Hard Water: A complex issue with a simple solution | BUILD WEBINAR TEASER 

Infomercial

Not this sponsored product again. This shouldn't meet the minimum standards for hawking. Might protect some surfaces, but definitely doesn't solve hard water problems like build up from evaporation.

How many simple payments of 29.99$ does it take to order this amazing product? Seriously, webinar? It's an infomercial.

Matt I am so disappointed in this video, This system is not a water softener it a water conditioner. It actually injects measured amounts of chemicals into the water stream to keep "the hardness" suspended in solution. This one feels as though you falling into the sponsorship black hole. Your believing the manufactures lines about softening why because they support your channel or network. There is a debate about the definition of what softened water is and if conditioning qualifies, in my book the answer is no based on expectations of water that does not spot or etch glass when left to dry in place. If potassium wasn't stupid expensive I would say use potassium instead of salt it less slick after a shower especially knowing your wife doesn't like the feel. Geez... Seeing this video just makes me sad there so much controversy around the product and how the company treats its customers that it make me less optimistic that future videos won't just fall into a bought endorsement playlist. -MG

This sounded much more like a sales pitch, and less like a deep dive on how their system actually works.

This isn't sponsored by, it's an ad for.

I hate to say this but Matt's videos have become (or appears to be) more infomercials. I generally skip over videos where the video topic is being sponsored by the manufacturer/brand of the topic as there is, at least an appearance of, bias there.

On a serious note, this video is rediculous and needs to be removed. There is nothing "balanced", credible, or scientifically reasoned in any of this discussion. I'm 100 percent in support of innovation, market competition and new ideas, but this product and this thinly veiled informercial, on its face, is none of those things. Citric acid has been used for a hundred years in commercial chemistry. There is nothing new here. If this technology worked outside of a very narrow band of situations, then why have literally none of the major manufacturers put out a competing product? Interestingly, if this was a serious "building science", then we'd be able to dig to find some answers on that. Matt, I appreciate a lot of your work, and I mean no disrespect, but there are hundreds of qualified scientists, engineers, builders, and contractors trying to tell you as nicely as possible that you're letting "sponsorships" get in the way of the science and evidence-based building. Please, enough with the "I only do sponsored videos for products I stand behind" shtick. You may truely believe that, but if that's the case, why take the money? You're telling us you don't earn a juicy enough living as a custom home builder to support your lifestyle? Perhaps then, the problem is something you need to reflect inwardly on. And I say that with the utmost respect for the many good things you've done for the industry. Good luck to you, matt.

Feels like we got half a video 10 minutes talking about the problem and nothing about the product your promoting.

Sad to see you become a shill, Matt. This system doesn’t soften water, it conditions it by increasing acidity to keep the ions in solution. Changing the pH of water is not without consequence - just ask the residents of Flint, Michigan. Beyond lead, it also has the potential to affect fixtures, gaskets, etc that were designed for neutral rather than acidic water.

You undermine every other product you recommend when you try to push overpriced garbage like this. Builders FirstSource, Polywall, Huber, Rockwool & Viewrail should all be made aware of this. Shady af.

Matt wants you to follow the link in the description to watch the whole webinar, more than one hour in length. My time is too valuable to watch them dribble out 5 to 10 minutes info in this interview format. Follow the other link to the manufacturer's web site. Whole house systems are ~ $800 - $900, single appliance versions are under $100.

I was waiting for Vince Offer to pop on at the end and start a Shamwow infomercial.

More gimmicks....like Olite's.

Matt, aside from softening your water, here's a tip I figured out in dealing with scale from my tankless, recirculating hot water heater, in the unexpectedly high PH, hard water Northern Idaho area I live. After sediment fouled my check valves and faucets, I put on a spin down filter on the outgoing tank hot water line, to capture any sediment that exits the water heater. Since the tankless heater does not have the tank, which gathers the sediment in the bottom, there's no where for tankless hot water sediment to go, other than directly and immediately to the fixtures downstream of the water heater. In my recirculating system, as I said, that sediment ended up fouling my check valves, resulting in cold showers for my wife. (That kind of thing immediately gets one's attention.😁). I think that down stream spin down filter (as large as 50 to 100 micron) should be a standard plumbing fixture for EVERY tankless hot water heater, because there will always be sediment, regardless of water quality (which is why most manufacturers recommend an annual acidic flush with vinegar). FYI, because I haven't found a water softener that will fit my available space (hence, watching this video), I flush my tankless W.H. four times a year. (Yeah, it's a pain, but absolutely necessary for the health of the W.H.)

