FAQ

While the evidence suggests that the economic benefits of brine restrictions are grossly overstated, some communities around the country (primarily in California) have chosen to prohibit the installation of conventional water softeners that require the use of brine.

A Culligan Salt-Free Water Conditioner is virtually maintenance-free while reducing the potential damaging effects of pesky compounds like calcium and magnesium. No salt in your system and no salt discharge in your community. Plus, no salt bags, ever!

No. In fact, a Culligan Salt-Free Conditioner reduces your carbon footprint with zero waste of water and no electricity required.

The answer is, it depends. A more advanced Salt-Free Conditioner system will run more in price than the most basic of water softening systems. At Culligan, every estimate requires an inspection of your plumbing to ensure installation can be performed. Culligan takes into account the size of your home, the number of people, and the number bathrooms to determine the right system for you and your family. Many of our customers prefer to finance their system due to our great financing specials. For example, your local Culligan dealer has finance options as low as $15 a month*.

Depending on the model, your conditioner can have both activated carbon as well as anti-scaling media. Culligan can also install pre-filters for sediment and compounds that can affect the appearance, taste, and odor of your water.

* Based on financing a $1500 system to qualified buyers. See dealer for complete details. Offers and participation may vary.

Sarasota County’s groundwater tends to be naturally hard. We can test your water for free to assess the level of hardness.

A water softener works through a process known as “ion exchange,” which means that as it removes calcium and magnesium (the elements that make water “hard”), it replaces those ions on a one-for-one basis, usually with sodium. This means that the amount of sodium added to the water is directly proportional to how hard your water is. In most instances, the amount being added is so small that it should not be a significant contributor to the amount of sodium in your diet.

Other than salt or potassium chloride, no. Water softeners do not add any additional chemicals and are very environmentally friendly.

No. A properly functioning water softener will never make your water taste salty. The small amount of sodium added to the water should never create a salty taste.

Yes. If your hard water has been building up scale in your appliances, a water softener should begin to remove it over time.

A water softener will begin to soften your water immediately. If you have a tank-based water heater, it may take a few days to use up the remaining hard water.

Culligan Water offers sanitized, five-gallon jugs and requires a minimum of three bottles for delivery.

Culligan Water sources its water via springs and other local municipal systems. The process is complex and often involves putting the water through a series of reverse osmosis and softening treatments. Some dealers may re-mineralize the water for taste purposes. Talk to your local dealer to see if they offer re-mineralization options. Some prefer the taste of pure water, while others prefer water with a hint of minerals in them.

Microorganisms go through ozone and UV filtration as well before the water leaves our bottling facility. We are members of the International Bottled Water Association, which holds us to higher quality standards than the Food & Drug Administration. Additionally, we are audited each year by NSF International to ensure quality is met with each order.

Some Culligan water dealers offer spring water as a delivery option. Contact us to learn more. Spring water is classified as any water that comes from an underground well or spring. Spring water is typically filtered and then remineralized to ensure its taste has returned to as close to its natural state as possible.

Your local Culligan may offer distilled water options as a specialty order. Distilled water is safe to drink, but because the distillation process removes many of the naturally-occurring, and helpful, minerals from water, using this type of water as your daily drinking could end up causing more harm than good in the long run.

Culligan bottled water typically goes through a reverse osmosis process. A reverse osmosis system contains a filter that only allows pure water to pass through. The system’s barrier is virtually impermeable to the naked eye, allowing it to catch small contaminants and molecules. Reverse osmosis can help remove 99% of contaminants commonly found in tap water.

The total cost of Culligan bottled water varies depending on the quantity and type of water your home needs, as well as the frequency of your delivery.

Whole-house water filters are typically more expensive than reverse osmosis systems for several reasons. A reverse osmosis system only filters water at one tap, while a whole-home filter operates as a water system throughout your house. Reverse osmosis systems also cannot generally be customized to address specific issues like excess iron or sulfur. Think of an RO system taking care of your drinking water at one tap, while a whole-house filter can provide customizable solutions for all water problems throughout your home.

