Direct answer: HALO water systems are sold under the name of HALO Water Systems, LLC, the company that publishes the manuals, spec sheets and warranties and handles warranty claims. Its About page says the company was founded in 2001 by Glen Blavet, a master plumber who began as a contractor in 1976, to build a water system “for contractors, by a contractor.” HALO sells through licensed contractors and authorized wholesale distributors, not online retail: its HALO 5 and Hybrid warranties are void if the system was bought from a third party or liquidator, and void if it was not installed by a licensed contractor.
Publisher boundary: Water System Guide is an independent research publisher, not a HALO dealer or contractor. This page uses HALO’s About page and the HALO 5, CK10, Hybrid and ION documents hosted on halowater.com, reviewed October 15, 2026. HALO does not publish where its tanks, valves or media are manufactured, and we do not guess. Where a document names a component supplier, we say so and cite it.
The company behind the HALO name
HALO’s About page describes the founder and the reason for the business. Glen Blavet, “the Founder and CEO of HALO Water Systems, is also a Master Plumber,” and “began as a contractor in 1976,” later owning “one of the largest plumbing heating and air service companies in Southern California.” The page says he set out “to develop a water quality system ‘for contractors, by a contractor’” and that “HALO Water Systems, founded in 2001,” has become a system recommended by contractors (HALO About page). The same page lists his roles with the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC), including president of the San Diego chapter.
The legal name printed on every HALO document we reviewed is HALO Water Systems, LLC, with the phone number 800-591-0538. The HALO 5 warranty gives the same number and the address [email protected] for warranty service (HALO 5 warranty).
So the short answer to “who makes HALO” is: the products are designed, specified, branded and warranted by HALO Water Systems, LLC. What the documents do not say is which factory builds each tank, which plant produces the media, or where the systems are assembled. HALO’s materials do not answer that, so neither do we.
What HALO’s documents say about components
HALO is open about some component choices, and those details help explain how the systems behave:
- The CK10 and Hybrid control valve. The CK10 manual describes a “glass filled Noryl fully automatic control valve” that can regenerate on demand or by time clock, uses “no traditional fasteners” and is serviced with screwdrivers and pliers or a plastic wrench (CK10 manual, PDF page 5). Its programming screens (NEXT, REGEN, SET CLOCK, Day Override, Diagnostics, Valve History) are the same family as widely used residential valves, and HALO’s FAQ says HALO 5 tanks use a “Clack® distributor head.” HALO’s manual itself uses HALO naming, so we refer to it as the HALO CK10 valve.
- The HALO 5 media. The HALO 5 spec sheet lists five stages: acid-washed granular activated carbon (GAC), catalytic carbon (HAC), “HALO Ag Plus” filter media, high-density garnet and the HALO ION in-line conditioner (HALO 5 spec sheet). It describes the media as meeting NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 for material safety.
- Certification limits. The same spec sheet says the system is WQA tested and certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 and 372 for material safety and lead-free compliance, but that “the HALO 5 series is not tested or certified by WQA for contaminant reduction, performance or structural integrity,” and that the ION 2.0 Plus scale inhibitor “is not tested or certified by WQA.”
- The ION conditioner. The ION warranty covers the magnetic bar for 25 years, with the first 10 years covering the bar, housing and labor at a stated “$125 LABOR / $50 part allowance” on approved claims (ION warranty).
The HALO product lines, by what they do
HALO sells several kinds of equipment under one name. Only some of them soften water. Getting this right matters before you ask “who makes it,” because the answer to “what is it” changes which document applies.
| Line | What HALO says it is | Removes hardness? | Main document |
|---|---|---|---|
| HALO 5 (H5-100 to H5-200) | Whole-house filtration and conditioning, five stages | No. Conditions scale with the ION; no ion exchange | HALO 5 spec sheet and installation manual |
| CK10 (H-CK10-150, 200, 250) | Whole-house softening system with brine tank | Yes, by ion exchange | CK10 spec sheet and manual |
| Hybrid (H-HYBRID) | Carbon filtration and softening in one tank | Yes | Hybrid spec sheet, manual and warranty |
| ION 2.0 Plus | In-line magnetic scale conditioner | No | ION warranty and spec |
| Sediment Guard, UV, iron/sulfur, acid neutralizer | Specialty filters | No | Individual spec sheets |
The CK10 spec sheet lists three sizes: H-CK10-150 with a 10” x 54” tank and 1.5 cubic feet of resin, H-CK10-200 with 12” x 52” and 2 cubic feet, and H-CK10-250 with 13” x 54” and 2.5 cubic feet, all with an 18” x 36” brine tank and peak flows of 14, 16 and 18 gpm (CK10 spec sheet). Our HALO 5 vs CK10 vs Hybrid comparison goes through the treatment differences.
