Best Options In Treating Your Homes Water Supply

When it comes to figuring out the what the best option is for treating your homes water supply there is a lot of confusion and conflicting information within the industry. Homeowners will find a variety of solutions when it comes to water treatment including solutions that treat the whole house and point of use options. Although some within the industry like to sell water treatment options as interchangeable it is crucial that homeowners understand that each treatment option is unique and deals with removing different contaminants through difference processes. Each system has distinctive qualities in how they treat the water in your home.

Whole House Water Treatment Solutions

Water Filters and Water Filtration Systems: Water filter systems often use a carbon filtration solution to treat foul odors and improve the taste of water throughout your home. Carbon filters are known for treating a variety of elements in water including: chlorine, chemical tastes & odors, organic chemicals, and pesticides.

Municipal city water sources are known for their overpowering use of chlorine. The installation of a whole house carbon filtration system is often recommended to stabilize drinking water and making bath water less irritating to sensitive skin. Some private wells may also benefit from the installation of a filtration system especially those in more urban settings where organic chemicals are used in treating crops. These chemicals can run off into water sources or soak into the Earth affecting the quality of the water coming from the well.

Water Softeners and Water Conditioners:

Water softeners and conditioners are common and well-known amongst homeowners for removing hard water minerals and preventing limescale build up in appliances and plumbing. Hard minerals such as calcium and magnesium can be found in both city water and private well water. Soft, scale-free water can be delivered throughout the house with the installation of a whole house water softening unit.

Reverse Osmosis:

The biggest misconceptions in water treatment center around reverse osmosis systems. Reverse osmosis systems are commonly mistaken for providing the same treatment to your homes water as water filters and water softeners. RO systems should not be advertised to treat chlorine, foul odors, hard water, or iron removal. Reverse osmosis water treatment systems have a semipermeable membrane that removes 95 to 99% of contaminants from your homes water. However, the membrane contained in RO systems don’t compare to the carbon filtration or water softening units.

In fact, chlorine and hard water can actually taint the RO membrane. In fact, water should be treated before it is sent through a reverse osmosis system. When RO systems are used in conjunction with a water softener and filtration system you will prolong the life span of your RO system thus leaving you with the highest quality drinking water.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

What You Need to Know Before You Purchase Any Water Treatment System for Your Home

First things first, have the water in your home tested by professional water treatment specialist. Take labeled water samples from each faucet in your home in for treatment. Believe it or not water from the kitchen sink may not test for the same contaminants as the water in the bathroom or laundry room. This could happen for a number of reasons but is important to ensure proper treatment of the water in your home. Processing different points of access will also allow you to recognize issues that can be corrected with whole house water treatment systems such as water softeners or point of use water treatment solutions such as reverse osmosis and water filtration systems.

If the water in your home tests positive for contaminants, then the installation of a treatment system could be the next necessary step in remedying the issue. When you have to install a water treatment solution it is important that you understand these systems will require routine maintenance and care. It is crucial that homeowners understand that containment free water requires effort on the part of the homeowner no matter water treatment solution is installed. Water filtration systems will need new filters installed, water softeners will require the input of salt or potassium chloride, and reverse osmosis systems will require cleaning of existing filters and new filters.

It is important for consumers to be smart when having their water tested. Some man-made chemicals that have been found in the water supply of homes have been associated with serious health problems. These contaminates are not always found in without special analysis. If you suspect the results of your water tests are inaccurate then it is important to have the water tested more thoroughly by a state certified laboratory. Most general water treatment companies can see basic water quality components such as water hardness, pH, arsenic, iron, and sulfur.

After you are sure the results of your homes water are accurate and have been analyzed to your satisfaction the levels that have been detected will tell you what type and level of water treatment is needed.

Once this process has been satisfactorily completed the next step is to choose a system to treat your homes water. Depending on your water analysis you can determine if you need whole house treatment, point of use treatment, or both. Choose products that come from companies that can offer an established reputation and can offer referrals. Often times companies that sell water treatment systems such as reverse osmosis, iron filtration, water softeners and conditioners will also offer service plans, maintenance options, and salt and potassium chloride delivery.

Help! What Water Treatment System Do I Need?

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the best water treatment solution for your homes water. There are major differences between water filters, water purifiers, and water softeners. Many consumers use these terms interchangeably and believe they perform similar process however this is not the case.

Each of these water treatment options has its own process and removes completely different impurities within your homes water. If your goal is to have cleaner drinking water that is free of lead, chlorine, and other impurities should understand that a water softener does not meet this goal. Instead water softeners are meant to remove scale buildup from water.

