The patented Aqua-Sensor system monitors the hardness in your water to determine exactly when your softener needs to regenerate in order to continue to provide you with soft water. This allows your water softener to use only the amount of salt you need. Aqua-Sensor technology can allow you to achieve a savings of up to two tons of salt and 20,000 gallons of water over the lifecycle of your water softener.

The Aqua-Sensor technology is available on the Platinum Plus, Gold and Medallist Series water softeners.

What are Culligan’s newest products for drinking water?

Culligan is proud to introduce the Aqua-Cleer® Drinking Water System¹, our most innovative water filtration system available today.

The Aqua-Cleer system features 13 interchangeable water filters that enable the system to be customized to address your specific water problems. The Aqua-Cleer offers filters that reduce a wide-range of impurities², including sediment, chlorine, lead, radium, and arsenic.

¹ Not approved for sale in California or Wisconsin.

²Impurities not necessarily in your water.

Why choose Culligan?

As the leader in water treatment, there are a number of reasons Culligan is a better choice for better water:

• History – over 70 years of water treatment experience so you can trust that your Culligan Man will always be ready to help, today and tomorrow.

• Dealer network – with over 700 Culligan Dealers in North America, you can trust that your local Culligan Dealer will know your water conditions and have the right solution to provide you with better water.

• Solutions – Culligan offers the widest range of state-of-the-art solutions for drinking water and soft water

• Technology – with Culligan, you get exclusive, patented technology like the Aqua-Cleer® Drinking Water System and Aqua-Sensor® water softener monitoring system that you won’t find on other systems.

• Service – Culligan’s trained and certified water technicians are among the world’s finest and offer the best service and maintenance in the industry

• Innovation – Culligan’s world-renowned Research & Development and Analytical Lab are constantly seeking new solutions for tomorrow’s water issues. Today, Culligan proudly holds more than 200 patents worldwide in water treatment

• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee – We stand behind our products. If you are not fully satisfied with your Culligan within 30 days after your purchase, we will remove the product and give you a full refund – no questions asked.

Culligan® Dealers are independently operated. Offer valid on products sold for residential use. You must notify your participating Culligan® Dealer of your decision to return the product no later than 30 days after your date of purchase.

Have Culligan products received any endorsements?

Culligan® water softeners, whole-house filters and drinking water systems are backed by the powerful Good Housekeeping Seal.

In addition, the Culligan Gold Series™ water softener has been named as a Consumers Digest “Best Buy” by Consumers Digest magazine (August 2003).

According to the Consumers Digest article, the Culligan Gold Series™ is “the standard for premium softeners... Its Quadra-Hull® tank has four layers that resist rust and corrosion.

The Gold Series and Platinum Plus Series Accusoft® Plus microprocessor offers precise regulation. Varying tank sizes allow customization to the homeowner’s particular needs. The optional Aqua-Sensor® monitors the chemistry of the tank so it regenerates only when needed.”

What is Culligan’s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee?

When you purchase a Culligan® product, you are purchasing the finest water treatment product available today. We are so certain of this fact that if you are dissatisfied with your Culligan® product for any reason within 30 days of your purchase, Culligan will remove the product and refund the purchase price.

Is financing available for Culligan® products?

There is a Culligan® solution for every budget. In addition, there are various financing options available for Culligan® products and services.

Can I rent Culligan products?

Most products can be rented from your Culligan Dealer. This convenient options offers a number of benefits:

• Benefit from affordable monthly rates

• A perfect option for apartments, rental properties or seasonal homes

• Low monthly fee includes all service and repairs

• Agreements are month-to-month with no long-term contracts*, so you can get the system you want with no commitment.

• Rent-to-purchase agreements available

• Add additional services like salt delivery for a low monthly fee

• Professional installation and set up from your Culligan Service Technician

GENERAL WATER FAQs

What is hard water?

