Water Softening

North Star Water Treatment Systems, a preferred water treatment systems provider to professional contractors through plumbing wholesale, launched a major brand overhaul this week. The effort was initiated to completely update the brand’s image and logo in order to better reflect its industry leading technology and expanding product offering. The company has been known as Read more

North Star Water Treatment Systems, a preferred water treatment systems provider to professional contractors through plumbing wholesale, launched a major brand overhaul this week. The effort was initiated to completely update the brand’s image and logo in order to better reflect its industry leading technology and expanding product offering. The company has been known as North Star Water Conditioning since its inception in 1992.

“We felt it was high time for our brand to better convey our modern technology and broader product portfolio,” comments Dave Duren, director of sales and marketing for North Star Water Treatment Systems. “Our old branding was too limiting and didn’t properly reflect the advanced technologies built into our products. And while plumbers and wholesalers have enjoyed our point-of-entry water softeners for many years, they haven’t always been aware that we also offer a dramatically expanding line of drinking water filtration and other products.”

 

The company plans to launch more than 50 new SKUs during the first six months of the year, including new POU filtration products, in-line whole home filtration and a new commercial water softener line, among others. The products will launch in phases beginning in February. “The plumbing channel has always loved our cutting-edge products and asked us to develop a broader line. We are answering their request in a major way,” Duren explains.

Wholesalers, contractors and consumers will see the new branding replace the older logos and images throughout the next few months. “We’re upgrading our product packaging, marketing collateral, website, you name it,” says Duren. “We want everyone to know us as North Star Water Treatment Systems and recognize our longevity and reliability.”

Located in Woodbury, Minnesota, North Star Water Treatment Systems is the professionals’ choice for water treatment and is distributed exclusively through plumbing wholesale. A member of the Marmon Water family and part of Berkshire Hathaway, the company has been manufacturing water treatment products since 1925. Marmon Water is the largest manufacturer of water treatment systems in the world.

By Dave Duren Believe it or not…when I’m out in the field as I’m headed to San Diego right now…the most asked question I’ll get is “what exactly is softening?” And if they don’t asked…I’ll be bringing it up! If you asked 99% of the legitimate water treatment companies and or manufacturers; they respond by Read more

By Dave Duren

Believe it or not…when I’m out in the field as I’m headed to San Diego right now…the most asked question I’ll get is “what exactly is softening?” And if they don’t asked…I’ll be bringing it up!

If you asked 99% of the legitimate water treatment companies and or manufacturers; they respond by saying…Water softening is the “removal of mineral” from the water….plan and simple.

And mineral for the purpose of this article is mostly calcium and magnesium.  (Other metals are also removed by the ion exchange process)I’m going to be talking about ion exchange process from here on out for clarification. So let’s review what is actually going on in that what softener. Inside of a water softener are millions of tiny beads that are man-made of a plastic material. They have a negative charge. Mineral has a positive charge. Water with mineral in it passed through the bed of “resin” and the mineral clings to these beads. As they cling, they release some sodium ions. This is where the term “exchange” comes into play. After a certain period of time the beads become full of mineral or as we say the bed becomes exhausted and it needs to regenerate. This process involves drawing a brine (“salty”) solution into the bed which flushes the mineral away and down the drain while allowing more sodium ions to cling to the beads to get ready for more actual softening.

There are basically three ways this whole process occurs. The first way is manually. Someone tells the unit the time when to start and stop. The second way is with an automatic time clock. The time clock is set to regenerate every certain amount of days. A couple of reliable industry valves have a 12 day wheel on them to control this period. This involves sliding out pins that trip the unit into the process every set amount of days, like every third day or so. The third and probably most popular these days is a metered system. This involves some type of water meter that will kick the unit into regeneration when a set amount of water has passed through it.

So to continue, if mineral is not REMOVED from water through ion exchange softening then some other method is used to try to prevent it from sticking to surfaces, (inside of pipes, inside of heaters and exchangers, showerheads, shower doors..etc.) And you might ask WHY it is sticking to surfaces anyway. This is due to the positive valence or polarity of the mineral itself. Many of the reputable companies use the term “Conditioning” or “Management” but do not say softening in their explanation as to how this gets done. So with that, I’ve broken this down into 4 general methods that are used although there may be other methods out there.