Before comparing filters, purifiers, and softeners it is important to know what we are using them for; what is it that we want to remove from the water? Natural water picks up chemicals compounds, minerals, and impurities get picked up along the way. Calcium, magnesium, chlorine, pesticides,herbicides, waste, bacteria, and even viruses can be picked up by your homes water as it travels into your home and out through your faucets.

These impurities should be removed from your homes water supply before it is utilized for drinking and cooking as if ingested can present issues to one’s health. Water filters and water purification systems can help remove the impurities mentioned above. Other items, unrelated to the health of your water can also build up in the water supply and if left untreated can present problems with buildup in your homes plumbing as well as reducing the lifespan of your appliances. The minerals that allow scale to build up are only removed with the usage of a whole house water softener.

What is a water filter?

Water filters can be installed to treat water at the point of use or to filter water throughout the house. A filter can be used to remove and/or reduce impurities like chlorine,lead, chromium, copper, nickel, and more. Water filters also help to inhibit the growth of algae, fungi, and bacteria in water although should not be considered the end all solution for these water impurities.

What are water purifiers?

Water purification systems help to fully remove the bacteria and viruses in the water. Purifiers do not remove chemical contaminants like water filters do however when used in conjunction with one another they prevent chemical and natural chemicals from ending up in your homes drinking water or water supply in general if installed to purify and filter the water throughout the whole house.

What is a water softener?

There are two types of water softeners: one that uses salt and one that uses potassium chloride. Although two very different systems they do offer the same solution in that they remove the minerals and impurities in the water that create build up in your homes plumbing. Water softeners don’t target the contaminants in water or even make it safer to drink however they do filter out the ick in water that results in appliances running inefficiently and help to prolong the longevity of your homes plumbing, appliances, and such.

Before you purchase a water treatment option it is important to have your water tested by a professional water treatment expert. They will help to pinpoint the type of water system that you need for your exact problem. Some water may use a combination of treatments while some water issues may be addressed with just one option. In the most problematic water systems it may be necessary to install all three systems to work in conjunction with one another.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria,chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron &odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

Well Water: Removing Iron from Your Homes Water

There are many issues that can affect your homes water with the two most common being hard water and increased iron levels. Using the correct water filtration system, iron can be removed from your well water in a simple and efficient manner. Water treatment systems such as water softeners and water filtration units are most often the ideal choice for homeowners looking to remove iron while reverse osmosis units are more ideal for the removal of harmful minerals and other substances. Your homes water must be analyzed before homeowners can determine what water treatment option should be installed to properly treat their unique water supply.

As mentioned above, if your homes water is affected by iron the two best options in treating your water are the installation of a water softener and/or a filtration unit. When a water softener is installed it is important for the homeowner to know what minerals are in the water. When an excess amount of iron is found in the water it is important that the water softener that is installed that exclusively removes iron from the water source. Water softeners use a process in which iron in the water is replaced with healthier minerals. The drawback is that if the water also contains more harmful materials such as arsenic or sulfur a water softener may not be the right choice for treating your water supply.

If you are restricting your sodium a water softener that uses potassium chloride will offer you similar results without the use of salt. Other methods of removing a high iron content from your water are oxidation filtration and reverse osmosis.

Oxidation filtration is used to not only remove iron from your water but also arsenic. Oxidation filters are more powerful than water softeners and therefore chemical elements such as arsenic are removed when they are used to treat your water. An oxidation filtration system can also help homeowners who have a problem with water that smells like rotten eggs or a unique flavor, both caused by sulfur in the water. Increased arsenic levels are common in well water.

Another option as mentioned above is a reverse osmosis filtration system. RO filters are used in water that has a number of different trace mineral elements including: iron, salt, arsenic, fluoride, lead, and manganese. The one drawback of using reverse osmosis when treating your homes water supply is that not only does the process remove harmful minerals, it can also eliminate good minerals, such as calcium, that is naturally in your water.

Water Softeners: Maintenance Made Easy for Homeowners

Water softeners are just one of the many appliances that make our lives better. Once the softener has been installed there is little that needs to be done for it to do its job effectively day in and day out. Once the initial water hardness level has been set, regeneration parameters are set, and the salt is filled (or potassium) the softener will run as intended without a lot of attending too. Even though they are low maintenance appliance within the home they do require general maintenance to increase longevity and effectiveness, as do most appliances around your home.

Tips for Maintaining Your Water Softener

Keep an Eye Out for Salt Bridges

Salt bridges can occur in the water softeners brine tank when the salt hardens, creating an empty space between the water and salt which then stops the salt from dissolving and making the brine. If the brine is not created, then the resin beads that are used to soften your water will not work as intended. Most often a salt bridge occurs if the salt used in the tank is the wrong kind, in areas with high humidity, or when the water softener is stored in a location where the temperature varies. The best way to treat a salt bridge is to use a long piece of wood to carefully push down on the top of the solidified salt. This should, without a lot of force, break the bridge that was created in the salt free.

