Common questions. Straight answers.

San Diego gets most of its water from two imported sources: the Colorado River and the State Water Project. Both carry high mineral loads picked up crossing hundreds of miles of rock and desert. By the time water reaches your tap it typically tests 17 to 20-plus grains per gallon of hardness. That's nearly four times what's considered moderately hard. Most of the country doesn't deal with water this aggressive.

San Diego switched to chloramine, a chlorine-ammonia blend, as its primary disinfectant. Chloramine is harder to remove than plain chlorine. Standard carbon block filters slow it down but don't eliminate it. Catalytic carbon, which is what we use in our whole-house systems, is specifically designed to neutralize chloramine. If your water smells or tastes off even after a basic filter, chloramine is usually why.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in nonstick coatings, firefighting foam, and dozens of industrial products. They break down very slowly, which is why they've built up in water supplies across the country. In 2024 the EPA set enforceable maximum contaminant levels for several PFAS compounds for the first time. San Diego water consistently meets those limits, but some homeowners want an additional layer of reduction. Certified reverse osmosis systems and select specialty media are effective at reducing PFAS at the tap. We can discuss options during your free in-home water test.

Yes, meaningfully so. Municipal water is treated before it reaches you. Well water is whatever the aquifer gives you. Inland and mountain homes in San Diego County commonly see iron, hydrogen sulfide (the rotten-egg smell), sediment, low pH, and sometimes bacteria. Each of those needs a different treatment approach. We test well water specifically and size a system for what's actually present, not a one-size guess.

A traditional water softener removes calcium and magnesium ions through ion exchange and replaces them with sodium. It produces genuinely soft water but requires salt bags, regular refilling, and discharges a brine solution. A salt-free conditioner, like the PF1025 system we install, uses catalytic media (also called TAC, or template-assisted crystallization) to change the structure of hardness minerals so they don't bond to surfaces. No salt. No sodium added to the water. No brine discharge. No bags to haul. For most San Diego households it delivers the same scale-prevention benefit without the maintenance.

No, and that's intentional. The slippery feel from a traditional softener comes from sodium being present in the water. Salt-free conditioned water won't have that feel. Minerals are still in the water; they've just been restructured so they stay suspended instead of depositing on your pipes, fixtures, and appliances. Some people prefer the feel of salt-free water. Others miss the softener feel. We talk through that during the consult.

We use medical-grade stainless steel tanks. Most competitors use fiberglass tanks with a plastic inner liner. Over time, especially in San Diego's heat and with aggressive water chemistry, those liners degrade. You can end up with micro-particles and off-tastes in the water you're trying to improve. Stainless steel doesn't corrode, doesn't degrade, and won't shed anything into your water supply. It also lasts significantly longer.

A standard under-sink filter, usually carbon block, removes chlorine, chloramine, sediment, and improves taste and odor. It's a meaningful upgrade from unfiltered tap water. Reverse osmosis goes further. It pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane that removes dissolved solids, heavy metals, nitrates, and most PFAS compounds. RO water is as clean as drinking water gets at the tap. The trade-off is it's slower and produces some waste water in the process. We install both and can help you decide which fits your priorities.

It does. RO strips out essentially everything dissolved in the water, including calcium and magnesium. Some people add a remineralization stage to put a small amount back in. If you're getting minerals from food and other sources, the loss from drinking water is unlikely to be significant. But it's worth discussing if it's a concern for you.

Yes, and we do it often. A whole-house system handles scale protection and chloramine removal throughout the home. An under-sink RO or filter at the kitchen tap gives you a higher level of purification specifically for drinking and cooking water. The two systems work together and are sized independently.

Scale buildup from hard water coats the inside of pipes, water heaters, and appliances over time, reducing efficiency and shortening lifespan. Water heaters in hard-water areas often fail years early because of scale accumulation on the heating element. You'll also see white film on fixtures, glass shower doors, and dishes, and feel it as dry skin and hair after showering. People with eczema often notice it gets worse in high-hardness water.

It's a common adjustment San Diego newcomers report. Very hard water strips natural oils more aggressively than moderate water. It also leaves a thin mineral residue on skin after showering. Many people see improvement within a few weeks of installing a conditioning system. It won't solve every skin issue, but if the dryness started when you moved here, water hardness is worth addressing.

At 17 to 20-plus grains per gallon, scale accumulates noticeably within a year on unprotected fixtures and appliances. Water heaters show measurable efficiency loss within 18 to 24 months in untreated systems. The cost isn't always visible until something fails early or an energy bill climbs.

A Filter Pros technician comes to your home and tests your actual water, not a general municipal report. We measure hardness, chloramine levels, pH, TDS (total dissolved solids), and any other parameters relevant to your water source. We show you the results, explain what they mean in plain terms, and size a system based on your home's specific water profile and usage. There's no pressure and no obligation.

Whole-house systems are a real investment and pricing varies based on home size, water chemistry, and what the test shows you actually need. We don't publish prices online because a number without context usually misleads more than it helps. Financing is available. We'll give you clear, specific pricing after the in-home test so you're comparing real numbers, not estimates.

Call us at (858) 925-5546 to schedule your free in-home water test. We serve all of San Diego County. The test takes about 45 minutes and comes with no obligation.