  • Magnets and electricity
  • Adding polyphosphates
  • Creating acid water, mostly using citric acid
  • Media based methods

Let’s talk about these in a general way. First magnets and electricity are merely an attempt to change the polarity of the mineral elements in the water. They are not easily changed and many revert back to their original state if ever changed in the first place.

Secondly are polyphosphates. They have been around a good long while. This product coats the inside of the pipes and anything downstream with a thin layer of itself situating itself between the water and surface. It also coats the mineral element and prevents it from attaching to other things. This method is good in some applications.

Thirdly, acid water created by using citric acid or other chemical is added to the water to reduce the ph of the water making it “acidic”. Acidic water then has a tendency to make the mineral not want to stick to surfaces. This method can work at times but also reduces all of the water’s ph and now introduces acid water to the entire plumbing system.

The fourth method is using medias. There are a few different ones on the market and they basically create an atmosphere wherein that the mineral either sticks to it or sticks to itself or another particle of something that is introduced into the water.

None of the above methods removes or even reduces mineral from the water but once again, merely tries to “control” the mineral’s positive polarity and prevent it from sticking to surfaces. Either inside the plumbing system on a surface (shower doors, dishes, showerheads, etc.) Some with some success and others with zero success. This is why “SALT-FREE SOFTENING” does not exist except in a few extreme cases using very expensive equipment and seldom seen in residential applications.  It is also worth mentioning that NSF, National Sanitation Foundation and WQA, Water Quality Association both have standards and protocols for testing Ion exchange softeners. So as I’ve stated before, this is a very good way to tell if the equipment you’re being asked about or you yourself is trying to sell, is legitimate. Going to either website would also be a great way of learning more about what they do as organizations.

All of the above areas would command their own article or series of articles so take this as an overview. I think that you as a contractor need to at least be aware of the terms and methods because you will probably be asked by a customer. I think that when asked “what is softening?” you can simply say….”it’s REMOVAL of mineral from the water and the best and most economical, tried and true method is an ion exchange softener. I think it would be perfectly OK for you to tell your customer “Buyer Beware”…especially if they are asking or maybe even trying to tell you about some super wiz product they found on the internet or so slick guy called and tried to sell them over the phone.

I’d like to add that research and development continues to look for another method of SOFTENING water for residential use that will be efficient and affordable (which is what?….RIGHT!…REMOVING MINERAL FROM THE WATER!) as growing demand for this type of system exists. Until then ion exchange softening is the way to go to get the desired effects of actual SOFT WATER.  Until next time…happy selling!

Profit Potential for Plumbers By Dave Duren From Minneapolis to Miami, Vancouver to Newport News, the same questions from plumbers keep coming up and one of the most common is “How do I Sell a softener to a homeowner?” And I understand the need for help here. This “category” of the plumbing trade is NOT Read more

Profit Potential for Plumbers

By Dave Duren

From Minneapolis to Miami, Vancouver to Newport News, the same questions from plumbers keep coming up and one of the most common is “How do I Sell a softener to a homeowner?” And I understand the need for help here. This “category” of the plumbing trade is NOT your mainline bread and butter service area and may not have even crossed you mind before. Matter-of-fact, I bet a lot of you have NEVER had a call about “water quality” at your office. This is what I’d like to address here.

I had a great plumber from St. Paul and my local rep come into our offices yesterday and present me with some cool ideas about selling softeners. The contractor was a young man with his own company that he possibly purchased from a long time existing contractor. He was creative, innovative, and always looking to come up with new ways to PRESENT products to the homeowners. But the bottom line to the conversation was that it always begins when he starts “talking” about their issues. Maybe he is being called out for a standard boiler problem or clogged toilet but he leaps at the opportunity to head to that house and get in the door! And why does he want to get in the door (as most of you know)? To first and foremost, fix their issue and make them happy, but also to observe, look around and ask questions about other issues they might have.

For instance, he might look around and see white build up on a shower head or aerator at the sink or lav. He might also see quite a bit of soap scum in in the tub/shower, shower doors and on the tiles. There may be cloudy dishes around the kitchen. On another job, he might replace a water heater and upon removal, see mineral built up in the pipes or maybe he takes the element out and see a ton of mineral build up on it. He may even see some reddish rings in the toilet and laundry sink or clothes washer. (Evidence of Iron) Then in the basement, he may or may not see a water softener. These are all “TALKING POINTS” for the contractor and the homeowner…..a time to start a conversation about water quality.

