What's the difference between buying a water treatment system online versus buying from a local dealer?

November 8th, 2020 by Nick Koz

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The internet has made shopping for deals an amazing prospect. Nearly anything can be shipped from overseas or across the country at a bargain basement price. However, there are both challenges and restrictions that come with online purchases. First, you are usually paying for either a product or a limited, one-time only service. Those types of limitations can outweigh the convenience of online ordering when follow up service is required.

For example, when purchasing a water treatment system for your Batavia home, the seller has virtually no accountability (pun intended). When you have your local water treatment dealer install your system, you will be working with someone who knows the local water quality and will know what water treatment will work best for your home. In addition, when you work with someone local, you’re more likely to get a higher level of customer service since they rely on referral business.

Ordering Online vs. Local Water Treatment Systems

When you order a service online, it is more difficult to determine if the company is who they say they are and if they can deliver the products and services you need. When you hire a local company, you’re using someone your friends and neighbors have used, someone who lives in your community, someone who has a vested interest in doing right by you.

Let’s talk about your water . . . the water that comes from your faucet may come from your city’s water treatment facility or it may come from your private well. If your source is city water there’s a good chance chlorine or other chemicals have been added to disinfect your drinking water.

The quality of municipal vs. private well water will vary. Municipal water is generally required to meet some quality standards that make it “safer” to drink, but there are allowable amounts of toxins in these standards. Private wells in the Batavia, IL area may contain more minerals that need to be tested to assure safety and proper treatment.

A local water treatment system installer will know your local water quality and can test it for you to be sure they’re providing the right water treatment system for your particular home.

Quality Guarantees May Not Be Enforceable Online

Many online retailers operate online to minimize overhead and that includes outsourcing installation services so the person who comes to your house may not even be affiliated with the company you purchased from.

The are several reasons not to buy water treatment systems and installations services from an online retailer:

Who guarantees the sale?

Who guarantees the installation?

What happens when you have an issue with the water softener – who takes care of you the person you bought it from or the person who installed it?

Who maintains your system for you? Does the company you bought the system from even offer maintenance services in your area?

All of the above are very serious considerations when making an investment in your home. Cost is not the only factor because a “great deal” can quickly turn sour when you run into unresolved issues or a have to deal with a company who doesn’t care about making things right for you.

If you buy a water treatment system from a local dealer, you know you are buying from a business that depends on reputable service. The importance of word-of-mouth advertising in an industry like water treatment can make or break a small company and they often pride themselves on their expertise and customer care.

Bottomline, buy local if you really care about getting quality water treatment system for your Batava, IL home. In the long run, you’ll save money, and you’ll get the water quality you deserve.