We recently moved into one of the neighborhoods adjacent to Fairbanks Ranch. Our new home didn't…read morehave any whole-house water filtration, and a friend from the Rancho Santa Fe area highly recommended Ethical H2O's Inspire whole-house filtration and salt-free conditioning system. Looking back, we're really glad we took their recommendation.
OUR WATER: Our home is served by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District, which is known for having very hard water. Scale buildup is a challenge.
OUR SALES EXPERIENCE: What impressed us first was the sales experience. Ariane took the time to educate us on the differences between water conditioners and water softeners, answer all of our questions, and explain the different product options without any pressure. She walked us through the pros and cons of each system and emphasized that the best choice depended on what we wanted from our water treatment system. We never felt like we were being sold something--just educated so we could make the best decision for our home.
WHY WE CHOSE INSPIRE: We chose the Inspire system because we wanted a salt-free, low-maintenance solution. One of the biggest selling points for us was its expected service life. Ethical H2O explained that the filter media has an expected lifespan of about seven years before it needs to be changed out. Because we installed the system through them, Ethical H2O will also reach out when the time comes to test the filter media and determine whether it needs replacement. We especially appreciated that the system uses well-established, widely respected components, including a Clack control valve and Pentair tank. That gave us confidence that the equipment should last and that replacement parts and service would be readily available if they were ever needed.
At our previous home, we had a citrus-based NuvoH2O Manor Trio system. While it worked reasonably well, it required replacing the cartridges every 6 to 9 months. We wanted a solution that required much less ongoing maintenance.
OUR RESULTS: The system has been fantastic. The biggest surprise has been our electric kettle. Before the installation, we would start seeing scale buildup within a day or two, even when using tap water filtered through a PUR pitcher. It's now been over a week of using the kettle multiple times a day, and there's barely a hint of scale. Based on our experience so far, it's performing even better than the NuvoH2O system we had in our previous home.
It's also reassuring to know that we're not only reducing scale but also filtering out chlorine and other contaminants throughout the house. We also appreciate having filtered water available from every faucet in the house instead of only from a single drinking-water tap, so we didn't need to do anything special for the refrigerator water line.
OUR INSTALLATION EXPERIENCE: The installation was smooth, professional, and very clean. Ethical H2O works with a recommended plumber, but they also welcome customers to use their own plumber if they prefer. We decided to go with their recommendation, Chris Erbs Plumbing, and we're glad we did.
The installation included connecting the Inspire system to our home's main water line and routing the regeneration drain to our existing sewer cleanout. Everything looked neat and professionally done.
The plumbers completed the system's initial regeneration cycle, then took the time to walk us through its operation and maintenance before they left.
Since they were already going to be on site, we also arranged directly with Chris Erbs Plumbing ahead of time to replace our water heater during the same visit. Being able to complete both projects in a single appointment made the entire process even more convenient.
OUR RECOMMENDATION: If you're considering a whole-house water filtration system, I'd definitely recommend talking with Ethical H2O. Ariane made the selection process easy by helping us understand our options instead of trying to sell us the most expensive system, and Chris Erbs Plumbing did an outstanding job with the installation.
The combination of knowledgeable guidance, quality equipment, and professional installation made the entire experience well worth the investment.