As I spoke to my new friend yesterday, I told him out of the 25+ years I’ve been selling water softeners in the wholesale plumbing trade, there are two major areas I’ve seen contractors consistently fall short in generating more revenue and fixing an unnoticed, but “real” problem for homeowners. The first is that most don’t even mention to the homeowner that they sell and install water softeners! The second is that many contractors underestimate their power of persuasion. The homeowner VALUES the opinion of the professional they’ve selected to come into their house and provide a service.

We all have our style of communication and I’ve truly found that a good honest approach is about the best there can be. To take it a step further, when it’s a professional in front of a homeowner telling them in a truthful manner, the cause of their plumbing headaches, they listen! If you’re on the job and see the issues I just spoke about or other similar issues, don’t be shy, whip out your test kit and check for hardness. I know some contractors that may not even say anything until they perform the test. Sometimes the homeowner may see them doing the test and ask “what are you doing?” Bam! An even better time to start talking about water softeners. Here’s a few lines you might consider:

  1. I see you have a water softener and I just wanted to check for you that it’s working hard to keep your water free of troublesome mineral.
  2. Oh, I’m sorry; I didn’t tell you that we perform a FREE water test with every visit to check the potential of scale problems down the road?
  3. I saw a few signs of mineral intrusion in your plumbing system and just want to make sure I was correct before offering you some solutions.
  4. Our company also provides water treatment solutions and it looks like you might benefit from these options based on what I see here today.
  5. And so on etc…

Once the conversation starts, you may have the ability to pitch a softener solution based on the good, honest approach to the situation. You’ll find most homeowners very understanding and feel they have been treated fairly and respectfully.

I have also spoken with many companies that do similar things in the house but then ask to set some kind of appointment to further go over all options for their “troubled water”. Some even have a dedicated employee who only sells water softeners using good leads generated by the service techs in the field. There are many types of companies out there and many different angles to approach the “selling side” of the model. But what is the bottom line and where do you begin? It starts with having conversations with your customers.

I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately as the year starts to wind down and like most of us, I’ve been contemplating 2013 and what can I be doing to gear up for a great year and another year of growth in my channel of the wholesale trade. And as I fly around, what strikes me hardest is still the fact of how few plumbing contractors even mess around with water softeners and selling them! Our industry calculates loosely that only 10% of the homes in the US that could benefit from a softener even have one. Do you know how much potential that is? 90% is currently untouched revenue generating possibilities! And that is what keeps me getting up every day still pumped up in my job and driving me to find one more wholesaler and one more plumber to convince that they’re leaving a huge chunk of revenue on the table. And the process is so simple. Like I always say in my presentations, all you have to do is cut a pipe plumb an inlet and outlet, plumb a drain line to a drain and plug the darn thing in, push two buttons, and the softener is raring to go! Yes, it is that easy and with a great piece of certified equipment, backed by years of experience in this field the unit can be trouble free for a long time.

So in closing, instead of me asking what will you do in 2013 with water softening, I’d rather ask, why not make a commitment for next year. For those who like to take baby steps, maybe to at least learn more about the softener market and it’s opportunities. For those who are leapers of faith, how about committing yourself to sell your first water softener in 2013. And for you really bold contractors with to-do lists, committing to sell your first water softener by March 1st 2013 (Or some other specific date). Then set goals to follow through. Let me tell you, it can be done and it can be done well. I’ve seen it through my 25+ years and I know many contractors that have absolutely integrated water softening as part of their everyday business model and make a nice profit at it. Mr. Culligan man, move over because plumbers are elbowing in on the profits! Happy New Year and Happy Selling! 

Back me into a corner…PLEASE! By Dave Duren CWS VI, CI Director of Sales and Marketing, North Star A group of us were discussing a new product at the office recently when we remem- bered a great guy on TV infomercials who i just loved. He had suddenly died a while back but we couldn’t Read more

Back me into a corner…PLEASE!

By Dave Duren CWS VI, CI

Director of Sales and Marketing, North Star

A group of us were discussing a new product at the office recently when we remem- bered a great guy on TV infomercials who i just loved. He had suddenly died a while back but we couldn’t recall his name at that moment.

