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Avatar for Environmental Testing & Research Laboratories, Inc

Environmental Testing & Research Laboratories, Inc

4.85(
347
)

Environmental Testing & Research Laboratories, Inc

4.85(
347
)
Customers say: True professional
Recommended by 93% of Angi customers
Recommended by 93% of HomeAdvisor customers

ETR Laboratories in an analytic laboratory with a broad range of commercial, industrial and individual clients. We provide analytic services using a wide variety of scientific methods including GC/MS, IC/MS, GIR, NMR and SEM equipment. We can do particle analysis, organic and inorganic chemical analysis and micro analysis on biological and other materials. Private water analysis is our specialty. Award winning. Additional DBA - Environmental Testing & Research Laboratories Inc, ETR Labs, ETR Laboratories.

"as advertised"

Nancy C on July 2018

ETR Laboratories in an analytic laboratory with a broad range of commercial, industrial and individual clients. We provide analytic services using a wide variety of scientific methods including GC/MS, IC/MS, GIR, NMR and SEM equipment. We can do particle analysis, organic and inorganic chemical analysis and micro analysis on biological and other materials. Private water analysis is our specialty. Award winning. Additional DBA - Environmental Testing & Research Laboratories Inc, ETR Labs, ETR Laboratories.

"as advertised"

Nancy C on July 2018


Avatar for Veterans Plumbing Corp

Veterans Plumbing Corp

4.74(
66
)

Veterans Plumbing Corp

4.74(
66
)
Customers say: Super punctual
2011 years of experience

Veterans Plumbing is your best choice for an honest, reputable and professional plumbing company. Our goal is to create customers for life through unmatched customer service, integrity and fair honest prices. We provide residential and commercial plumbing services since 2011. We are licensed and insured. We offer competitive prices and a two year labor and materials warranty. Call us now and get a free estimate! Veteran and Senior discounts.

"Back in April we had Ray come to check out a leak. He came up from the crawl space told my wife that the refrigerator line had a leak and that we needed to have a restoration group out. Ray reassured my wife not to worry this would be covered by insurance and preceded to call his restoration group of choice. Here we are today claim was denied we have paid the restoration group thousands of dollars and I am having to fix my house. I do not recommend this company as they need to better educate their employees to not go around saying this will be covered by insurance when all they need to say is call your insurance company to see if this is covered or not."

Trevor S on July 2021

Veterans Plumbing is your best choice for an honest, reputable and professional plumbing company. Our goal is to create customers for life through unmatched customer service, integrity and fair honest prices. We provide residential and commercial plumbing services since 2011. We are licensed and insured. We offer competitive prices and a two year labor and materials warranty. Call us now and get a free estimate! Veteran and Senior discounts.

"Back in April we had Ray come to check out a leak. He came up from the crawl space told my wife that the refrigerator line had a leak and that we needed to have a restoration group out. Ray reassured my wife not to worry this would be covered by insurance and preceded to call his restoration group of choice. Here we are today claim was denied we have paid the restoration group thousands of dollars and I am having to fix my house. I do not recommend this company as they need to better educate their employees to not go around saying this will be covered by insurance when all they need to say is call your insurance company to see if this is covered or not."

Trevor S on July 2021


Avatar for YMC Inc

YMC Inc

4.78(
156
)

YMC Inc

4.78(
156
)
Customers say: Quick response
Recommended by 92% of Angi customers
Recommended by 92% of HomeAdvisor customers

YMC Inc. Mechanical Contractor in Meridian, Idaho offers your business and family the best products and services combined with a level of customer service that will exceed your expectations. We provide both residential and commercial plumbing, heating, and AC services. Whether you’re looking for repairs, installation of your equipment, replacement, remodeling, or updating projects with the latest and most reliable equipment and fixtures, if you want it done right the first time by an award winning team, give YMC Inc. a call!

"Great! Providers got here quickly and got the job done quickly!"

Terry W on November 2020

YMC Inc. Mechanical Contractor in Meridian, Idaho offers your business and family the best products and services combined with a level of customer service that will exceed your expectations. We provide both residential and commercial plumbing, heating, and AC services. Whether you’re looking for repairs, installation of your equipment, replacement, remodeling, or updating projects with the latest and most reliable equipment and fixtures, if you want it done right the first time by an award winning team, give YMC Inc. a call!

"Great! Providers got here quickly and got the job done quickly!"

