Water Filtration in Houston
In recent years, the quality of our water, not just in Houston but nationwide, has been the subject of a lot of research. With state and local agencies investigating the effects, both positive and negative, of the water we rely on for cooking, drinking, and bathing. While the benefits of having potable water delivered to our homes are vast, there is concern among the scientific and medical communities about high levels of carcinogens and other potentially toxic compounds in that water.
You Might Be Surprised at What’s in Your Water!
Performing a quick Google search of contaminants in Houston water returns results that show harmful arsenic, chromium, and radium levels. In recent years, several “cancer clusters” have been discovered around the Houston area, usually near petroleum processing plants or chemical storage facilities.
In cities like Houston, where a portion of your home’s “fresh” water supply is about 3% recycled water, chlorine is added to the supply to kill any existing microorganisms. Chlorinated water tends to have a smell and taste reminiscent of bleach or swimming pool water, along with a drying effect on our skin and hair.
In the absence of a coordinated effort to improve our drinking water quality from its suppliers, it falls on the homeowner to guard their family against unhealthy water. Various water softening and water filtration methods are available that can remove almost every known particulate, chemical, and mineral.
What’s the Difference Between Water Softening & Water Filtration?
Water softening is done mainly for aesthetic reasons and our convenience. By removing minerals from the water supply, soaps and shampoos are easier to lather and rinse away more completely. Dishes and glassware no longer have a milky haze, and mirrors are free of streaky residues. Softened water won’t dry out your skin and will result in your hair being less tangled.
Water filtration uses several types of materials, both organic and human-made, to remove impurities, both chemical and particulate, from your water supply. Removal of these elements, many of them known to cause cancer and other ailments, is essential to your family’s health and well-being.
Benefits of Water Softening
Minerals are an essential part of our diet, and water is a primary source of these compounds. Calcium and magnesium are crucial to maintaining strong bones, healthy teeth, and transmitting nerve impulses in the brain. Unfortunately, these same minerals that are essential to our survival have the opposite effect on our plumbing fixtures.
Hard water, like we have here in Houston, takes a tremendous toll on your plumbing. The microscopic, jagged mineral particles cause premature wear and tear to all plumbing fixtures. Water supply lines suffer from mineral build-up that slowly accumulates in fittings, pipe threads, and faucet aerators, resulting in decreased water pressure.
Tank-type water heaters tend to carry most of the burden when it comes to hard water-related problems. Hard water creates mineral scale build-up in your water heater tank, displacing water away from the heating elements. Your water heater will need to work harder to maintain the water’s temperature, causing an increase in gas or electric bills.
Benefits of Water Filtration
Several water filtration methods at our disposal can remove all water-borne particulates down to 1 micron (one-millionth of a meter) in size. Whole-house water filtration systems are generally more effective at removing contaminants than the “canister”-style faucet filters that are also popular.
Regardless of form, any amount of water filtration is better than no filtration at all. Faucet mounted water filters are useful for removing chlorine and trace metals from the water but may not be effective against microbial contaminants.
Whole-house water filtration uses a treatment system that is installed near where your water supply enters your home. By utilizing several types of filters, a customized plan can be designed to treat your water for various chemical and organic contaminants. Locating the system at the point of entry to your home ensures that every faucet, showerhead, water heater, dishwasher, and washing machine will provide pure, filtered water.
How Much Will Water Treatment Cost?
Depending on which type of water treatment method you choose, your cost can fall anywhere between $50 for an on-faucet water filter up to $1,200 for a whole-house system.
If you’re interested in having a water softener system or whole-house water filtration system installed, give Nick’s Plumbing Service a call. Whether you buy it from us or need your own filter or softener installed, Nick’s licensed and experienced professionals can get it done for you. Call us for a cost evaluation or second opinion on these or any other plumbing services.