Hard water is water that contains dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. According to the Water Quality Association, water that contains more than 1 GPG (grain per gallon) of these dissolved minerals is considered hard water. Relative levels of hardness have been established:

• Soft Water - less than 1 GPG

• Slightly hard - 1 to 3.5 GPG

• Moderately hard - 3.5 to 7 GPG

• Hard - 7 to 10.5 GPG

• Very Hard - 10.5 and higher GPG

Hard water is probably the most common water problem found in the home. Hard water can leave spots on your glasses and dishes, make laundry dingy and dull, and cause soap scum and scale to build-up around faucets, making cleaning a chore.

The most common treatment for hard water is with an ion exchange water softener, which removes the dissolved hardness minerals out of the water, creating “soft” water.

What is soft water?

Soft water is water that contains few or no dissolved minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese.

Softening water involves a process called "ion exchange" to remove the dissolved minerals that can't be trapped by a standard filter. Softeners use fresh resin beads with sodium attached to the resin. As water enters the tank, dissolved calcium and magnesium are attracted to the resin. The resin passes up the sodium in exchange for the dissolved chemicals and the water is then rid of these impurities.

What is filtered water?

Filtered water is water that has gone through filters to reduce the amount of iron, hydrogen sulfide, aesthetic chlorine taste and odor as well as microorganisms, such as cryptosporidium and giardia.

Filtering water involves separating mineral particles, like particulates, iron, hydrogen sulfide or organic matter, from the water molecule (H2O). By passing water through a "filter bed," or "media bed," these granular particles are trapped – allowing the clean water to pass through.

What are point-of-entry (POE) and point-of-use (POU) filtration products?

Point-of-entry (POE) water filtration products are systems that treat all of the water used in a home or single building. Culligan offers a wide-range of whole house filters that deliver cleaner water to every tap in the house.

Point-of-use (POU) water filtration products are systems designed to treat only the water coming from the tap to which it is connected. Culligan has a number of point-of-use drinking water systems, such as reverse osmosis systems, faucet filters, plumbed-in single tap filters, drinking water coolers, and drinking water coolers.

What is reverse osmosis (RO) technology?

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a filtration process where water molecules are forced through a semi-permeable membrane under intense pressure. The semi-permeable membrane only allows water molecules to pass, treating specified contaminants³ such as arsenic V, barium, chromium and radium 226/228 and microorganisms, such as cryptosporidium and giardia.

This technologically-advanced process provides one of the most proven ways to filter water.

Reverse osmosis filtration technology is available in the Culligan Good Water Machine, the Aqua-Cleer® system and point-of-use water coolers.

³Contaminents are not necessarily in your water.

WATER SOFTENER FAQs

What are the benefits of a water softener?

A water softener removes the harsh minerals commonly found in hard water, leaving you with softer, mineral-free water that is much easier and gentler on everything that uses water.

With soft water, you’ll see a difference all over the house.

• Cleaner sinks, and faucets with less crusty scale buildup

• Less soap scum in tubs, showers and shower doors

• Brighter, cleaner clothes

• Softer laundry, linens and towels

• Cleaner, smoother skin and hair

• New rust and dirty water stains are virtually eliminated

And cleaning your home is easier because you won’t need as many harsh chemical cleaners.

Soft water is also better for your appliances and plumbing:

• Appliances work more efficiently and last longer

• Pipes are clearer with less corrosive elements and scale buildup

• Appliances need less detergent and soap, which helps you save money and is better for the environment.

What are the benefits of the Quadra-Hull® tank?

Culligan’s Quadra-Hull® tank is one of the strongest water tanks available on a water softener. The exclusive four-layer construction of the Quadra-Hull tank provides more protection than industry standard fiberglass and metal tanks. This design makes them impervious to rust and corrosion and they are UV resistant. Culligan's Quadra-Hull tanks offer a limited lifetime warranty on the tank and internal components.

What is the Aqua-Sensor® Technology?

