Whole House Water Filtration Solutions
Whole house water filtration systems come in various types and sizes to address the potential water quality issues experienced in well water and town water in Woburn and other parts of New England. Both matching the right technology and sizing the system to meet the water usage demands of your home is key after analyzing water test results. Additionally, a professionally plumbed system is critical as well as maintenance of the system throughout the years to optimize the useful life and proper functioning of your new equipment as it processes thousands of gallons of water every month.
While symptoms of water quality issues such as bad odors & taste, staining of laundry, bathroom fixtures, etc. are indicators of problems, the preferred starting point is to get a water test to identify the minerals or contaminants in the water and at what quantity they exist. This will lead to an effective system recommendation and route to providing your home with excellent water quality. While certain minerals & contaminants can be tested on-site, health threat items like radon in water, arsenic in water, nitrates and others should be properly sampled and brought to a certified laboratory for testing that requires specialized equipment.
WATER SOFTENERS FOR HARD WATER, IRON & MANGANESE
High Efficiency Water Softener
A water softener is a type of whole house water filtration system that is designed for removing hard water minerals (magnesium & calcium) as well as dissolved iron and manganese from the water. Water is considered “hard” when water contains higher levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium. Hard water makes cleaning clothes more difficult, creates streaking on dishes and glasses, and makes cleaning your hair and skin well a challenge. Hard water can also damage your home’s piping distribution system if not corrected.
WHOLE HOUSE WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS – OTHER ISSUES
CHLORINE SMELL & TASTE IN WATER
Sediment & Carbon Filtration
There are various objectionable smells and tastes that may present themselves in drinking water supplies, where from a private well or public water supply. Homeowners on public water supplies often cite an objectionable chlorine smell & taste. Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs. It is the most common method employed by cities and towns used for this purpose. While the chemical could be harmful in high doses, when it is properly added to water it mixes and results in low levels that kill germs but are still safe to drink. The dosing levels of chlorine may vary during the course of the year. During the summer months when the water heats up, the potential for increased bacterial activity typically is countered with higher doses of chlorine. Also, depending on where your home is in the distribution system, you may have a higher level of chlorine in your water if you live closer to the water treatment plant and less if you are farther downstream.
The smell and taste given off by highly chlorinated water can be very off putting. Who hasn’t lifted a water glass in a restaurant to a heavy whiff of chlorine? A carbon filter or carbon filtration system is very effective at removing this annoying water quality issue as well as some other bad odors and tastes. For more detail on various types of odors & tastes with respective causes and whole house water filtration solutions, see the link at Bad Tastes & Odors in Water.
FISHY, MUSTY SMELL & TASTE IN WATER
If you’re noticing this bad odor in your water in the summertime, it is likely being caused by algae blooms. Lakes and reservoirs often see an increase in algae blooming on the surface of the water when there is plenty of warmth and direct sunlight. Although water treatment facilities remove the algae from the water, the particles that cause the fishy bad odor can sometimes be detected by people who are sensitive to musty or mildew like smells. The presence of these particles do not pose any direct threat to your health, but if you are on a public water supply, you may want to contact the water division of your town and get an explanation from them.
Another cause of this fishy bad smell may be the combination of chlorine and ammonia which together create a compound called Chloramine. This is often used to disinfect public water sources (as a substitute for chlorine) and can sometimes produce an unpleasant aroma in your water. Surface water sources, such as reservoirs contain organic matter that, when combined with chlorine at the water treatment plant, can cause by-product compounds called Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids. These have proven to be a health threat, and as such, many towns have switched to Chloramine to avoid this. For more on Chloramine see the link at: EPA Chloramine. Whole house water filtration systems will correct this annoying water quality issue.
GASOLINE OR PETROCHEMICAL TYPE SMELL
If you notice a bad odor or taste in your water which is like diesel or petrol, there’s a quick check you can do to work out where it may be coming from. Pour a glass or water from the tap you’ve noticed the smell or taste from. Take this into another room if possible, or as far away from the tap itself. If the smell or taste disappears, this could mean there is a problem with the drain near the tap, it may not be connected properly. If the bad odor is still there it could be because there are petrochemicals around the area of your water pipes. You should check for any fuel leaks on your driveway or on the road near your property. It is also possible that leakage from a gasoline storage tank in the area is causing this, therefore you may want to contact your town to find out if they are aware of any situations that may have affected the well where you live. This leakage could have happened a long time ago and has begun finding its way into the aquifer supplying your well. Depending on the water test and analysis, this water quality issue can be corrected with several technologies, including carbon filtration, oxidation and ozone.