This stinks of insincerity. You’d be best to pull this video down and pretend you never posted it.

Anyone who thinks you can filter out dissolved minerals with anything other than reverse osmosis(major limitations and disadvantages) hasn't grasped, understood, or witnessed how much minerals are actually dissolved into municipal water supplies. Ever see the quantity of minerals that accumulate in an evaporative cooler? Several pounds over one season. There are hundreds of companies selling water filtration gimmicks. Dissolved minerals pass right through fine filters, the size of the molecules are very tiny relative to any filter media.

Lol, "solved your wife issue". Someone should share this with OJ.

Based on their website I don't see any NSF approvals, such as: NSF 61 - Drinking Water Component Health Effects NSF 60 - Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals NSF 53 - Drinking Water Treatment Unit - Health Effects NSF 44 covers only cation exchange units, so it won't apply here. Calcium citrate is a more absorbable form of calcium and I'd be interested to see what effects it has on human health (though in all honesty, people likely need more calcium in their diets so it likely is a net benefit for most people). Plus I'm betting the cartridge is more than just citric acid so what else is being put into the water? And finally, I'll parrot a few other comments. A new unit, softener only, is $779.99. But a replacement cartridge is $99.99. I'm going to need someone to tell me why the housing is worth $680.99....LMAO.

What happened? The video just cut off! Definitely not up to video production standards I'm used to for this channel. And what product was being touted? Some water softener but whose?

This is disheartening. this product (and others that work the same way) only works with very specific issues, with very specific calcium and magnesium levels. They do nothing for iron, especially dissolved iron, which is what actually damages water heaters & appliances. This is not a water softener, it’s a water conditioner. I challenge you to put a 50 micron spin-down filter after your water heater. After about a year you will see all kinds of white buildup coming out of your water heater. Without the spin-down filter you’ll still clog your aerator. If you had a tankless heater it would clog the water heater. I’ve seen my fair share on Rinnai, A.O. Smith, Bosch & Lochinvar tankless units fail after 5-7 years because these filters do nothing for iron. None of the manufactures will cover a warranty if they ask for a water sample either. Calcium & magnesium will be within tolerance but iron, TDS and PH will be out of spec. Give US Water Systems a call and talk to them about evaluating the water at your next project and sponsoring a system. You will be amazed at the difference between a “water conditioner” and a real whole home water softening & conditioning system.

I have this system (plus a sediment pre filter) and it works okay. If a traditional water softener is a 10, this system gets you to a solid 3. My shower is still water spotted like heck. The dishwasher works a little better, but marginally. The scale will still clog the shower head, but it takes longer to form and can be cleaned easier. It mitigates the scale issue, but shouldn’t be talked about like anything nearing a full solution to hard water problems. To everyone else’s point, this video felt like a paid infomercial. I won’t be tuning back into this channel.

Matt, I think the video was cut short. Very curious to see how this works in MN. Our lake association water testing has noticed through that levels of chloride are rising in the lake, almost certainly due to an increase of people moving to their lake houses full time and water softener discharge leaching back into the water table. Also, as someone asked previously, how does it deal with hard water with very high levels of iron?

2 questions: 1- How much psi does this reduce water pressure in the home? 2- Does this work as well as a salt based softener in very hard environments such as 30 - 35 hardness levels?

What happened to you great, well produced videos? This is confusing and stops abruptly?

Hey Matt, so I do not have county/city water I have a shallow well for our water. When I first saw your video on the NUVO system I was sold. But after installing it my water got way worse than it already was. I have contacted NUVO and we added a another filter and It has not got any better. I have shocked my water lines with bleach like they have instructed me to do. I am at my end with this system I have wasted a lot of money and time hoping this system would work for my family and I. Any other suggestions you may have to help me out would be great.

