Frequently Asked Questions
The vast majority of municipal water systems use chlorine or chloramines to treat water. Chlorine and chloramine (chlorine plus ammonia) are chemicals used to kill living organisms like bacteria and viruses. This is effective for treating your water at the source and delivering it to you via an old infrastructure, but the problem is, it also causes dry skin and hair and generates an unpleasant taste and odor. Our Whole House Carbon Systems filter out the unpleasant taste and smell to provide clean filtered water from every tap and shower, and to all appliances without stripping out beneficial mineral nutrients.
Our CS Carbon is standard granular activated carbon, which is what is most commonly found in most whole house carbon filters
Our CX Carbon is catalytic carbon, which is specially formulated for the removal of chloramine, which is the primary disinfectant in over 80% of municipal water supplies. While more expensive, CX is also a higher performing media.
Please see the following link for more information regarding the differences in the carbon:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vtkmFmYDTUa98r4_vaYGf2FynrCC62Hj/view?usp=sharing
Traditional water softener or water softener/filter combination does add a very small amount of sodium to the water. The process utilized is an ion exchange, and sodium ions are added to the water in exchange for the removal of calcium and magnesium. Water softeners also have the ability to remove low levels of iron. In certain circumstances your service provider may recommend one of these systems or, if you prefer the feel of soft water, this may be the method you elect to have.
We typically recommend the whole house filter and Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System which do not add anything to the water. The Anti-Scale System renders hard water minerals harmless, producing a more efficient plumbing system. The filter provides sparkling clean, spring like water, often superior to bottled water, to every faucet in your home: water the way nature intended it!
The Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System is completely maintenance free.
The Whole House Carbon Filter will last longer than most people will remain in their home, but should the media become exhausted, it can be re-bedded at a reasonable cost by your installer. Exact life expectancy is determined by individual water quality, the amount of media in the tank and consumption patterns.
Flow-Tech Water Filtration Systems will reduce the need for bottled water. The Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale system will eliminate the need for salt service required with traditional water softeners, and expensive media replacement required by media based anti-scale systems. Both systems help to make your water as friendly as possible to your plumbing system and water using appliances, extending productive life and improving efficiency.
Plumber’s Choice sells exclusively to reputable, licensed service contractors, and does not set retail pricing. However, the Flow-Tech Systems generally pay for themselves in a relatively short period of time. We recommend that you contact your preferred service contractor for pricing. If they do not currently carry the Flow-Tech line of water treatment products, they may contact us to determine if they are eligible to carry our products.
The Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System unit carries a standard five-year electrical warranty, but unless it is tampered with, gets wet or extremely dirty, the system should last as long a standard radio. Some dealers may offer an extended warranty.
The Whole House Carbon Filter carries a 10 year warranty on the tank and a five year warranty on the head and media.
The Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System unit comes in a waterproof enclosure, which allows for interior or exterior installation.
The Whole House Filter can be installed outdoors, but you need a weather cover installed to protect the valve.
The Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System is capable of protecting any home with up to a 1.5” supply. In circumstances where there is a larger main line, the installer may elect to use a small commercial application.
The Whole House Filter is offered in a variety of sizes based on your water main and flow requirements. Your licensed and trained installer will be best able to assist you with this after inspecting your plumbing system.
In rare cases, the system can cause interference on the AM band. The easiest solution, if you only listen to a specific show or two is to use an outlet timer like the one or the two shown here:
Basic: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVFF59S
Digital: https://www.amazon.com/Century-Heavy-Digital-Programmable-Timer/dp/B00MVF16JG
If you experience problems beyond this, please inform your installer so he can correct the problem through additional plumbing steps.
Yes, the Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System will work on plastic piping. We do need conductive piping in order to conduct the signal into the fluid column, but once in the water the conductive piping is no longer needed. Most homes have copper at the water heater but in cases where an alternate installation location is needed a piece of copper can be easily plumbed in and will allow for proper propagation.
Yes, for the system to work correctly it must be plugged into a properly grounded outlet. Your installer will be able to verify this.
The Flow-Tech Home Anti-scale System is extremely energy efficient. The system draws approximately 2 watts and will have the same impact on your power bill as a small night light. On the flip side it will provide energy cost savings by improving the energy efficiency of your water-using appliances.
The Whole House filter requires power to run the smart valve and to direct the system to backflush effectively. Energy usage is minimal and should not have a significant impact on your power bill.
Unlike traditional water softeners, the Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale System does not waste water.
The Whole House carbon filter does self-clean and therefore does some use extra water. Our system has been designed with a Vortech distribution plate that allows it to function without back flushing up to three times longer than other filters, dramatically cutting down on water usage. The cost of the additional water usage should be minimal in comparison to the savings incurred by reduction in bottle water purchases.
Your installer will be able to test the Flow-Tech Home Anti-scale System signal and insure that it is propagating effectively. If you have existing build up on your aerators and fixtures – where there is water flow – you will see it soften and become easily removable. You should also notice clearer dishes and even thought evaporative spotting may still occur, it should wipe away easily. You may also notice you hot water getting hotter as the efficiency improves. You may want to adjust the setting on your hot water heater.
You will taste and feel the difference immediately with a whole house filter. We recommend you have the water tested annually to ensure they are functioning properly. (This service is frequently offered free of charge with your installers service agreement.)
Do Electromagnetic bug repellents, such as the Home Sentinel, cause interference with the Flow-Tech?
No, use of these products should not interfere with the performance of the Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale unit.
50,000 residential units
The system is smart with a led screen that tells many errors but the true sign is what you see in your home. You should not develop any new scale after installation where water flows (faucets, shower heads, etc).
It greatly reduces water spotting but does not eliminate them. Because the Flow-tech doesn’t remove the mineral, water spots can still occur when water evaporates but you should be able to wipe it away without having to use harsh chemicals (microfiber towels work really well). We recommend turning off the drying cycle in your dishwasher so you don’t cook the left behind mineral onto your dishes. If you like using your dryer cycle then use a rinse agent like Jetdry. If you have a glass shower door you might try using Rain-x. Just spray it down about once a month to deal with water spots there.