How to Improve Water Quality in Your Home

Water quality measures how safe water is based on biological, physical, and chemical qualities. Some of these qualities include the level of dissolved salts in water, taste, color, pH, and microorganism content.

Using low-quality water opens a gateway to different kinds of health problems. Since up to 70% of our water usage happens in our homes, it’s vital to monitor our home water quality, to avoid getting sick.

Water authorities usually treat water from public sources before sending it down to homes. But sometimes, the water gets contaminated as it travels down from the source to our taps. If your water is contaminated, you may notice that it has an odd taste, color, or smell. However, the absence of physical signs of contamination doesn’t mean your water is safe. Some dangerous contaminants do not give any obvious sign of their presence in water, so you have no way of noticing them.

Improving your water quality is the only way to keep yourself safe from obvious and hidden contaminants. We’ll explore 12 ways to improve your water quality in this article.

12 Easy Ways to Improve Your Home Water Quality

1. Do a water quality test.

The first step to improving your water quality is conducting a water quality test. A water test tells you if your water is contaminated, what it is contaminated by, and the level of contamination. You can test the water’s pH and hardness level, too.

We recommend you test for lead, pesticides, and microscopic contaminants like bacteria. Knowing the contaminants in your water will help you decide the water treatment process you’ll need. You can carry out a water test on your own using a test kit, but we recommend getting a professional lab test done for more rounded and accurate result. 

2. Do a plumbing check.

Your pipes may be corroded if your house is old. The older the pipes are, the higher the chances of them rusting. You can have a professional come around to check all the pipes in your house so you can get new ones if needed. Do this if you begin to notice an off colour or metallic taste in your water.

3. Get a water filtration system.

Water filters are one of the best tools for removing impurities in water. It doesn’t matter where you get your water from. You can use water filters to filter public tap water and water from public or private wells. Water filters improve the quality of your drinking water by eliminating foul odor and making it taste better.

Water filters come in different sizes and shapes. They may come as faucet filters, counter-top water filters, pitcher filters, and even whole house filtration systems. AquaTru water filters are great examples of drinking water filters. You can check out this AquaTru water filter review to learn more about the system.

Water filters emerge as essential tools in purifying water, effectively removing impurities regardless of the water source. Whether it’s public tap water or water from public or private wells, installing a water filter system significantly enhances water quality. This holds true for AquaTru water filters, exemplified by their various types such as faucet filters, counter-top filters, pitcher filters, and whole house filtration systems. The AquaTru water filter review offers comprehensive insights into this system, illustrating the benefits of installing a water filter system for improved taste and odor-free drinking water. 

4. Flush your pipes.

If you’ve been away from home for a while or you haven’t been using your water, we advise that you flush your pipes. If you don’t use water in a while, it sits stagnant, and contaminants and debris in the pipes start to settle. So before you use the water in a house that has been empty for a while, it’s best to open the faucets and let the water run for at least two minutes. You can also flush toilets or run the shower to get the water moving again.

5. Always use cold water.

It’s not advisable to use hot water straight from the tap for cooking or drinking. High temperatures usually make contaminants dissolve in water much easier. When you use cold water for your water filter, these contaminants are isolated and insoluble, and you are less likely to ingest them.

6. Drain your water heater.

Over the years, your water heater may collect sediments, metals, or bacteria in its tank. To eliminate these contaminants, you should drain your water heater at least once or twice a year. Draining your water heater also helps to improve water pressure.

7. Check your water softener.

You should inspect your water softener regularly. Open the tank to see how empty or full it is. If it’s less than half full, add more salt to it. You can call a professional to check your water softener if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself.

8. Change your tap aerators.

Tap aerators are the screens attached at the end of taps. Although they’re not as thorough as water filters, they play a role in filtering the water that passes through the taps. Tap aerators may have build-up from contaminants and sediments after being used for a while. This build-up affects the taste, pressure, and flow of your water.

Replace them occasionally, and they don’t affect your water quality any longer. Tap aerators are cheap and easy to fix. You only need to screw them in or out. You can either change the screens or the full aerators when replacing them.

9. Replace your water filters regularly.

Over time, contaminants accumulate in water filters. In fact, it’s their job! Some water filters can be replaced, while others only need to be cleaned. Manufacturers usually give instructions on cleaning or replacing the filters they produce. Follow their guides carefully as you change or clean your filters.

10. Maintain your septic tank.

At least once every three years, schedule an inspection for your septic tank. Be careful with the kinds of things you throw into the toilet. Avoid pouring strong chemicals like old medicine or used chemicals into the toilet bowl. Don’t throw napkins, diapers, or pads into your toilet either.

11. Clean your water containers.

Dirty water containers can reduce water quality, no matter how clean the source is. Clean the containers regularly with warm water and soap. You can also disinfect them with a diluted bleach mixture to remove microorganisms.

12. Disinfect your water.

You can disinfect your water using household bleach. Remember to use unscented chlorine products suitable for disinfection. Disinfection helps to kill microorganisms. It improves water quality and lowers the chances of you falling ill. You can also carry out disinfection for your private household well. The process is called shock chlorination.

Conclusion

There are several ways to improve your water quality, and this article only discusses a fraction. Once you’ve put these methods into practice, you’ll be sure to have good water quality. Water quality directly affects your health and the quality of your life. So if you the necessary take steps to improve it, you’ll also significantly improve your life.

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