Homes across the country have hard water, making residential water softeners one of the more popular investments because they can save you a lot of time, money and energy.
But, with so many brands and types of water softeners on the market, how will you ever decide? What is the best one for your home? Should you choose availability over research? Should you choose low cost over high efficiency? Are they all going to remove the same amount of hard water minerals? Are big box store water softeners just as good as those from a water treatment company?
These are all fair questions. But, we think doing some research (okay, we did some for you) will help sway your decision!
What is a water softener?
A water softener is a system that uses an ion exchange process to remove hard minerals like magnesium and calcium that are found in water. This type of water treatment process can be used in both residential and industrial or commercial settings.
Advantages of Big Box Store Water Softeners
While there are some advantages to buying a water softener from a big box store near you or online, there is certainly the need to weigh the pros and cons. The benefits of buying from a professional water treatment company could outweigh the benefits of a big box store, but we wanted to list some of them nonetheless.
- Easy access to the products in the store or online.
- You can get the salt delivered or at the same store.
- You may find some sales on the products or for a one-time price.
- DIY installation savings if you are up for the task.
Disadvantages of Big Box Store Water Softeners
Okay, we also wanted to share some of the disadvantages of buying from one of your local stores. Many consumers and consumer experts have thought about why this may not be the way to go and some of their advice and experiences are as follows:
- You get what you pay for. Finding a low price system may give you low quality results. Meant to be low-priced in a mass market, big box store water softeners are basic, inefficient at times, non-customizable and you may not get the quality, longevity, functionality, or service and maintenance that you had hoped for.
- Low-quality materials and parts. The softener resin or system itself may not be made well, or last.
- You made a financial investment and you want the most out of it. However, this is not always the case in this situation as it may not be a professional-grade softener. You may get 5+ years from a box store water softener but 15-20+ with a professional-grade one.
- Not the right size, fit or functionality for your specific household demands, especially when you DIY install it or maintain it. If a professional does not install it or explain it, it could make for a frustrating experience.
- Service not included.
- Your water won’t be tested by a professional prior to making a purchase, so you may not know what you even need.
Your Next Steps
If you want to choose a water softener that will be more efficient, effective and a better overall investment, then you’ve come to the right place. We offer a variety of options that we can discuss once we evaluate your home’s water quality and household water demands. Also, our products are available for lease or purchase.
You’ll always get more than what you pay for with our products! When you find yourself face-to-face with water softener maintenance, installation or emergency repairs, you can call us and our technicians will be there to help. You’ll have the quality, efficiency and the support you need – professional-grade water softening systems with professional support.
Our products are innovative and on the cutting edge of technology. We are committed to our customers and our products and we cannot wait to share them with you, too!