Water Treatment in Houston TX

If you’re looking to rid your Houston, TX home of the annoying side effects of hard water, contact Houston Plumbing Services today at (832) 460-3145. Our licensed and qualified expert technicians will help you choose the most appropriate water softening system for your home’s needs and install it quickly and affordably.

Do You Have Hard Water?

Did you know that over 85% of American homes have hard water? Water with over 120 parts per million of suspended minerals is considered to be either hard or very hard water. While drinking hard water is not hazardous to your health, having it in your home can have several inconveniences and its prolonged exposure can cause damage to your pipes and fixtures.

Here are a few telltale signs that you have hard water:

Your soap doesn’t lather: In hard water, soap and shampoo doesn’t work up into a sudsy lather. Instead, soap tends to generate soap scum. You may notice an accumulation of scum deposits in your shower or bathtub. You may also become aware that your glasses and silverware come out of the dishwasher looking foggy or with spots. In your laundry, you may notice that colors become more faded and that whites appear more grayish.
Itchy skin: The high mineral content in hard water tends to dry out skin making it feel itchy and flaky. It can also make your hair appear duller and more difficult to manage.

If providing your family with clean, fresh tasting water that is free of harmful toxins and chemicals is important to you, call Houston Plumbing Services today at (832) 460-3145 for the very best water filtration system installation and repair Houston, TX and the surrounding area.

Scale and calcium buildup: You may notice deposits of scale or calcium forming in your sinks, shower or tub, as well as on your taps. These deposits can also contribute to clogging your fixtures and pipes resulting in serious damage.

How Do Water Softeners Work?

The principle behind softening your water is known as ion exchange. This process removes a large portion of the mineral content in the water by replacing it with sodium. The result is fresh, clean tasting water that is more pleasant to use and free of the inconveniences that characterize hard water. A water softening system does not require a great deal of maintenance from the homeowner, aside from replenishing the salt following the manufacturer’s recommendations.

What’s In Your Drinking Water?

It is natural for all water to contain some contaminants. As water travels through streams and rivers, it gets filtered through rocks and soil, where it will absorb some of the substances with which it has come into contact. Municipal water treatment facilities effectively remove most of the dangerous contaminants from the water before it reaches your tap. Nevertheless, your drinking water probably still contains some unwanted contaminants.

If your water supply is drawn from a well, it will not have the benefit of contaminant filtration from a local water treatment facility. Therefore, it is more susceptible to containing contaminants that may have leached into the water table.

Some of the contaminants frequently found in drinking water can include:

• Aluminum, which is associated with impaired brain function.
• Arsenic, which is a known carcinogen and linked to circulatory damage.
• Barium, which contributes to high blood pressure.
• Beryllium, a probable carcinogen and toxic chemical.
• Cadmium, which is associated with kidney disease.
• Chromium, which damages the liver, kidney and nervous system.
• Copper, which can cause stomach irritation.
• Lead, which is believed to cause brain and kidney damage and is particularly harmful to children
  Lithium, which can cause diarrhea, nausea and kidney damage.
• Manganese, which is toxic to expectant mothers and younger children
  Thalium, 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.

While the health risks associated with these contaminants are the result of prolonged exposure to high levels of them, most people will agree that consuming any amount of these known poisonous substances is not desirable and would choose to safeguard their family’s health by reducing their exposure to toxins of this nature.

Choosing The Right Filtration System For You

The most common types of whole home filtration systems available are reverse osmosis systems and carbon-based filtration systems. A carbon filter removes the impurities and toxins from water by using active carbon. Reverse osmosis removes impurities by sending pressurized water through a semipermeable membrane. Both types of systems are effective in minimizing the amount of contaminants in your drinking water.