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1034 Austin Street
San Antonio, TX 78208
atownsend@culligansa.com
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Water Softener Benefits  . . .

bullet Saves money on cleaning products, soaps and energy to heat your water, a major household expense.
bullet Bathrooms:  Bathing and showering will feel wonderful !!  Your skin will be softer and won't dry out so easily, and your hair be softer and easier to manage.  You'll spend less money on costly lotions and hair care products.
bullet Laundry Room:  Your clothes will look whiter and brighter, feel softer on your skin and last longer.
bullet Kitchen:  Your glassware will be spot-free.  Dishes, flatware, pots and pans will sparkle. Kitchen cleanup becomes easier because soap rinses right off.
bullet Cleaner everything:  You'll spend less time cleaning because soap film won't stick to bathtubs, chrome fixtures, shower stalls, or doors.
bullet No clogged pipes:  Hard water creates a buildup of scale in your plumbing, especially on the hot water side. When pipes get clogged, water is delivered slower throughout your home.  Conditioned water doesn't allow scale to form in your pipes, which saves Big Money down the road.


The water softener represents the frontline in the attack on one of the biggest problems with water quality in central Texas, high hardness.  Calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water as it passes thru the old sea beds underneath our area makes the water hard and this hardness wreaks havoc on water heaters, plumbing systems, appliances, clothes, skin and hair.  The hardness also results in wasted energy to heat water and wasted soap trying to create suds, which are the cleansing agent in soaps and detergents.  Savings from using softened water quickly pay for the costs spent to obtain it. 
 

Water softeners work by a process called ion-exchange which removes the troublesome calcium and magnesium and replaces or "exchanges" it for sodium or potassium which do not form hardness scale nor soap curd.  A "soft" water is the result and the benefits to using it instead of hard water are numerous and eye-opening.  One of our Culligan representatives would be happy to outline these benefits and options in a no-obligation meeting with you, including a free water test for hardness and other contaminants.

Some people are concerned about the sodium they might ingest in softened water, but to put it into perspective, if you were to drink a quart of softened water in San Antonio (with 18 grains per gallon of hardness) you would be getting the same amount of sodium as in a slice of bread.

We often hear people voice concerns over the slippery or slimy feel of softened water and that they can't get all the soap off.  We point out to them that this feeling is truly an illusion created by the comparison with hard water and how it feels on the skin.  When you bathe in hard water the hardness combines with soap to create a layer of soap scum or curd that feels rough.  When you rinse in hard water it feels like you have rinsed the soap off, but in reality it is still there in the form of a curd.  In soft water the curd never forms so your true skin feels soft and slick like you can't get the soap off, but the reality is that it HAS been rinsed off and you are just feeling your true skin for the first time perhaps.  You will find that with softened water you can typically use just 1/3 the amount of soap as previously and yet feel cleaner than before.  Hair will be softer and smoother as well, as there will be no hardness curd coating it.
Reverse Osmosis Benefits  . . .

bullet Improves the taste and odor of your drinking water.

    Giving you...Better tasting coffee, tea and juices.
    More flavorful soups, sauces and pasta
    Richer baby formula
    Clearer ice cubes
    Crisper fruits and vegetables 

bullet Substantially reduces microscopic impurities and chemical contaminants.
bullet Saves money and time !!  No more trips bringing home heavy bottles of water.
bullet Removes sodium, dissolved solids and heavy metals.


Reverse osmosis is a technology developed in the mid-twentieth century to desalinate seawater.  It reverses the natural process of osmosis, in which a solution of greater salt concentration moves through a permeable membrane toward the less salty solution to achieve equilibrium.  In reverse osmosis we use water pressure, either existing line pressure or pressure boosted higher with a pump, to force pure water molecules through a membrane while rinsing impurities to drain to keep the membrane from clogging. 

RO (as it is abbreviated) has proven itself useful in removing or substantially reducing many water contaminants besides just salt, including lead, arsenic, chlorinated compounds such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and chloramines, asbestos, and many other substances that could be found in your water (but are not necessarily present). 

