Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? We’re here to help you get started with our product range and services. Simply browse through common questions below or get in touch with a member of our team who will be happy to assist!
Product Questions
Do Your Water Softeners Come With Warranty?
We’re pleased to offer a 2 year warranty on our range of water softeners, to give you peace of mind. Our warranty covers the product for two years from the date of installation for defective materials and workmanship under normal use, when installed and operated within recommended parameters. We urge all of our customers to double check the unit has been installed correctly with a relevant professional beforehand. For more information please visit our warranty information page.
How Does An Ion Exchange Water Softener Work?
Water softeners work using a technology called ‘ion’ exchange. This means that ‘hardness forming’ molecules such as CaCO3 (Calcium Carbonate) and Magnesium are removed from your water and replaced with molecules of Sodium Chloride (better known as salt). This is done using cleverly negatively charged beads that form the resin bed of your water softener. You can read a more detailed explanation of this process in our how water softeners work post on our knowledge hub.
Are Water Softeners Safe?
Water softeners are safe for use in domestic and commercial settings. It is recommended to keep a hard water line for drinking where your water hardness is above 400ppm, however you can still feed the rest of your property with soft water. Drinking water from your water softener (where the water hardness is below 400ppm) is not harmful for general consumption, but should not be used for preparing baby formula or consumed by people on a low sodium diet. If you have any concerns be sure to speak with a member of our team to ensure you get the right advice before purchase.
Why Do Water Softeners Regenerate?
All the while that water is flowing through your water softener, the cleverly charged resin beads are picking up hardness molecules (like Calcium and Magnesium) and exchanging them for Sodium ions – generating soft water in the process. As there is only a set amount of these resin beads in your softeners ‘resin bed’ the amount of hardness molecules they can take on is finite. So every now and again regeneration occurs to dislodge all of the hardness molecules from the resin beads so that they can continue to do their work softening your water. During regeneration a brine solution is used to wash the resin bed, cleaning it of the hardness molecules it has removed and sending them down the drain, this recharges and prepares it to get to work softening your water again.
What If I Require 24 Hour Softened Water?
Some customers have a requirement for 24 hour softened water and wish to avoid downtime for regeneration, meaning their property and appliances are constantly protected from the problems associated with hard water. To solve this we offer a range of domestic and commercial ‘Duplex’ or ‘Twin Tank’ systems which have two resin tanks, meaning that whilst one is offline for regeneration the other tank is operational ensuring soft water is delivered to your property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How Does Reverse Osmosis Work?
Reverse Osmosis works by forcing water at pressure through a ‘semi-permeable’ membrane. The pores in the membrane are incredibly small (about 0.0001 micron) and trap an array of dissolved ions and minerals such as fluoride, nitrates, dissolved metals and a whole lot of others! With reverse osmosis there is a percentage of waste water, this water is concentrated with all of the minerals and ions that have been removed from the purified water (or permeate) that you retain. Reverse Osmosis systems are commonplace in the home for drinking water and in commercial applications for specialist processes. Read more about reverse osmosis on our knowledge hub here.
What Is A Salt Free Water Softener?
Salt free water softeners do not actually remove the hardness molecules from your water, instead they are designed to alter the chemistry of the hardness molecules so that they do not ‘precipitate’ or form limescale. No salt is required for this process, however to be defined as a ‘water softener’ the hardness molecules need to be removed from the supply, making this type of technology fall into the ‘water conditioning’ bracket instead with ‘salt free’ being more of a naming convention. Water conditioners or salt free water softeners offer a popular alternative as they can be installed in any property, don’t increase the amount of sodium in your water and require no drain line or overflow.
What Types Of Water Softener Are Available?
There are four common technologies used in both domestic and commercial water softening applications. These include Ion Exchange (like our cabinet, simplex and duplex softeners), Salt Free, Reverse Osmosis (like our under-sink RO range) and Magnetic Water Softeners. You can read more about these types by reading our knowledge hub article here.
What Is The Difference Between A ‘Timed’ And ‘Metered’ Softener?
Water Softener regeneration is typically controlled by either a timed or metered valve. Timed regeneration means the softener can be programmed to regenerate at specific time-based intervals such as at 2am when no one in the home is using water. Metered regeneration occurs after a specific volume of water has passed through the system, ensuring that every last drop of water has been softened before regeneration occurs which is why they are regarded as more efficient than time based systems.