No. Whole-house systems are designed to reduce sediment, chlorine, and other contaminants, leaving you with cleaner, safer, and fresher-tasting water. Based on the makeup of your water, our team at Culligan Water Of Sarasota may recommend a combination of whole-house filtration and water softening. Minerals like calcium and magnesium can decrease the effectiveness of your whole-house water filter, so simultaneously addressing hard water may be necessary to achieve optimal results.

An undersized or poorly-installed whole house water filter can reduce your water pressure throughout your home, which can range from a minor annoyance to a major flow issue in your sinks and showers. You can prevent this issue by avoiding retail and third-party plumbers, who do not necessarily have experience installing whole-house water filters as their primary job. We back our products with a warranty and are available to maintain and repair your equipment if you encounter a problem.

• The control valve is available in ¾” with the Culligan Select Series and 1” with the Culligan Select Plus Series.
• The low-voltage, fully programmable Accusoft® Microprocessor offers easy data entry performance options that can be set at the touch of a button to meet individual needs.
• All programming is safe from most power interruptions and surges.
• The guest-cycle recharge feature provides an extra supply of conditioned water when there are more people than normal in the home.
• A non-corrosive four-cycle motorized control valve directs water flow during service and reconditioning cycles.
• These products feature a sturdy filament-wound exterior and a smooth, non-permeable inner tank.
• These products are available in outdoor models.
• Sizes range from 8 to 10 inches in diameter to 51 to 63 inches in height.

Yes, chromium six (or hexavalent chromium) has recently been discovered in limited amounts in some water supplies. Chromium six is suspected of being a carcinogen, and should not be ingested at amounts above the federally mandated limits.  We have never been alarmists, but if you are concerned about the quality of the water you drink, you might want to consider a reverse osmosis system.  Reverse Osmosis is the only readily available system that removes up to 97% of Chromium-6. You can read more about it here.

Reverse osmosis is a sophisticated multi-stage filtration system that is capable of removing up to 97% of all the dissolved minerals from your water.  It is designed to make water that is at least as good as the water you buy in bottles.  Many times, it’s even better.  This reduces waste in landfills by using less bottled water, making reverse osmosis environmentally friendly.

Yes - The Culligan RO system uses multiple processes including Reverse Osmosis to make great tasting, low sodium drinking water. Reverse Osmosis removes about 97% of the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) including salt and sodium from the water. Read the labels on bottled water and you will discover reverse osmosis is the same process used by most bottlers ... so in effect ... you really are getting ... "bottled water without the bottle".

Refrigerator filters are typically just carbon, and while carbon filtered water is better than no treatment at all, it is limited in what it can remove. Only reverse osmosis is capable of removing dissolved minerals and chemicals from your water. 

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are manmade chemicals used since the 1940s in both industrial and everyday products. They’re found in items like waterproof clothing, non-stick cookware, food packaging, firefighting foam, and cleaning products. These chemicals make products resistant to oil, grease, stains, and water, but they can pose health risks when they make their way into our water supply.

“Forever chemicals” is another term for PFAS. These substances are named for their persistence, as they don’t easily break down in the environment or in our bodies because of their strong carbon-fluorine bonds. This means they can accumulate over time, impacting ecosystems and personal health.

PFAS are a growing health concern, and you can’t see, smell, or taste them. The EPA has linked PFAS exposure to health risks like certain cancers, high cholesterol, reduced fertility, developmental delays in children, and more. While research is ongoing, addressing PFAS in your water now can help protect your family’s health.

PFAS can enter local water sources through manufacturing, landfills, waste disposal, and firefighting foam commonly used at airports and military sites. In the Sarasota area, PFAS may also enter water supplies via rainwater runoff or wastewater treatment plants that aren’t equipped to remove these chemicals.

Professional testing is the best way to determine PFAS levels in your home’s water. We offer an easy-to-use and cost-effective PFAS test kit for Sarasota County homeowners. You can test your water on your own or with help from your local Culligan expert. Results are typically ready in just 10 business days or less.

Our Aquasential® Whole-Home PFAS Filter, which treats all the water in your home, can help provide cleaner water for drinking, bathing, and cooking.