The Benefits of a Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

by Toni Schindler | June 20, 2023 | Blog, Buying or Building a New Home, Reverse Osmosis, Water Quality, Water Treatment Systems

“Everyone should have a reverse osmosis in their home” are frequent words my Water Quality Association Instructor announces nearly every time he discusses membrane technology in one of the courses that I am taking. Afterall, there are certainly many benefits of a reverse osmosis drinking water system for the home.

A residential reverse osmosis drinking water system offers purified drinking water on demand and is most commonly installed at a kitchen sink and/or refrigerator. They can also be installed to feed other desired locations such as bar sinks and pot fillers. It is often used as a primary source of drinking water, for cooking, and even cleaning. This system is efficient and effective in providing safe, clean, and crystal-clear water. The system can reduce up to 99% of contaminants in your water and offers that extra layer of protection for homes and businesses.

Our technicians install a five-stage filtration system that connects to a separate faucet at your kitchen sink and/or to your refrigerator. We install the units in basements or garages to save valuable storage space underneath the kitchen sink when available, but we will also install it under the sink when that is the best option. The system also includes a holding tank, and oftentimes a booster pump that assists productivity in some situations.

Having clean, safe drinking water on demand at your tap carries many benefits. Water quality has never been more important to consumers as we have become more aware of what is in our water. Many customers report to us that they do not drink their water from their tap. There are many reasons for this, whether someone is using city water, well water, or pond water as their primary drinking water source.

Many do not like the taste or smell of their water, and some are simply concerned from a health standpoint regarding contaminants in their water source. The taste of water is subjective, so to say that a reverse osmosis system is going to improve the taste of someone’s water is not something we guarantee because everyone has a different opinion. But in many cases reducing the taste of chlorine from city water, or the salts and other contaminants from well water will significantly improve taste. The ultimate benefit of the reverse osmosis is the reduction of contaminants in the water which provides peace of mind for customers.

The maintenance on the reverse osmosis is usually very minimal. Generally speaking, we suggest changing the filters once per year. For high volume water users, or low-quality water, filter changes may need to be more frequent. The membrane tends to have a long life and will need to be changed less frequently. We recommend testing the water to understand the efficiency of the membrane. Our technicians will come out and service the reverse osmosis and change filters for our customers. We also carry the filters and parts at our store for our do-it-yourself customers.

Reverse osmosis drinking water systems offer a long-term solution to having quality water on-demand. Our customers appreciate being able to drink their water again and not having to rely on purchasing cases of bottled water, or 5-gallon jugs of water.

Here at Aquatek Water Conditioning, we believe in educating and helping our customers take control of their water. To learn more about our Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System options, send us a message here or give us a call at 419-335-8831.

Toni Schindler is co-owner of Aquatek Water Conditioning. She is a graduate of Miami University is active in the Water Quality Association serving on the Communications Committee, Ethics Task Force and as a Women in Water Mentor. Toni is in the process of completing training to become a Certified Water Specialist (CWS) through the Water Quality Association.

4 Tips, Tricks and Suggestions To Know Your Water When Buying a Home

by Toni Schindler | June 10, 2022 | Blog, Buying or Building a New Home, Water Quality, Water Treatment Systems

I remember the stress and anxiety we felt when we were looking for a new home nearly fifteen years ago. Imagine the days when we used dial-up internet. First, we would try to get logged on. If we were successful, we would begin the slow and tedious search for homes praying we would not get kicked off and have to start over. We would then print off our directions and do a drive-by. If the house passed our curb appeal test, we would schedule a showing with our realtor. Eventually we found a home, made an offer and made the move to enjoy country living.

In 2022, accessing the internet is much quicker and easier than the days of dial up internet and in many ways, so is the process of buying a home. We can virtually walk-through potential homes without even physically seeing them. While this affords us an incredible amount of access, ease, and information, it does not always help us to assess the water situation.

