Six things to check before you buy
A whole-house system is a real purchase. It sits in your garage for years, so the company matters as much as the equipment. Ask every company, including us, for the same six things.
1. Do they analyze your own water first?
A quote that comes before an analysis of your tap is a guess. Hardness, chlorine and dissolved minerals decide what you need. Nuvia Water starts with a free in-home water analysis and sizes the system from the results.
2. Is the equipment independently certified?
Ask for certification from outside organizations such as NSF, IAPMO R&T and UL, and ask for the certificate or listing number so you can look it up with the certifier. A logo on a brochure is not a listing. Nuvia's materials carry marks from IAPMO R&T, NSF, cUL us, UPC and ISO 9001 and 14001.
3. What is it made of, and how much water can it handle?
Ask what the tanks, valves and media are made of, and ask for the flow rating in writing. Better materials last longer and fail less. Nuvia publishes flow ratings on its product pages, for example up to 40 gallons per minute for the Sentry and up to 28 for the Filtro.
4. Is the warranty in writing, part by part?
These systems are not cheap, so the warranty matters. Get the term for each part: control valve, tanks, media, reverse osmosis system, filters. Read what voids it. Nuvia backs its Nuvia Pro dual-tank system with a 15-year media warranty and a 10-year control valve warranty. The warranty page lists the terms and links the full PDF.
5. Will the company still be here?
This is the one people skip, and it is the one that costs the most. A warranty is a promise, and a promise is only worth the company behind it. If the company that sold you the system is gone in five years, the warranty is a worthless piece of paper, and you are left with a big tank in the garage that does not work and nobody to call about it. Look at how long the company has been around. Look for a real office, a phone that gets answered and a contractor license that checks out. Nuvia Water was founded in 2012, has held California license 969902 (C-55 Water Conditioning) since that year, and has been a BBB Accredited Business since September 2012. You can check the license yourself.
6. What do the reviews say?
Read the reviews, the good ones and the bad ones, on Google and with the BBB, and read how the company answers the bad ones. Nuvia has a 4.6 rating on Google from more than 1,600 reviews and an A rating with the BBB. See them on the reviews page.
The short version
Ask for the same papers from every company: the analysis, the certificates, the materials and flow ratings, the written warranty, the license and the years in business. The company that answers all six, and will still be there in ten years, is the one to buy from.
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Questions people ask
Why does it matter how long a water treatment company has been in business?
A warranty is a promise, and it is only as good as the company behind it. If the company closes, the warranty is a piece of paper, and you are left with a large tank in your garage that does not work and nobody to call. Years in business, a real office and a license that checks out are the best evidence a company will still be there when you need a part or a claim.
What certifications should a water softener or filter have?
Look for independent certification of the equipment, such as NSF, IAPMO R&T or UL listings, and ask for the certificate or listing number. You can look a listing up with the certifier. A logo on a brochure is not a listing, so ask to see the paperwork for the exact model.
How long should the warranty be?
Ask for the term of each part in writing, not one headline number. Control valves, tanks, reverse osmosis systems and filters each have their own terms and exclusions. The longer the term, the more it matters that the company will still exist to honor it.
How can I check a water treatment company's license?
Look up the license number on the California Contractors State License Board site. It shows the license class, whether it is active, and when it expires. Nuvia Water holds license 969902, class C-55 Water Conditioning.
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