You have questions about your water
and Culligan Winnipeg has the answers

Yes - Culligan Reverse Osmosis Systems remove about 97% of the total dissolved solids (TDS) from your water, including salt and sodium. Read the labels on bottled water and you will discover reverse osmosis is the same process used by most bottlers, so in effect you're really getting bottled water without cost and hassle of the bottle!

Here are some helpful considerations you may want to take into account before purchasing a water treatment system.

How hard is your water?

Having your water tested will help you determine your exact needs, even though you may already know you have one or more water problems. So do you have hard water? Find out with a FREE in-home water analysis.

In determining your water treatment needs, a water expert will look at a number of things. For example, the hardness level of the water and the size of your family will influence the size and type of equipment necessary for proper softening. Additional problems may require additional equipment.

Your water usage and pressure

The amount of water used, as well as your home's water pressure, are factors to consider when outfitting your home with a water treatment system. Household size may influence consumption, but different families all have different needs. Every factor should be considered, including family growth and guest visits.

Why should you avoid a quick fix?

Fixing your existing water problem is your primary goal, but don't settle for the cheapest, quickest solution. A higher-priced unit may serve your needs better by being more efficient, and reducing operating costs and maintenance time. Be sure, however, that you're getting your money's worth. Before you buy, get a detailed estimate of equipment, installation and average operating costs.

Hard water is probably the most common water problem found in the home. Hard water spots your glasses and dishes, makes laundry dull, and causes soap scum and scale to build up making cleaning a chore. The most common hardness-causing minerals are calcium and magnesium that is dissolved in a water supply.

According to the Water Quality Association, hard water is water that contains dissolved hardness minerals above one grain per gallon (GPG) though relative levels of hardness have been established and are as follows:

• Soft Water - less than 1 GPG
• Slightly Hard - 1 to 3.5 GPG
• Moderately Hard - 3.5 to 7 GPG
• Hard - 7 to 10.5 GPG
• Very Hard - 10.5 and higher GPG

Using an ion exchange water softener is the most common form of treatment.

Iron or rust in water can be found in five different forms. The two most common types are clear water iron and particulate iron. These will cause staining in your tubs and sinks, in your laundry and can even damage your hair. The other three types are iron bacteria, organic iron and collodial iron. These will result in reddish stains and may cause water to have a sulphur (rotten egg) odour or tea-coloured appearance.

1. You don't have to be a water expert to understand the basic principles behind water filtration and water softening. Here's an abridged version of what happens when you filter or soften water.

   Filtering water involves separating mineral particles, like particulates, iron, hydrogen sulphide or other organic matter, from H2O. By passing water through a "filter bed" or "media bed", these granular particles are trapped and clean water passes through the bed.

   Softening water involves something called "ion exchange" to remove dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese that can't be trapped in a filter bed. Softeners contain fresh resin beads with sodium attached to the bead and as water enters the tank, dissolved calcium and magnesium are attracted to the resin. The resin passes up the sodium in exchange for the dissolved chemicals and the water is then rid of these impurities.

Whether you use a filter or a softener depends on whether contaminants in your water are particles or dissolved minerals. To find out what's ailing your water, contact your local Culligan Man for a free water test.

Need to shorten your "to-do? list? If you have a water softener in the house, you can cross off buying salt and filling the tank, thanks to the new two-part Salt 'n Service delivery program from Culligan Winnipeg.

First, your local Culligan Man will deliver salt right to your home and fill up water softener's salt tank. He'll work with you to assess your salt usage so we can deliver the salt you need, when you need it, automatically!

With every salt delivery, our trained water expert will conduct a 10-point inspection of your water softener, from checking the time setting, salt level and water level in the salt tank to looking for leaks. And of course, all remaining salt bags will be stacked neatly and empty bags properly discarded.

Don't cart home another load of salt! Contact us today to schedule a delivery for more information on this terrific time-saver.