Culligan’s Aqua-Sensor technology maximizes the efficiency of your water softener.

The Aqua-Sensor technology is available on the Smart-Sensor, Platinum Plus, Gold and Medallist Series water softeners.

How often do I have to refill the salt?

With regular use with moderately hard water, your water softener will only need to be refilled with salt every two or three months. Of course, if you have harder water then you may need to refill the system more frequently.

Culligan offers a Salt Service program where your Culligan Dealer will provide regular salt deliveries and refill the salt for you.

What is regeneration?

Regeneration is a process that “recharges” the resin beads after they’ve become exhausted by removing the hardness minerals. The regeneration process restores the effectiveness of the resin beads, enabling the water softener to continue to create soft water.

Culligan’s patented Aqua-Sensor® technology offers a technologically-advanced method to regeneration. The Aqua-Sensor system measures the hardness of your water and only regenerates when necessary. This exclusive option can result in a savings of up to two tons of salt and 20,000 gallons of water over the lifecycle of your water softener.

How much soap should I use with softened water?

With soft water, you can use a lot less soap and detergent in your appliances. A good way to adjust to the difference in cleaning efficiency is to use as little soap as possible. Try using a quarter cup rather than the cup or more that may have been necessary prior to the installation of a water softener. If necessary, gradually increase the quantity used to produce the desired results.

Are there harmful effects of water softener discharges on household septic tanks?

According to the Water Quality Association (WQA), water softener regeneration discharges do not pose a problem to properly-sized septic systems or to the leach field. Studies* have shown that water softener regeneration wastes do not interfere with the septic tank system drain field soil percolation, and, actually could improve soil percolation, particularly in fine-textured soils.

*"Home Water Treatment System Discharges to On-Site Wastewater Systems", J.F. Harrison, C.F Michaud, Water Conditioning & Purification Publication, (12/2005, pp. 34-39)

Will softened water affect my lawn or garden?

Soft water will not affect your lawn or garden, but using soft water outdoors is not necessary. Culligan water softeners offer a unique Cul-Flo-Valv® bypass valve that allow you to use your soft water supply for you and your home, not for your lawn.

Should I use soft water in my humidifier?

Soft water provides for easier maintenance of a humidifier. When hard water evaporates, a hard scale forms that can be difficult to remove. Using soft water in a humidifier will only leave a light residue that can be easily wiped away. In addition, using soft water will help reduce the mineral build-up and keep the humidifier functioning properly.

What are the environmental-friendly benefits of soft water?

The soft, conditioned water you get from a Culligan water softener system offers a number of environmentally-friendly benefits:

• Reduces chemicals used around your house – Sinks, faucets, tubs and showers come cleaner with fewer harsh chemical cleaning products

• Minimizes discharge of dirty water – dishwashers and washing machines require less detergent and soaps

• Uses less energy – every Culligan’s product is designed to be energy-efficient

• Decreases salt needs – Culligan’s monitoring technology, including the patented Aqua-Sensor® water softener technology and our exclusive meters, monitors water quality and only regenerates the system when needed, minimizing water and salt usage

DRINKING WATER FAQs

What is the difference between the various kinds of bottled waters?

All “bottled water” is regulated by strict guidelines created by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the FDA, water labeled as “bottled water” cannot contain sweeteners or chemical additives (other than flavors, extracts or essences) and must be calorie-free and sugar-free.

Other types of water are defined by the FDA as follows:

• Artesian Water: Bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand).

• Mineral Water: Contains no less than 250 parts per million of total dissolved solids (minerals). No minerals can be added to this product.

• Sparkling Water: Water that after treatment and possible replacement with carbon dioxide contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence from the source. (An important note: soda water, seltzer water and tonic water are not considered bottled waters. They are regulated separately and may contain sugar and calories. These types of waters are considered soft drinks.)

• Spring Water: Bottled water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth.

