Why You Need a Water Filter & Softener

Written by Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips

Ever found yourself scrubbing stubborn mineral rings in the sink or sighing at spots on your glassware and wondered if there’s a single solution for both hard water and contaminants?

When we hunt for the best water filters and softeners, the jargon can feel endless—hardness minerals, total dissolved solids, filtration stages. So here’s the thing - pairing a water softener with a whole-house filter often delivers the most complete protection for our homes, our health, and our wallets.

In this guide, we’ll walk through why combining both treatments makes sense, introduce you to the Phillips family’s SoftPro lineup at Quality Water Treatment, and share friendly tips on choosing, installing, and maintaining your ideal system. Ready to dive in together? Let’s go.

Our Water Challenges

We’ve all been there—leaning into the shower only to find soap scum clinging to the tiles, or reaching for a clean glass that’s marred by tiny spots.

In many of our homes, hard water and municipal treatment can cause a host of hassles:

• Scale buildup on faucets, showerheads, and inside pipes
• Spots on dishes and glassware despite rinse aids
• Extra soap and detergent needed for washing clothes and hands
• Dry, itchy skin and dull, brittle hair in children and teens
• Stiff laundry and faded colors in family clothes
• Uneven water pressure and higher utility bills from clogged appliances

That being said, hard minerals like calcium and magnesium only tell half the story. City water often carries chlorine, fluoride, and other contaminants that affect taste, odor, and even health. Addressing one issue without the other leaves gaps in protection – and frustration in our day.

Benefits of Combined Treatment

Here’s a thought: why choose between softening and filtering when we can do both? By installing a dedicated softener plus a whole-house filter, we unlock advantages that single systems can’t match:

• Reduced scale and clogging, extending appliance life
• Cleaner-tasting, odor-free water for cooking and showering
• Better soap lather and lower detergent use
• Fewer skin irritations, softer hair, and happier kids
• Improved energy efficiency and lower utility bills

Water softeners remove calcium and magnesium minerals that cause scale but don’t target contaminants like chlorine or heavy metals. Meanwhile, filtration systems—including reverse osmosis—can eliminate up to 95 percent of total dissolved solids, plus chemicals and sediment.

When we combine the two treatments, our home gets the full spectrum of benefits: soft water for appliances and body, plus clear, delicious water flowing from every tap.

Introducing SoftPro Solutions

Trust me, you’re not alone if all the water-treatment brands blur together. That’s why Quality Water Treatment (QWT) and the Phillips family built SoftPro Water Systems around clear values and honest pricing. Craig “The Water Guy” Phillips founded QWT in 1990 to counter fear-based marketing and confusing markups.

Today, Craig continues to innovate with a mission of “transforming water for the betterment of humanity.”

Jeremy Phillips, Craig’s son and our sales manager, brings a consultative approach—no high-pressure tactics, just a free water analysis to match you with the right system. Heather Phillips, Craig’s daughter, ensures smooth operations, rapid shipping, and the friendly support you need to feel confident about installation and upkeep.

We pride ourselves on transparent pricing, nationwide reach with a hometown feel, and robust DIY resources. For an in-depth comparison of options, you can also explore our full guide to best water filters and softeners. Now let’s break down the SoftPro lineup.

SoftPro Water Softeners

Our salt-based softeners use proven ion-exchange resin beads to swap hard minerals for sodium, leaving you with silky, scale-free water. Here are the three models we recommend:

SoftPro ECO softener

Primary value, best bang for your buck. Optimized for cost-conscious homeowners, the ECO delivers reliable softening for both city and well water.

It features:

• Efficient resin media for consistent performance
• Simple programming and compact design
• Ideal for first-time buyers or tight budgets

SoftPro Elite softener

Primary value, high-efficiency workhorse. The Elite balances robust capacity with smart regeneration to minimize salt and water usage.

Key features include:

• Heavy-duty resin for moderate to very hard water
• Advanced regeneration settings you can fine-tune
• User-friendly interface for quick adjustments

SoftPro Smart Home+ softener

Primary value, high-tech with DROP technology.

For tech-savvy families who love IoT, the Smart Home+ offers:

• Real-time monitoring and leak detection via app
• Automated alerts for salt refill and system maintenance
• Peace of mind when you’re away from home

SoftPro Filtration Systems

After we soften our water, the next step is stripping out chemicals, sediment, and other impurities. SoftPro offers three whole-house filters tailored to different needs:

SoftPro AIO Iron Master

Industry leading solution for well water users. Our Air Injection Oxidation (AIO) tech tackles iron, sulfur, and manganese, eliminating rusty stains and rotten-egg odors. Perfect for well water with visible discoloration or foul smells.

SoftPro whole house fluoride & carbon filter

A single-tank champion for city water concerns. This system reduces fluoride, chlorine, and common chemical contaminants, helping safeguard children’s health and improving taste from every faucet.

SoftPro whole house catalytic carbon filter

The workhorse for widespread chemical reduction. Equipped with enhanced carbon media, it breaks down stubborn chlorine, chloramine, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), delivering fresher water for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

Choosing the Right System

We know making sense of water-treatment technology can feel overwhelming.

Here are the key factors we weigh together:

1. Water analysis results: hardness level, iron content, chemical profile
2. Source type: well water often needs iron removal, whereas city water leans toward fluoride and chlorine concerns
3. Household size and flow rate needs: ensure your system handles peak demand
4. Budget and cost of ownership: consider initial price plus salt, filter replacements, and utility savings
5. Maintenance comfort: weekly salt refills, filter changes every 6–12 months, or automated setups for minimal upkeep
6. Space constraints: single-tank combos versus separate units
7. Health preferences: sodium intake in softened water, desire for salt-free conditioners

If moderate hardness is your only issue, a salt-free water conditioner may fit. But for very hard water or comprehensive chemical removal, pairing SoftPro’s salt-based softeners with a dedicated filter gives us the best performance and peace of mind.

Installation & Maintenance

A smooth installation starts with Jeremy’s free water analysis—so we know exactly which SoftPro models match our home’s profile. Depending on DIY comfort, we can choose professional installation or guided self-install. Heather’s team coordinates fast shipping, clear instructions, and live phone support whenever we hit a snag.

In terms of cost, basic ion-exchange systems typically run $500 to $1,500, while larger or advanced softeners can range from $1,500 to $3,000 or more. Whole-house filtration units generally cost $500 to $2,000 for smaller homes and $2,000 to $5,000 or more for larger properties. To ease the investment, we offer flexible financing through QuadPay and Affirm.

Maintenance is straightforward:

• Salt-based softeners: add salt weekly or as app alerts prompt
• Carbon and specialty filters: swap cartridges every 6–12 months
• Smart Home+ units: automated backwash and diagnostics reduce hands-on time

With regular check-ins, our systems stay in top shape, protecting your plumbing, appliances, and family health.

Looking Ahead Together

Water treatment isn’t a one-and-done project—it’s a partnership we nurture over years. Some days we sail through maintenance, other days life gets busy, and that’s okay. What matters is the sense of relief when we watch scale vanish, chlorine odors fade, and soap suds foam up beautifully in our baths.

Together, we’ve explored why the best water filters and softeners work hand in hand, met the folks behind SoftPro Water Systems, and mapped out how to choose, install, and maintain your ideal setup.

Now it’s time to take the next step: schedule your free water analysis, pick the models that fit your home and budget, and let’s transform your water for good.

Trust me, you’re not alone in this—our family and ours are here cheering you on every step of the way.