I had recently been to the “Great Minnesota get Together” which is the nation’s largest State Fair as ranked by daily attendance, and second in total attendance. This year we had from 100,000 to 226,000 PER DAY, (ran 14 days the two weeks before Labor Day) in attendance for a grand total of 1,788,512. This final figure is only surpassed by little bitty TEXAS but I’m told they also run theirs twice as long. (Of course everything is bigger In Texas!)  Here at the fair, you can see a multitude of vendors push and promote their products with quick, easy, almost too good to be true results that can make you believe you can’t live without it and must buy it NOW. But getting back to the guy’s name, we finally remembered, it was Billy Mays. I went on about how he had died from getting clonked in the head while on a plane (I travel a lot so this had always struck a chord with me….those darn overhead bins…watch out!) but my colleague insisted it was from Cocaine abuse…I said no way so I “Backed him in a corner” to back up his claim. Within minutes of exiting his office he came into my office with proof. Of course, it was from the internet (no problem with that), and it did in fact validate his claim that there had been cocaine involved. I now had my proof and my colleague was right. I had “Backed him in a corner”.

You all have seen the infomercials, commercials, on stands at a lot of the stores now, and even the entire store at the mall saying “…As Seen on TV…” (I love the tool that could un-clog any and every drain in your house for a mere $14.95). But my buddy Billy Mays just had a knack for making you believe (or at least me) anything he said….he was a smooth salesman. Have you guys ever had a slick sales manager or director (my type) and the local rep, come to your shop and give you the pitch about their new or improved product that will change your life of at least the way you plumb or the product you’re currently using? I’ve done tons of those calls to you all in my 27 years in this trade. And you all take time to listen…and I’ve always, and still do, appreciate it! But here in is where the problem lies….there is a lot of “MIS” information given out there in our category of water softening and water treatment.

This category has historically been one saturated with all types of salesmen from reputable companies and founders like Culligan and Lindsey, all the way to shady ones using scare tactics about your water and what’s in it and only they have the exact equipment to “fix it”. As I’ve been told from some old timers in our trade, this category used to be in the plumber’s hands so to speak, a lot more than it is today. I sat at PHCC meetings in the past and heard that the trade had “let it go” and up sprang more and more “water dealers” in their backyards.  In my current position on as director of sales on a national level, I am seeing more and more companies “finding” the niche of the plumbing wholesale trade and actually seeing the plumbing contractor as a viable outlet for water softeners and treatment equipment. But along with this comes the iffy stuff. Those with really wild claims, sleek literature, fancy websites and A LOT of asterisk’s, which usually means a lot of exceptions to the rule. And this is where the title of my article culminates. When you hear a bunch of too-good-to-be-trues, I want you to start asking a lot of questions.

I would start with,

  1. How long have you been in the “water business”?
  2. How long have you been selling this product?
  3. How long has this product and/or technology been in use?
  4. Where has this product been used?
  5. And the most important, is your product 3rd party tested?
  6. And if so, by what organization?

After getting answers, do some research (beauty of the internet)? See what YOU can find. The first two questions are not about the guy as a salesman, many of the reps start representing new products all the time which helps keep our industry fresh, but more about where his information is coming from. Reps are trained by the manufacturers they represent and like any good student, are only as good and accurate as their teachers. The how long factor is important too. Many fly-by-nights are in business to capture quick bucks and will be out of business before anyone catches on. Where the product has been used is also important. Maybe the products have only been used in a manufacturing facility where only certain water needs have been met. These needs may not be all that’s needed when put into residential applications.

But the last piece is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. If a good 3rd party organization like Water Quality Association (WQA) or National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has tested and listed a product, then some absolute standards have been met and this is where you’ll find a lot of truths. I am seeing SO MUCH misinformation in this category in the plumbing wholesale trade that it is scary. Along with this, respectfully, I’m seeing more and more plumbing contractors getting themselves in a jamb due to being misled and ending up with a disgruntled customer. At the same time, I’m seeing many a wholesaler, selling products also in this category that are not performing per a salesman’s pitch and are seeking truths about these items. I seem to get a lot of questions pertaining to me explaining my products versus someone else’s product or about something they have heard about it or something they’ve read. And when I get this great chance, I can usually clear up a lot of grey area that some slick salesman has created that of course, leans in favor of his or her product.

So the next time you hear a sales pitch, whether at a PHCC or ASPE meeting, builders association meeting, counter day at a wholesaler, or a great manufacturer’s representative stopping by with some donuts for a visit about his products, just remember when a claim is made that appears too good to be true, back him in a corner and let him show you his validations for his claims! You may be surprised by the reaction and put yourself in a position to make a wise decision.