Need Help Finding the Right Solution? Contact a Local Pro
Pentair Water Solutions
10/01/2026
When it comes to water quality, most homeowners know when something seems off. Maybe dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots, coffee doesn't taste quite right, or showers smell odd. But many water issues aren't as obvious, and some of the most common beliefs about water treatment simply aren't true.
To help separate fact from fiction, we spoke with Brian Rorabeck, RWT Technology Manager at Pentair, about the myths he encounters most often and what homeowners should know about the water they use every day.
Water Quality Impacts More Than Just Drinking Water
Many people think water quality only matters when it comes to the water they drink. In reality, the water flowing throughout your home influences far more than what's in your glass.
Water is used in nearly every aspect of daily life—from showering and doing laundry to cooking meals and running appliances. Issues like hard water, iron, sediment, and chlorine can affect how water looks, tastes, and performs throughout the home.
As Rorabeck explains:
“It’s very advantageous to have water filtration for your whole home, whether it's water softening, carbon filtration, you know, those two things coupled together can also produce very high quality water as well…If you think about your whole home, you use water when you cook, when you drink, you know, in your bathroom…so the benefits to having whole home treatment go beyond just drinking water.”
The effects can show up in ways homeowners may not immediately connect to water quality, including reduced appliance efficiency, scale buildup, staining, and unwanted tastes or odors.
Hard Water Can Take a Toll on Household Appliances
One of the most common misconceptions is that hard water is simply a cosmetic issue. The truth is that hard water contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium that can accumulate over time inside water-using appliances and plumbing.
"Hard water can leave behind kind of nasty scale and deposits, calcium and magnesium," says Rorabeck. "Over time, that stuff gets into your appliances, into your hot water heater, causes corrosion and things like that, and ultimately can reduce the efficiency of many of your household appliances."
That buildup can make appliances work harder and may contribute to increased maintenance costs over time. Water Quality Plays a Bigger Role in Taste Than Many People Realize When homeowners think about improving the taste of their water, they often focus only on drinking water. But water quality can influence much more than that.
Coffee, tea, soups, baked goods, and other recipes all rely heavily on water. If undesirable tastes or odors are present in the water, they often carry through to the finished product.
"Coffee, as well as baking and other types of cooking within your house, is very affected by water quality."
Brian Rorabeck - RWT Technology Manager at Pentair
He notes that chlorine and chloramine, which are commonly used to disinfect municipal drinking water, are frequent contributors to taste and odor concerns.
"If you have a lot of chlorine or chloramine or other disinfectants that cause taste and odor issues in your water, it's going to show up in your coffee."
For homeowners who value great-tasting beverages and meals, water quality may be an important piece of the puzzle.
Not All Water Treatment Solutions Are Designed to Do the Same Thing
One misconception Rorabeck regularly encounters is the belief that every water treatment product performs the same function, but that’s simply not true. Different technologies are designed to address different water quality challenges.
"There are lots of different types of water treatment, and each of those types of technologies kind of serves a purpose or does different things."
For example:
- Water softeners are designed to reduce hardness minerals.
- Carbon filtration can help reduce chlorine taste and odor.
- Drinking water filtration systems may target specific contaminants.
- Whole-home solutions can address water concerns throughout the house.
Often, multiple technologies work together to create a more comprehensive treatment solution tailored to a home's water quality needs.
Clear Water Doesn't Always Tell the Whole Story
Many water quality issues can be identified through taste, odor, or appearance. Others cannot. That's why some of the most important water quality concerns are also the easiest to overlook.
"Other contaminants like PFAS and lead and other heavy metals are not contaminants that you're going to taste."
Brian Rorabeck - RWT Technology Manager at Pentair
Because certain contaminants may not be visible to the naked eye, relying solely on what the water looks or tastes like can leave homeownerswith an incomplete understanding of their water quality.
In fact, Rorabeck cautions against assuming that clear water automatically means everything is fine.
"You want to make sure you're also getting it tested to see what else is in your water."
Why Water Testing Matters
Whether you're on municipal water or a private well, testing provides valuable insight into what may be present in your water and helps identify the right treatment approach.Some issues, such as hard water or iron, may manifest as scale buildup, staining, or taste concerns. Others require testing to identify. According to Rorabeck, understanding your water is the first step toward improving it.
"It's very important to make sure you get a comprehensive water quality test, to better understand the water that you're drinking and cooking with and using every day."
What's in your water?
start here
Worried about what may be in your water? Get our water test kit and send it in to us! We do extensive testing and will recommend products based on the makeup of your water. Get a test today!
*Please note that this water test kit does not test for PFAS.
A Word on Certifications
When evaluating water treatment products, Rorabeck encourages homeowners to look beyond product claims and pay close attention to certifications.
"Can't emphasize enough how important NSF/ANSI certifications are."
Not all water treatment products are tested to the same standards, and certification can help verify that a product has been independently tested to perform as advertised.
Understanding what a product is certified to reduce—and verifying that certification aligns with your specific water concerns—can help homeowners make more informed decisions.
Better Water Starts with Better Information
There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for water quality. Every home's water is different and understanding what's in your water is the first step toward finding the right treatment solution.
Whether you're concerned about hard water, chlorine taste and odor, emerging contaminants, or overall water quality, separating myths from facts can help you make more confident decisions about the water you and your family use every day.
Brian Rorabeck
Residential Water Treatment Technology Manager, Pentair Water Solutions
Brian Rorabeck holds a bachelor’s degree in water resources & soil science from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Brian is passionate about improving water quality for all and about finding practical,innovative solutions to water quality issues across the globe. He is currently the Laboratory & Filtration Technology Manager for Pentair Residential Water Treatment and has been with Pentair since 2013. Brian’s team is focused on developing filtration solutions for various types of contaminants, including contaminants of concern such as PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) for POU & POE applications.