Use Your Senses. Are You Living with Low-Quality Water?

Feel like your water isn’t exactly the quality it should be? Lucky for you, there are plenty of ways to use your own senses to determine a problem with your H₂O.

1. Sight

Your peepers are one of your main tools for spotting signs of poor water quality. Go ahead, investigate your water and plumbing hardware for these indicators.

Discolored water

Water should always be clear. That seems obvious, but you’d be surprised by the amount of people that live with discolored H₂O. Sure, water contains inorganic substances, or minerals, but mineral content should not be high enough to be visible. Cloudiness or visible particles could indicate the presence of potentially dangerous mineral content and does not make for the best drinking water.

Also, watch for water that comes out of the tap with an orange or brownish color. This could be a sign that the water contains high levels of iron or manganese. Mining and excavation near water supplies can cause this along with rusty pipes.

Mineral build-up

As mentioned before, minerals such as calcium can build up in your water supply. This often leaves behind visible chalky residue. If your dishes are coming out of the wash with spots, fogginess and stains, it could be sign that your water supply is ready for treatment.

Don’t forget to check your faucets, shower heads, toilet bowls and drains, as well. Those minerals leeched from water can cause visible limescale build-up in your pipes,around your faucets and next to drains. Red and brown stains or rings around drains could indicate an excess in iron and manganese in the water.

2. Smell

Have you found that your water is smelling a little…different?  Use your nose to investigate these odors.

Chlorine

Public water facilities are charged with the duty of providing clean, usable water for you and your family and often use chlorine to help treat the water supply. While normally the amount of chlorine is undetectable to your nose, if the amount used exceeds the norm, your water can start to smell.  

A chlorine smell may become noticeable in your home, especially where large amounts of water collect, like your shower. While a small amount of chlorine is okay for you, high amounts can lead to some health issues like intestinal distress.

Sulfer

What about that stinky, rotten egg smell? If you’re experiencing this odor from your water sources, it probably means you’re dealing with an excess of sulfur. Sulfur occurs naturally in the ground and small amounts in your water are normal. However, high levels of sulfur can smell strong enough to make using your water an unpleasant experience.

3. Taste

For the most part, water should be flavorless. If something tastes wrong, it usually is. A metallic, bitter or chemical taste are often a result of poor-quality water. Minerals that were previously discussed like calcium, manganese and iron can cause your water to have an unpleasant taste. Dangerous substances like pesticides, herbicides and chemicals can also affect the taste of water. If you notice an unusual taste, call a professional about getting your water treated.

4. Touch

That’s right. You can utilize your sense of touch to help identify if your water is bad.

Dry skin/Dry hair

Has your skin been feeling dry lately? How about your hair? Those excess amounts of foreign chemicals and minerals in your water could be the cause. High levels of calcium and magnesium attach to the hair, making it heavier or straw-like and can dry out your skin. Other minerals can even alter hair color and can cause hair treatments to be ineffective.

Low water pressure

Be aware of the water pressure in your home. Limescale buildup can accumulate in pipes and actually impede the movement of water through your plumbing. If your shower never seems to have enough pressure or your faucet has less water force than before, it may be a result of poor water quality.  

5. Hearing

While you can’t listen to your plumbing literally tell you that it’s time to do something about your pipes and water, you can listen to a professional. Pay attention to their recommendations on bettering your water issues. Water softeners, filters and water treatment services are often simple fixes that will make your water enjoyable and safe to drink.

Stop living with bad water. Call a professional today to get started on finding your water solution.