by Toni Schindler | October 3, 2023 | Blog, Water Softener
Much like that trusty old stove that’s been a part of your kitchen for nearly two decades, your water softener may also be reaching the end of its lifespan. It’s a question many homeowners ponder: when is the right time to replace an older water softener? Let’s explore the signs that indicate it might be time for an upgrade and the benefits of newer water softener models.
The Advantages of New Water Softeners
Newer water softener models come with a host of advantages that make them an appealing option for homeowners. Some of these benefits include:
Meter-Initiated Control Valves: Unlike older timer-style valves or newer water softeners have meter-initiated control valves. These units regenerate based on the actual amount of water used instead of a timer like the older models. This makes them highly efficient in terms of salt, power, and water consumption.
Digital Controls: Newer water softeners often feature digital controls, which provide more precise and user-friendly settings for your softening needs.
Signs Your Water Softener is Not Working Properly
Before rushing to replace your water softener, it is highly recommended to have a water treatment service professional test your water and inspect your unit to make sure it is working properly.
Here are some common signs that indicate that it might not be working properly:
Staining and Deposits: If you notice staining in your sinks or toilets or white deposits on faucets and fixtures, your water softener might not be doing its job effectively.
Decreased Water Quality: Softened water should leave your hair feeling silky smooth and ensure that soaps lather easily. If you’re experiencing a decline in water quality, your softener might be the culprit.
Unusual Salt Usage: A sudden increase or decrease in salt usage could indicate a problem with your water softener. It’s worth having a service technician inspect it in such cases.
Outdated Settings: Many older water softeners have fixed settings that may no longer be appropriate for your current household size. To help optimize efficiency, a technician can adjust the control valve settings.
Factors Affecting the Lifespan of Water Softeners
The lifespan of a water softener can vary based on several factors:
Water Quality: The hardness and overall quality of your water supply can impact the longevity of your softener. More challenging water quality may require more frequent maintenance and reduce the unit’s lifespan.
Household Size: The number of people living in your home affects the unit’s workload. Adjusting settings as your household changes can help extend the softener’s life as well as make it more efficient
Maintenance: Regular preventative maintenance can significantly impact the lifespan of your water softener. Neglecting this on-going maintenance can lead to premature failure.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to when you should replace your older water softener, it’s essential to assess its performance, consider the advantages of newer models, and factor in the variables that affect its lifespan. Aquatek Water Conditioning recommends having your water tested and unit inspected to make an informed decision. Whether you choose to upgrade now or in the near future, being proactive about your water softener’s condition ensures you continue to enjoy the benefits of softened water while managing your budget effectively.
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.
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
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 in more time and labor.
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!
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.
by Toni Schindler | August 24, 2020 | Blog, Pond Water Treatment Systems
A common question we are asked is, “What the difference between “Box Store” water treatment equipment vs. going directly to an Independent Water Treatment Dealer like Aquatek Water Conditioning?”
It really is a great question, because we, like many of you, also want to make sure we are getting the best value for our purchases (and providing our customers with the same). At the end of the day, there isn’t anything wrong with purchasing water treatment equipment from a “Box Store.” However, there are differences in how you set up, maintain, and how well your equipment may work for your specific water situation.
Aquatek Water Conditioning is an Independent Water Treatment Dealer. This means that we are not tied to a national brand, or a franchise. We are family owned and operated since 1952! We build our equipment at our shop located in downtown Wauseon, OH. Our equipment is sized and programed according to each customer’s water situation. Our mission is to partner with our customers by providing them with the best water treatment solution for their wants and needs. We believe that this ultimately leads them to peace of mind, and quality of life with their water.
You may be asking, “What does this have to do with a “Box Store” purchase?
From our perspective, here are a few things to consider when weighing the option of purchasing from a “Box Store” or Independent Water Treatment Dealer.
When purchasing water treatment equipment from a “Box Store” you are literally doing that–You are purchasing it to install yourself–or working with one of the store’s sub-contractors for installation, who may not be an expert in the water treatment field. Again, there is nothing wrong with doing this, as it may fit your budget and needs.
What is different about purchasing equipment from an Independent Water Treatment Dealer?
First and foremost, all water is not treated equally. No one’s water is the same and there is no such thing as “one-size fits all” in the world of water treatment. Your water quality and volume could be the opposite of the water a mile away. Therefore, the type of water treatment equipment that is installed could vary from home to home, based on a variety of factors. How does the water test? How many people live in the home? Are you using the water in the barn for animals? What quantity of water and/or water pressure is accessible to the home?
At Aquatek, we offer a no cost, no obligation meeting to test your water and discuss your ultimate goal for your water. Our quote will include equipment, built in our shop, that is sized and programmed for your water and family needs. It will also reflect if you are purchasing or renting the equipment. Our equipment and/or installation is going to cost more than what you would typically get at a “Box Store,” as it is built to your specific water situation and installed by trained water treatment professionals. We also guarantee our installations. If you are not getting what you want out of our water treatment equipment, we will uninstall it for you. In many instances, we will haul away old equipment, and for water softeners, we’ll even fill the salt tank for you!
Learn about Common Water Issues we treat throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeastern Michigan
Service, Repair and Maintenance
Another major difference between “Box Store” purchases and Independent Water Treatment Dealers is the answer to, “What happens when my equipment breaks down?”
For us at Aquatek, it’s easy, you simply call us and we get you on our schedule for maintenance and repair. We service what we sell. Our store is located in downtown Wauseon, Ohio, and we work with customers throughout the Northwest Ohio and Southeastern Michigan area. If your equipment is under warranty, we will handle this for you, no need to ship your unit off or wait a long time for your repair.
For “Box Store” purchases, this may vary depending on a variety of factors. And although we are able to work on many different makes and models of water treatment equipment, we do not carry parts for “Box Store” equipment and are unable to service them.
We also promote preventative maintenance on all our equipment. Regular maintenance helps to prolong the life of the equipment and helps to ward off any major issues that could lead to no water, leaks, staining of clothing and appliances, etc. This is something that we educate our customers on so that they can do it themselves, or our technicians are able to come out to the home to provide this service. One thing we can guarantee you, is that your water is important, and we want you to avoid the frustration of having unpleasant water issues as much as possible!
Here is what to expect from us:
When you call our store, you’ll talk to a friendly, local person who will take your information. We’ll schedule a time for one of our experienced representatives to come to your property (home, barn or business) to test your water for iron, hardness, TDS (total dissolved solids), pH, and if needed, sulfur. They will assess your situation, discuss your wants and needs, and provide you with a strategy for your water. No obligation, no cost!
The quote will be based off your water results, existing plumbing and wants and needs. The prices in the quote will include installation, and in many instances, hauling old units away. Once you decide you would like to move forward, we will build your equipment in our shop, and schedule a time for installation of by one of our trained installation technicians.
Following the installation, our staff will place a phone call to make sure that the equipment is working and that there are no follow up questions. If it appears that something isn’t working properly after installation, we encourage our customers to call us immediately. We will come out and inspect the unit and readjust settings at no charge to the customer.
From there, we hope to continue to be partners with our customers! We have a store located at 7300 State Route 108 in Wauseon where we provide a variety of products that support our water treatment systems such as filters, parts, salt, alum, chlorine, and hydrogen peroxide. We also offer a delivery service for these products, as well as Bottled Water Delivery and water coolers.
At the end of the day, the decision is yours to make. There is no right or wrong, just what is best for you and your situation.
For us, water is our passion, and our goal is to give you peace of mind and quality of life through our customer service and water treatment expertise. We help our customers “Take Control of Their Water!”
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