Frequently Asked Questions - Shop online with Aquatell!
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Frequently Asked Questions

We get asked tons of questions - questions about products, processes, and about our company. We've compiled a list of the most common questions we receive by email and by phone. We hope this page helps you find the answers to the questions you've got. If you still have unanswered questions please contact Aquatell here.


Questions About Our Company


How long have you been In business?

We've been doing business online since 2004 and we've happily served thousands of customers since then

Do you ship to Canada?

We certainly do! In fact, we have warehouses in Canada and the United States so you don't have to worry about lead times, duties, or border delays. Every order placed for delivery to Canada will ship from Canada.  Every order placed for delivery to the U.S. will ship from the U.S.

Do you have a money back guarantee?

We're very confident that you'll be satisfied with your purchase. But if you're not, we'll buy back 110% your original purchase within 30 days of purchase. You ship it back to us, and once we receive it we'll refund your credit card or your PayPal account and add 10% of the purchase price to your Aquatell account. Here are more details on our 110% Money Back Guarantee.

Are you accredited by the Better Business Bureau?

Yes we are. We have an "A" rating with BBB. You can view our corporate record here.

Are your products made in North America?

Wherever possible, we offer products that are made in America or Canada. All of our Water Softeners and UV Systems are made in North America. Many of our other products are also.


Questions About Orders / Warranty


If I place an order, how long before I receive it?

This depends on the type of order placed. We build our water softeners to order, which takes about a day, and we ship them as fully built systems which is a slightly slower method than sending the unassembled components by UPS. So, on average, a water softener will arrive about 5 business days after it's ordered. Most other products are shipped out the day after they are ordered and ship by courier, making the average delivery about 3 days after the order has been placed.

If your order’s estimated shipping date is more than 5 business days from your order date, we will notify you. If your order is very time-sensitive, you may wish to contact us to ensure timely delivery.

What if I order the wrong thing - can I return it?

Any product that is on our website can be returned for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. You are responsible for the cost of shipping it back to us. Once we receive it, we will refund 110% of the product cost, but not the original outbound shipping cost. Products that are special ordered (any item not on the site) can usually be returned but are subject to a 25% restocking fee. If you want to return a purchase, please fill out this form.

How will I know that my online order has been processed?

As soon as your order is completed, you'll see a message on the aQuatell website that your order was successful. Within 5 minutes you'll receive an email confirmation of your order. This is your purchase receipt. Please keep a paper copy of it on file. If you don't see this confirmation within 5 minutes it's probably been filed in your junk mail folder.

How do you ship my order?

This depends on what you purchased and where it's going. Because we ship water softeners as built systems, they are shipped via LTL (Less Than Truckload) services. In the United States we primarily use Echo Logistics. In Canada we usually use Day & Ross. If the water softener delivery point is within Minnesota, or Southwestern Ontario (our two distribution points) we may use a local delivery service. Most small parcels are shipped with UPS in the U.S. and Purolator in Canada. For very small parts we may ship using postal service.

How does your warranty work?

aQuatell is a retailer, and not a manufacturer. So, we act as a representative of the manufacturer's warranty. If you had a problem with one of our products you would simply fill out this form and one of our support agents would get back to you within about two hours. There is typically a troubleshooting process that would happen. Once it's determined that you do indeed require a warranty part, we would request that the defective part is returned to us (so that we can get credit from the manufacturer) and we would then send the free warranty part to you. If a customer wants to speed up the process, the warranty part can be purchased and shipped immediately, and we can then credit the purchase back to a credit card once the defective part is received.


Questions About Our Products


What are the differences between Autotrol and Fleck water softeners?

This is a common question and one that needs a little background explanation first.  Autotrol and Fleck don't actually make complete "softeners".  They make the control valves that we use to build our softeners.  Both brands have a bunch of different control valves that they offer, but the Autotrol 255 valve and Fleck 5600SXT are the most popular residential choices by far.  So, for the sake of this question, we'll be compariing these two.  These control valves are much more similar than they are different - they are both metered so they will only regenerate when necessary.  So, why do we offer both?  Well, just like Ford and Chevrolet, people get used to a certain brand and don't want to change.  People replacing a Fleck system, will usually want to buy a Fleck, and the same holds true for Autotrol.  In our experience, the Fleck 5600SXT offers the most reliable performance of any of the valves we sell.

What are the differences between Viqua UV systems and Sterilight UV systems?

They are both great brands.  And they're both now owned by the same company (Viqua).  There are a few differences between the two.  Viqua UV systems use "low pressure high output" lamps and Sterilight UV systems use "low pressure" lamps.  The Trojan lamps are brighter, so you can use a smaller lamp and still achieve very high levels of protection.  The smaller footprint means they're easier to find a place for, and easier to install.  Secondly, maintenance on the Trojan systems is easier.  The lamp comes out equally well with both systems, but getting the quartz sleeve out of a Sterilight unit can be very tricky, and many people break the sleeve trying to do so.  The Trojan sleeve comes out very easily.  Lastly, the warranty on the Trojan systems is longer, and is not pro-rated, as it is with Sterilight.

How long will my sediment filter last between cartridge changes?

Probably our most common product question, and one that is very hard to answer.  The length of time that a sediment cartridge will last depends on many variables: cartridge size, cartridge material, water source, time of year, water consumption, to name a few.  The best way to answer this question is to use our favorite sediment cartridge as an example: The Pentek DGD-5005.  When used on a drilled well (the most common application) on an average sized home, with average water consumption, and average sediment levels, this cartridge lasts about 3 months.  Generally, the larger the cartridge the longer it will last.  Spun polypropylene cartridges will generally last longer than pleated cartridges.