Isn’t all water the same?
Short answer, No. There are three types of water; Service Grade Water, Working Grade Water and Drinking Water. Service grade water is water used to water your lawn and plants and it requires no water treatment. Working grade water requires water treatments as it runs through your plumbing, water using appliances and fixtures. These essential household systems will last longer and save you money when soft water is used. Drinking water is essential to our lives; since 75% of the human body is water, the water we drink and cook with must be of the highest quality.
How can I tell if I have hard water?
Water hardness is confirmed by scale buildup on plumbing fixtures, by soap deposits on dishes and fabrics; hard water scale in your water heater and soap scum rings in sinks and bathtubs.
What makes my water hard?
As water passes through the atmosphere in the form of rain, snow, hail, or fog, it picks up impurities and gases. And, because water is the universal solvent, it picks up even more impurities as it travels through the earth as ground water.
Water ‘hardness’ is caused by the minerals calcium and magnesium in ground and surface water. If either or both minerals are present in your water supply in high concentrations, the water is considered ‘hard.’ These minerals come from sedimentary rock such as limestone that dissolves into our water.
Why does my dishwasher and clothes washer have orange and brown stains?
Orange, Brown or black stains found in dishwasher or clothes washer are usually from high levels of manganese. Manganese that is dissolved in water can stain when the level is above .05mg/l. The dishwasher is a perfect machine to oxidize it because it heats it, agitates it and mixes the water with air. Manganese can also stain clothes in the washing machine, due to the same reasons. If bleach is added staining is worse.
Why does my well water smell like rotten eggs?
Sulfur is a naturally occurring contaminant, which gives water a nasty rotten egg odor or taste. There are no known health effects; however sulfur is corrosive and can cause damage to your plumbing. Find out more about Iron Removal Systems.
Do I need to get my water tested?
Yes; A city water test should include a minimum of hardness, Chlorine, TDS and pH. Well water can require more testing. Vista Water Conditioning has the equipment to test your water accurately.