Terry W on November 2020


Avatar for Brilliant Services LLC

Brilliant Services LLC

4.76(
141
)

Brilliant Services LLC

4.76(
141
)
Customers say: Quick response
2007 years of experience

Brilliant Services has proudly provided remodeling to the Treasure Valley since 2007. Our team of Craftsmen have over 120 years of experience in the trades and there is almost nothing we haven't seen or done. We offer residential and commercial remodeling, maintenance and handyman services. As a General Contractor, we are in a unique position to be able to assist our clients with everything from small handyman projects to full scale remodels, additions and tenant improvements. We have both in-house staff and qualified subcontractors to address everything our clients need. Whether it's carpentry, painting, plumbing, electrical, roofing, windows, doors, floors, walls, tile, carpet, vinyl, chimneys, hearths, insulation, attic fans, stucco, fences, pergolas, patio covers, decks, concrete, etc, etc, etc, it's our job to find the right combination of employees and subcontractors to get your project completed with quality and on time. You don't have to piece together your project and roll the dice on hiring unknown providers. Call us today and we'll handle it for you.

"Steve from brilliant services showed up within a couple days to bid the project. He was informative and thorough. Very personable and had the bid to me same day. His company sent me a thorough bid along with a typed up contract of services to be provided and expectations. They had Mike at my house laying tile within a week. Mike was amazing. He did such a good job and worked extremely quickly. He finished the job by himself in two days. The difficult part was I had already started the project. Mike was able to work off of what I had started and made everything look amazing. I had several bids prior to these guys and I was extremely nervous to just bring anybody in to do tile work. In the state of Idaho the licensing process is minimal at best. Like Mike said there are Tile guys and people that just do tile. But the problem with tile is you don’t get any do overs. Once it’s laid the process to tear it up can cost more than the initial project. Home Depot bid me over 8k and that didn’t even include materials. These guys were a fraction of that cost. They have even been available for text or phone call questions even after the project has been completed. I grouted the tile myself and they have both been available for questions. I would highly recommend these guys for tile work for sure but I’m sure they handle all things in homes with amazing care and service! Matt"

Matt R on November 2018

Brilliant Services has proudly provided remodeling to the Treasure Valley since 2007. Our team of Craftsmen have over 120 years of experience in the trades and there is almost nothing we haven't seen or done. We offer residential and commercial remodeling, maintenance and handyman services. As a General Contractor, we are in a unique position to be able to assist our clients with everything from small handyman projects to full scale remodels, additions and tenant improvements. We have both in-house staff and qualified subcontractors to address everything our clients need. Whether it's carpentry, painting, plumbing, electrical, roofing, windows, doors, floors, walls, tile, carpet, vinyl, chimneys, hearths, insulation, attic fans, stucco, fences, pergolas, patio covers, decks, concrete, etc, etc, etc, it's our job to find the right combination of employees and subcontractors to get your project completed with quality and on time. You don't have to piece together your project and roll the dice on hiring unknown providers. Call us today and we'll handle it for you.

"Steve from brilliant services showed up within a couple days to bid the project. He was informative and thorough. Very personable and had the bid to me same day. His company sent me a thorough bid along with a typed up contract of services to be provided and expectations. They had Mike at my house laying tile within a week. Mike was amazing. He did such a good job and worked extremely quickly. He finished the job by himself in two days. The difficult part was I had already started the project. Mike was able to work off of what I had started and made everything look amazing. I had several bids prior to these guys and I was extremely nervous to just bring anybody in to do tile work. In the state of Idaho the licensing process is minimal at best. Like Mike said there are Tile guys and people that just do tile. But the problem with tile is you don’t get any do overs. Once it’s laid the process to tear it up can cost more than the initial project. Home Depot bid me over 8k and that didn’t even include materials. These guys were a fraction of that cost. They have even been available for text or phone call questions even after the project has been completed. I grouted the tile myself and they have both been available for questions. I would highly recommend these guys for tile work for sure but I’m sure they handle all things in homes with amazing care and service! Matt"

Matt R on November 2018


Wickstrom Plumbing Heating & Cooling

4.63(
35
)

Wickstrom Plumbing Heating & Cooling

4.63(
35
)
Customers say: True professional
1992 years of experience

Our Commitment is 100% Customer Satisfaction...Always! The entire Wickstrom Plumbing Heating & Cooling staff is dedicated to the health, safety and comfort of our customers. From our friendly customer service reps to our honest and knowledgeable technicians, you'll receive the highest level of customer service, expertise, quality products and workmanship. Many of our over 20,000 customers have been with us from the beginning, since our founding in 1992. We are confident you will become a loyal customer as well! Just call today and speak to one of our experienced reps.

