Hey, who doesn’t love online shopping? It’s fun, it’s cheap, and there’s no obnoxious clerks asking you if you’re finding everything okay. Plus, with sights like Amazon, you only have to wait a couple days to get what you want! Appealing as these benefits are, there are several downsides to doing your purchasing online. The sweater doesn’t quite fit, or the new toy isn’t really the color you thought, or the fabric isn’t as tough as advertised.

Most of the time, a small discrepancy between what you think you’re getting and what you’re actually getting is no big deal. However, when it comes to water treatment, you’re better off going local and getting guaranteed results.

There’re two primary problems with buying water treatment equipment online. First, not all homes require the same kinds of treatment systems. To know what is right for your home, you need to have a water chemistry test performed, which can only be done in person with water from your home. Some online companies try to sell their equipment with the idea that it will work for any home no matter the water conditions. Second, when you purchase from an online vendor, there’s no one who will install your water treatment system for you, which requires a lot of specialized knowledge.

Don’t risk getting a faulty or under-performing system. Trust the professionals, who will test your water for free, and install the exact right treatment system for you and your home.