Admittedly through the entire process of buying a home, I never wondered where my water would come from. Well depth, the number of gallons it produces, and water quality were not my concern. I simply took it for granted. Lucky for me, my husband happened to be a water treatment specialist. While I was busy thinking how to make this house our home, he had already checked into the water situation for us without me even knowing. Since we have iron in our water and a higher count of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), I would have been in for a rude awakening when finding “rust” stains in our toilets, showers, and clothing and all the cleaning that would have been necessary. I also would have been “less than impressed” with the taste of our water.

We were able to take control of our water quality by installing a water softener and reverse osmosis system. The water softener removes any hardness in our water as well as the iron, and the reverse osmosis helps to improve the taste and quality of our drinking water. Problem solved.

Just because a home has a water quantity or quality issue does not mean it’s a deal breaker. In most instances, water quality issues are easily treatable with the right water treatment equipment.

As mentioned in our previous article aboutknowing your water when building a home, the same principle applies when you are looking for or have purchased a new home. You need to have a solid water source and you will want to know the water quality and quantity. Knowing the water situation on the front end will help you budget appropriately for water treatment equipment and effectively plan for a smooth transition into your new space– saving you time, money and headaches in the future.

4 Tips, Tricks and Suggestions To Know Your Water When Buying a Home

1. Know the current source of water in the home

The most common water sources used in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan are wells, ponds, and municipal (city) water. Each come with their own benefits and challenges.

Wells

In some parts of our service area, water is naturally flowing, and plentiful. In other areas, there is simply no water to be found. The type of water a well produces will determine what type of water treatment is necessary for your home.

Check out common water issues seen throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeastern Michigan What’s in Your Water Blog.

Ponds

Many homeowners in our area rely on their pond as their primary water source for the house and/or barn. This is a great option for those who have no water on their property or have untreatable or high-maintenance water situations. Pond water treatment systems are a safe and viable solution. These systems must be installed by water treatment professionals that are certified through the Ohio Department of Health.

If the home you are considering purchasing or have purchased has a pond water treatment system consider:

Is the system working?
When is the last time it was serviced, and by who?
Understand maintenance required on the system?

Learn more here “What You Need to Know About Pond Water Treatment Systems”

Municipal (City) Water

According to the Water Quality Association, approximately 85% of the U.S. population receives water from community water systems. These systems are required to meet standards set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

Ask the neighbors how they treat their water. Many homeowners using city water have water softeners, carbon filters, and reverse osmosis systems installed to improve the quality and/or taste of their water.

2. Ask lots of questions

We recommend asking a lot of questions! Ask your realtor, ask the previous homeowner, ask the neighbors and/or ask your local water treatment dealer.

Here are a few questions to get you started:

Is there a current water treatment system in the home?
- What is the issue the system is treating?
- How old is the system?
- Is it working?
- Has it been properly maintained?
- Who installed the system?
  - Was it installed from a local Water Treatment Dealer?
  - Is it from a box store?
- Is there staining in the sinks or smelly water?
- Does the current homeowner have concerns about the safety of the water?
  - If the homeowner drinks the tap water, ask to sample the water. Do you like the taste, and or feel of the water?
- What are the known water issues in this area?
- What are the neighbors using?
- What is the depth of the well? Flow rates?
- Is this a known area where there are low yield wells, no water, or high sulfur content?
- Are you moving from the city to the country?

The answers to these questions will help the home seeker make an educated decision on what the water and water treatment needs will or would be if purchased. Once determined, you will have a better understanding of what type of water treatment equipment might be needed for the home.

3. Budget for water treatment equipment

The cost to treat water will vary based on the water quality as well as the homeowners’ wants and needs. Working with your local water treatment professional and having them involved in the process can help with identifying the approximate cost and maintenance of the equipment. There are instances in which water treatment equipment is required by the Ohio Department of Health including pond water treatment systems and shallow wells. Some homeowners will choose to have water treatment equipment installed for aesthetic reasons such as hard water, odor, staining, and taste.