"This is a scam outfit. They claimed our 2 furnaces had failed with cracked heat exchangers. They threatened to shut down our furnaces. Even the manager used scare tactics, repeatedly saying our family was at risk. He then admitted hadn't even seen the technician's photos. The photos were time-stamped from a year and half ago and they weren't even from my furnace. I had a very reputable company come out and verify that my furnaces were in perfect health. My home is only 8 years old. Don't let them into your home."

Andrew C on November 2024

Our Commitment is 100% Customer Satisfaction...Always! The entire Wickstrom Plumbing Heating & Cooling staff is dedicated to the health, safety and comfort of our customers. From our friendly customer service reps to our honest and knowledgeable technicians, you'll receive the highest level of customer service, expertise, quality products and workmanship. Many of our over 20,000 customers have been with us from the beginning, since our founding in 1992. We are confident you will become a loyal customer as well! Just call today and speak to one of our experienced reps.

"This is a scam outfit. They claimed our 2 furnaces had failed with cracked heat exchangers. They threatened to shut down our furnaces. Even the manager used scare tactics, repeatedly saying our family was at risk. He then admitted hadn't even seen the technician's photos. The photos were time-stamped from a year and half ago and they weren't even from my furnace. I had a very reputable company come out and verify that my furnaces were in perfect health. My home is only 8 years old. Don't let them into your home."

Andrew C on November 2024


NAMPA SEPTIC & PLUMBING SVC

5.00(
11
)

NAMPA SEPTIC & PLUMBING SVC

5.00(
11
)
Customers say: Quick response
Recommended by 100% of Angi customers
Recommended by 100% of HomeAdvisor customers

We are a family owned and family run business. We have been in business for over 25 years. We have many customers that have been with us throughout our business life. Feel free to ask for customer feed back.

We are a family owned and family run business. We have been in business for over 25 years. We have many customers that have been with us throughout our business life. Feel free to ask for customer feed back.


KETO HEATING & COOLING

5.00(
12
)

KETO HEATING & COOLING

5.00(
12
)
Customers say: Quick response
Recommended by 100% of Angi customers
Recommended by 100% of HomeAdvisor customers

We offer residential and commercial service, installation and repair of all brands of heating & cooling equipment. We also install residential water heaters and home air purification systems; install gas piping; water filtration systems; and can build and install duct work.

"Fantastic, I would strongly recommend them. They are fast, they are very nice, friendly people, very trustworthy and knowledgeable. I would like to say Thank you to them."

Nicky S on June 2019

We offer residential and commercial service, installation and repair of all brands of heating & cooling equipment. We also install residential water heaters and home air purification systems; install gas piping; water filtration systems; and can build and install duct work.

"Fantastic, I would strongly recommend them. They are fast, they are very nice, friendly people, very trustworthy and knowledgeable. I would like to say Thank you to them."

Nicky S on June 2019


Avatar for Express Plumbing Heating & Air

Express Plumbing Heating & Air

4.71(
21
)

Express Plumbing Heating & Air

4.71(
21
)
Customers say: Quality work
2006 years of experience

Express Plumbing Heating & Air takes care of your home's plumbing, drains, heating, and cooling so that your home is safe and comfortable. By offering services dedicated to your home, we can help you achieve this goal. Our technicians have serviced thousands of homeowners! We service Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, and surrounding areas. We provide Plumbing, Drains, Heating, and Cooling repairs and installation projects. Our technicians have the appropriate licensing and certifications to help you with your project. All our team members are background checked so you don't have to worry about who is entering your home. We have continued training in our on site training facility. It has everything your home has and more! Our training facility has everything from toilets, sinks, garbage disposals, water heaters, water softeners, furnaces, ACs, and more. There isn't anything that we have installed and trained on that you would find or want in your home. Our entire mission at Express Plumbing Heating & Air is for every person to live a safe and happy life. With every service call we get to complete, we're able to make achieve this goal. We can sure your family has reliable plumbing, comfortable heating and cooling. You won't have to deal with problems in your home once we've complete your project. That way you can get back to what matters most, spending time with the people you love and doing the things you love! When one of our trained techs comes to your home, know that they are going to respect your home and your time. As The Clean, Fast Professionals, we listen to and understand your unique situation and offer quality options for you to pick.

"They were easy to schedule, prompt, and the quality was wonderful."