That sounds like a scam to me Shame on you Matt 10 minutes and we still don't know what this product is, this is my first downvote for you Matt, I am heartbroken about it. I assume this is a post hot water sediment and 30-5 micron filter with a possible pump and loop back to the hot water tank but that is just a guess. This can be easily cobbled together with local parts if that is what it is

These Nuvo systems aren’t for everyone as I’ve proven that in my situation. I gave it a good college effort and the Nuvo system didn’t perform well so I had to install a soft water salt treatment on the hot water side anyways. Nuvo isn’t transparent on their website as to if it will work for you so document your progress and utilize the refund.

Does this system still require a regen backwash system install or does it remove it?

How is this system impacted by the presence of iron?

Boo this man.

I didn't even waste my time watching the whole video. I like your videos, but it one comes to water softeners, I've seen too many people with these gimmick systems, I've seen too many people wrapping wires around their pipe to treat their water, and just do personal experience and various houses I have lived in, there's just no substitution for the salt based typical water softener system that your mom and dad used to have. They're more efficient now they're more electronic now to where they can monitor and adjust for softness quality, yes you got to plug them in the wall yes you're going to use some water in flushing the system out, but I've just found that's going to give you the best results over time

Matt, y'all could have named this video differently and it would have made more sense. It is not a very enticing video to get people to check out your website. Alot of people don't read descriptions and this is just confusing to them.

😳 How does it work on dishwasher “scale” on glasses. Does the white fog that builds up on your glassware go away? 🤔

Ugh. Matt’s jumped the shark. I guess it’s bound to happen, but this video or “webinar” is so disappointing. Scripted, poorly edited & obviously shilling for the clicks. What a bummer.

The water companies should supply healthy water...

It just sounds like another saltless system and they won't stop things like toilet rings and such, just supposedly the scale buildup. Which is why I don't care anything about them. Don't use the salt version either though. I do have a problem with that guy proclaiming RO systems are bad and quoting the great WHO. The ones that had info on covid so wrong its was pitiful and backed the China version. Also there are many, not a few buy LOTs of independent water/doctor/ experts that clearly state that one cannot depend on water for mineral intake. If you look around and read those repeating you do and insult RO, its almost always followed by something to buy to add minerals. Food is where minerals that do good, not the water. Water can have so much other junk in it, that no way RO isn't better. I been drinking distilled water for 40 years and no problem of course. Its clean water, the body needs clean water. Water is meant to hydrate. India made news about RO being banned, funny considering their water quality but its only for 500 tds or lower. Plenty don't agree with that either, plus the underlying problem those "smart" government types have is the water RO wastes. They more concern about that than health. Honestly I just read some article from India and it was totally insane regarding RO. They make it sound like you die without their tap water. I wonder how people survive that barely drink actual clear water. Just common sense ridiculous unless your diet to so bad and then water won't save you either.

This video wasn't produced well. I realize you said "webinar teaser" in the heading which wasn't too clear and didn't set the expectation -- there really should have been proper intro saying this was going to be a snippet. In addition, it's pretty long to be a "teaser" - had it been a minute, with an outro, then it would have worked. The cutting short out of the blue isn't the best user experience in my opinion, maybe even having some folks thinking there was a technical issue on your end. Nevertheless, love the series.

Should we worry about the citric acid lowering the PH of the water and over time damaging the plumbing throughout the house? A simple filter after the water heater to capture any scale at the source seems like a more direct way to prevent scale from getting into your house. Adding citric acid to the system to clean it could be something that you do every 6months or so. Add this system in, but have it bypassed most of the time.

$800 come on now they are just carbon filters, there is no reason to spend this kind of money unless you are going with a reverse osmosis system.

Love my fleck water softener. Best quality

I wanted to go with a system like this, I also hate the slimy feeling. I didn’t think this would help our main reason (besides scale) of cloudy dishes in our dishwasher. 120ppm hardness and 7.0 pH I also didn’t know if it would makes my water too acidic and affect my copper pipes (with a hot water recirculating) Thanks for sharing. Not sure why people are getting so heated over this. Does it work for every situation? No, but it sounds like a great option for those it does work for.

Any comment on were the citric acid comes from? Some people are allergic to black mold... And if you put that in their supply line it's not gonna help their health.

Will their cartridge/filters fit in a standard Pentek 20" big blue? Seems weird to sell a system for over $1600 when the "softener cartridge" and charcoal filter pack (the things doing all the work) are only $165.

