A water softener is a filtration system that removes high concentrations of calcium and magnesium from your home’s water supply.
Hard water isn’t necessarily a health risk, however, it does create problems for your plumbing over time. Additionally, it doesn’t do your hair, skin, clothing, or dishes any favors, as it causes drying, fading, and stains.
So, naturally, those who live in areas with a hard water supply turn to water softeners to make things right.
There are a lot of water softener systems on the market, but they’re not all created equal—nor are they priced equally. Many people decide to invest in an AO Smith Water Softener System, primarily because they’re affordable, secondly because they’re easily attainable.
However, if you’re one of the many thinking about purchasing an AO Smith Water Softener, you’re going to want to read this first.
Common Issues Concerning the AO Smith Water Softener
As we’ve mentioned, AO Smith Water Softener Systems are popular because they’re affordable and they’re a recognizable brand put out by Lowe’s. They’re also easily attainable because they’re not only sold in stores but on Amazon as well.
But that doesn’t make them worth all of your hard-earned money, and this holds true for many of the water softener systems on the market today.
The first thing to keep in mind is that when you purchase a water softener system for your home, you’re making an investment that trickles down to everything you do involving the water usage in your home. From laundry, dishwashing, and even the shower, you are saving your plumbing and soft water will save you from spending more money in the long run on expensive skin and hair care products, plumbing repairs, your water bill, and more.
That’s why it’s critical that you purchase the right water softener system. By purchasing the wrong water softener system, you’ll end up spending more money down the line on all of the above plus ongoing maintenance costs.
Here’s what you need to know about AO Smith Water Softener Systems:
1. They’re Lacking in Certifications
You probably didn’t know this, but there are actually three independent organizations that certify water softener products to ensure they meet specific standards: The Water Quality Association (WQA), NSF International, and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).
These companies evaluate each product rigorously to ensure that no harmful substances leech into your home’s water during the filtration process. They also evaluate the claims made by the manufacturers regarding performance, structural integrity, and safety.
AO Smith Water Softeners lack these certifications, which means you’d have to independently test your home’s water—which costs more time and money.
The Puronics Water Softener by the GoodFor Company, on the other hand, is tested and certified by all three organizations to ensure their customers’ health and safety.
2. Their System Is NOT an All-in-One Solution
Most of AO Smith’s water softeners require multiple products to make each system work efficiently. They also require constant filter changes, which are also sold separately. Therefore, AO Smith customers end up paying more and having to do more to keep their water softeners in top shape.
Puronics IS an all-in-one water softener system. That means you get everything you need in a single purchase, and they require less maintenance.
4. Their Warranty Is Limited
AO Smith only offers a six-year warranty on its products. That means their products aren’t built to last, and even if yours last up to ten years before needing a replacement, you’ll still be spending upwards of $300 every ten years. Plus the filters and ongoing maintenance costs.
When a product manufacturer only offers a limited-time warranty, it means they’re aware of a designated time frame in which their products will no longer work efficiently—or break. They do this to ensure repeat customers for a larger revenue stream.
Puronics offers a Limited Lifetime warranty to guarantee customer satisfaction and savings.
5. They Require More Frequent Servicing
A typical AO Smith water softener will filter out 600,000 gallons before needing a new filter or servicing. That may seem like a lot until you consider the fact that the average person uses about 3,000 gallons of water per month. That’s 12,000 gallons per month for a household of four people.
Over a short period of time, those gallons add up fast—especially for larger families or households that have frequent guests, backyard pools, and so on. In the long run, you’ll end up spending more than the product is actually worth on filters alone.
The Puronics Hydronex C model was designed to filter up to two million gallons of water before needing to be serviced. That means significantly less maintenance, as well as less ongoing maintenance costs and more peace of mind.
5 They’re Not Transparent About Their Materials
The materials used to manufacture your water softener system are incredibly important. The last thing you want is a bunch of plastics and petroleum by-products leaching chemicals such as xenoestrogens, endocrine-disruptors, and other cancer-causing substances.
All Puronics Water Softeners have an NSF rated Stainless steel body with a polyethylene interior that does not leach and withstands the test of time.
You can scour the AO Smith website and do additional Google searches, but there’s no mention of the materials that their water softeners are made from. Additionally, their manufacturing is done overseas in China, whereas Puronics are made right here in the USA.
Puronics Is the Wiser Choice
Don’t waste your time or money on an unreliable product that doesn’t come with the necessary certifications OR isn’t transparent about their materials and manufacturing processes. It’s not worth the headache—or putting your family’s health at risk.
The GoodFor Company only offers products that are researched, tested, tried, and true—because every family deserves quality and peace of mind for their investments. At GoodFor, We ensure our products have the backing of reputable organizations because we believe in backing up our work with science.
