Common
Water Problems
Here are six main types of Water Problems. |
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1)
Hard Water minerals create
bathtub rings and collect to form a scum that appears on shower
walls, clings to hair, clogs pipes and your skin pores. Water
heaters to operate inefficiently, water-using appliances have
higher maintenance, and makes house cleaning difficult. Hard
water is caused by water passing through rock formations and
picking up calcium and magnesium on the way.
Solution: Water Conditioning
or Softening
Hard water passes through a tank of resin beads holding sodium
ions. The calcium and magnesium are switched for sodium ions
which do not stick to surfaces.The hard water passes through
a tank containing resin beads holding sodium ions. The calcium
and magnesium ions are exchanged for sodium ions thus softening
the water. When the beads have trapped all the hardness they
can hold, the unit is regenerated (recharged) with salt brine
to replace the hardness ions with sodium ions. The unit is
ready to soften water again. The number of grains per gallon
are measured and combined with water usage statistics to accurately
calculate and set equipment regeneration cycles. |
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2)
Iron stains sinks and clothes,
forms scale in pipes and water-using appliances, looks, tastes
and smells bad. Water with iron can appear either clear or
red depending on whether the iron has oxidized. Iron in water
is caused by water passing through iron-bearing strata in
the earth. It can also be caused, usually temporarily, by
water standing in iron pipes. There are three types of iron
that cause problems in the home:
- Clear
water iron - Water is clear when drawn then turns
red after standing for a time as the iron mixes with the
air and oxidizes.
- Red
water iron - Water is red when drawn as the iron has
already oxidized in the ground, well or water system.
- Bacterial
iron - Water has slimy rust or yellowish globs because
is bacteria in the water that feeds on iron. The bacteria
is not harmful but can clog up plumbing.
Solution: Treating and/or filtering
Small amounts of clear water iron can be corrected by a water
softener, while larger amounts call for filtration. By passing
the water over an oxygen rich filter, the iron oxidizes to
solid particles which are then removed by filtration followed
by a water softener. |
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3)
Acid Water cannot be detected
by the water's appearance, feel or odor. Acid water can cause
blue-green stains on plumbing fixtures, and eat away chrome
faucets, fitting and pipes. It can etch china and glassware,
and corrode water-using appliances. Acid water is caused by
water passing through rock such as granite or marble. The
only way to determine the acid level is with a PH test.
Solution: Filtering
Slightly acidic conditions can be controlled by running water
through a filter tank containing a neutralizing compound that
raises the ph of the water to a neutral level. More extreme
conditions can be controlled using a chemical feed system
that injects a liquid state neutralizer into water. |
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4)
Turbidity is dirt or other
suspended materials in water and be seen visually. Turbid
water can clog small water-bearing openings and cause wear
on valves, seats and washers. Turbidity is caused by dirt
and sand getting into wells, or by runoff of other organic
matter into water supplies.
Solution: Filtering
For small problems a cartridge filter should be sufficient.
For serious turbidity, suspended particles are trapped in
a tank filter by a bed of filtering media. |
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5)
Tastes & Odors in your water
is no laughing matter. Culprits are decaying organic material,
chlorine, dissolved gasses or minerals. Hydrogen sulfide (rotten
egg smell) is caused by rotting vegetation or oil deposits
underground.
Solution: Filtering with
a carbon activated filter
The carbon absorbs the tastes and odors of most minor problems
and can be treated with a single faucet filter. Hydrogen sulfide
however, requires an iron filter. |
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6)
Drinking water contaminants
can only be detected by lab analysis. There are a large number
of contaminants, both man-made and naturally occurring.
Solution: Carbon filters,
distillation, reverse osmosis
There are many potential contaminants and chemical analysis
testing is neccesary before proceeding. |
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