Martin B on January 2023

Express Plumbing Heating & Air takes care of your home's plumbing, drains, heating, and cooling so that your home is safe and comfortable. By offering services dedicated to your home, we can help you achieve this goal. Our technicians have serviced thousands of homeowners! We service Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, and surrounding areas. We provide Plumbing, Drains, Heating, and Cooling repairs and installation projects. Our technicians have the appropriate licensing and certifications to help you with your project. All our team members are background checked so you don't have to worry about who is entering your home. We have continued training in our on site training facility. It has everything your home has and more! Our training facility has everything from toilets, sinks, garbage disposals, water heaters, water softeners, furnaces, ACs, and more. There isn't anything that we have installed and trained on that you would find or want in your home. Our entire mission at Express Plumbing Heating & Air is for every person to live a safe and happy life. With every service call we get to complete, we're able to make achieve this goal. We can sure your family has reliable plumbing, comfortable heating and cooling. You won't have to deal with problems in your home once we've complete your project. That way you can get back to what matters most, spending time with the people you love and doing the things you love! When one of our trained techs comes to your home, know that they are going to respect your home and your time. As The Clean, Fast Professionals, we listen to and understand your unique situation and offer quality options for you to pick.

"They were easy to schedule, prompt, and the quality was wonderful."

Martin B on January 2023


Avatar for Overall Plumbing

Overall Plumbing

4.68(
37
)

Overall Plumbing

4.68(
37
)
Customers say: Quick response
Recommended by 91% of Angi customers
Recommended by 91% of HomeAdvisor customers

We are a family owned and operated local business that has been in business since 1982. We treat your homes with care and respect. All of our technicians are drug free, clean and neat. Our warranty on most repairs is 2 years parts and labor. Our speciality is water heater replacement and repair. We also will usually be able to come to your home the same day that you call our office. (Unless you call after 2p.m.) Our technicians are well trained and very knowledgeable. Most of our customers are very happy with our service and use us for all their plumbing needs. Call our office today for prompt and friendly service with a great warranty!

"Don’t use Overall Plumbing or their parent company Right Now Heating and Air. I have always believed that the best way to judge a company is to see how they handle a problem, mistake or customer complaint. When things go right no one needs to give that extra effort. In this respect Overall Plumbing has, in my opinion, failed miserably. Let me start by saying I have used Overall Plumbing a number of times in the past and have generally been happy with the service that they provided. My problem with them started November 7, 2022. It was then that my wife discovered water pooling at the base of the water heater. She called me at work to tell me and I immediately called Overall. I hadn’t been home yet to look at the problem myself so I assumed it was the water heater, so that’s what I told the dispatcher. When I got home I realized that the water was coming out from the wall. I called Overall back to let them know, I wanted them to send the right guy for the job, and told them to go ahead and bring the new heater since it was old and needed to be replaced anyway. Once there, the guy they sent tore out the wall behind the heater to get to the pipes in the wall. He tells me that he couldn’t find a leak in the pipe and the leak must have come from the water heater itself and the stream of water was so strong it poked a hole through the wall where it then made its way to the base of the wall and out onto the floor. While I have never heard of such a thing happening, I do know that under sufficient pressure water can cut steel. So he got the new heater hooked up, he had to leave it on the floor not the pad it was sitting on (it’s called a temp set) because the restoration guys have to get everything dried out and wall repaired, etc before the heater can be placed back in its permanent spot.I didn’t think I would need to watch everything he was doing after all he’s a “professional”. Later that night I went out to my garage to look at the damage that will need to be repaired and found water spraying out of the pipe that was in the wall. The genius clearly didn’t fix anything, just put a new water heater in. I immediately called Overall Plumbing back and they sent out someone else, supposedly the manager. After “fixing” the actual problem he knocked off $600 off my bill. Almost 2 months later my house was back to normal. Moving ahead to January 20, 2024. Once again my wife calls me at work to tell me we have another water problem. I raced home only to find water coming out from under the wall in the same place it was coming out before. I immediately call Overall (thinking they will take care of a prior customer) and they don’t want to come until the next day. W**? I had already called the restoration company and they were already there..the guy had a plumber they worked with so the restoration guy called him and he showed up in about an hour. So once again they tore out the wall to get to the pipes and found the hole in the pipe was roughly 2 inches away from the prior repair. I called Overall Plumbing back to tell them the situation and tell them that I want a manager to call me back asap to discuss the issue and a solution. I had to call them and bug them for 3 days…I never did get the manager but someone in the office called me to flat out say they are not liable. They never even come out to my house to look at the pipes or repairs done before and after. I did ask the lady who the owner was…she hesitantly told me it was Right Now Heating and Air. Interesting. So I go to the Idaho Secretary of State to look up the companies. Sure enough, Overall Plumbing is owned by Right Now Heating and Air (I keep digging) and Right Now is owned by Apex West Region Holdco in Tampa Florida. I keep digging (now looking at the Florida Secretary of State filings) and find that the registered agent for Apex, someone named Gideon C Moore, is also a registered agent for at least 9 other contracting companies (most seem to be HVAC or plumbing companies). The only reason to have a company owned by another company and again owned by another company is to make it practically impossible to recover any damages or to reduce any financial responsibility/liability to almost zero. This leads me to believe that they have had some pretty significant issues in the past. While neither company claims to be “locally owned”, they both act and speak as though they are locally owned. Personally I believe that companies that go to this much effort to avoid being held responsible cannot be trusted. Finally, adding insult to injury, I find out that my insurance company (Farmers) may not renew my policy in June and that my rate will most likely go up. After 40 years of both auto and homeowners premiums. This being due to having 2 claims in less than 3 years. I guess I’ll see what happens there in June. Thank you so much Overall Plumbing for not only being incompetent but for not having the integrity to do what's right."