@Matt Risinger, May I ask for a source of supply for a product, as far as a sill sealer gasket, please??? I have seen it on an earlier video of yours but, no matter how many searches that I do to find a black EPDM Foam Rubber sill for a foundation wall, its always referrers to several old version of the pink or white polyethylene foam!!! My Wife and I am going to be building a OFF-grid home in New England and want a Tight is Right home !!! From clearing the land, foundation with ICF's to finish!!! We will also be starting a RU-vid Channel to bring our experience along our journey for others in hope that they too can make it happen!!! Always a fan of your video's and love the content !!!

Our city water is awful, if you have bad water, you know. Your dishwasher never cleans, your water heater doesnt last, orange stains on the grout in the shower. Its not like its a mystery. I have a 20" sediment filter, then a 10" sediment, then 2 10" carbon filters, they work great. We use alot of water, they go from white to brown in 3 days, i only replace when the water pressure drops (because im not rich). If you are considering a filter system, my 2 cents would be get clear housings, so you dont have to guess when they need to be changed. Get atleast the 20", and look at the reviews! They are all made of the same plastic, some are threaded or machined better, and alot of them have leaks where you thread to the pipe. Ideally you thread plastic to plastic, and then sleeve that joint to whatever your pipe material is.

I just got a 2x20 Nuvo filter and it fits my standard "big blue" housing just fine. For the much more reasonable price ~$70 and using one of the 3 spots on my existing filter array instead of $800 to get their filter enclosure I'm giving it a shot. I got a ph meter in as well.

Would this be safe to use in my bathrooms with marble floors and walls? I am concerned about this etching the marble?

I find Potassium works well in traditional water softeners. Especially when combined with proper calibration of the water softeners demand regen, it eliminates the slimy feeling, at least in our Hill Country alkaline water sourced from lakes.

Getting the hardness out of your water supply but is important but, what about other dangerous chemicals that may be in the city water supply, such as Arsenic, Pesticides, Lead, Fluoride, Pharmaceuticals, Trihalomethanes, Inorganic Minerals, Heavy Metals, and Micro-Organisms. Dangerous chemicals in the water get on your skin via hand washing, showers and baths. They can get on your cloths and skin via the clothes washer. Safe water is important in the whole house. What systems are out there to minimize these other water dangers?

We've had this system for over 12 years and it works!!

In my home in NJ, installed water filter system coming in from the city before going into the water softener system to soften the water.

So any suggestions of how to deal with smelly water? Here where I live it smells funny, but apparently it's safe to drink.

This is not a water softener, it’s a water conditioner. We tried a very similar system that uses the same basic technology and materials. Though it may have prevented scale in the long term, in the short term it left a white residue on everything that water dried on. This has ruined the finish on our matte black shower fixtures, and left permanent water stains on our shower floor tiles. We really wanted this type of product to work for us, but it replaced one problem with another. Also, hard water is uncomfortable! It makes your skin and hair dry, and requires more soap to be used (including laundry soap). No thanks, we returned the water conditioner and got a modern water softener. Very happy we did. No more water stains on things, scale is being prevented (because that’s what a water softener does), our hair and skin are no longer dry and crunchy. And if you’re concerned about the salt, use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. Also, the amount of wastewater, at least for our system, is minimal.

Everyone is commenting that this is an ad for the NuvoH2O, but I have one and it works! My area has hard water and my shower only needs a simple wipe to clean, no scrubbing. My dishwasher which had tons of build up over the years prior to the system, gets better each month. Changing the filter takes 2 minutes. The water from the tap actually tastes better too, though I use a carbon filter as well before drinking it.

Rain water harvesting stores naturally soft water. If you don't have enough stored rain water you can mix rain water 50:50 to reduce the mineral content to eliminate scale.

So how many of you who don't like this system work for Culligan or another water softener company. I've studied alternatives to salt water softeners because salt water softeners do nothing but add salt to an already unhealthy diet. Systems like this have been used in Europe and other countries for decades with great results and not the massive increase in high blood pressure but the American alternative is causing.

Slides in first

SIMPLE SOLUTION? ITS CALLED RAIN WATER ... GEEEZE LETS MAKE THIS COMPLICATED