Does your water ever smell like rotten eggs?
Is soap scum taking over your bathrooms?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you may be one of the 85% of American households that have hard water. But don’t despair; there are steps you can take to solve both of these problems as well as others that are caused by hard water.
While hard water isn’t necessarily a health issue, it does have the potential to cause complications for your plumbing system and water using appliances.
As hard water is heated the minerals that are present will recrystallize. This recrystallization causes scale, which over time, can clog pipes and reduce water flow and pressure. Scale can also form in your hot water heater, dishwasher and washing machine which has the potential to make them less efficient and can shorten the life span of these appliances. Hard water is can also be troublesome for bathing and general cleaning. Calcium and magnesium tend to react with soaps and detergents, causing “soap curds”. This translates to spotted dishes and scale on cookware, as well as scum forming in bathtubs, sinks and on tile. With hard water, it takes a greater effort to get these areas clean.
A whole house water filtration system will help to reduce chlorine, sediment, iron, acid and sulfur. The reduction of these minerals and other substances will give you clean drinking water, rid your water of that rotten egg smell, reduce the amount of soap scum in your bathrooms, lessen the stains in your toilet bowls and sinks and diminish corrosion in your pipes and water using appliances.
Before you set out to choose which system is right for your home, you may need to have your water tested. Those with city water can just move forward in the selection process. However, if you have a private well you will need to have your water tested. Contact your local health department for testing guidelines.
One of your options for filtering your water is a whole house system which connects to the main water line coming into your home. This type of system allows filtered water to go into all of the water receptacles in your home. When considering a whole house system you will want to consult an expert, but make sure you go into this meeting with some knowledge so you get the best product for your needs.
First, you need to think about flow rate. Flow rate is measured as GPM, or gallons per minute. This translates as the amount of water that will flow to your faucets, shower, dishwasher, etc. You will need somewhere between 15-40 GPM, depending on the size of your home. If you have anything less than 10 GPM you won’t be able to maintain consistent water pressure. Next you will need to look at filter size; larger filters have better longevity and will also provide you with stronger water pressure. The typical home will use a 4.5” x 20” filter and the average life of this filter is 100,000-150,000 gallons of city water. This life span could be shorter is you have a private well. Finally you will need to look at the port size; where the water will enter your home. The suggested size is 1”, even if your home has ¾ “ pipes. A 1” port will allow for enough water to pass without creating any obstructions so you have consistent water pressure.
A second option is to use a water softener for all of your water receptacles and a reverse osmosis system for drinking water. A water softener will reduce the hard minerals that enter your home, but not filter them as completely as a whole house filter. Many water softeners also require you to add salt, which is what will help to counteract the presence of the minerals.
The reverse osmosis (RO) system will provide you with an extra faucet on your kitchen sink. The water from this faucet goes through a hyper filtration process. This is the same process that many of the bottled water companies use. An RO system will provide you with high quality water for drinking and cooking. RO systems do require the change of filters bi-annually.
Whichever option you choose, be assured that either will increase the quality of the water entering your home, as well as diminish the wear and tear on your plumbing and water using appliances.
