How to Improve the Quality of the Water You Drink Daily

Water is essential for healthy life and wellbeing. The quality of the home water can impact the quality of your life in a wide number of ways.

Factors ranging from chemical levels to mineral content affect everything from the taste of the water to your home’s plumbing.
In some cases, poor water quality could even lead to severe illness.

Here are a few tips on how to improve water quality in your home. We’ll also address some of the reasons why it’s so important to follow them.

Use Cold Water

If it’s possible, don’t use hot tap water for cooking and drinking; try to use cold water instead.

Hot water sits in the hot water heater, and while sitting there, it will absorb metals and sediments trapped inside there. If there are any household lead sources, it will build up in the hot water heater system as well.

One solution to the problem is to properly maintain your hot water heater, flushing out sediments and repairing or replacing rusty components regularly.

Flush the Pipes

Flushing the pipes can also make a big difference in your water quality. It will only require turning on the cold-water faucet for at least two minutes before you use water for drinking or washing.

When the water sits in the pipes for several hours, it will start to evaporate. This can create a greater ratio of minerals and chemicals in the water that sits in the pipes than it normally has. Running the faucet for a few minutes clears foul tasting water out and brings in fresh water.

Another option to have clean water when performing other household activities throughout the day is to run, the dishwasher or washing machine. Running these appliances will have a similar effect like running the faucet for several minutes.

Have Your Water Tested

If you rely on well water, try to test the water pretty often. This will determine if contaminants are present in it and in most cases, you can also discover cracks and leaks in the pump or well casing. This eventually leads to seals failing and allowing dirt and sediment to get into your water. Repairing the well will usually be the best solution in this case.

If the water testing reveals lead in the drinking water, you will need to replace the household plumbing. For example, old copper pipes could have lead-based solder. The solution in this case is to install lead-free fixtures.

Install a Water Filtration System

Another thing you should do is consider installing a water filtration system. This will help remove the minerals in your well water as well as chemicals in city water. However, there are many different types of water filtration systems.

You could use a simple faucet mounted with a water filter or install a whole-home water filter. Whole house filters send clean water to every faucet in the house, but you need a professional for the job.

A point-of-entry filter is fine to get reasonably clean water that sometimes has a bad odor. The problem with these filters, however, is that you must cut the pipe to install them.

Reverse osmosis systems will remove chemicals, sediment and bacteria, but they require professional installation and regular maintenance. Water distillers remove all impurities from your drinking water and minerals as well. They’re also much simpler to install.

Install a Water Softener

You’ll also want to treat hard water as soon as you notice it in your water system. Removing the minerals from the water with a water softener prevents the minerals from building up in your pipes and forming mineral scales in the shower, basin and bathtub.

One side benefit of softening your water is that you won’t need as much soap to get yourself and your laundry clean. Furthermore, it prevents the rapid buildup of minerals in the hot water heater that reduce its energy efficiency and shorten its operating life.

Conclusion

The water flowing from the treatment plant to the household faucet can be affected by many different sources, and can lead to serious consequences. Make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect your home’s water quality, and monitor it as well.