Traverse City, MI (231)947-1010 - Big Rapids, MI (231)796-8466 - Alpena, MI (989)354-8724
Water Test 101 and How To Diagnose Water Problems Including Iron , Sulfur , Tannin , Hardness , Lime Scale and Nitrates
Do I have iron in my water?
Iron can be present in water in several forms: colloidal iron, oxidized iron, soluble iron and iron bacteria. Colloidal iron is a special case of extremely small particles of oxidized iron that do not settle out. Oxidized iron is insoluble in non-acid water. Water containing oxidized iron is filled with some red rust when first drawn from the tap. Soluble iron is called "clear water iron" because the water is not red unless it stands.
Iron oxide deposits can plug up plumbing and other equipment that uses water, like farm equipment, home washing machines, hot water heaters and dishwashers. The other objection to iron in water is that it can cause reddish-brown stains on laundry, plumbing fixtures and cooking utensils. Iron causes a disagreeable metallic taste and, in some cases, can have a sewer type of odor. Iron causes coffee, tea, liquor and other beverages to turn an inkier black - as little as 0.3 ppm are enough to cause iron staining.
Iron bacteria are living organisms that feed on iron in your water and on iron in wells, piping, tanks and iron fixtures. The bacteria build slime in toilet water tanks and clog pipes, pumps, water heaters and appliances. Until the last few years, iron bacteria were not too common a problem but their presence has increased rapidly throughout the country. These bacteria are now quite prevalent. You may expect that any iron water will at some future time, if not already, be invaded by iron bacteria. Iron bacteria must be killed by chlorination.
The presence and amount of iron in your water can be determined with testing. Iron is normally removed from water through mechanical filters, water softeners and reverse osmosis.
Wells, ground water and special problems
Contaminants that may cause health problems, such as nitrate, are of significant concern. For owners of private wells, the issue of ground-water contamination is particularly serious. Most private domestic supplies are neither tested nor treated on a routine basis.
Although the distinction between surface water and ground water seems simple, they are connected in such a way that surface water can become ground water and vice versa, and such surface-ground water interactions generally are difficult to observe and measure. Aquifers are often fed partially by seepage from streams and lakes. These same aquifers may discharge through seeps and springs to feed the streams, rivers, and lakes.
Private water supplies are not regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, although some state and municipality standards apply to wells. If you have a private well, you are responsible for testing your water to make sure it is safe. This is especially important in areas where homes and nearby businesses are on septic systems. Since many contaminants are colorless and odorless, testing is the only way to determine whether your well water is safe to drink. EPA drinking water standards and health information are good guidelines for you in protecting your own drinking water.
Wells should be tested annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria to detect contamination problems early. Test more frequently and for more potential contaminants, such as radon, pesticides or industrial chemicals if you suspect a problem.
How water looks, tastes and smells
Many people determine the quality of the water they consume by how it smells, tastes or looks. Although these are important criteria, they are primarily aesthetic properties of the water. A glass of water may not look, smell or taste good, but it could still be suitable to drink from a health standpoint. If you are concerned about your water—you really need to have it tested.
Yet, we know that you will still want to use the way water looks, smells and tastes to help determine what type of treatment is necessary to improve the quality of your water. The following guidelines will help you make some educated guesses about any problems with your water and what the most likely cause of those problems might be. You can confirm your guesses when your water is actually tested.
To perform this experiment, all you need is a clear container to take a water sample and then use your senses of sight, smell and taste.