Whatever the case, knowing what you need, what you want, and how much it costs will be an advantage to you in the process of purchasing your new home.

4. Plan adequate space for water treatment equipment if remodeling

Planning appropriate and adequate space for water treatment equipment is essential. You will want to make sure that there is enough space for the installation, and for the future service and maintenance of the equipment. When enough space is not left, it can be difficult for the water treatment professional to install the equipment and can make it difficult to service in the future. This could potentially cost the homeowner more time and labor.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

There are so many things to consider when purchasing a new home–decisions are coming at you from every angle. Knowing your water and water treatment options from the beginning will eliminate at least one big decision for you. It can be devastating and costly to homeowners when they find out after they move into their new home that they have poor water quality or quantity.

You have probably heard us say this before, and we will say it again—your water is important!

We are passionate about helping our customers take control of their water!

Building a House? Don’t Forget About Water Treatment

by Toni Schindler | March 11, 2022 | Blog, Buying or Building a New Home

Water Treatment Tips, Tricks and Suggestions to Consider When Building a New House

One thing is certain, when building a new home you will need to have a solid water source. Knowing the water situation on the front end will help you budget appropriately for water treatment equipment and effectively plan for a smooth transition into your new space–saving you time, money and headaches in the future.

Here are a few tips, questions and suggestions that can help make sure that you have everything planned for your water needs prior to your build.

What Will Your Water Source Be?

The most common water sources used in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan are wells, ponds, and municipal (city) water. Each come with their own benefits and challenges. Your water source and water quality will determine what type of water treatment equipment will be needed.

A few questions to ask your builder and/or well driller…

What is their process for helping the homeowner determine a water source?
What are the known water issues in this area?
What are the neighbors using?
What are the depths of the wells in the area and what are the flow rates?
Is this a known area where there are low yield wells, no water, or high sulfur content?
Are the contractors local and do they know the area?

The answers to these questions will help homeowners make an educated decision with their builder on how to move forward with their water source. Once that is determined, you will have a better understanding of what type of water treatment equipment might be needed for the home.

More food for thought…

Wells
In some parts of our service area, water is naturally flowing, and plentiful. In other areas, there is simply no water to be found. If drilling a well, you’ll need to make sure water is in that area. The type of water your well produces will determine what type of water treatment is necessary for your home.

If you plan on drilling a well, ask your well driller, neighbors, and/or local water treatment professionals what to expect from the water in the location you will be building.

Once your well is drilled, seek out your local water treatment professional. They will test your water and provide you with recommendations on what type of water treatment equipment is best suited for the quality of the water and provide you with a quote for your budget.

Check out common water quality and quantity issues in Northwest Ohio and Southeastern Michigan in this blog:
What’s in Your Water

Ponds
Many homeowners in our area rely on their pond as their primary water source. This is a great option for those who have no water on their property or have un-treatable or high-maintenance water situations. Pond water treatment systems can be a safe and viable solution. These systems must be installed by water treatment professionals that are certified through the Ohio Department of Health.

If you are digging a pond and plan on using this as your primary water source, appropriate permits will need to be applied for and obtained prior to installation of the system. Approved contractors for digging ponds and installing water treatment equipment can be found on the Ohio Department of Health Website.

It is important to work with your builder, plumbers, electricians and water treatment professionals to make sure that appropriate space and proper hookups are planned to prevent installation delays and additional added costs.

“What You Need to Know About Pond Water Treatment Systems”

Municipal (City) Water
According to the Water Quality Association, approximately 85% of the U.S. population receives water from community water systems. These systems are required to meet standards set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

If you have city water, ask your neighbors how they treat their water. Many homeowners using city water have water softeners, carbon filters and reverse osmosis systems installed to improve the quality and/or taste of their water.

Budget for Water Treatment Equipment

The cost to treat water will vary based on the water quality as well as the homeowners wants and needs. Working with your local water treatment professional and having them involved in the process can help with identifying approximate cost and maintenance of the equipment.

