The main water problem in the Flathead Valley is water hardness build-up which can cause water heaters, coffee makers, and other appliances to fail. The National Water Quality Association considers water that is 10.5 grains per gallon or more to be extremely hard water. The best way to remove the calcium hardness is with an Advantage water softener. The “on demand” metered style is the best, especially in homes with occasional use or varying demand.

Our main product line is the Fleck 5600. Our water softeners are top quality machines built in the U.S. with superior features and space age materials. No cheap parts creating expensive repairs down the road. From the stainless steel bypass to the mechanical water meter to the high quality resin – this unit is superior to any unit you will see in a discount store. The quality of this equipment allows us to give an unbeatable warranty. With an expected lifetime of 20 years, this unit comes with 6 years FREE labor and service calls, 10-year warranty on all small parts and lifetime warranty on tanks and resin. This far exceeds any other company’s assurance of quality. We continue to be hundreds of dollars less in price for comparable equipment and after 34 years in business, and thousands of water softeners in service, we average less than three repairs calls per week – a testimony to the quality of the equipment we sell.

There are water softeners with timers, electronic meters, without jackets, dual resin tank models, cabinet or self-contained models; but none are as cost effective or as convenient as our “on demand” metered units. For people who do not have electricity, non-electric water softeners are a good choice, but if electricity is available, that type are not as cost effective as the electric kind, which only use 10 cents worth of electricity per month.

Iron is the second most common water problem in Northwest Montana. In water it can cause a yellow or rusty stain in levels of 0.3 parts per million or higher. We sell and rent iron filters that don’t use any extra chemicals. These units save hundreds of dollars by preserving appliances and fixtures.

We also have Reverse Osmosis systems, ultra-violet lights, and single or double water filters for sale. RO’s are good for making water better for drinking. They consist of pre filters, post filters and a membrane to remove nearly all contaminants. An ultra-violet light unit is for killing harmful bacteria and other organisms present in the water.

Cost to install these machines would depend on how the pipes are laid out in your home. On new homes we recommend having a mechanical room and being pre-plumbed to accommodate a water softener. We generally do the minor plumbing it takes to actually hook up the equipment. We typically turn larger projects over to an actual licensed plumbing contractor.

To know for sure what contaminants you have, you should take a sample to the Montana Environmental Laboratory in Kalispell. Sometimes they will recommend the best course of action to take depending on what you actually have in your water.