Watch for Salt Sludge

Salt sludge is a more severe issue that a salt bridge. When the salt dissolves and recrystallizes, a mush is created on the bottom of the brine tank. This layer of salt on the bottom of the tank keeps the system from regenerating properly which will leave a blockage in the tank that doesn’t allow the water to properly soften. The only way in which to solve the problem of salt sludge is to completely clean out the brine tank by digging out the used salt and adding fresh salt.

The best way to avoid salt bridges and salt sludges are to use the highest quality salt pellets available. Also, avoid putting too much salt in the brine tank, overfilling the tank will decrease the quality of the water that is produced. It is also crucial that the humidity and temperature in the space where the water softener is kept.

Water Softener Salt Choices

When it comes to maintaining your homes water softener, as mentioned above, it is critical that you choose the right type of salt. There are three basic types of salt you can purchase for your water softening system including: rock salt, solar salt, and evaporated salt.

Rock Salt: This is the least expensive of the options thus contains increased levels of impurities. This can result in a sludgy tank overtime which we know decreases the effectiveness of the system. Rock salt also leaves the most impurities in the water.

Solar Salt: This type of salt dissolves more easily then rock salt. Solar salt can be found in pellets and crystals and is obtained by the evaporation of seawater.

Evaporated Salt: Acquired through a mixture of mining and evaporation, this is the purest form of salt weighing in at 99.99% sodium chloride.

The purer the salt that you put into your water softener the less residue that will be left within the tank. This leads to fewer salt bridges and less salt sludge thus less maintenance to your water softener.

Flushing the Resin Bed

Resin beads are recharged by salt on a regular basis but even though this occurs it doesn’t hurt to fully flush the resin bed with a special water softening cleanser, which will help to keep it in top form. To prevent ineffective resin, cleanser can be poured into the brine well and the system manually regenerated. The system with normally discharge the cleanser during the cycle performed by the water softener. This process will help to keep the resin functioning effectively.

Regular maintenance helps to keep all appliances running smoother and the same is true of your homes water treatment systems.

3 Things You Should Know About Well Water in Your Home

Does your home have a well? Here are some things you may want to consider when it comes to the quality of the water that is flowing throughout your home.

What is the difference between a well check vs comprehensive water testing?

Many homeowners are under a misconception that having their private wells checked will expose issues with the quality of the water as well. This however is not the way it works. There are major differences between what testing is required by mortgage companies in order to obtain a home loan verse the actual health aspect of the water. Most mortgage providers are only looking to ensure that the well water system to the home isn’t faulty not the content of the actual water. In a comprehensive water test the actual water from the well is tested for chemicals such as lead, arsenic, chromium 6, mercury, and VOCs. As a homeowner it is up to you to have a comprehensive water analysis done on your homes water as well as the waters source. Many companies that sell water treatment systems, such as Reynolds Water Conditioning, offer free water analysis before recommending a solution for treating your homes well water.

Where does well water contamination come from?

It is often news to homeowners to find out that contamination from water is often from natural sources verse human contamination. Owners of homes with private wells often are shocked to find out that their water has become contaminated. Most often there are no obvious signs of sources that could contaminate the water nearby, so homeowners do not suspect anything. The truth of the matter is that many contaminants within water such as arsenic occur naturally in groundwater at levels that are not safe for drinking.

Why does well water often contain more lead?

Well water is corrosive. Corrosive water often leak lead from pipes, soldered joints and plumbing fixtures. Many homeowners are unaware of this fact. If a homes plumbing predates 2014, which is when lead-free standards in home plumbing components were put in place, the potential exists that lead will seep into the tap water within the home.

It is important that homeowners with private wells understand that their water source is not regulated by the EPA or State Regulators. Homeowners are responsible for the quality of their water. It is important that proper water treatment systems are put in place to ensure that their homes have high quality water running throughout the home. For a more comprehensive look at your homes water it is important to have a comprehensive water test done. The next crucial step after the results of water testing are done is to put a system, or a number of systems, in place to ensure that the water your family is ingesting and using on a regular basis is free of harmful bacteria and containments.

At Reynolds Water Conditioning Company, we are here to help make sure our clients don’t buy water treatment systems that they don’t need. We are here to make sure you find a water softening system that gives you the results you are looking for, whether it is to remove iron or odor from you water; we have a solution that will help! For more information contact our experts at 800.572.9575 or at our website https://reynoldswater.com.

