Clean water is essential for everyday life. While many people assume their tap water is safe, homes across the country face various water quality issues that can affect everything from your morning coffee to your washing machine’s performance. Anyone who has a well should also be acutely aware of possible issues, too.
Understanding the warning signs of water problems helps you make informed decisions about installing a water filtration system. Fortunately, most water quality issues are easy to solve if you know what to look for. Watch for telltale indicators like unusual colors, odors, unexplained health symptoms, hard water deposits and frequent appliance breakdowns.
Discoloration
If your water looks or tastes strange, something is wrong. Brown or reddish water could signal rust or even lead in your pipes while yellow tints might indicate iron or bacteria. Tiny floating particles could be sediment, rust or organic matter. Sometimes you might notice a metallic taste that makes your water unpleasant to drink.
A water filtration system targets these specific contaminants using activated carbon to remove undesired tastes, sediment filters to catch particles and specialized media to trap metals. Clean, filtered water not only protects your family’s health but prevents staining on fixtures and clothing. Likewise, you will feel better about using your house’s water when you’re cooking.
Staining
Water contaminants can leave lasting marks throughout your home. Many of the same minerals that discolor water can leave behind stains and discolorations, leading to yellow, brown, red, or even pink stains in sinks, tubs and clothes. In regions with high chlorine levels in the water, people also occasionally see white streaks and marks around fixtures that eventually lead to corrosion. Extremely high chlorine levels can eventually lighten your hair color and the dyes in your clothes.
Odors
Unpleasant-smelling water can be unappealing to drink. Water that smells like rotten eggs typically means that it contains hydrogen sulfide gas. Musty odors might be a sign of bacteria or algae growth in your water supply. A strong swimming pool smell at your tap suggests excessive chlorine levels from municipal treatment.
Carbon filtration systems excel at removing such odors by trapping the organic compounds, excess chlorine and dissolved gases that cause them. With the right water filter in place, you will notice better-tasting coffee and tea, fresher-smelling ice cubes and an overall improvement in your home’s water quality.
Digestive Issues
If you experience frequent stomach issues that can’t be explained by food or other factors, your water supply might be the culprit. Contaminated water can harbor bacteria, parasites and viruses. These can cause gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea.
While not all stomach illnesses stem from water issues, recurring symptoms should prompt you to investigate your water quality. Advanced water purification and filtration systems use multiple barriers including UV light and submicron filters to eliminate disease-causing organisms from your water. High-quality filtration gives you peace of mind knowing your drinking water is protected against harmful microorganisms that could make your family sick.
Skin Irritation and Allergic Reactions
Redness, rashes, itching or burning sensations after showering may point to issues in your home’s water supply. Some people also experience increased sensitivity to soaps or detergents due to impurities in the water. Installing a water filtration system removes chlorine, heavy metals and other irritants that trigger these problems. Cleaner water not only soothes your skin but also improves overall health and reduces allergy symptoms.
Hard Water
Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium minerals that can wreak havoc on your home’s plumbing and appliances. You might find that your clothes look dingy even after washing. Minerals create stubborn soap scum that clings to tubs, sinks and shower walls, too.
A filter can separate minerals from the water. Likewise, water softeners combat these issues by removing excess minerals through an ion exchange process.
Scaling
Scaling occurs when dissolved minerals build up inside your pipes and appliances, creating rocky deposits that restrict water flow and strain your plumbing system. You might notice white crusty buildup around faucets, decreased water pressure or unexpectedly high utility bills from appliances working harder than necessary.
While water filtration systems can help by removing sediment and some minerals that contribute to scaling, this is another case where filters work best when paired with a water softener. With the right setup in place, your water heater, dishwasher and washing machine will run more efficiently. Not only will this save on your utility bills, but it can extend the service life of your appliances.
Visible Debris
Visible debris in your water is a clear warning sign that filtration is necessary. You might notice dirt, particles or sediment. Some contaminants can also appear as foam or bubbles. Fortunately, even the simplest water filters can usually capture debris large enough to be visible to the naked eye.
Water Well
Having a water well gives you greater control but also comes with unique challenges. Water quality can be unpredictable, with a higher risk of contamination from bacteria, chemicals or runoff. Our company strongly recommends that anyone who has a water well consider using a filtration system. For well owners, filtered water means fewer worries about contaminants, better health and less wear on plumbing and appliances.
Testing
Direct water testing is the best way to identify the specific contaminants in your home’s water supply. Testing is especially important before buying a house or moving in, helping you avoid surprises with water quality. You don’t have to avoid buying a house because of water quality, but you should factor the cost of remediation into your bid. It is also smart to test after local events like water line repairs or nearby construction, which can knock debris loose in the system and introduce new contaminants.
Water quality testing takes the guesswork out of installing filtration, too. Whether it’s removing heavy metals, bacteria or chemicals, tailored filtration ensures your water is clean and safe. You also will know that you didn’t miss something based on a limited set of signs that might not have provided the full picture. For example, lead in water often doesn’t leave any signs, unless the pipes are severely corroded. You can schedule regular water testing to make sure the system is performing at its peak, too.
WaterBird Home Water Solutions is a family-owned and -operated business that’s also fully licensed and insured. We put more than 40 years of plumbing experience to work for our customers. Our goal is to use the best available technologies to provide the highest water quality possible to every household we serve.
We offer a range of solutions, including water filtration, purification and softener technologies. If your situation calls for a more advanced solution, we also can set up a reverse osmosis system. Our test is happy to perform water quality testing, too.
Anyone in central Ohio or the surrounding areas who wants to install water filtration should contact WaterBird Home Water Solutions today.