Your Culligan Dealer offers several types of bottled drinking water:

• Drinking water – available in 20oz, 24oz, 1/2 liter, 1 liter and 1 1/2 liter, 1 gallon, 2.5 gallon, 3 gallon, and 5 gallon bottles

• Spring water – available in 1, 2.5, 3 and 5 gallon bottles

• Distilled water – available in 1 gallon bottles

• Demineralized water

How much water should I drink each day?

Water is critical in regulating all body organs and temperature, and dissolving solids and moving nutrients throughout the body. Because water is naturally low in sodium, has no fat, cholesterol or caffeine and isn't flushed straight through the body like many other beverages, it's the natural solution to help reach your body’s daily fluid quota.

How much water should you consume? Most adults need eight to twelve 8-ounce glasses of water or fluids daily, but needs vary by activity level, health circumstances (including pregnancy) and even by age. For example, a 60-pound child would need a minimum of at least 30 ounces of water a day, or about three to four glasses. But a 180-pound man would need about 90 ounces of water a day or about 11-12 glasses. And people may need more water as they age, since thirst signals may become dull, activity levels decline and prescription drugs may dehydrate their bodies further.

What are the environmentally-friendly benefits of Culligan drinking water?

A Culligan drinking water system and Culligan bottled water offer two environmentally-friendly alternatives to single-serve bottled drinking water that can benefit the environment in a number of ways:

• Clean up landfills – your entire family will drink fewer single-serve bottles of water and canned drinks, preventing thousands of those single-serve bottles and cans from ending up in landfills

• Lower emissions – by drinking fewer single-serve bottles of water and canned beverages, you help reduce the emissions required to manufacture and deliver those bottles

• Save oil – less single-serve bottles of water and beverage cans means less oil needed to produce those bottles

• Recycle – Culligan recycles every 5 gallon (18.9 litre) bottle used, saving even more landfill space, emissions and oil

BEFORE I BUY / SALES PROCESS FAQs

What should I consider before buying a water treatment solution?

Here are some helpful considerations you may want to take into account before purchasing a water treatment system:

• Do you have hard water? – a Culligan water analysis will help you understand precisely how hard your water is and which solution will best address your water needs

• Your water usage and pressure – the amount of water used as well as water pressure are factors to consider when fitting your home with a water quality improvement system. Household size may influence consumption, but different families have different needs. Every factor should be considered, including family growth and guest visits

• Determining the real value of a "quick fix" – inexpensive water filters and other standard solutions are tempting but may not be enough to solve your problem for good. Plus, a quality system may provide cost savings by providing better efficiency and requiring fewer operating and maintenance costs.

• Choose from a reputable dealer – look for someone who not only sells water conditioning and filtration products, but someone who truly knows how to address your specific water problems. Your Culligan Dealer is a genuine water expert who will be able to help you address your specific water issues with the right solution. Plus, with over 70 years of experience, you can trust that your Culligan Dealer will be here to help you now and down the road with all of your water problems.

• Financing Options – water conditioning equipment may qualify for financing under FHA Title 1 or private lending agreements. Check with your local bank or finance company for information. Your local Culligan dealer may also offer special financing options.

What questions should I ask when I have decided on a solution?

Once you choose the solution that is right for your home and your water problems, the following questions may help you choose a company to suit your needs:

• Is installation included in the price? What other services are included in the price?

• Does installation include such things as a bypass for lawn and garden faucets, a faucet for unsoftened water or any other features you may need for your home?

• Is the equipment capacity right for your household’s water usage?

• What payment options does your dealer offer

• How long has the company or dealer been in business?

• Does the company or dealer offer references?

• Has your dealer tested your water?

• What type of maintenance contract or after-sales services does your manufacturer or dealer offer?

• Does the equipment carry a specific written warranty?

• Does the company or dealer offer a satisfaction guarantee?

*dealer participation may vary

Your Culligan Dealer can answer all your questions about your water solution and best solution for your home.