Did you know that nearly every home could benefit from a water treatment system, especially homes in Las Vegas? It’s true. The water that flows from your tap, while treated to meet federal safety standards, can still carry a host of minerals and contaminants that cause a surprising number of common household problems, from spotty dishes and appliance breakdowns to dry skin and funny-tasting coffee. Many of these persistent issues could be easily solved with a home water filtration system.
If any of the following problems sound frustratingly familiar, it might be time to stop dealing with the symptoms and start treating the source. Get in touch with Serv-All Water Conditioning to learn more about the signs you need a water filtration system and discover how our services can help your home.
1. Your Water Tastes or Smells Strange
Tap water should be, for the most part, tasteless and odorless. If you notice a distinct taste or smell, your senses are trying to tell you something important.
- A Chlorine or Chemical Smell: Municipal water treatment facilities use chlorine to disinfect the water supply and kill harmful bacteria and viruses. While effective, residual chlorine can remain in the water, affecting its taste and smell.
- A Metallic Taste: If your water tastes like metal, it could mean there’s iron, manganese, zinc, or copper present — all of which may be leaching from old or corroded plumbing pipes.
- An “Earthy” or “Musty” Odor: When water smells like dirt or mildew, there may be organic matter or certain types of algae blooming in the water source. While not always harmful, it’s certainly unpleasant for drinking and cooking.
A home filtration system is excellent at absorbing and removing these types of contaminants, eliminating foul tastes and odors and leaving you with fresh, clean water.
2. You’re Concerned About Your Family’s Health & Safety
Even if your water looks and tastes fine, it can still contain contaminants that you’d rather not consume. For those who want the absolute purest and safest drinking water for their family, a water filtration system is the ultimate solution. It can give families with young children, elderly loved ones, and members with health sensitivities complete peace of mind.
3. You’re Tired of Buying Bottled Water
If you’re constantly stocking up on bottled water, you’re not only spending extra money but also contributing to plastic waste. A water filtration system, such as an RO system, provides a convenient, eco-friendly alternative right at your tap. You’ll enjoy the same crisp taste you expect from bottled water without the hassle or environmental impact.
4. You See Stains and Scale Buildup
Have you noticed a stubborn, chalky white residue on your faucets, showerheads, and glass shower doors? Do your coffee pots have a crusty film that’s impossible to scrub away? This is limescale, the tell-tale sign of hard water. Las Vegas is notorious for having some of the hardest water in the country.
But what, exactly, is hard water? Hard water is water with a high concentration of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. When this water evaporates, it leaves behind these mineral deposits, creating scale buildup. This doesn’t just look bad; it can clog your plumbing fixtures and reduce water pressure and efficiency over time. A water softener installation can protect your home’s appearance and plumbing system from the many problems of hard water.
5. Your Skin Is Dry and Your Hair Is Dull
Do you and your family suffer from persistently dry, itchy skin, or conditions like eczema that seem to flare up after a shower? Is your hair often dull, brittle, and difficult to manage? Before you spend more money on expensive lotions and conditioners, consider your water.
The same minerals that wreak havoc on your fixtures can do the same to your body. Hard water minerals can strip the natural oils from your skin and hair, leaving them dry and irritated. They can also react with soap to form a curd-like soap scum that doesn’t rinse away easily. Softening your water can lead to healthier skin, softer hair, and a noticeable reduction in the amount of soap and shampoo you need to use.
6. Your Appliances Are Breaking Down Frequently
Hard water is also the enemy of water-using appliances, such as your dishwasher, washing machine, coffee maker, and, most critically, your water heater. Inside a water heater, this mineral buildup forms a layer of rock-like scale on the heating element. This forces the unit to work harder and use more energy to heat the water. Eventually, this will drive up your utility bills. With enough time, the strain can also cause the heating element to burn out or the tank to fail, leading to expensive repairs or a premature replacement. Installing a water softener protects these significant investments and ensures they run efficiently.
7. Your Laundry Looks Dingy and Feels Stiff
Are your white clothes coming out of the wash looking a bit gray or yellow? Have your colorful towels lost their vibrancy? Hard water minerals can become trapped in the fibers of your laundry, causing colors to fade and whites to look dull.
It also hinders the effectiveness of laundry detergent, preventing it from lathering properly and cleaning clothes effectively. This often leads homeowners to use more detergent and hot water to compensate, which wastes money and is harder on the fabrics. Soft water allows detergent to work as it should, resulting in brighter, softer, and longer-lasting clothes.
Consider a Reverse Osmosis System
If you want the purest drinking water possible, a reverse osmosis (RO) system is the way to go. This advanced filtration method pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane that removes up to 99% of all contaminants, including heavy metals like lead, dissolved solids, chemicals, fluoride, and more. An RO system is typically installed right under your kitchen sink and connected to a dedicated faucet, providing you with pristine, bottled-quality water right from the tap.
Pair an RO System With a Water Softener
A reverse osmosis (RO) system does an incredible job of removing a vast array of contaminants from your drinking water, but if you want the highest quality drinking water while also protecting your entire home from the damaging effects of hard water minerals, you need a two-pronged approach. Specifically, you will want to pair your RO system with a whole-home water softener.
These two systems work in perfect harmony. The water softener removes the hard minerals to prevent scale buildup, spotty dishes, appliance damage, and dry skin. It also protects the RO system itself by feeding it pre-treated, softened water, which can extend the life of the delicate RO membrane and keep it running at peak efficiency. The RO system then takes that softened water and purifies it to an even higher degree for consumption. It’s the perfect combination for total home protection and superior drinking water.
Find the Water Filtration System That Works for You
Do you recognize these signs you need a water filtration system but also feel overwhelmed at the idea of finding the right solution for your home? Our professionals are here to help. We will perform a comprehensive test of your water to identify its specific mineral content and any potential contaminants. Based on those results and a discussion about your goals for water quality, we will help you decide which system — or combination of systems — is the perfect fit for your family’s needs and budget.
Contact Serv-All Water Conditioning today to schedule a service with us and take the first step toward cleaner, safer, and better-tasting water throughout your home!