There are instances in which water treatment equipment will be required by the Ohio Department of Health which include pond water treatments systems and shallow wells. On the other hand, many homeowners will choose to have water treatment equipment installed for aesthetic reasons such a hard water, odor, staining, and taste.

Whatever the case, knowing what you need, what you want, and how much it costs will be an advantage to you in the process of building your home.

Plan Adequate Space for Water Treatment Equipment

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Paint colors, siding, lighting, flooring, fixtures…oh my!! Decisions are coming at you from every angle when building a home. Knowing your water and water treatment options from the beginning will eliminate at least one big decision. It can be devastating and costly to homeowners when they find out after their beautiful new home is built that they have poor water quality.

Let us help you #TakeControlofYourWater!

You have probably heard us say this before, and we will say it again—your water is important! Teaming up with your builder and local water treatment professional can help you have the peace of mind and quality of life that you deserve.

Would you like a no hassle, no obligation quote for water treatment for your new home?
Give us a call at 419-335-8831 or click here to send us a message!

“This Water is Hard to Work With” The Benefits of Softened Water

by Toni Schindler | January 31, 2022 | Blog, Buying or Building a New Home, Water Quality, Water Softener, Water Treatment Systems

“This water is hard to work with,” exclaimed our daughter while washing her hair in the shower on our vacation to a cabin in the beautiful Hocking Hills, Ohio area.

She was noticing that her shampoo would not lather, leaving her hair feeling rough, tangled and unsmooth. Soon after, the rest of our family also noticed that no amount of shampoo was going to produce a lather.

When we first arrived, we were all assuming that the bar of hand soap that was provided as a part of our stay was just low quality — it felt dull and did not provide the satisfying soap suds we’ve come to expect. I also personally noticed it when I was washing dishes. I felt like I needed to use half the bottle of dish soap to get soap suds just to feel like our dishes were getting clean.

These are all common signs of hard water. Because our family is in the business of making good water great, we all agreed we needed to take a sample home and test the water to see how hard it was!

The Results

Back at our shop, the cabin’s water hardness test showed 35 grains per gallon (gpg), proving that indeed, this water was “hard to work with!” Industry standard states that any water testing over 10gpg hard would benefit from a water softener.

What is Water Hardness?

Water hardness is a common quality of water found throughout Northwest Ohio and Southwest Michigan. Hard water contains dissolved compounds of calcium and magnesium, and sometimes, other metallic elements. This is what causes mineral deposits on dishes and glassware and can clog up and corrode piping and fixtures. It can also cause extra work to remove soap scum on bathtubs and shower stalls, scale build up in pipes, sinks, tubs, faucets, and appliances.

Treatment for Hard Water

Water softeners are a commonly used and effective technology for treating hardness in water. Softeners work through an ion exchange process using special resin beads that replace magnesium & calcium ions with sodium ions. A rinse process, referred to as backwashing, or regeneration, flushes the salt solution and minerals to a drain and pushes softened water through the home.

The Benefits of Softened Water

In our daughter’s experience, she was used to washing her hair in softened water and expected that she would be able to achieve the same lather at the cabin as when she was in her own home. Hair is one of the most frequent complaints from our customers who are seeking a solution for hardness in their water and one of the biggest benefits from a water softener.

Softened water can reduce the amount of soap and laundry detergent usage by 50% or more. It has other benefits such as keeping appliances running at top efficiency by preventing large amounts of scale from building up. It also allows for lower wash temperatures from hot to cold without a significant change in performance. In essence, it can save you time, energy, and money.

Real Life Experiences

Here are several “real life” experiences our customers have shared with us after they have had a water softener installed.

“Our dishes look better than they ever have!”

“My hair isn’t breaking anymore. I had lost 6 inches from the hard water. I am a platinum blonde. I moved into my boyfriend’s 121-year-old home, had no water treatment equipment. I couldn’t figure out why my hair was breaking, and finally found out it was the water!

