Have you been considering investing in a home water filtration system? These systems are a great way to remove unwanted contaminants from your water, improving its taste, smell, and appearance, and reducing wear on your appliances. Of course, there’s more than one way to improve water quality at home, which is why we’re going over five water treatment tips to consider.
Why Water Quality Matters More Than You Think
Before we look at the details of water filtration, why is it so important? There are many reasons to prioritize your water quality, depending on what your tap water currently contains.
High levels of minerals like calcium can lead to mineral scaling, causing irritating buildup on faucets and damaging your appliance over time. Some areas have concerns with bacteria levels in the water, putting you at a higher risk of illness. While water in the US is generally free of very concerning bacteria, you could still be at risk of certain germs and the illnesses they cause, depending on environmental factors in your area.
Rust and sediment can also affect the taste and color of your water, making it unpleasant even if it’s technically safe to drink. This happens when metal water pipes become old and begin to deteriorate, and it can happen to either your part of the water line or in certain parts of your local municipal system.
So what can you do if you want to invest in tap water quality improvement? Let’s take a look.
1. Install a Whole-Home Water Filtration System
A whole-house water filter is by far the best way to improve water quality across the board. These systems treat every drop of water that enters your home, offering comprehensive protection across bathrooms, your kitchen, laundry room, and everywhere else. They’re more expensive upfront, but the full spectrum of filtration makes them a worthy investment in many cases.
2. Use Under-Sink or Point-of-Use Filters
For a lower-cost filtration option, under-sink or point-of-use filters can be a good solution. These small units are attached to a single water source (usually the kitchen sink), which means you’ll be treating the water you use for drinking and cooking. While these don’t filter water for your shower or laundry, they can still work as an effective clean drinking water system.
3. Reduce Sediment and Mineral Buildup in Your Plumbing
Sediment from corrosion, dirt, or sand can find its way into your water supply, affecting the taste and quality of your water. The same goes for mineral buildup, which can accumulate on the inside of pipes over time, reducing flow and water pressure and causing limescale all over the home. Addressing these issues with sediment filters or by hiring a pro to clear away mineral buildup can be a great solution.
4. Address Hard Water Issues with Proper Treatment
While descaling pipes without the help of a professional is possible, the issue will just occur again if you don’t address hard water at the source. If you’re dealing with high levels of calcium, magnesium, or other minerals in your water, a water softener might be your best option. These systems remove minerals from the water supply, improving taste and reducing limescale and appliance wear.
5. Schedule Regular Plumbing and Water Quality Inspections
The best way to ensure total water contaminants removal is to have your plumbing system inspected regularly. Plumbers can inspect the entire water system, perform water quality tests, and offer personalized advice on the best water filter for your house.
Signs Your Home’s Water Quality Needs Improvement
How do you know if your home is in need of water filtration installation? There are a few key signs that your water needs improvement, including:
- Unusual taste and odors in your water (e.g., chlorine, sulfur, metallic)
- Limescale on fixtures and appliances
- Red, brown, or blue/green staining on fixtures
- Cloudy water
- Discolored water
- Dry or itchy skin
- Dull or dry hair
- Soap is not lathering properly while showering or washing dishes
- Frequent issues with appliances
- Low water pressure
If you notice any of these issues, there’s a good chance that water treatment of some kind (whether filtration or softening) would benefit your health and comfort at home.
How Water Quality Impacts Your Plumbing System
Your water quality doesn’t just affect your health. Poor water quality can also damage your plumbing system by creating scale buildup on the inside of pipes, reducing their diameter, and affecting the flow and pressure of your water. If your water is overly acidic, it can also lead to premature corrosion in your pipes, causing leaks, sediment buildup, and rusty, unpleasant drinking water. For these reasons, it’s worth considering water filtration system benefits for both your own health and that of your home and plumbing systems.
Choosing the Right Water Filtration System for Your Home
How do you know which water filtration is right for your home? While you can certainly narrow down the system you need based on the issues you notice, the only way to ensure your home’s water supply is by having a plumber inspect your home. A plumber will test your water for a variety of contaminants and issues, which will let you solve any problems you’re facing (and possibly a few you hadn’t considered). The results of your water test can be invaluable for ensuring a safe, clean supply of water in your home.
Schedule a Water Quality Assessment with Chen Plumbing
If you’re looking to improve your home’s water quality, reduce limescale buildup, prevent plumbing damage, and avoid issues with your appliances and fixtures, a home water quality assessment is the perfect place to start. When you work with Chen Plumbing to get water treatment answers, we begin with a comprehensive series of tests to determine the exact contents of your home’s water supply. From here, we can make a plan to eliminate the contaminants you’re most concerned about, whether that’s through whole-home filtration, point-of-use filters, water softening, or a combination approach.
No matter what kind of water issues you’re facing, you can count on our plumbing team to ensure safe, palatable, and reliable water once more. To learn more about water testing, filtration, and what to expect from the process, or to schedule a water quality assessment today, don’t hesitate to get a quote from our team.
