Protect Your Water From Common Issues

Water quality can no longer be taken for granted.  Various factors can affect how your water tastes, smells, feels and works in and around your home.  Water quality, possible contamination, aging water distribution systems, violations of federal drinking water standards, and a home’s plumbing can affect a home’s water quality.  As a result, some water problems may not be as evident as others.  The best way to determine water quality is to test your water to determine which treatment options are suitable.  The common water problems listed below have been discovered in McHenry and Lake Counties in Illinois.

Hard Water

Most homes have hard water, whether supplied by a private well or a municipality. In many cases, homeowners don’t realize they have hard water or the constant and expensive harm it causes in the home.

Iron in Water

Depending on where you live, water can contain iron or manganese, which can cause rusty-orange or black staining.  As a result, you’ll see stains on clothes, fixtures, sinks, tubs, water-using appliances, and toilets.

Unpleasant Odors

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless corrosive gas with a rotten egg odor.  High enough concentrations of the gas can leave unpleasant odors on hair or clothing and accelerate the corrosion of metal parts in appliances.

Chlorine Odors

Chlorine is vital for stopping the spread of disease; its benefits come at a price.  Chlorine tastes and smells bad.  It dries skin and hair, fades clothes (bleach is made of chlorine), and can dry out rubber seals in appliances.

Odors in Hot Water

Sulfate bacteria can develop and build inside a water heater, causing rotten egg odors.  It doesn’t matter if your water heater is brand new or six years old; the bacteria will develop anytime.  You don’t need to replace your water heater.

Cloudy Water

Dissolved or suspended solids can cause cloudy, or grayish water, known as “turbidity.” The turbidity of your water can range from low to high.  So even if your water looks clear, it could have a lot of dissolved solids.

Tannins in Water

Having yellow to tea-like colored water indicates possible tannins in the water.  They can give an unpleasant aftertaste too.  Tannins can permanently stain laundry and even porcelain fixtures or dinnerware.

Bacteria & Viruses

According to the CDC, there are as many as 12 million acute waterborne gastrointestinal illness cases annually in the United States. These illnesses are frequently caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in the water supply.