Can You Drink Softened Water?
Softened water is generally safe to drink and has a sodium content comparable to a glass of milk. If the water being supplied to your softener is 400ppm or more, then you’ll want to keep a hard water line for drinking or consider using a reverse osmosis system to remove the excess sodium content prior to consumption. If your water hardness is less than 400ppm then softened water is fine to drink, however it shouldn’t be used to prepare baby formula or consumed by people on a low sodium diet.
Can You Drink Filtered Water?
Filtered water is safe to drink. Drinking water filter systems can improve the taste, odour and appearance of your water, so much so that it is often referred to as ‘bottle quality’. More advanced filtration systems like reverse osmosis remove an extensive list of contaminants from your water, including some that are considered beneficial to health such as Calcium and Magnesium. If you are conscious about maintaining a ‘healthy’ mineral content within your drinking water, then a ‘post filter’ can be added to your reverse osmosis system to re-mineralise.
Can You Remind Me When My Filters Need Changing?
By replacing your filters at their recommended intervals you can ensure that your water remains an optimal quality. With the rigours of everyday life however, it can be hard to keep up to date with when your filters need to be changed. For this reason, we offer a free filter change reminders service that allows you to choose an interval that works best for you.
Can You Drink Reverse Osmosis Water?
Our domestic reverse osmosis systems are designed to produce purified water that is safe for drinking. Some customers like to add an additional stage to their domestic RO system to add back in known minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium all whilst having peace of mind that other harmful contaminants have been removed. Larger more commercial RO systems tend to have higher ‘rejection rates’, increasing the percentage of what is removed from the water and in turn lowering the pH; in this instance suitable remineralisation is required in order to balance pH to within the recommended limits.
Do You Offer Servicing And Installation?
For customers that are looking for installation please refer to our water softener installation page for more information and for booking requests. If you are having issues with your system or you think your current unit might require a service then we suggest taking a look at our water softener servicing page to find out more information on possible next steps.
How Do I Install A Water Softener?
Water Softeners are generally simple to install, taking most professionals only a couple of hours. We always recommend the use of a professional plumber, to ensure the softener is installed correctly. Please note we offer a range of installation kits for our Water Softeners which includes all hoses and fittings required for an effective install.
General Questions
What Are Your Shipping Charges?
Our shipping charges vary by weight and size of the item, with a £3.95 flat rate for small and light, £5 flat rate for medium weighted or larger items and £12.50 or more for heavy items (such as salt or resin). Orders over £500 not sent by palletised freight will qualify for free shipping if you call beforehand. Flat rate refers to a single shipping cost charged per order, rather than by item.
What Is Your Cut Off And Handling Time For Shipments?
Our cut off time for shipments is 1pm Monday to Friday. We aim to get most orders dispatched on the same day, however a 1-2 day handling time may apply when order volumes are high. In most cases you can expect your order to be delivered any time from 3-5 days (depending on delivery choice and availability).
Can I Arrange Collection Or Collect In Person?
We are happy for customers to arrange their own collection, or collect in person if preferred. In these cases the standard delivery charges on the order can be waived. Please speak to a member of our team via email, live chat or phone to arrange collection for your order.
Do You Ship Outside Of The UK?
At this time we do not offer international shipping services. However we are happy to work with UK based freight forwarders if you are looking to export our products. Speak to our team to learn more about the options available.
Do You Offer Returns?
We are happy to offer returns on products within the specified returns period, in line with our refunds and returns policy where your return can also be submitted, by completing the on-page form. Please note that returned goods must be in usable condition for your return to be accepted.
What Payment Methods Are Accepted?
All major credit and debit cards are accepted for payments through our website, along with BACS. Please note where BACS is selected, delays to your order might occur if payment isn’t received promptly.
Do You Offer Bespoke Products?
In some cases we are able to supply products that are outside of our standard product range. We encourage you to get in touch if you can’t find the specific product option that you are looking for. You can also fill out our bespoke applications form.
Still Need Help? We’re Here!
We’re happy to provide advice on your particular application, so please get in touch with a member of our team if this is the case. We’re available via phone, live chat or email on all working days (Monday to Friday) up to 5pm.