The way water looks
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Water is clear when first drawn from the raw water tap then becomes yellow or reddish in appearance, but clears upon standing for 24 hours. Dissolved iron present. |
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Water is yellow or reddish when first drawn from the raw water tap but clears upon standing for 24 hours. Undissolved iron present. |
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Yellow or brownish cast to water even after softening and/or filtering and does not clear up after standing for 24 hours. Tannin (humic acid) in water. Comes from water passing through coal veins, peaty soils and decaying vegetation. |
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Black cast to water that clears upon standing for 24 hours. Dissolved manganese present. |
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Milky water. Excessive air in the water caused by the well pump sucking air (excessive drawdown) or a malfunctioning pressure tank. Also, can be caused by high amounts of bicarbonate precipitates resulting from an increase in PH. |
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Blackening, tarnishing, or pitting of metal sinks, utensils, pipes, etc. High amounts of salt (chlorides and sulfates) or hydrogen sulfide gas. |
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Green stains on sinks and other porcelain bathroom fixtures. Blue green cast to water. Acidic water (pH below 6.8) reacting with brass and copper pipes and fittings. |
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Suspended matter in water. Caused by riled up water in a surface supply or sand pumping from a well. |
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Soap curds and lime scum in wash basins and bathtubs. Whitish scale deposits in tea kettle and on the ends of plumbing fixtures (faucet, shower head, etc.). Hard Water caused by calcium and magnesium salts in the raw water supply. |
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Stained aluminum cookware. High dissolved mineral content and high alkalinity in the raw water. |
The way water smells
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Chlorine smell. Normal chlorination of public or private well sources. |
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Fishy, musty or earthy smell. Generally harmless organic matter. Commonly associated with surface water supplies. |
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Rotten egg odor from the raw water tap or directly from the well. Dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas in the raw water. |
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Rotten egg odor only from the hot water tap. Sulfates present in the raw water reacting with the magnesium anode which causes hydrogen sulfide gas. Can be corrected by removing the anode or replacing it with an aluminum anode. |
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Detergent odor and water foams when drawn. Also septic odor. Leakage from a sewer system is entering the water supply. |
What is my water telling me?
The following chart is intended to serve only as a general guide for determining the cause of problems with water. In some cases, these symptoms may indicate a serious problem—in others, only the taste and smell (its aesthetics) may be affected, but not its safety.
Although information below will help you identify your concerns about your water, we believe that it is safest to have your water tested.
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Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Possible Health Effects |
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Soap scum in sinks and bathtub, or yellow or whitish scum on flower pots |
Calcium (limestone) and magnesium salts (hard water) |
Aesthetic only |
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Abrasive texture to water when washing or residual left in sink |
Excessively fine sand, silt in water |
Various (sand could trap contaminants leading to health risk) |
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Musty, earthy or wood smell |
Generally, harmless organic matter |
Aesthetic only |
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Chlorine smell |
Excessive chlorination |
Could occur from formation of disinfection byproducts |
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Rotten egg odor, or tarnished silverware |
1. Dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas |
Various effects |
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Hot water, rotten egg odor |
Action of magnesium rod in hot water heater |
Various Effects |
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Detergent odor, water foams when drawn |
Seepage of septic discharge into underground water supply |
Disease-causing microorganisms may be present |
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Gasoline or oil (hydro-carbon) smell |
Leak in fuel oil tank or gasoline tank seeping into water supply |
Fuel components may be toxic or carcinogenic |
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Methane gas |
Naturally occurring caused by decaying organics |
Various effects |
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Phenol smell (chemical odor) |
Industrial waste seeping into surface or ground water supplies |
Various—compounds may be carcinogenic |
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Salty or brackish |
High sodium content |
Aesthetic only |
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Alkali taste |
High dissolved mineral containing alkalinity (Stained aluminum cookware) |
Aesthetic only |
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Metallic taste |
1. Very low pH water (3.0-5.5) |
Various depends on cause |
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Dirt, salt, clay |
Suspended matter in surface water pond, stream or lake |
Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms |
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Sand grit, silt or clay substances |
Well sand from new well or defective well screen |
Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms |
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Rust in water |
Acid water causing iron "pick-up" |
Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms |
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Gray string-like fiber |
Organic matter in raw water algae, etc |
Turbid water may contain disease causing microorganisms |
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Green stains on sinks, or, blue-green look to water |
Water which has high carbon dioxide content (pH below 6.8) reacting with brass and copper pipes and fittings |
Could lead to health effects if acid water causes leaching of lead and copper |
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Brown-red stains on sinks or clothing. Water turns brown-red when used for cooking |
1. Dissolved iron in influent (more than 0.3 ppm Fe+) water appears clear when first drawn at cold water faucet. Above 0.3 ppm Fe causes staining |
Various effects |
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2. Precipitate iron (water will not clear when drawn) |
Various effects |
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Brownish cast does not precipitate |
Iron pick-up from old pipe with water having a pH below 6.8. Organic (bacterial) iron |
Various effects |
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Reddish color in water sample after standing 24 hours |
Colloidal iron |
Various effects |
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Yellowish cast to water after softening and/or filtering |
Tannins (humic acids) in water from peaty soil and decaying vegetation |
Various effects |
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Cloudiness of water when drawn |
1. Some precipitant sludge created during heating of water |
1. Various effects |
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Blackening and pitting of stainless steel sinks |
1. Excessive salt content |
Various effects |
Source: EPA Office of Water
What is the difference between Hard and Soft Water?
