Spotted glasses, crust around the faucets, and a cloudy film on the shower glass that returns right after cleaning are all signs of hard water. In bigger Poway homes around Green Valley and Twin Peaks, there are more fixtures and appliances for those minerals to build up in, from extra bathrooms to the water heater in the garage. What shows up on the outside is also building up inside the plumbing.
Treatment comes in two kinds. A softener takes out the hardness minerals, which keeps scale from forming in pipes, fixtures and the water heater. Filtration handles taste, odor and other concerns, either whole house or at a single tap, such as a drinking water system under the kitchen sink. Depending on what's in your water, you may want one or both.
It starts with a test of your water, so the recommendation fits what's actually coming out of your tap. The contractor explains what each system does, whole house versus point of use, and what maintenance looks like, all in plain English. You decide what fits your home.