Tom S on February 2024

We are a family owned and operated local business that has been in business since 1982. We treat your homes with care and respect. All of our technicians are drug free, clean and neat. Our warranty on most repairs is 2 years parts and labor. Our speciality is water heater replacement and repair. We also will usually be able to come to your home the same day that you call our office. (Unless you call after 2p.m.) Our technicians are well trained and very knowledgeable. Most of our customers are very happy with our service and use us for all their plumbing needs. Call our office today for prompt and friendly service with a great warranty!

"Don’t use Overall Plumbing or their parent company Right Now Heating and Air. I have always believed that the best way to judge a company is to see how they handle a problem, mistake or customer complaint. When things go right no one needs to give that extra effort. In this respect Overall Plumbing has, in my opinion, failed miserably. Let me start by saying I have used Overall Plumbing a number of times in the past and have generally been happy with the service that they provided. My problem with them started November 7, 2022. It was then that my wife discovered water pooling at the base of the water heater. She called me at work to tell me and I immediately called Overall. I hadn’t been home yet to look at the problem myself so I assumed it was the water heater, so that’s what I told the dispatcher. When I got home I realized that the water was coming out from the wall. I called Overall back to let them know, I wanted them to send the right guy for the job, and told them to go ahead and bring the new heater since it was old and needed to be replaced anyway. Once there, the guy they sent tore out the wall behind the heater to get to the pipes in the wall. He tells me that he couldn’t find a leak in the pipe and the leak must have come from the water heater itself and the stream of water was so strong it poked a hole through the wall where it then made its way to the base of the wall and out onto the floor. While I have never heard of such a thing happening, I do know that under sufficient pressure water can cut steel. So he got the new heater hooked up, he had to leave it on the floor not the pad it was sitting on (it’s called a temp set) because the restoration guys have to get everything dried out and wall repaired, etc before the heater can be placed back in its permanent spot.I didn’t think I would need to watch everything he was doing after all he’s a “professional”. Later that night I went out to my garage to look at the damage that will need to be repaired and found water spraying out of the pipe that was in the wall. The genius clearly didn’t fix anything, just put a new water heater in. I immediately called Overall Plumbing back and they sent out someone else, supposedly the manager. After “fixing” the actual problem he knocked off $600 off my bill. Almost 2 months later my house was back to normal. Moving ahead to January 20, 2024. Once again my wife calls me at work to tell me we have another water problem. I raced home only to find water coming out from under the wall in the same place it was coming out before. I immediately call Overall (thinking they will take care of a prior customer) and they don’t want to come until the next day. W**? I had already called the restoration company and they were already there..the guy had a plumber they worked with so the restoration guy called him and he showed up in about an hour. So once again they tore out the wall to get to the pipes and found the hole in the pipe was roughly 2 inches away from the prior repair. I called Overall Plumbing back to tell them the situation and tell them that I want a manager to call me back asap to discuss the issue and a solution. I had to call them and bug them for 3 days…I never did get the manager but someone in the office called me to flat out say they are not liable. They never even come out to my house to look at the pipes or repairs done before and after. I did ask the lady who the owner was…she hesitantly told me it was Right Now Heating and Air. Interesting. So I go to the Idaho Secretary of State to look up the companies. Sure enough, Overall Plumbing is owned by Right Now Heating and Air (I keep digging) and Right Now is owned by Apex West Region Holdco in Tampa Florida. I keep digging (now looking at the Florida Secretary of State filings) and find that the registered agent for Apex, someone named Gideon C Moore, is also a registered agent for at least 9 other contracting companies (most seem to be HVAC or plumbing companies). The only reason to have a company owned by another company and again owned by another company is to make it practically impossible to recover any damages or to reduce any financial responsibility/liability to almost zero. This leads me to believe that they have had some pretty significant issues in the past. While neither company claims to be “locally owned”, they both act and speak as though they are locally owned. Personally I believe that companies that go to this much effort to avoid being held responsible cannot be trusted. Finally, adding insult to injury, I find out that my insurance company (Farmers) may not renew my policy in June and that my rate will most likely go up. After 40 years of both auto and homeowners premiums. This being due to having 2 claims in less than 3 years. I guess I’ll see what happens there in June. Thank you so much Overall Plumbing for not only being incompetent but for not having the integrity to do what's right."

