Telltale Signs Of Poor Tap Water Quality? Need a Water Filter or Softener?

The quality and safety of tap water has become a hot topic these last few years, and with good reason. Between aging public supply water pipes and overwhelmed treatment plants, water quality is a valid concern for every American family. The solution, of course, is using some kind of water treatment, possibly a whole house water filter, a water softener or combination of both.

But how do you know what signs to look for? Are there telltale signs that let you know the water coming into your home isn’t as pure and clean as it should be? While some contaminants sneak into your home via tap water with all the stealth of a cat burglar, others leave obvious clues as to their presence.

For instance, iron leaves reddish brown stains in your sinks, tub, dishwasher and clothes washer. It also gives your tap water a distinct metallic taste.

Dissolved calcium and magnesium can cause hard water, resulting in scale build-up in both your plumbing and your hot water heater, significantly reducing the useful life of that water heater as well as your dishwasher, washing machine, other appliances and even your plumbing fixtures. Hard water scale also tends to cling to laundered clothing as well as your skin. On clothing, it can cause discoloration and damage the material. On skin, it causes excessive dryness, irritation and itchiness.

If you’ve spotted greenish blue stains in your sinks and other fixtures, you may have a corrosion problem caused by low pH levels in your tap water. This kind of low pH is typically caused by excessive carbonic acid in the water. Low pH corrosion causes pinhole-sized leaks in copper piping, which can be disastrous for your home’s entire plumbing system.

Other common tap water problems can include a fishy, musty or oily smell and taste. The source of these unpleasant problems is often volatile organic contaminants. While VOCs are sometimes harmless, all too often they are toxic. And no one wants to use water that tastes and smells bad!

If you’re concerned about your water that comes into your home, the experts at Water Filter USA can help guide you and put your concerns to rest.