Water-based contaminants create problems whether you have municipal or well water. A variety of chemicals and minerals can affect everything from taste to health. Even treatment chemicals can have downsides, so water filtration is always important. It is also important to be sure that your choice of water filtration systems is a good match for your household’s needs.
Water Quality Testing
You will have lots of trouble trying to make a good decision until you know what you’re up against. Yes, it may feel like you can easily identify what’s wrong with your household’s water based on taste, appearance, and smell. That is often the case with the presence of chlorine from municipal water treatment, for example.
However, the smart move is always to order water quality testing. Our company performs tests that check for a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens, and minerals. When you request water quality testing, you end up with a detailed report of everything that’s going on in your water. Water quality testing ensures that you don’t miss something important.
Contaminants Common in Central Ohio
Chlorine and its chemical byproducts are among the most common issues you’ll see in our region’s water. Municipal water treatment employs chlorine to radically reduce the risk of pathogens in public drinking water, which is a good thing. However, high chlorine levels can lead to dry skin and air, and some people even experience respiratory issues. Chlorine can also leave behind a strong pool smell and taste, especially when municipalities are dealing with heavy rains and are worried about contamination.
Hard water is another common issue. Calcium and magnesium can collect in water lines. The minerals left behind in the water cause scaling inside pipes, reducing the efficiency of plumbing and appliances by as much as 30%. Particularly, hard water can shorten the lifespans of systems like water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers. Hard water can also reduce the effectiveness of soap and detergents, requiring heavier use of those products to achieve the same results.
Lead in water is largely left over in older main service lines. While governments have worked hard to eliminate lead, it still shows up in drinking water. This is particularly common when water departments have to flush lines, potentially agitating lead in decommissioned sections of the system.
Iron and manganese are some of the more visually annoying minerals in water. If you’ve seen a tub or basin stained orange, it was likely due to iron or manganese. These minerals also encourage corrosion in pipes and can serve as nutrients for bacteria.
Nitrates are predominantly a problem of households with well service. Runoff from agriculture can send nitrates into the water table, potentially tainting wells. Nitrates are particularly dangerous for infants, leading to conditions that can cause breathing trouble, fatigue, coma, or even death. Adults and older children exposed to nitrates in the long term may also develop thyroid issues.
Finally, forever chemicals like PFAS can end up in the environment and get into your system through water supplies. Forever chemicals break down very slowly, leading to long-term issues in humans like immune issues, liver problems, and even cancer.
The Benefits of Water Filtration
The good news is that modern water filtration methods offer you plenty of ways to fight back. Something as simple as an activated carbon filter is often sufficient to remove chlorine and improve the taste and smell of water. However, more aggressive solutions like reverse osmosis and multi-stage filtration may be necessary. As previously noted, water quality testing will guide your decisions about how to filter your household’s water.
Health benefits tend to be the main goal when putting in water filtration. People often start to worry about their home’s water quality when someone has an adverse reaction. For example, you might always get an upset stomach whenever you drink the water. You will notice other benefits besides a more settled stomach, including better hair and skin. Many people with respiratory issues also benefit from less irritation.
Water filtration can protect your investment in your appliances and plumbing system, too. Reducing scaling ensures that your plumbing will have sufficient water pressure to do its job. Likewise, removing corrosive minerals can reduce the risk of unexpected water leaks. An investment in filtration could prevent tens of thousands of dollars of water damage.
Filtration Options and How to Choose
Once you have a water quality test report in hand, you can start to evaluate your filtration options. Activated carbon filtration is almost a given. Water softeners are another common choice because they are cost-effective, easy to replenish, and effective in removing calcium and magnesium, the minerals that cause hard water.
UV light is a common water purification method that often pairs well with other solutions. The idea is to blast pathogens with the same types of rays that allow sunlight to serve as a disinfectant. Bacteria and viruses break down at the DNA and RNA levels, preventing them from reproducing in your water.
Reverse osmosis is one of the most aggressive treatment methods. Using membranes with ultrafine pores, RO filters require electricity and additional water to push clean water through the membrane while clearing out undesirable contaminants. The upside to RO is that it removes lots of smaller chemicals and minerals. It also generally performs well at removing many bacteria and viruses. Especially if you’re dealing with multiple contaminants, you will want to take a long look at reverse osmosis.
Installation and Placement
Your choice of filtration solutions should account for selecting a place for the equipment and having our technicians install it. If you’re predominantly worried about drinking water, you can usually find an under-counter solution that treats water right before it reaches the faucet. Some solutions require whole-home coverage, particularly if you’re worried about hard water and scaling. These systems need to slide in line with the flow of water from the water main to prevent minerals from getting into pipes, appliances, and the water heater.
Maintenance
All forms of water filtration require maintenance. Sometimes it’s as simple as replacing the water softener pellets. Other solutions require regular replacement of filters, membranes, or UV light bulbs.
Costs
Costs for water filtration vary from the low hundreds of dollars to the mid-thousands. You have to account for how aggressive the solution is, particularly whether it covers the whole house or targets a specific location. Annual operating costs tend to be in the low-to-mid hundreds of dollars when you account for filter and membrane replacements, salt, and electricity to power equipment. It is also a good idea to schedule an inspection with us every few years to ensure that the filtration unit stays in top condition.
Drink Pure Water With Help From Our Team
WaterBird Home Water Solutions is a family business that has been around for more than 45 years. Our company is accredited by the BBB and also state-licensed. We offer free water testing for most needs. Check our specials page for many ways to save some money, too.
If you’re concerned about the water quality and safety at your Central Ohio home, contact WaterBird Home Water Solutions right away to schedule a test.
