While you may not think much about it, water goes through every corner of your home. Most homeowners get their water from a municipal source, even water from a city supply could be partially sourced from a well. Your water can come to you in several ways: from the city water supply, a city well or a private well.
Determining Your Water Source
Start by checking with your water supplier for more information. Their contact information is typically on your water bill. You should receive a consumer confidence or drinking water quality report online or in the mail each year. This report tells you where your water comes from and what’s in it and might even include your water hardness.
Well Water Differences
If you find that a portion of your water comes from a well, you should wonder about the quality. Municipal water systems treat all of their water sources, making it safe and clean to drink and use in your home.
Another characteristic of well water is that it tends to contain more minerals and sediments. Sand and dirt can enter wells through cracks in the well, and the harder your water is, the greater the quantity of calcium and magnesium there will be. These two issues can lead to clogged valves and fixtures, and damaged water heaters and appliances.
Selecting The Right Softener
If your home depends on well water, investing in a system that not just softens but also removes extra sediment and iron is important.
Does your water supply contain too much iron? Unless the water straight from your tap is yellow or orange colored, you may not realize that you have high levels of iron. Iron completely dissolves in water, which is why you don’t notice it right away. The presence of clear water iron will be characterized by reddish-brown stains in your sink or toilet and yellow water after your water has sat out. An easy way to rid your household of this problem is to add iron-removing salt pellets to your water softener. Softeners are also capable of removing extremely high levels of iron. This system will help remove the iron and eliminate staining.
While you won’t see the damage of sediment-rich water on your house, it can easily cause muddying in your softener or clog pipes and appliances over time. Both of which can lead to expensive repairs. This is another instance where a more advanced softening and filtering solution will improve the quality of your water and safeguard your home against unnecessary repairs.
Whether you use well water, city water or a combination, there is a water softener that can meet your needs. From making your hard water soft to including a whole-home filter, your biggest water issues can be easily fixed no matter where your water is from.
This post was written by Kristian D’An, owner and water expert at Eco Water Solutions of Florida. Eco Water Solutions is a Tampa water softeners company. They offer whole home water solutions such as softeners, whole home water filtration systems, and reverse osmosis systems. Their focus is to provide Floridians with safe and clean water throughout the home.
