Water Refinement

You want clean water in your home. Most municipal water treatment plants do provide good water, but it’s probably not as clean as it could be. Water treatment systems are designed to solve a variety of issues with domestic water supplies. As water quality varies widely, you need to determine your issues with the water provided by your municipal water system.

Water is treated at your water treatment plant to remove debris, particles, some chemicals and bacterial that are harmful. The water is also treated with chemicals or UV light to kill any microbes or bacterial. Then the water is tested, ensuring that it is safe to drink but, by the time the water reaches you home, it may still contain some impurities.

These impurities can cause pipes to become brittle, cause clogs, and make your plumbing system inefficient or leaky. In-home water treatment can solve many of the problems and concerns you may have with water quality. The first step is to determine the combination of impurities in the water, like pesticides, minerals or metals, and chemicals. Water treatment plants may use chemicals to clean the water and those chemicals can interact with organic materials in the water and create by-products, which can be unhealthy to consume. Physical damage to pipes such as water main breaks can introduce additional pesticides, chemicals and contaminants. Wolfer’s offers a free in-home water quality test to determine your specific needs. Our plumbing professionals will then guide you through the system selection process. High-quality water treatment systems are an important consideration for clean, safe water.

A variety of different contaminants can make your water supply less than ideal for consumption or use. Pure water is H2O and nothing else. Some of the contaminants that many be found in your water (especially well water) include:

• Aluminum, which has been associated with impaired brain function
• Arsenic, which in high concentrations is a known carcinogen and linked to circulatory damage
• Bacteria
• Barium, which can contribute to high blood pressure
• Beryllium, which is a probable carcinogen and toxic chemical
• Cadmium, which has been associated with kidney disease
• Chromium, which can damage the liver, kidney and nervous system
• Copper, which can cause stomach irritation
• Lead, which some believe to cause brain and kidney damage and is particularly harmful to children
• Lithium, which can cause diarrhea, nausea and kidney damage
• Manganese, which can be toxic to expectant mothers and younger children
• Thallium, which is believed to cause hair loss and damage the intestinal tract kidneys and liver
• Zinc, which can lead to anemia
• Pesticides and herbicides, which have leached into groundwater and are known to contain countless hazardous chemicals

Since there are several types of water treatment issues, there are different solutions:

Water Filtration

Water filtration systems are designed to remove various contaminants from the water. This filtration can occur at the point of entry (POE), as in whole house filtration systems. Or, it can occur at the point of use (POU), like a kitchen faucet water filter. One of the most effective systems to remove impurities from your water is a whole house water filtration system. This type of system protects your entire plumbing system from hard water, chemical interactions, scale and damage.

UV

UV systems are installed at the point of entry in the home to eliminate any bacteria from entering the water supply. UV systems are highly recommended to homeowners who may suspect any E. coli, cryptosporidium, giardia or any other types of bacteria and viruses in the water. It is important to avoid drinking any water that is potentially contaminated from bacteria to protect yourself from any water-borne bacterial diseases. It is not advised to use chlorine or other chemicals to disinfect water, because of the toxic byproducts they create.  UV treated water is taste and odor free. UV systems are extremely effective, destroying 99.99% of microbes, which is more effective than chlorination. For Legionella, however, this system may not be reliable alone. It is extremely low maintenance and uses very little energy, about the same energy as it would to run a 60-watt light bulb.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is a process where inorganic solids such as salts are removed from a solution, such as water. This is accomplished by using water pressure to push the water through a semipermeable membrane. In effect, this method mechanically forces the impurities out through a filter. A reverse osmosis system is one of the most extensive methods of filtration. It removes 98% of dissolved solids, which makes it healthier to drink. 

Benefits include: 

• Harmful dissolved contaminants reduced
• Sodium reduced 
• Bad tastes and odors reduced
• More environmentally friendly than bottled water
• Easy to install and maintain
• Fits under the kitchen sink

Water Softening

Many homes experience issues with hard water. Minerals buildup in a pipe and narrow the area water can move through, causing a higher pump pressure. Mineral deposits also increase the amount of energy needed to keep water hot or cold. The buildup damages your appliances, which means more frequent repair or replacement costs. Water softening is achieved using lime softening or ion-exchange resins to remove minerals from the water supply. Softer water also means softer, cleaner clothes, hair, and skin.

As with any water plumbing problem, your reliable professional Wolfer’s plumbers are dedicated to providing the best solution for your specific water treatment concerns. 

An important part of owning a home is having a complete home service contractor with the right skills and experience for the job you need completed. For over a century, Wolfer’s Home Services has been the contractor of choice for quality-minded customers. We offer complete HVAC and indoor air quality services as well as complete plumbing services, and water treatment designed specifically for your home or business. Besides the fact that we have earned a reputation for being the best in the business, there are many more reasons to choose Wolfer’s for all your home service needs. Contact us or call us at 503-220-1901503-220-1901 today to work with a company that’s dedicated to ensuring your complete satisfaction.