An RO System typically consists of a sediment pre-filter, carbon pre-filter, RO membrane (the "heart" of the system), a carbon post-filter to polish the water to a very high quality and good taste, and the storage tank to re-pressurize the product as well as a faucet to dispense it.  These systems typically produce a water that is a good as, and in some cases better than, bottled water.  Culligan rents or sells these systems, and they can often be hooked up to an ice-maker and will easily produce 20 or more gallons of water per day.         
 
The heart of the RO system is the membrane, but the other filters play important roles in producing a high quality water and in protecting the membrane from debris and premature clogging.  We typically recommend changing the pre and post filters (not the more expensive membrane) every year or so to assure the highest quality water and protect the membrane.  Though this can be performed by the home-owner, Culligan has trained and state-certified Water Treatment Specialist professionals ready to perform the job on short notice.  Note that the affordable monthly rental rate includes these filter changes as part of the fee.
Super S Iron Filter Benefits  . . .

Do you have those ugly rust stains on your clothes, fixtures, and dishes?  The Culligan Super S filter removes the iron in your water, with its exclusively patented process.  Iron is oxidized and then filtered out, leaving you with fresh, clean water for bathing, cleaning and washing.  Since the Super S utilizes a unique air compression process, the need for regenerants is reduced to a minimum.  Simple backwashing saves you money on chemicals and water.

Do you have that "rotten egg" odor in your water?  If you have it, you know it !!  Hydrogen sulfide causes that odor and it can leave black stains on your laundry and bathroom fixtures.  Even worse, it can cause serious damage to your pipes, leading to costly repairs.  The Culligan Super S filter virtually eliminates these problems using a patented filtration process that removes hydrogen sulfide from your water.  You won't have to hold your nose every time you turn on the tap.  Plus, the only regenerant you will need is ordinary household bleach.  You won't be bothered with the expense and hassle of other chemicals.  That will save you time and money.

The Culligan Super S filter only uses 13 inches of floor space, about the same as a floor lamp.  It will fit almost any home, whether you are on a private well or a public water system. Culligan rents or sells these systems.

Your Culligan Water Experts can help to solve many other water problems as well, and can customize a system for your water according to your needs.  Remember, Water is our only business, and we take pride in what we do.

Depth Filters (for Turbidity) . . .

Culligan Depth Filters use a unique multi-gradation of media sizes to filter out very fine sediment in wells and surface water supplies like ponds and other reservoirs. Useful for those niche customers who have a turbid water supply, as the result is water of great clarity. Eliminating turbidity makes subsequent disinfection with chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet light much more effective and reliable.

Storage Tanks . . .

Culligan can supply water storage tanks to help make rural water supplies usable. These tanks are sometimes used for merely holding water, but often serve a dual purpose in that they are also used to provide a vessel to precipitate out iron and other particles, which can then be flushed off or filtered out more easily. Your Culligan man can help size these to fit your needs.

Carbon Filters . . .

Carbon is a very effective water treatment media often used to absorb contaminants and odors from water. Culligan can provide carbon filters in many configurations, tailored for the water quality needed. We use them as polishing filters in reverse osmosis systems, as pretreatment for deionization and some large RO (reverse osmosis) installations, and in applications where chlorine removal is specified. Carbon has a finite absorption ability, and must be replaced after a preset time (usually one or 1.5 years), or earlier if low pressure or breakthrough contaminants, tastes or odors are noticed.

Ultraviolet Light . . .

Ultraviolet light is a specialty water treatment technique that relies upon the fact that ultraviolet light of a certain frequency will kill biological organisms in water, given a high enough quality water and sufficient time for reactions to occur. Culligan uses this technology in high purity water loops like those found in medical labs and manufacturing facilities. It is crucially important for UV bulbs to be changed on a regular basis to maintain their effectiveness, and the quartz sleeve that transmits its light must be kept very clean as well.

