FAQ

We all want to have good water quality in our home. When choosing a water filter, we need to think about what is important to us. Are we looking for something that removes everything from the water, such as a reverse osmosis system? Do we want to treat the water from just one tap in the house or from all the taps? Is it important that there be less limescale buildup in our water appliances and pipes? Is the unit we are using reliable? Both the NG4/NG4L filter and condition your water to reduce limescale buildup while leaving in the necessary and beneficial minerals. No salt needed.

Hard water is water that contains a high concentration of minerals, mostly calcium and magnesium. Although these minerals are actually healthy to drink, they cause limescale to build up in your pipes and water appliances reducing their efficiency. The soap scum created by hard water leaves a film on bathtubs and shower surfaces, and that same film causes your hair it to be dull and your skin feel dry. You may also see water spots on your dishes, and washed clothes tend to feel hard and look dingy.

Unlike water softeners, which use salt to remove the minerals and replace those minerals with salt ions, the Hardless NG4/NG4L modifies the crystalline structure of the minerals (mostly calcium and magnesium) to reduce problems caused by hard water, while leaving the minerals in the water because they are healthy to drink.

Hardness tests (GPG and TDS) test for minerals in the water. Since the Hardless NG4/NG4L works by changing the structure of the minerals and does not remove them, you will NOT see a change in numbers when doing a hardness test. The best test will be the results that you see in your home.

There are three main components to the unit. The specially formulated crystals change the structure of the minerals to reduce limescale buildup. The KDF media uses an electrochemical reaction to remove/reduce chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, hydrogen sulfide; and controls bacteria and scale buildup. The 50-micron mesh filter is designed to prevent dirt and particles (sand, small stones, and rust) that reach the domestic water infrastructure.

Water softeners remove minerals and replace them with salt ions. requiring you to buy heavy bags of salt on a regular basis and they also need to regenerate every few day wasting gallons of water. Water conditioners, like the Hardless NG4/NG4L, use a type of media that modifies the structure of the minerals reducing limescale buildup while leaving the healthy minerals in your water. No regeneration is necessary, so there is no water waste and no electricity needed.

The NG4/NG4L extends the life of your water appliances, such as your water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, and coffee machine. It also protects your pipes, faucets, shower heads, gaskets in toilets, and everywhere water passes and limescale can settle.

When limescale sticks to a heating element, it forms an unwanted insulating layer. The time required to heat the water increases, and as a result so do your electricity costs. Additional damage is caused to your pipes, which become clogged to the point where not as much water can pass through and can eventually crack, causing a major leak in your home. By installing a Hardless filter, you extend the life of heating elements and your pipes.

Yes, you will still need to squeegee down a glass shower door. When water is left sitting, especially water that has been heated, the minerals want to return back to their original structure, so you may see water spots. There will be fewer and they will be more easily removable, so by squeegeeing down your door you will get better results.

Yes, we hear from many customers that their water no longer smells like rotten eggs.

The NG4 and NG4L are made of the same components. The NG4L has a larger water conditioning cartridge and larger mesh filter. The larger cartridge has more contact time with the water for better conditioning, and the larger mesh filter is better for areas with more sediment or debris in the water. We recommend the NG4L if there is enough space and for people using well water. It is important to note that neither the NG4 or the NG4L disinfects the water, and they are designed for use with municipal water or water that is potable.

Yes. Please call the company at 1-888-855-1802 ( please make clickable) and you can purchase the NG4L filter bottom, cartridge and mesh filter. The filter top is the same for the NG4 and the NG4L so no need to reinstall.

The best place to install the filter is at the main water entrance to the house so the filter can cover all of the faucets and water appliances. Some people install it right before their hot water heater or on a cold-water line. Some homes may have 2 water entrances, so if only installed at one water entrance, only that water will be covered.

The filter can be installed at a slight angle if needed, but where possible we recommend installing it vertically as seen in the image on the website.

Yes, the filter can be installed outside. If the filter is in direct sunlight for many hours a day, we recommend putting a plant for shade. Please see the manual for temperature minimums and maximums.

Yes. The Hardless is completely safe for your plants.

The filter works great for RVs. We also suggest our under the sink filter, the Hardless NG UTS, to ensure better drinking water depending on where your RV is hooked up.

All that is needed is to replace the water conditioning cartridge about every 6-8 months (depending on your water), and at that time to wash the mesh filter. This can all be done by you. In areas that have high amounts of debris or sediment in the water, you may need to clean the stainless-steel mesh filter more often. Please see our videos or the instructions in the manual under Support.

The Hardless NG4/NG4L should be used with municipal water only. It is not meant for water that is microbiologically unsafe to drink. It can only be used with well water if the water is potable or has been through a chlorination process.

Yes! Unlike other water filtration systems, the Hardless does not waste water and does not use salt. Reverse osmosis systems use 2-5 gallons of water for every clean gallon of drinking water. Many other filtration or water softener systems need to do a backwash every 10-14 days wasting 25-40 gallons of water.

The slow phos crystals are certified under NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI 60. https://pacificstandard.com/pss-slow-phos-exclusive-manufacturer.html