Water Softening & Conditioning FAQs

Soft water is the result of using a water softener to counteract hard water. Water softeners will take out the minerals that make up hard water.

We recommend Morton Pure and Natural Water Softener Crystals for use with our systems.  Pure and Natural Crystals are specially formulated and NSF Certified. 

We stock Morton salt for you here by the pallet and are happy to load the bags into your vehicle for you.

When you are accustomed to bathing in hard water, you are used to your soap and shampoo not dissolving all the way because the minerals in your water make it difficult for them to dissolve. Once a water softener is installed, this no longer happens. The cleaning agents dissolve fully, suds up more and create a slick, ultra smooth feel.

Any abnormal discoloring on appliances and fixtures is usually due to a particular element in the water. Yellow coloring is often a sign of iron in the water.

If you find brown or black stains in your dishwasher, the cause is most likely a high level of magnesium in your water. Your dishwasher creates the perfect environment for the magnesium to appear because the magnesium is heated, mixed around, and combined with air, allowing it to oxidize and leave behind the discoloration.

This color of staining usually means that your water is acidic. Your water can become acidic due to the metals from piping and other equipment.

The way that water softeners work they do not pass through enough sodium to pose any general health risks or deterrent. 

Nitrate is a compound that’s formed when nitrogen and oxygen are combined. This process happens often in soil. The water going to your well will naturally pick up small amounts of nitrate, which is normal. Too much nitrate can be harmful, so if you suspect this is a problem, we can do a simple water test to see how much nitrate is present.

The small amount of nitrate that usually appears in well water does not pose any major health concerns. A larger amount of nitrate can cause serious health problems, especially in infants and some farm animals. A water test can help determine how much nitrate is actually in your water.

Sometimes people complain about their water having a strange taste or odor, like the smell of rotten eggs. This smell is likely from hydrogen sulfide gas, which gives off an unpleasant odor. There are currently no known health risks associated with hydrogen sulfide.

A water test can determine if there are harmful or dangerous substances in your water. If it turns out that there are none, there is still the possibility of non-harmful minerals in your water that may be making your water taste unpleasant to you.

If you have ever gone to get a glass of water and noticed the water looks milky or cloudy, but then clear up after a few seconds, that is completely normal! The water in your pipes sometimes is under pressure, and when the water flows out of the tap, there are a lot of tiny air bubbles. These air bubbles are what creates the cloudy/misty appearance, but as they rise to the surface they release into the air, clearing up the water.

Water is often tested for bacteria, arsenic, nitrates, lead and other heavy metals, or a complete inorganic chemical analysis. In Clark County, tests for coliform bacteria, arsenic, and nitrate are required as part of the Water Availability and Verification Evaluation (WAVE).

Water test results are usually returned in seven to ten days, though tests for bacteria, arsenic, and nitrate are commonly completed more quickly for an additional fee.

With our our Free water testing option preliminary results can be completed quickly, and if needed we can provide a preliminary quote from them.  The last step of the test looking for Iron Bacteria however can take up to two weeks to complete, and we wouldn’t want to order any equipment before that is completed.

Don’t use a pop bottle. Use a rinsed out disposable, clear plastic water bottle or a something like a mason jar.  Just fill it up and drop it off to us at:

12307 NE 95th St. Vancouver, WA 98682 8am-5pm Monday – Friday

A flow test measures water availability — the number of gallons per minute that can be pumped from a well.  Flow tests determine the quantity of water that a well is able to sustainably produce.

Most single family residential well tests measure flow over either a two hour or four hour period. For bank financing purposes, many banks require a two-hour flow test for homes supplied by well water.  However, a four-hour flow test gives a much better indication for your peace of mind.