Chlorinators . . .

Chlorine has long been used to disinfect water from harmful microorganisms, as well as to help oxidize materials so they can more easily be filtered out. Municipalities usually apply this chlorine, and in fact a residual level of it is mandated by state law. However, private wells are usually on their own to monitor themselves for ongoing water purity, and this can be quite tricky. A negative (bacteria-free) test one month does not necessarily mean a well will continue to be safe. Many homeowners choose to install their own chlorine injection device, commonly known as a chlorinator, to supply an even dosage of chlorine in the incoming well water. To be effective, chlorine needs to have sufficient contact time, usually 20 minutes in non-turbid water, as well as an adequate free-chlorine residual, so these factors need to be considered in the design phase. Culligan can supply both the chlorinators and the appropriate storage tank to assure effective bacterial kill and/or contaminant oxidation (iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, etc.).

Ozonators . . .

Ozonation is a specialty treatment technique that creates ozone, or O3, a very powerful and effective disinfectant that leaves little taste or odor when applied correctly. Culligan San Antonio uses this technology as a last step in its 5 gallon bottling process, since a low level of ozone in the finished water assures water purity up until consumer use (which with most bottled water is incidentally recommended to be 2 years, though the water is likely "good" much longer).

Cartridge Filters . . .

Cartridge Filters are available in a wide variety of sizes and media types to help address many different water problems. These are often used either pre-water-treatment-system to take out the "elephants" in the incoming water . . . or post treatment to polish the final product water, removing residual chlorine and off-tastes and odors. It is important to size these filters appropriately and also to change the cartridges on a pre-determined regular basis (or sooner if water quality declines before-hand) to assure that trapped contaminants are not fed back into the water supply, potentially at even higher rates than the feed water contained.

Salt Delivery . . .

Culligan can deliver salt for most all softeners, residential or commercial. This salt service also includes a 10 point check up that can spot potential problems early before they lead to expensive hard water consequences. Culligan will set you up on a schedule to assure continuous soft water . . . and to save you the time and effort of having to fill up the brine tank yourself.

Some of Culligan's water softener rentals include the salt delivery service in the fee, and for one affordable monthly rate you can be assured of a turn-key solution to hard water. Call us if you are interested in this arrangement or have any further questions.

Rental of Systems . . .

Culligan rents most of its water treatment systems, allowing the customer to avoid the capital expense of owning the system. A reasonable monthly rate includes rental of the equipment, most maintenance, and in some cases the salt as well. The rental program also allows an easy option to try-before-you-buy to make sure the specified solution is entirely appropriate to the water problem, family size, etc.

Bulk Water Delivery (West Texas office only) . . .

Culligan's Bulk Water delivery service allows large users (up to 6000 gallons) to have ultra-pure deionized water delivered to their plants and facilities at a reasonable per-gallon rate. In many cases this is more practical and economical than installing on-site water treatment equipment, and Culligan would be glad to perform an in-depth analysis to determine your best solution.

Service Contracts . . .

Culligan offers Service Contracts on many of its systems which allow the customer to pay a reasonable monthly fee and receive professional Culligan service and support for their water treatment systems. Call us for more information.

Deionization Tank Exchange . . .

Deionization or DI as it is commonly called is a water treatment technology that removes essentially ALL the cations and anions in water, leaving only pure H2O molecules. It is used for applications that demand extremely high purity water like laboratories, medical clinics, critical manufacturing processes, etc. In almost all cases it is most practical and economical to let Culligan regenerate the DI tanks at our facility and exchange them at your facility as need be.

Portable Exchange Service . . .

Portable Exchange Service, commonly known as PE service, refers to Culligan's first water treatment technology, cation exchange softening tanks that are exchanged periodically to assure continuous soft water. Though most of these tanks have been superseded by the newer automatic systems, the tanks still have a niche market in locations that cannot or do not want to install an automatic system. Many restaurants and commercial ice-maker users use these PE tanks.