Why HALO is sold only through contractors
HALO’s documents build the contractor channel into the warranty itself. The HALO 5 warranty says that “if a HALO 5 System was purchased from a 3rd party, liquidator or by any means other than an authorized licensed wholesale distributor, the warranty is void.” It lists five reasons the warranty is void, including that “the HALO product was not installed by a licensed contractor” and “the product was not sold to you by a licensed contractor,” and it requires online activation at halowater.com (HALO 5 warranty). The Hybrid warranty repeats the third-party rule and the licensed-contractor requirement (Hybrid warranty).
The installation manual makes the same point on its last page: “installation guidelines are intended for the use of licensed contractors only” (HALO 5 installation manual, PDF page 8).
For a buyer this has three consequences:
- The installer is part of the product. A HALO bought outside the channel may carry no warranty at all, even if the equipment is new.
- The warranty is non-transferable. The HALO 5 warranty is limited to “the original owner at the original residential installation location” and says it “is non-transferable.” Buying a house with a HALO already installed does not automatically bring coverage with it, unless you are listed as the owner when the warranty is activated.
- Repairs go through HALO first. The HALO 5 warranty says the customer “must contact the HALO representative prior to any repairs or replacements,” and that before any warranty action the service technician must put the system on bypass and send HALO the model number, serial number and photos.
Water conditions HALO sets as part of the deal
Several conditions in HALO’s warranties also describe the water the systems are designed for. They are worth checking before purchase because they decide whether coverage applies later.
- Pressure. The HALO 5 warranty requires 40 to 80 psi and says pressure above 80 psi “voids all warranties.” The Hybrid warranty sets 30 to 80 psi. The installation manual says HALO systems handle 25 to 80 psi and recommends 60 (installation manual, PDF page 3). Where those numbers differ, the warranty is the stricter test.
- Chlorine. Both the HALO 5 and Hybrid warranties say influent chlorine “must not exceed 1 mg/L.”
- Well water. Both warranties are void if the system is “installed without a current well water report being submitted for recommendation to HALO.” The HALO 5 warranty also says it is “valid only on residential applications for the treatment of municipal water supplies.”
- Temperature. The HALO 5 warranty requires 33 to 120°F; the Hybrid warranty requires 40 to 100°F.
The HALO warranty guide compares the coverage terms product by product.
How to identify which HALO you have
If you are trying to find the maker because you own a system, the model and serial number are what HALO asks for first. The documents give a few ways to tell the lines apart:
- A brine tank next to the main tank means a softener: CK10 or Hybrid. The HALO 5 has no brine tank.
- A small display with SET and arrow buttons and P-numbered settings is the HALO 5 controller described in its quick-reference guide.
- A display with NEXT, REGEN and SET CLOCK buttons matches the CK10 and Hybrid manuals.
- A sleeve-like unit on the pipe with no power or drain is likely an ION conditioner.
Our model pages for the H5-100 and H-CK10-150 list the published specifications for those sizes.
What we could not verify
- Manufacturing location. HALO’s documents do not state where tanks, valves, media or assembled systems are made. The H2 Zero Ultimate spec describes the ION as “Made in the USA,” but we found no equivalent statement for the HALO 5, CK10 or Hybrid.
- Corporate ownership. The About page identifies the founder and CEO. It does not describe investors, a parent company or acquisitions, and we did not find a primary source for any.
- Prices. HALO publishes no retail prices; see our HALO cost guide.
Questions to ask a HALO contractor
- Are you an authorized HALO contractor, and will you register and activate the warranty in my name?
- Which exact model (for example H5-125 or H-CK10-200) are you proposing, and why that size?
- Have you measured my water pressure, and will you install a regulator if it is above 80 psi?
- Is my water municipal or well water? If well, will you submit a well water report to HALO first?
- Who handles a warranty claim: you or HALO directly? Who pays labor?
For replacement components and what HALO lists by part number, see the HALO parts guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes HALO water systems?
HALO Water Systems, LLC brands, specifies and warrants the systems. Its About page says the company was founded in 2001 by Glen Blavet, a master plumber who started as a contractor in 1976. HALO’s documents do not say where the components are manufactured.
Can I buy a HALO system online and install it myself?
Not with a warranty. The HALO 5 warranty is void if the system was bought from a third party or liquidator, was not sold by a licensed contractor, or was not installed by a licensed contractor. The installation manual is written for licensed contractors only.
Is the HALO 5 a water softener?
No. The HALO 5 spec sheet describes a five-stage filtration and conditioning system with an ION magnetic conditioner. It does not remove hardness by ion exchange. HALO’s softeners are the CK10 and the Hybrid.
Does a HALO warranty transfer when I sell my house?
The HALO 5 warranty says it is non-transferable and covers the original owner at the original installation location. It is void if you are not the original purchaser unless you are listed as the owner when the warranty is activated.