Water Filtration FAQ

No. Water softeners remove hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) through ion exchange — they don't touch PFAS. Removing PFAS requires reverse osmosis (RO) filtration. Louisville's Ohio River source water has documented PFAS levels, so we strongly recommend pairing a whole-home softener with a reverse osmosis drinking water system. Our Total Home Bundle includes both.

Louisville Water Company meets EPA legal standards and runs one of the largest treatment plants in the country. However, PFAS from Ohio River industrial discharges passes through standard municipal treatment, and homes built before 1986 may have lead solder or service lines. The tap is technically "safe" by current legal definition — but PFAS health advisories recommend near-zero exposure, and there is no safe level of lead. A reverse osmosis system at your drinking tap reliably removes both. Read more: Is My Tap Water Actually Safe?

Louisville water typically runs 12–18 grains per gallon (GPG), which is classified as hard to very hard. For reference, anything above 7 GPG is considered hard, and above 10.5 GPG is very hard. This level causes visible scale on faucets and showerheads, reduces appliance efficiency, shortens water heater life, and contributes to dry skin and hair. Read more: What Does Hard Water Do to Your Home?

Louisville Water Company's source water doesn't contain significant lead — the risk comes from household plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered pipes or brass fixtures that leach lead into water as it passes through. The older the home, the higher the risk. Reverse osmosis at the tap is the most reliable way to remove lead. Read more: Lead in Tap Water: What Louisville Homeowners Need to Know

A water softener removes hardness minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron) through ion exchange — it protects your pipes, appliances, and fixtures. A water filter removes contaminants like chlorine, PFAS, lead, nitrates, and sediment — it protects what you drink and cook with. For Louisville homeowners, you typically need both. The softener handles the whole house; the RO filter handles your drinking water. Read more: Water Softener vs. Water Filter: What's the Difference?

Most installations take 3–5 hours — completed in a single visit. For the Total Home Bundle (whole-home system + under-counter RO), plan for a full morning or afternoon. We handle everything: plumbing connections, system setup, water line for the RO faucet, and a walkthrough of how to use and maintain the system. From the time you sign, most customers are fully installed within 3–5 days.

It depends on your water hardness, household size, and system efficiency. A typical home in Louisville uses 30–50 lbs of salt per month. The Westinghouse Dynamic Series uses EcoFlow demand-metered regeneration — it only regenerates based on actual water usage, which reduces salt consumption by 30–50% compared to timer-based systems. Standard softener salt from any hardware store works fine.

It depends on your goals. If your main concerns are drinking water quality (PFAS, lead, nitrates), an under-counter RO system ($2,000) solves that. If you also want to protect your appliances, eliminate scale, and improve shower and laundry water, you need the whole-home system too. For Louisville's hard water and PFAS situation, the Total Home Bundle addresses everything at once — and the per-day cost is about the same as a coffee. Book a free water test and we'll tell you exactly what your specific water needs.

For the D-Series RO system: pre-filters every 6–12 months (~$30–$50), RO membrane every 2–3 years (~$50–$100). For the Dynamic Series whole-home system: salt refills as needed (30–50 lbs/month), annual service check recommended. The 3-year service plan included with the Total Home Bundle covers all service visits for the first three years.

Installed prices in Louisville typically range from $1,500 for a basic softener to $12,000+ for a full whole-home system with RO. The Westinghouse Total Home Bundle — whole-home refiner plus reverse osmosis — is $10,000 installed. Financed at $0 down, that's about $3/day. Read the full breakdown: How Much Does Whole-Home Filtration Really Cost?

Yes. Every system is available with simple financing — $0 down, and a low daily rate instead of a big lump sum. The $3/day figure is based on the Total Home Bundle. We'll walk you through all the options after the free water test. Read more: Financing Options

The average family spending $1,400/year on bottled water would spend $14,000 over 10 years — more than a complete whole-home filtration system. And bottled water doesn't cover shower water, cooking, ice, or appliance protection. An RO system alone ($2,000) pays for itself in under 2 years for a family buying bottled water. Read the full comparison: Bottled Water vs. Tap: The Real Cost Breakdown

We serve Louisville KY and the surrounding region — including Jeffersonville IN, New Albany IN, Clarksville IN, Elizabethtown KY, Bardstown KY, Shelbyville KY, LaGrange KY, Frankfort KY, Bowling Green KY, Owensboro KY, Evansville IN, Scottsburg IN, Seymour IN, and Columbus IN. If you're within 90 minutes of Louisville, we can likely be there this week. Call (502) 403-3230 to confirm your area.

Yes — completely free, no obligation. We come to your home and test your water on-site with calibrated equipment. You get real numbers for hardness, PFAS indicators, lead, nitrates, and chloramine. We then recommend the right system for your specific results — and if your water doesn't need something, we won't recommend it. Book your free water test here.

We're a dedicated Westinghouse dealer with transparent, published pricing — no in-home demos required to get a quote, no high-pressure same-day sales tactics. Our systems carry a lifetime warranty. Financing is clearly structured at $3/day with $0 down. Read our honest comparisons: Culligan vs. Westinghouse · Kinetico vs. Westinghouse · RainSoft vs. Westinghouse