When it comes to home projects, many try the do-it-yourself route.  TV home shows often show how easy it is to transform an entire home in thirty or sixty minutes.  What we don’t see are the miscues.  We usually take on projects when we’re better off buying from a local water treatment professional with professional certification.  Why?  Let us explain five reasons.

1. Quality & Pricing – When researching any product, we choose the cheapest product, and sometimes it’s not the best choice.  The water treatment equipment you see at big box stores looks nice on the outside with its sleek design, but there is a reason they are less expensive.  They are made with lower-quality parts and components.  When you purchase less expensive, big-box equipment, you also risk buying something that will not last as long as equipment from a water treatment professional due to equipment inferiority.
2. Service & Warranty – The biggest takeaway from buying water equipment from a big box store is service.  Before you buy any product, ask who to contact for service.  Water treatment dealers receive phone calls for equipment purchased at big box stores because they can’t get someone affiliated with the big box store to visit their home and service the equipment.   In addition, water treatment dealers are often limited on parts for equipment purchased at big box stores, often using parts from old equipment.
3. Installation – Being a do-it-yourselfer, we often take on projects and find them overwhelming and frustrating.  In addition, unless you have experience sweating pipes, you’ll need a plumber to install the equipment, which incurs another cost, often resulting in over $200.00.  When you buy a big box water softener and have a plumber install the equipment, you’re near the cost of what a water treatment professional will charge.
4. Experience – Many employees at a big box store don’t have the product knowledge, training, or certification that a water treatment professional can offer.  It’s important to talk with someone who understands water, the equipment they’re selling, and is certified in their professional organization.
5. Sizing – A water treatment professional can establish the proper sizing of water treatment equipment for your home.  It becomes crucial when sizing a water softener based on the number of people in your home, the pipe size, and water quality.  For example, if you have high iron content in your water, the water softener you buy at a big box store may not handle your water resulting in a short life span and replacement.  Water treatment companies use equipment to control iron making an investment that will last 15+ years.  A correctly sized water softener saves water because your water softener won’t have to regenerate as much.  Also, when a water softener is not sized correctly, you will experience lower pressure in the home, followed by hard water.

Before you decide to purchase any water treatment equipment, it’s best to consult with a water professional, get an accurate water test, and correctly size equipment allowing you to make the best decision for your family.  If you decide to go the big box store route, be aware of future service needed.  Take into consideration this aspect of your purchase.  Huemann Water Conditioning receives many calls from homeowners who can’t get a big box store to service the product they sold you.  You want to be sure your investment in water treatment will give you peace of mind for years to come.  When you feel the time is right to improve your water, contact us or call 815-385-3093.