Water quality can no longer be taken for granted. And its quality varies from place to place and even house to house. A variety of factors can affect how your water tastes, smells, feels, and works in and around your home. The quality of the water source itself, plus possible contamination, leeching from your home’s plumbing, and an aging water distribution system are examples of things that can affect your home’s water. Some water problems may not be as obvious as others.
Here we’ve listed the water problems we commonly see in Upstate New York, but we would need to test your water to determine if water treatment is necessary and which option is right for you.
Hard Water
Hard water contains dissolved calcium, magnesium, and in many cases, iron. Many homes in New York have hard water, whether it is 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. Dry skin and hair, bathtub rings, spotted glassware and silverware, dull and dingy clothing, weak water pressure, and a shortened life expectancy of water-using appliances are all problems frequently caused by hard water. A Kinetico Water Softener may be your best choice to solve your hard water problems.
Iron & Manganese Staining
Water is a natural solvent and with enough time and proper conditions, it will dissolve anything it comes in contact with. That’s why, depending on where you live, your water can contain iron or manganese which can cause rusty orange or black staining. You’ll see the stains on clothes, fixtures, sinks, tubs, water-using appliances, and toilets. A Kinetico Water Softener or a Kinetico Water Filter will eliminate water staining problems.
Blue-Green Staining
If water has a low pH, you can see tell-tale blue-green stains. These stains are most noticeable on white surfaces that your water comes in contact with such as sinks, tubs and showers, toilets, and even white clothing. A Crystal Clear Acid Neutralizer will treat your water and eliminate these unsightly stains.
Chlorine Taste & Smell
Since the 1850s, chlorine has been used in water supplies as a disinfectant to kill harmful bacteria in water itself or the pipes that transport it. Although it has helped end a number of major threats to public health and is essential at the treatment plant and in the water distribution system, it is no longer necessary once the water reaches your home. Though chlorine is vital in New York 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 the rubber seals in appliances, shortening their lives. Remove chlorine from your water with a Kinetico Water Filter or a Kinetico Drinking Water System.
Cloudy Water
Cloudy, murky, or grayish water is usually caused by dissolved or suspended solids. This is also known as “turbidity.” Water can become turbid naturally or from land disturbances such as construction, storms, and urban runoff. The turbidity of your water can range from low to high, but even if your water looks clear, it could still contain a high level of dissolved solids. That’s why, whether your water is turbid or not, we recommend you have it tested. There are a few options to treat this type of water, depending on if you want to treat all the water in your home or just your drinking water.
Bacteria & Viruses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there could be as many as 12 million cases of waterborne acute gastrointestinal illness annually in the United States. These illnesses are frequently caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that make their way into the water supply. Even well-operated, state-of-the-art treatment plants cannot ensure that drinking water is entirely free of microbial pathogens. A Kinetico Drinking Water System or a Kinetico Specialty Water Treatment System will rid your water of troublesome contaminants.
Tastes & Odors
In its pristine state, water is colorless, tasteless, and odorless. So, if your New York water tastes or smells funny, you owe it to yourself to find out why.
“Rotten egg” smell: A common source of smelly water is hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless corrosive gas that has the characteristic odor of rotten eggs. If present in high enough concentrations, it can leave an unpleasant smell in your hair and clothing. It can also accelerate the corrosion of metal parts in appliances.
Metallic taste: As the name implies, a metallic taste in your water indicates the presence of metals such as iron, copper, manganese, or zinc. Iron and manganese are often naturally occurring and are predominately found in groundwater. Copper and zinc can come from an aging water distribution system or the corrosion of copper plumbing and brass fittings.
To combat these and other Upstate New York water problems, contact us and a Martin Water Conditioning technician will be in touch to reserve a time to meet and test your tap water. You don’t have to put up with subpar water, whether it’s from a municipal line or a private well – give yourself and your family the gift of clean, pristine water!