“We are appreciating the soft water and watching the mineralization decrease everywhere. We are also getting use to the difference of the feel of the water. Our five-year-old appliances had mineral deposits which caused us to have to replace our dishwasher”

“It’s a little easier on the hair and skin and tastes a little better too!”

“We noticed the difference as soon as it was put in. No sediment is coming through, haven’t had to scrub the shower yet!”

“Clean, efficient, very easy to fill up. It’s a neat little system!”

“No discoloration in water, in toilets, good to go. Water is good. All he has to do is add salt”

“Gets sudsy when washing hair and feels clean”

“We came from city water where fixtures were corroding. Now we have nice soft water like ‘Hotel Water’. It makes a nice shower!”

“The feel of the water…feels so great when washing my long hair!”

“Itching, skin problems and hair issues have been resolved!”

If your home or business has hard water, you may be saying the same thing as our daughter!

Rest assured, there is a solution for you! A simple water test and on-site consultation with our water treatment professionals can determine the quality of your water and what type of water treatment will benefit your needs. From there, our professionals with provide you with options that will help you to have the kind of water that you want and deserve.

Why Can’t You Just Give Me a Quote Over the Phone?

by Toni Schindler | December 1, 2021 | Blog, Buying or Building a New Home, Carbon Filter, Water Softener, Water Treatment Systems

When you think of having to deal with a sales person, do you dread it? Do you want to avoid it at all costs? Wouldn’t it be easier if you could just get a quote for water treatment equipment right over the phone?

We’ve all had an experience with a salesperson that was just unpleasant and we would like to avoid. But for water treatment, we do believe that it is important for us to have an on-site consultation with the customer.

Trust us, initially it would be easier for us to quote over the phone as well, but in the long run, it can have negative, costly and time-consuming consequences. Each customer’s water and water situation is unique. Even though it would be amazing, there isn’t a one-size-fits all solution.

Here are a few reasons why people call us:

Avoid buying white clothes because they are immediately ruined with one wash
Dread having company over because the smell of sulfur is overwhelming
Dislike like the taste and smell of chlorine, or would prefer softer water from city water
Hair is brittle and skin is itchy
Concerned about the safety of the water
Sick of scrubbing orange toilets, sinks and showers
Dishes have white spots
New fixtures ruined after one year
Sick of water bottles lying around the house
Unable to find someone to service equipment purchased online or at a box store

All of these situations are unique and would require different types of water treatment equipment.

If you are experiencing any of the above, you deserve to have a system that helps treat these issues. One of our core values is to do our best to make the entire process of taking control of your water easy!

Our Process

In our free on-site consultation we listen to our customers wants and needs. We are looking to understand what they are hoping for out of their water and learn the make-up of the water. We will want to know:

How many persons are in the home?
What type of plumbing and space do we have for the equipment?
Will there need to be any outside spigots or barns on untreated water?

Next we test the water to discover the water make-up. Contaminants in water can occur in many different combinations. The most common types of water concerns in Northwest Ohio and Southeastern Michigan are:

Hardness
Iron
Sulfur
No water/Low Yield Wells/Untreatable Water
Tannins
Municipal (City) Water

Learn more about each of these types of water situations here.

This information will help us to recommend the appropriate treatment system, size it correctly for the home and provide a fair and accurate quote. It also allows us the opportunity to explain the operation of the equipment and what the customer can expect regarding upkeep and maintenance on their system-hopefully leading to less surprises in the future.

Let’s face it, we are all busy and your time is important!

During our short but thorough interaction, we also hope to gain your trust. Our goal is to partner with and listen to our customers to provide the water treatment solution for their wants and needs. An in-home consultation allows us to do this efficiently and accurately, ultimately providing our customers with peace of mind and ultimately quality of life!

The Benefits of a Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

4 Tips, Tricks and Suggestions To Know Your Water When Buying a Home

4 Tips, Tricks and Suggestions To Know Your Water When Buying a Home