The Reality of Hard Water In Your Home

The water supply in your household can arguably be stated to be the single most important within your home. Next, in order of importance for the comfort of its occupants being waste drain and electrical systems. The water in your home is of absolute importance in order to live comfortably within your home. Running water is not only convenient it is crucial. The quality of the water in your home is extremely important as it not only affects the appliances and plumbing systems, it can affect the health of your family.

Undesirable Effects of Hard Water

Water supplies throughout the United States are not all created equally which is why it is of the utmost importance that your household water is evaluated prior to use. There are however, some tell-tale signs that can be seen throughout your home that are dead giveaways on whether your home has or does not have hard water or water that has arsenic or other adverse elements within it.

Many homeowners may not even be aware of the damage that hard water can actually create physical damage to their home. Often times hard water can cause serious damage to your homes plumbing while also doing damage to appliances such as your dishwasher and washer and families clothing.

One tell-tale sign that you have hard water is finding a film on dishes after running a load of dishes through the dishwasher, staining on the faucets and fixtures within the home or landscaping, or a smaller than normal lather when working with soaps and shampoos.

How Water Softener Systems Work to Combat the Undesirable Effects of Hard Water

Many residential water systems work in the same manner, they hook up to your homes water inlet from the city or well system. In order for water to be softened the outside source of water must be hooked up to a water treatment system. There are many different options in water treatment systems that can be installed in your home to treat your homes hard water, the most common being a water softener system using salt or potassium chloride.

The typical process of water softening uses a typical Ion Exchange which uses salt or potassium chloride to replace the minerals in the water that makes it hard. This ion exchange system consists of using more than one tank and a flow control system that first removes all of the minerals and mixes the salt back into the water before discharging it into the household’s water system.

How Safe Is Softener Water?

According to most health experts, softened water is safe to use a s a source of usable water and quality drinking water although an excess can be harmful as we can see in the excess consumption of anything. An excess of sodium or a reduction in naturally occurring minerals within a water supply can be unhealthy however when used normally as is seen within household water usage the health benefits of soft water our weigh the possible harmful effects.

Most water softener systems use some sort of process that strips away most of the minerals and replaces them with higher levels of sodium. This means if you have high blood pressure or one of several heart-related conditions your doctor will likely have you on a no or low sodium diet. If this is the case, then you may want to consider the source of your water before choosing a water softening treatment system for your home.

Sodium is not the only health concern, trace minerals and other nutrients that you may not be aware that are in found in your typical “hard water” are actually extremely good for you. Without them you would need to resort to other sources, such as supplementation or altering your daily diet to increase the amount of the important minerals. Water softening does not eliminate minerals it does however, decrease the amount that can be found to a healthy amount to ingest.

Common Mistakes When Selecting a Water Treatment Option for Well Water

It is a known fact that water obtained from a well is not the best option when used for drinking or cooking purposes. It includes certain minerals and particles that can adversely affect your health, how your skin feels, staining on your fixtures, and more. Many professionals recommend water treatment options that purify your homes well water. The water analysis will help tell professionals which of the available water treatment options are best for your homes water. Water treatment options include the use of a water softener, iron filters, reverse osmosis, water purifiers, and water conditioning systems.

There are many of the different well water treatment options. However, selecting the right one can should be left up to professionals after an analysis of your water. Many people make some common mistakes when selecting a water treatment options for well water especially when they do not listen to the advice of water treatment professionals. These mistakes affects your homes water quality. Many common issues DIY homeowners forget to consider are:

Not Taking Impurities into Consideration

A very common mistake people make is that they do not take water impurities into consideration when selecting the water treatment option. There are different types of impurities in well water; hence, an appropriate treatment option must be selected considering those impurities. For example, if you are using an iron filter as a well water treatment, it won’t perform efficiently if the water is acidic in nature, which, generally, well water is.

Not Taking the Location of Well into Consideration

Many people opt for tried and tested water treatment options for well water without taking the location into consideration. This is an absolutely wrong approach as a well that is located in an area that has high pollution rate requires a different treatment method than that of an area with low pollution rate. Similarly, more chemicals, toxins, and impurities are found in the water that is obtained from wells located in an industrial area.

Not Having Ample Understanding of Pressure & Pump Flow Rate

It is another common mistake made by homeowners. They do not understand two important aspects of water system i.e. pressure and pump flow rate. As a result, they are unable to select the right treatment method for removing contaminations from the water. Therefore, it is recommended to have a deep understanding of these aspects along with others vital factors of the well water system so that you can select the most appropriate well water treatment option.

