ServicesReverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis in Cedarburg
A reverse osmosis system under your kitchen sink gives you clean, crisp water for drinking, coffee and cooking. We install new systems with care for your cabinets and countertop, and when an older unit only needs a membrane or a valve, we tell you so.
Clean drinking water from one dedicated faucet
Inside the system, water is pushed across a tightly wound membrane with pores far smaller than anything you could see. Dissolved salts, many metals and other fine solids stay behind and are rinsed to the drain. Carbon stages on either side of the membrane take out chlorine taste and odor. Treated water collects in a compact storage tank under the sink, ready to pour from its own faucet beside your main tap.
It is the right call when you want better water where you actually drink it, without treating every gallon that runs to the laundry or the garden hose. For water that feels hard or stains fixtures, a water softener or whole-home filtration does that job, and the two often work well together.
Many systems we see are not worn out. They have a tired membrane, a waterlogged tank or a sticky shutoff valve. We would rather repair a sound system than sell you a new one, and we suggest a new unit only when a housing is cracked, parts are no longer made, or the fix would cost close to a fresh install.
What the work includes
- A careful look at your current setup
- If you already have a system, we check each stage, the tank pressure, the drain line and the faucet before recommending anything. You hear which parts are fine and which are not.
- Membrane and filter service
- We change the sediment and carbon prefilters, the membrane and the polishing filter as needed, then flush the system so the first glass tastes right.
- Tank recharge or a new tank
- A storage tank that runs out fast often just needs its air charge restored. If the bladder inside has failed, we swap in a new tank.
- New system installation
- Installed by a licensed Wisconsin plumber, with a proper feed valve, an air gap at the drain and a faucet mounted cleanly in your countertop or an existing sprayer hole.
- Refrigerator and ice maker lines
- We can tee a line off the system and run it to your refrigerator, so the ice maker and door dispenser draw the same filtered water as the sink faucet.
- Cleanup and a short walkthrough
- We leave the cabinet dry and tidy, and show you where each filter sits and when it is due.
Signs your system needs attention
The faucet slows to a trickle
Weak flow most often comes from clogged prefilters, a membrane coated with buildup, or a storage tank whose air pressure has dropped. Each of these is usually fixable without a new system.
The old taste is back
When chlorine or a flat, mineral taste returns, the carbon stages are spent. Filter changes on schedule keep that from happening.
Water runs to the drain all the time
A constant trickling sound under the sink points to a failed automatic shutoff valve or check valve. It wastes water and is a small part to fix.
Drips or damp cabinet floors
Leaks at fittings or a cracked filter housing can soften particleboard cabinets over time. We find the source and swap out the part that failed.
Slow production in winter
Wisconsin groundwater runs colder in winter, and membranes make less water in the cold. If output drops sharply beyond that, the membrane is likely due.
What moves the cost
Fixing a sound system usually costs well below a new unit, so we look at what you have before we put a number on anything. Once you have our quote, it stays good for 30 days, and you pay in full only after the install is finished. If you would rather spread the cost out, U.S. Bank Avvance offers financing, on approved credit.
Repair or new system
Fresh filters and a membrane are a modest job. A cracked manifold or a model whose parts are no longer made may make replacement the better value.
Your countertop
Laminate drills quickly. Stone and quartz take more time and care, and an existing sprayer hole can avoid drilling altogether.
Extra connections
Running water to the refrigerator or ice maker takes extra tubing and fittings, and a longer run from the sink adds time.
Optional stages
A permeate pump to cut wastewater or a remineralizing filter for a softer taste each add to the price.
How a visit goes
- 1
A phone conversation first
You tell us what you notice and what you have under the sink. We give you a free quote and explain whether a repair or a new system looks more sensible.
- 2
Protecting your kitchen
We lay down a mat, empty the cabinet with care and shut off the cold supply. Drilling into quartz or granite is done slowly with the right bit, or we use the hole you already have.
- 3
Installation or repair
We mount the filter assembly, connect the feed, drain and tank, and set the faucet. On service visits we change only the parts that need it.
- 4
Flush, check and clean up
The system is sanitized and flushed, every fitting is checked for leaks, and we wipe the cabinet dry before we leave. You get a quick tour of filter changes.
Reverse osmosis questions
Can you fix a system someone else installed?
Usually, yes. Most under-sink units use standard filter sizes and fittings. We check the housings and the tank, and if the system is sound we service it rather than replace it.
How often do filters need changing?
Prefilters and the post filter are usually changed about once a year. The membrane outlasts them, and how long it goes depends on your daily use and the mineral content of your water. We show you how to tell when each one is due.
Does reverse osmosis waste a lot of water?
Some water goes to the drain to carry away what the membrane rejects. A working shutoff valve stops that flow when the tank is full, and a permeate pump can reduce it further. A system that drains constantly has a fault worth fixing.
What warranty comes with a new system?
A new RO unit is covered for 1 year, filters excluded. Filters are wear items you change on a schedule, so they sit outside that coverage.
Do I need a water softener too?
Not always. Hard water shortens membrane life, so in homes with noticeably hard water a softener protects the RO system and your fixtures. We will tell you plainly if it is worth it in your home.
Can I back out once the paperwork is done?
Yes. The agreement gives you three business days to cancel once your signature is on it. You also have nothing paid up front, because the full amount is due only when the install is complete.
Better water at your kitchen tap
Tell us what your current system is doing, or what you would like from a new one. We will give you an honest read on repair versus replacement, and we serve Cedarburg along with Grafton, Mequon and Thiensville.