How to Improve the Water Quality in Your Home

Does your water have a funny taste or look discolored? These are the most common reasons that you might consider a filtration system to improve your water quality. Even if your water is clear and tastes fine, it could have contaminants in it that you shouldn’t consume. There are steps that you can take, whether you have well water or city water, to improve the quality of the H2O that flows out of your faucets into your sink, bath and pool.

Checking the Quality of City Water

Most of the problems with the quality of city water are the result of issues with your pipes. (Though there are exceptions like Flint Michigan where the whole municipal water supply was contaminated). If you notice that your water has pressure issues or changes in taste and color, it is a good idea to call a plumber. There may be a leak in the pipes or blockages caused by corrosion which are impacting your water’s quality.

If you are concerned about contaminates in your water like lead (which is present in many cities across the USA outside of Flint due to the widespread use of lead pipes), it is a good idea to have your water tested by a professional.

Checking the Quality of City Water

Well water, since it comes from the ground, can be contaminated by traces of pesticides, gasoline and other chemicals that have seeped into the soil around your home. Having your water tested by a professional is the only way to know exactly what contaminates are present in your water.

If you notice that your water is gritty or has specks of sediment in it, it is a good idea to check your pump and well casing for cracks. In this case, the cause may be failing seals on the water pump that have let dirt and sediment into your water system. Unless you are an expert at DIY plumbing, you should call on a professional to fix the problem.

How to Improve Your Water Quality

Calling on a plumber to fix problems with your water system can improve your water’s quality but it may still have impurities and an unpleasant taste that require a treatment system. The best way to improve the taste and smell of your water as well as remove contaminates and impurities is with a filtration system. A filtration system will purify your water making it safer and taste better. There are 2 kinds of filtration systems that you can choose from.

Whole-House Filters

A whole-house filter is the most comprehensive solution. This filter is installed on the main water supply. It ensures that all the water that flows out of your faucets, into your appliances (like the dishwasher and laundry) and into your pool is pre-filtered. If your water test indicated that your water is contaminated with dangerous toxins, heavy metals or other harmful chemicals, this is the best solution to ensure that the water you drink, cook with, and bath in is safe. It should be installed by a professional.

Point-of-Entry Filters

Point-of-entry filters are the most common. This filter is attached to a faucet or under a sink to purify water as it passes through that point of entry. If your water is free of harmful contaminates but has an unpleasant taste or odor, a point-of-entry filter may be the right choice for you. This filter is much smaller and easy to install on your own. Usually, the filter cartridges will need to be replaced much more frequently than a whole-house filter.

Once you have determined what type of system is best for your home, the next question is what kind of purifier is right for your water. There are 3 primary ways that water is purified.

Filtration

Water purification systems that use filtration have a physical barrier that is used to filter out impurities from the water as it passes through the barrier. This physical barrier may be made of fabric, fiber, ceramic, or other screening materials. You should always check to see what impurities the filter will remove. The type of material used as a filter will have an effect on what contaminates or impurities it is able to remove from the water.

Reverse Osmosis

Water purification systems that used reverse osmosis use a series of membranes in the filter to remove sediment, bacteria and pollutants. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), this is the most effective way to treat residential water. However, it can waste the most amount of water. If you choose this type of filter, be sure to choose one with a high recovery rate to reduce water waste. Even though these filters are often designed as point-of-entry systems, they should be installed by a professional because of their complexity.

Distilling

Water purification systems that purify water through distilling remove all impurities from water, including beneficial minerals and oxygen. This treatment works by heating the water to create steam and collecting this condensed, purified water. Like reverse osmosis filters, these are usually designed as point-of-entry systems, but they are easy to install yourself since they are not as complex.

Do you want to know what is in your water? Give Tri-Florida Water a call! We will test your water and let you know what solution would be best to improve your home’s water quality.