Tom S on February 2024


Ashley Heating & Air Conditioning

4.73(
26
)

Ashley Heating & Air Conditioning

4.73(
26
)
Customers say: Quick response
1910 years of experience

Whether you need your existing comfort system maintained or serviced or if it's time to replace your old inefficient system replaced, Ashley Heating, Air & Water Systems offers unparalleled expertise, with our certified service technicians, experienced factory trained comfort techs and licensed, trained installation technicians. We are here to provide you with the information, choices, and skill you need to make your home as comfortable and healthy as possible.

"Kelly, the technician, responded to troubleshoot the problem with the furnace, and replaced a blown fuse. It then appeared to run fine. Unfortunately, the furnace went down again two weeks later. He responded as a call back, no charge, and found other issues that were "not" initially evident. He found the "A" coil was blocked with debris, and cleared it. The furnace is now operating good, without any further problems. I would highly recommend Ashley heating and cooling to all my family and friends."

Alan P on March 2025

Whether you need your existing comfort system maintained or serviced or if it's time to replace your old inefficient system replaced, Ashley Heating, Air & Water Systems offers unparalleled expertise, with our certified service technicians, experienced factory trained comfort techs and licensed, trained installation technicians. We are here to provide you with the information, choices, and skill you need to make your home as comfortable and healthy as possible.

"Kelly, the technician, responded to troubleshoot the problem with the furnace, and replaced a blown fuse. It then appeared to run fine. Unfortunately, the furnace went down again two weeks later. He responded as a call back, no charge, and found other issues that were "not" initially evident. He found the "A" coil was blocked with debris, and cleared it. The furnace is now operating good, without any further problems. I would highly recommend Ashley heating and cooling to all my family and friends."

Alan P on March 2025

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Water Softeners questions, answered by experts

Yes, a water softener can remove scale deposits. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, after you add a water softener to your home, “gradually the softer water will dissolve limescale scale deposits and remove the problem entirely.” Installing a water softener—or water descaler—will also help prevent new scale deposits from forming.

To get utilities set up on a property, you first have to contact the local department of planning to determine whether your property is able to connect to public utilities. From there, you can work with a structural engineer and/or a building contractor to design the layout of utility lines on the property. The pros will need this information as they begin securing building permits before they can start adding lines.

If your property isn’t able to connect to public utilities, you’ll need to consider working with pros to develop a comfortable off-grid home that will meet your needs.

Hard water isn’t unhealthy. It’s safe to drink, bathe in, and cook with. However, it can make some skin, hair, and scalp problems, such as eczema, worse by affecting the pH balance of your skin and hair. Additionally, some people don’t like the taste of hard water, but it does contain minerals that are important to your overall health, like calcium.

The most accurate way to determine whether you have hard water is to purchase a water test kit from a hardware store or send a tap water sample to a lab. But there are some signs you can look out for without professional testing. For instance, if you're consistently dealing with mineral stains on your glassware, windows, and shower doors, you're likely to have hard water. Hard water can also make it harder to lather and rinse soap, so if you're struggling to work up a good lather in the shower, hard water might be the culprit.

Installing a water softener could help reduce calcium buildup in your pool if your pool has high calcium hardness as a result of hard drinking water in your home. Pool softeners work by exchanging calcium and magnesium for sodium, so if you use softened water to top off your pool, it may help keep calcium hardness from rising over time. However, it won’t lower the calcium hardness of the water already in your pool and isn’t a practical way to control pool calcium levels. The average water softener installation cost is between $200 and $6,000.

The Star, ID homeowners’ guide to water softener services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.