Calgary’s water comes off the mountains through limestone. It picks up calcium and magnesium on the way. That’s what “hard” means: minerals dissolved in the water. They’re not harmful to drink. They are a nuisance everywhere water dries.
Where you see it
- White spots on glasses out of the dishwasher.
- Scale inside the kettle and on the element of the water heater.
- A film on the shower door and around the taps.
- Soap that won’t lather, and a feeling that it won’t rinse off.
Two different problems, two different fixes
Problem one: minerals everywhere water touches. The fix is a water softener, which removes the hardness minerals from all the water coming into the house. Glasses come out clear, scale stops building, soap behaves.
Problem two: the taste of the drinking water. The fix is filtered drinking water at its own tap, usually a reverse osmosis system under the kitchen sink. It treats only the water you drink and cook with, so it costs less to run than treating the whole house.
Many homes want both: the softener for the house, the drinking tap for the kitchen.
How we test
A hardness test on your tap water takes a minute and gives a number. We also look at the water heater, the fixtures and where the main line comes in, because that decides where a softener can go. You see the result and the written price before anything is installed.
What’s in the shop today
- The First Cup: near-boiling water at the sink, installed, $1,620.87 + GST. Artisanal tea set included.
- Novo Aqua Flo Economy reverse osmosis: filtered water at its own tap, $1,499 + GST.
- Petwa water softener: twin tank or cabinet style, $1,999 + GST.
Prices are today’s shop prices for a standard install, plus GST, and are confirmed in writing after the visit.
Questions people ask
Does a softener make the water salty? A softener uses salt to regenerate, but the treated water carries only a trace of sodium. People who want none drink from the reverse osmosis tap.
Does reverse osmosis waste water? It sends some water to the drain while it works. During the City’s water restrictions, check the current rules before adding one.
How often do filters change? Reverse osmosis cartridges on the Novo twist off by hand, usually once a year. The softener needs salt topped up every few weeks.
Want a hardness number for your house? Book a home visit at 587-792-1456.
See the Water you'll love page
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