There sure are a lot of water fountain retailers online! How can you possibly decide what type of fountain to get and what type of company to buy it from? Consider some of the most important factors involved in choosing a fountain.

First of all, buy within your budget. This doesn’t mean just looking for the cheapest listed price. Take into consideration price matching guarantees. Be sure to compare online sales with retail store prices. Don’t take for granted the price match guarantee. What if you can get the same price on a water fountain but from a better quality company?

You also have to consider shipping costs when ordering fountains online. Some retailers may show a low price on their website but charge unusually high shipping costs. When cost-feasible, try and go with the company that offers flat-rate shipping or free shipping. As you can probably guess, large water fountains can be a expensive when it comes to shipping.

Make sure the company selling the water fountains has a return policy. The company should be flexible in their policy and offer a “no hassle” type of return contract. If the product in unsatisfying you don’t want to spend time on the phone arguing with employees! Just remember to return the product within 30 days. (Note that clearance items and custom-orders are usually not eligible for returns)

You want to make sure the company you work with is trustworthiness and has good communication. Make sure that you can reach an employee by phone if you have to. You might try talking to someone in person before you buy. Be wary of any companies that do not provide contact information like an address or a phone number.  Ask the company’s representative how long the company has been in business, the longer the company has been business usually the more knowledgeable about the products and the industry.

Lastly, when purchasing a water fountain make sure that the source knows what it’s talking about. Pay attention to the web copy and verify that the customer representatives can answer technical questions about their products. Look for companies that have detailed FAQ pages. The more helpful the company is, the more likely they are to sell you a quality product.

Water fountains have many health benefits and are of great aesthetic interest. Not only do they attract attention (from customers, clients and the general public) but they also help to circulate the air and increase the humidity. They also provide a nice sound of flowing water that can easily lull a person to sleep. Fountains make for a friendlier and far more enjoyable environment!

How much are you supposed to fill your garden water feature? As you probably know, all water fountains are prone to evaporation. You are required to re-fill your fountain in order to prevent problems with water flow. However, how much is too much? There is actually no set guide to work with here. There is no particular amount of water that must be added to a fountain, nor is there a predetermined schedule for doing so.

Many variables have to be taken into account when considering the rate of garden water features and evaporation. For example, you have to consider the type of heating and cooling systems that you use inside your house. You have to consider the size of the outdoor fountain as well as the wind speed. What is the climate like and what season are you currently in?

Usually, the highest rates for replacing or adding to outdoor water features are found in areas like Arizona. That is, arid and desert-like territories. On the other hand, when you are working in coastal areas or in other areas known to have high humidity and cool weather (as opposed to cold or hot), then you have a much lower evaporation rate.

Maine is a good example of a cool state with high humidity—and not coincidentally a low evaporation rate for garden water features. An average day in Tucson, Arizona however, usually delivers an annual evaporation rate of 100 inches. If you were to divide this figure by 365 days, you would get about one third of an inch every single day. This tells us immediately that outdoor fountains in low humidity territories would need to be refilled a great deal more than the typical indoor fountain.

This is true all the more so if the outdoor water feature is placed in direct contact with the sun. On the other hand, if the feature gets a lot of rainwater, or if it is kept covered by walls and a ceiling, then it would only need about a cup or so of water added every two days.

What you do want to make sure of is that the water is being pumped at all times. If the fountain is empty then you could easily burn out the motor and ruin the fountain. Try and get into a regular habit of adding water to your outdoor garden water feature. Add water to the outdoor water feature while you water your plants. Exterior water fountains add a great deal of life and beauty to your home!

There are quite a few commonly asked questions when discussing the subject of water fountains. Let’s consider 10 frequently asked questions. These answers can help you make an educated decision when you’re ready to buy.

1. Does running a water fountain require a lot of work?
Not as much as you might think. In fact, a good comparison is a house plant. All you have to do is “water” the fountain; you add water to the basin on occasion to make up for evaporation. Once in a while you will also have to clean the fountain. As you can see, not much effort is required!

2. My pump makes too much noise. How can I make it quiet?
Water fountains operate at a minimal amount of noise, much less than the average appliance. However, there are ways to make it quiet if the water pump is become a nuisance. First, make sure the water level is covering the pump. Next, make sure the pump isn’t vibrating against one or the other side. (If so, put a cloth in between the pump and fountain) The fountain should operate quietly after this.

3. Don’t water fountains use a lot of electricity?
Your fountain shouldn’t use more electricity than an average size lamp. You will not notice any significant difference in your electric bill just because you are using a fountain. Remember, some fountains have energy saving options and can turn themselves off automatically.

4. How do I stop algae and other mineral deposits from developing?
The best way to keep all these pests out is to put a few drops of anti-algae water treatment into the fountain on a weekly basis. These drops will not only destroy algae already present but will also prevent the formation of new growth.

5. Can I adjust the volume of the water fountain’s flow?
Water fountains can be adjusted for noise level by manipulating the flow adjustor switch. This feature is available on most modern fountains.

6. How hard is it to install a fountain?
Most water fountains are easy to install. You simply take the two brackets on the back and place them to a wall. (Like a picture frame)

7. How do fountain foggers operate?
Fountain foggers do not use fog juice or anything of that sort. They operate via ultrasonic technology; this is used to create high-frequency vibrations, which turn into mist.

8. What is the right type of fountain light?
You are looking for submersible fountain lights. These specially made lights are placed in the basin of the fountain and can create various light patterns using the reflections on the water flow. Smaller lights (5 watt) can be used in any fountain. Brighter illumination requires at least a 10 watt light.

9. Are there any battery-powered water fountains?
Yes, but they don’t seem to work very well. Few if any seem to provide enough water flow.

10. How can I make my fountain pump last longer? Perform regular pump maintenance as directed, keep enough water inside the system at all times, clean the pump and fountain occasionally, and try to avoid turning the pump on and off on a regular basis.

If you have a wall mounted or tabletop water fountain in your home then you may have heard others saying that it’s best to use distilled water instead of tap water. Why should you use distilled water? Feature pieces like water fountains and floor fountains are usually not considered sources of drinking water. It would be cheaper to use tap water, right? Besides, what purpose would using distilled water serve?

Mainly, distilled water can help to keep mineral deposits from developing inside the water feature. Mineral deposit scale can form over time and cause your fountain to look dirty. In addition to making your beautiful fountain ugly, these deposits can affect the performance of the pump, which is the object that re-circulates the water. Because the pump has to work harder than normal, you will have to replace the pump before its natural time.

Distilled water is much cleaner than tap or hose water. Using this superior quality water can stop mineral deposits from forming inside water features. Distilled water is free from most of the chemicals and pollutants that infest regular tap water. Without these extra chemicals, it is less likely that mineral scale will develop.

Tap water contains hard water deposits, mineral deposits and calcium. All of these substances are difficult to remove from water once they are inside. It’s best to not even use tap water if a distilled alternative is available. Besides distilled water, you can also use white scale water treatment. This treatment can clean up your tap water to an extent and make it safer for a water feature. Superior quality water will prevent premature pump damage due to hard water build up.

Distilled water is water than has been treated through a process of distillation. This process removes most of the impurities. Distilling water involves first boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a perfectly clean container. Most of the solids will be left behind. You can find distilled water from the local supermarket or you can invest in a filtration device. Note that not all water filters actually use a comprehensive process of distillation. Some will only clean the water but still leave in various impurities like fluoride, organic compounds and other chemicals.

If your pets occasionally drink from a water feature then this is another reason to use only distilled water. To avoid extra maintenance and to keep your house safer, make sure your water features use pure and distilled water sources.