Your Flow Rate
Similar to water softeners and water heaters, it is important to understand how much water your household uses on a daily basis. As with all home water filter systems, a single person living alone will most likely use less water than a family of four. Considering the technology and the size of each system helps save money and conserve water in the long-run. Follow these tips to find the best water filter system for your family and you’re bound to have remarkable water resulting in better taste, a better home, and a better you!
What Homeowners Should Look for When Choosing a Water Treatment Company
To help find the right water treatment solution for your home’s water, you’ll turn to local water treatment and filtration companies. However, with something as important as your home’s water, you’ll want to be sure that you’re hiring a top professional company to perform the job and provide the best solutions. Hiring the right water treatment company will not only provide you with the most thorough installation but also excellent service and assistance for years to come.
With so many water treatment and filtration companies in Northwestern Pennsylvania, how can you be sure you’re hiring the right people for the job? How do you know if the water softener or filtration system if the right solution for your issues? To help navigate you through the process, we put together our advice on what to look for when hiring a water treatment company.
Certified Water Treatment Specialists vs. Plumber
Most people don’t realize that there’s actually certification tests required to become a water treatment specialist. In order to pass the certification exam, individuals must understand water chemistry and the technology behind all of the various water filtration and treatment options and equipment. In addition, water treatment specialists must be training on plumbing codes and connections.
However, plumbers, on the other hand, may be able to install a water filter unit for you but most likely will be unable to analysis your water issues and recommend a water treatment solution. Therefore, you may not end up with the right filtration system for your home’s water specific concerns. Therefore, it’s crucial that you make sure the company you choose employs certified water treatment specialists.
Are They Certified by The Water Quality Association?
The Water Quality Association is a third-party trade organization which performs rigorous testing on water filtration units to assess performance. Water filtration systems that receive the Goal Seal from the Water Quality Association have been thoroughly tested to prove their ability to work in homes for a minimum of 10 years. In addition, water treatment companies that are a part of the Water Quality Association have proven their professionalism and advanced capabilities in water filtration solutions.
Do They Have a Valid Insurance Policy?
It’s imperative to make sure that any water treatment system installation company working in your home has an adequate amount of general liability insurance. Working with a company with insurance coverage will help protect you by lowering your chances of being held liable in case an incident or accidents occur.
Do They Offer a Guarantee or Warranty?
Most top professional water treatment companies stand behind their products and systems by offering a proper guarantee for their services. Look for companies that offer a trial guarantee and transparent maintenance warranties on their products as these offerings will help you feel confident in making a decision.
How Experienced are They?
Purchasing a water treatment system for your home is an important decision on that may require you to take some time and do your research. When shopping around, be sure to ask companies about their experience with analyzing water and installing water filtration systems. While you should be curious about how long the company has been in business, you will also want to know their general types of experiences they’ve had.
How’s Your Home’s Water?
Interested in Hiring a Water Treatment Company for your Home?
If you’ve got water problems, Clearwater Systems has solutions. Before you select a treatment for your water, use the handy chart above to help determine what contaminants are present and read through all of the options available to you. Once you have an idea about what is causing your home’s water problems, contact us to schedule your free in-home water analysis.
You have made the wise decision to install a water filter system into your home. Water is what you drink, cook with, and bathe in, so having poor water can easily make you and your family sick. The more proactive you are about your home’s water quality, the more proactive you are about your health.
Water filter systems change many noticeable properties in water, including turbidity, taste, color, iron content, and odor. Dirty or chemical-filled water is easy to change with a simple water filter, but finding the right home water filter to fit your needs best can be tricky. At water treatment Systems, we believe that each customer has a unique situation, so the “one size fits all” concept does not apply to water systems.