Wrongly Identifying or Not Identifying Well Water Problems

Some people go for a well water treatment simply because it is known to produce effective results. They make this mistake of not identifying the problems before selecting the solution. Similarly, some people wrongly identify the well water problem. The result, in such situations, is impure water that still contains harmful chemicals or toxins. Using this water for drinking or cooking purposes can lead to fatal health conditions.

The Best System For Your Home Drinking Water

There are different ways you can improve the quality of water in your home to make it safe for drinking and cooking as well as for other household applications such as cleaning, swimming, and more. Before you invest in a filtration system, conditioning system, water softener, or filtration system it’s important to have your water tested and checked for any harmful chemicals, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, fluoride, or bacteria and also to determine the pH balance of your water.

Water that doesn’t fall within the safe pH range of 6.5 to 8.5 can be a sign of chemical or heavy metal pollution. You may want to test your water and install one of the following filtration systems, especially if your faucets and pipes have taken on a rusty red, white, or blue color. A professional water analysis is deemed to be the most important step in making sure that the correct water system is installed to bring your family quality water throughout your home.

Water Softener

Water softeners remove excess minerals or metals, such as calcium, magnesium, and iron found in hard water. By installing a water softener, you will not only notice a marked improvement in the way of minimal scale build-up in your sinks and bathtubs, but softening your water will also extend the life of your washing machine, dishwasher, water heater and various household appliances.

You also benefit from a cleaner plumbing system, and as a result, reduced energy consumption and utility bills. Whole-house water softeners are available in both reverse osmosis and ion-exchange options, however, there are also smaller systems that you can install only for your cooking and drinking purposes.

Ion Filter

There are several different kinds of ion filters, however, the best would definitely be one that has a double filtration system that can effectively adjust the ionization to the mineral content of the water. When you install an ion filter, your hard water goes through a process known as electrolysis, which separates it’s alkaline and acid content to make water safe for use. Although installed ion filters can be costly, they can be used with any water source, and most of them come with a lifespan of up to 30-years.

Reverse Osmosis

A reverse osmosis unit allows only the passage of water molecules, but not those of contaminants found in water. While it may not remove all contaminants, a reverse osmosis system provides several stages of removing impurities to make water safe for use. RO systems are also easy to maintain, and different varieties of these units can be tailored to fit your everyday usage.

Troubleshooting Your Homes Water Supply

No matter where your homes water comes from, a well, a spring, or the city, problems can exist. Individual water quality issues are fixed with distinct water treatment solutions. It is our job to help determine what solution will work best in treating and eliminating your homes water issue. From hardness to foul smells, we have a solution to bring you high quality water throughout your home. There are several issues that are commonly found in water throughout Michigan homes.

Common issues with your waters quality:

Hardness
Foul Odors and Taste
Mineral Buildup
Acidic
Arsenic

Hard Water:

Most often homeowners don’t know that they have hard water. What they do know is that there are spots on their glassware, laundry appears dingy, increased usage of soap, change in the texture of hair and skin, increased energy costs, and scale build up on faucets and such. Homes affected by a hard water supply have plumbing that tends to age quicker than those who seek to soften the water. The most common way to treat hard water in your homes water supply is with the installation of a high-quality water softener.

Foul Odors and Taste:

Foul odors and strange tasting water is something extremely noticeable to homeowners. Water can taste unpleasant metallic, chlorine, or can smell awful like rotten eggs, when this occurs one of the most common treatment options that is suggested is using an activated carbon filtration system. Backwashing carbon filtration systems are a combination of a large filter filled with activated carbon media. This removes foul tastes and odors from your whole house water supply leaving you with high quality water throughout the home.

Mineral Buildup:

Homeowners may not notice that they have an accumulation of minerals taking place within their water supply. The most common symptoms of a build up of iron and magnesium include unpleasant metal taste, staining, reddish tinted water, odors, and rust particles in the water. The treatment for a mineral buildup is the installation and usage of an iron filter system.

Acidic:

When the porcelain surfaces start to turn from white and ivory to green and blue green there is an issue with acidic water, low ph within the water. What this means is that your water supply has acid in it which is causing a corrosion of your pipes and plumbing fixtures. The fix for the issue of acidic water is with an acid neutralizer using Calcite.

Arsenic:

Arsenic is an element found naturally within ground water. Arsenic within your homes water supply can cause adverse health effects even in low concentrations as it is a carcinogen at high concentrations. In order to remove arsenic from your water supply homeowners should install an arsenic reduction system.

All water supplies need to be treated on an individual basis as symptoms can also be masked by other occurrences within the water supply. Free water analysis is done to diagnosis the issues that are found within your homes water to ensure that the treatment options is specific for your water needs.