Water Wisdom

Wondering whether you should soften only your hot water? Here’s what actually happens in a home with hot-only softening — and how to decide which setup is right for you.

Waterloo Region has some of the hardest water in Ontario. Here’s a simple explanation of why — and what it means for your home.

Having a water softener has many advantages, including improved household appliances, softer skin and hair, and reduced energy costs. One of the biggest advantages of having a water softener is the improvement in the performance of household appliances that use water. Hard water, which is water that contains a high concentration of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, can build up inside appliances and cause them to become less efficient. This can lead to a shorter lifespan for appliances, as well as higher energy costs as they have to work harder to function properly. A water softener, on the other...

An ever-increasing amount of salt is seeping into municipal water supplies through road salting, manufacturing and residential water softening. For homeowners in hard water areas living without a water softener is unimaginable, but unless salt and water consumption is put in check, a future ban on sodium based softeners seems inevitable. It happened in California, it happened in parts of Europe and it can happen in Canada. Waterloo Region in Ontario is taking serious steps to maintain the integrity of the water supply and individual homeowners can help. Reducing the amount of salt used by water softeners is a challenge...

Confused about how often or when you should replace water filters? Let's break it down and hopefully shed some light on this important question. After all, you bought a water purifier because you wanted pure water, so proper maintenance and filter changes will help you achieve that end. Most reverse osmosis drinking water systems are the same (they just look different) Most reverse osmosis units have 3 lower filter sumps. These sumps usually contain 1 sediment filter and 2 carbon filters and a membrane across the top. Some have an extra polishing filter also across the top.        The...