Water treatment can get expensive. We get it. You shouldn’t have to live with stinky water that ruins clothes and clogs pipes but it doesn’t always come cheap.

Much like your refrigerator, hot water heater, or your stove, the system you install to treat your water should be treated as an appliance. It may need to be cleaned every now and again, you may need to change your filter regularly, and if you don’t maintain it, it isn’t going to last. One key difference is that a water softener or whole house RO is going to protect and extend the life the rest of the appliances in your home. While protecting your other (expensive) appliances and plumbing, properly sized water treatment can make the water easier on clothing, skin, and hair and make cleaning a lot easier.

When you start looking into water treatment, you will find that pricing is all over the place. You might find a reverse osmosis system for $100 and another for $1200. Water softeners might range from $200 to $5000. They all claim to do the same thing, so how do you know which one to choose?

First, know that if you go with the cheapest option, you might be getting exactly what you pay for. This equipment is often meant to be replaced every couple of years and is not easy to repair when something does go wrong. Think, dorm room refrigerator. You hope it gets you through a few years, but it isn’t something you expect to run for the next twenty. If it does crash on you, oh well. You can always replace a cheap one three or four times before you get to cost of a high quality system. Right? Consider how valuable your time is to you. Is constantly replacing the same equipment how you want to spend it?

Second, what is included in the price? For example: A water softener should have a pre filter installed. On a well, you want the softener to be protected from sediment. If sediment is allowed to build up in the softener, you will lose water pressure and the softener is not as effective. If the softener is not effective, your washing machine is not protected. On chlorinated water, you might want a carbon filter installed before the softener to prolong the life of the media. Is a filter housing included or do you have to pay extra? Is the installation included in the price or do you have to hire somebody to do it? Will you be charged for extra fittings or a bypass valve? If the price you are quoted isn’t going to cover the actual cost, you need to determine whether or not you are actually getting a good deal.

Third, look at the warranties. The more confidence a company has in its product, the longer the warranty period. Look into the company doing the work as well as the manufacturer of the equipment. Ask questions. If they have online reviews, read them all. Smaller companies may not have many reviews for you to look into. (If you would like to help Water Products & Solutions with that… let us know how we’re doing on Google or Facebook) How long have they been in business? What do they offer for service? Do owners and employees use the equipment they are selling?

Finally, did somebody ask you questions before they gave you a price? Did they test the water before making a recommendation? Did they ask what your desired end result is (to drink, or not to drink…)? If you anticipate that your family will grow, will the system you were quoted support that or will you need to replace it? Will the system even fit in your home? Ask questions, get your answers, do your research, then make a decision.

We usually know better than to take the lowest price and expect the highest quality – if you buy the cheapest hair color, you don’t expect salon quality results. If you buy the cheapest shoes, you don’t expect excellent arch support. The same goes for water treatment. If you go the cheapest route, it may not be as effective or its effectiveness may not last as long.

You’ve probably heard that “you get what you pay for.” At Water Products & Solutions, we work diligently on quoting you a fair price. It happens sometimes that our quote is higher than the next guy’s. We’re okay with that. We know we are quoting a fair price, installing products built to last 15-20 years, and we stand by our work.