Tips for Choosing the Right In-Home Water Treatment System
Find Your water’s problem before purchasing a filter
A free water test can easily determine what, and how severe issues are with your water filter. A free water test can detect iron, hydrogen sulfide gas, acidity, chlorine, and many other issues. After receiving the results from the water test, determine what factors are important to you. Is a pH balanced water supply important when deciding the type of filter to purchase? If so, consider a water filter that concentrates on that issue. If reducing chlorine is your biggest concern, then finding a water filter that can remove chlorine is a smart investment. Many filters can remove a combination of problems, and your water filtration company can help you find a system that fits your unique needs.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Home Water Filters
Typically, after a home has been built, it is difficult and more expensive to install a water filter for both your indoor and outdoor water supply. Usually installing only an indoor filter is more cost effective and simple. If your primary concern is to only filter water indoors, let your water filtration company know to concentrate on systems meant for indoor use only. If you are hoping to filter outdoor water as well to improve landscaping or ensure your children’s water toys are not spreading germs and hoarding unwanted chemicals, your water filtration company can find a system desired for both indoor and outdoor use.
Know Your Flow Rate
Similar to water softeners and water heaters, it is important to understand how much water your household uses on a daily basis. As with all home water filter systems, a single person living alone will most likely use less water than a family of four. Considering the technology and the size of each system helps save money and conserve water in the long-run. Follow these tips to find the best water filter system for your family and you’re bound to have remarkable water resulting in better taste, a better home, and a better you!
What Homeowners Should Look for When Choosing a Water Treatment Company
To help find the right water treatment solution for your home’s water, you’ll turn to local water treatment and filtration companies. However, with something as important as your home’s water, you’ll want to be sure that you’re hiring a top professional company to perform the job and provide the best solutions. Hiring the right water treatment company will not only provide you with the most thorough installation but also excellent service and assistance for years to come.
With so many water treatment and filtration companies in Northwestern Pennsylvania, how can you be sure you’re hiring the right people for the job? How do you know if the water softener or filtration system if the right solution for your issues? To help navigate you through the process, we put together our advice on what to look for when hiring a water treatment company.
Certified Water Treatment Specialists vs. Plumber
Most people don’t realize that there’s actually certification tests required to become a water treatment specialist. In order to pass the certification exam, individuals must understand water chemistry and the technology behind all of the various water filtration and treatment options and equipment. In addition, water treatment specialists must be training on plumbing codes and connections.
However, plumbers, on the other hand, may be able to install a water filter unit for you but most likely will be unable to analysis your water issues and recommend a water treatment solution. Therefore, you may not end up with the right filtration system for your home’s water specific concerns. Therefore, it’s crucial that you make sure the company you choose employs certified water treatment specialists.
Are They Certified by The Water Quality Association?
The Water Quality Association is a third-party trade organization which performs rigorous testing on water filtration units to assess performance. Water filtration systems that receive the Goal Seal from the Water Quality Association have been thoroughly tested to prove their ability to work in homes for a minimum of 10 years. In addition, water treatment companies that are a part of the Water Quality Association have proven their professionalism and advanced capabilities in water filtration solutions.
Do They Have a Valid Insurance Policy?
It’s imperative to make sure that any water treatment system installation company working in your home has an adequate amount of general liability insurance. Working with a company with insurance coverage will help protect you by lowering your chances of being held liable in case an incident or accidents occur.
Do They Offer a Guarantee or Warranty?
Most top professional water treatment companies stand behind their products and systems by offering a proper guarantee for their services. Look for companies that offer a trial guarantee and transparent maintenance warranties on their products as these offerings will help you feel confident in making a decision.
How Experienced are They?
Purchasing a water treatment system for your home is an important decision on that may require you to take some time and do your research. When shopping around, be sure to ask companies about their experience with analyzing water and installing water filtration systems. While you should be curious about how long the company has been in business, you will also want to know their general types of experiences they’ve had.
How’s Your Home’s Water?
Interested in Hiring a Water Treatment Company for your Home?
If you’ve got water problems, Clearwater Systems has solutions. Before you select a treatment for your water, use the handy chart above to help determine what contaminants are present and read through all of the options available to you. Once you have an idea about what is causing your home’s water problems, contact us to schedule your free in-home water analysis.
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