From better shampooing in the shower to better-tasting coffee and longer-lasting appliances, the potential benefits of water filtration systems make them a “why didn’t we do this before?” decision for many homeowners. Water quality from wells and city water can vary considerably over time, as sources change and groundwater characteristics evolve, but fine-tuning your home’s water supply on your own terms can keep it consistent and refreshing. Water filtration systems are easy to maintain, and as your expert plumbers in Portland, OR, at Pilot Plumbing we are glad when the plumbing we’re working on isn’t subject to the high levels of corrosion some water supplies can cause. If you’ve lived with hard water for some time, you’ll be remarking on the changes water filtration systems can bring to your home.
Reducing Plumbing and Appliance Issues
One of the most noticeable concerns from water quality problems is the minerals that are present in hard water. They tend to encourage corrosion in metal pipes, appliances, and hot water heaters, resulting in more frequent repairs and pipe leaks. They can even lead to earlier repiping of your home to replace metal pipes that have corroded and are at risk of springing leaks on the incoming side, and causing clogs or leaking wastewater on the outgoing side. Water filtration systems can provide an economical way to extend the life of plumbing components in your home, especially if they are made of materials prone to corrosion. More frequent water heater repairs are also a product of hard water, from the removal of scale that limits the efficiency of your heater to anode rod related issues that affect both corrosion rates and the growth of anaerobic bacteria that produces an all-too-familiar rotten egg smell. Our water filtration systems expert can explain how to remove that smell from your water supply also if needed.
Source Independent Safe Drinking Water
No matter what the origin of your water supply, it can change over time. Your well can be affected by groundwater issues, and city water can come from varying sources including rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater. Though these sources are designed to provide you with good quality water, your standards may be higher and you may want the consistent quality that water filtration systems provide independent from the incoming source. In the case of sudden issues with your water supply, you’ll likely be protected by filtration, especially if you have some of the more advanced types such as reverse osmosis or RO. If you’ve been wanting to drink more water, having high-quality water in your home lets you drink from taps and especially use the water and ice dispenser on your refrigerator and enjoy the fresh taste.
Saving Money on Bottled Water
Many families solve their desire to drink plenty of water by hauling their drinking water home from the supermarket or other commercial source, taking time, and using fuel to transport it on an ongoing basis. Of course, this also means that large or small plastic containers are being used to transport the water, and that can be costly as well. When it comes time to dispose of plastic, recycling is the preferred method but it can take time and energy to accomplish as well. The bottom line? Just turn on the tap and get fresh, clean water from your water filtration systems instead.
Reducing Skin Irritation
Minerals in hard water and other contaminants can irritate your skin, leading you to use additional products after your shower to compensate for the problem. With water filtration systems, high-quality water won’t have the contaminants that were causing trouble, and you’ll feel better after showers and not have to compensate with additional skincare just because you had a shower or bath.
Better Soap and Shampoo Performance
Soaps and shampoos are much more effective in good quality water than they are in hard water. That’s how they are designed, although there are some soaps and shampoos that can help with hard water problems including lower lather, skin irritation, and less cleaning power. Laundry soap is also affected by water quality and can produce less satisfactory loads of laundry than water from water filtration systems. For families that have lived with problematic water for years, sometimes their whole lives, it may be surprising what a difference better water can make. Sometimes plumbing customers notice on vacation that they’re having very different shower experiences, with cleaner hair and better feeling skin, and they may not realize why they’re not getting that experience at home.
Solving Bad Taste and Limescale from Your Drinking Water
Hard water’s minerals can produce a disagreeable taste because they occur in such quantities that they actually form a hard scale in some of your appliances and pipes. It’s not like some commercial products with a touch of minerals for flavor, unfortunately. Bad taste can also arise from anaerobic bacteria, which produce a rotten egg smell from their growth in enclosed, tight spaces with little oxygen. Filtration can remove many organic components as well that are causing flavor issues, and we can help locate any other sources of contamination such as leaks.
Limescale in Plumbing and Heating Systems
Hot water heaters aren’t the only appliances affected by scale, sometimes known as limescale. Your coffee maker is a classic example, and your home heating boiler can be affected also.
Your Water Quality Solution Experts in Portland, OR
At Pilot Plumbing & Drain of Portland, OR, we’re your water filtration experts and water quality advocates, helping you make sure that your home’s water is the best it can be. We have a selection of systems providing different kinds of filtration to meet your needs, budget, and water supply. We can also help with water quality issues related to your hot water heater that can develop from time to time. Give us a call and we’ll get to work helping you live better with better quality water.