Water described as "hard" means it is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. These substances leave a hard scale on surfaces that come in contact with the water. The degree of hardness becomes greater as the calcium and magnesium content increases.
Hard water is not a health risk, but is a nuisance because of its tendency to cause mineral buildup in water pipe and heating systems, and its poor soap and/or detergent performance when compared with soft water. Hard water can cause more expense in increased water use and more frequent plumbing repair bills.
Water is a good solvent and picks up impurities easily; when it combines with carbon dioxide in the air to form a very weak carbonic acid, an even better solvent is achieved.
As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution. Calcium and magnesium dissolved in water are the two most common minerals that make water "hard." The degree of hardness becomes greater as the calcium and magnesium content increases.
True to its name, hard water can hit you—and your pocket—hard. It works against you in most indoor uses, such as bathing, washing dishes, and shaving. Hard water can clog plumbing in appliances, cutting down on efficiency and hiking up energy and maintenance bills. You can tell you have hard water if there's build-up on your sinks and bathtubs, or if you have to use large amounts of soap to clean dishes or wash your hair.
Clothes washed in hard water often look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. The hardness minerals combine with some soils to form insoluble salts, making them difficult to remove. Soil on clothes can introduce even more hardness minerals into the wash water. Continuous laundering in hard water can damage fibers and shorten the life of clothes by up to 40 percent.
Bathing with soap in hard water leaves a film of sticky soap curd on the skin. The film may prevent removal of soil and bacteria. Soap curd interferes with the return of skin to its normal, slightly acid condition, and may lead to irritation. Soap curd on hair may make it dull, lifeless and difficult to manage.
Hard water also contributes to inefficient and costly operation of water-using appliances. Heated hard water forms a scale of calcium and magnesium minerals (lime scale deposits) that can contribute to the inefficient operation or failure of water-using appliances. Pipes can become clogged with scale that reduces water flow and ultimately requires pipe replacement. Lime scale has been known to increase energy bills by up to 25%.
Hard water can have a serious impact on your pocketbook. It can shorten the life span of your appliances by as much as 30%, which can lead to costly repairs or replacement. That means that a washing machine that should last 13 years may last only nine years because of hard water damage; a dishwasher that should last 10 years may last only seven, and a hot water heater that should last 11 to 13 years may last only eight or nine.
Another factor to consider is the high cost associated with repairing major appliances. How much would you be willing to pay to repair a 5-year-old washing machine? Replacement is often the best option once hard water has wreaked havoc on an appliance. By installing a water softener, you can add more than three years to the life of most of your appliances—and save yourself the expense of replacing them sooner than expected.
Culligan Water Softeners are mechanical water softening units that can be permanently installed into your plumbing system to continuously remove calcium and magnesium.
Water softeners operate on the ion exchange process. In this process, water passes through a media bed, usually sulfonated polystyrene beads. The beads are supersaturated with sodium. The ion exchange process takes place as hard water passes through the softening material. The hardness minerals attach themselves to the resin beads while sodium on the resin beads is released simultaneously into the water.
When the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium, it is recharged. The recharging is done by passing a salt (brine) solution through the resin. The sodium replaces the calcium and magnesium which are discharged in the waste water.
We can determine the hardness of your water when we perform a water analysis. Once we've tested your water supply, the hardness of your water will be reported in grains per gallon, milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm). One grain of hardness equals 17.1 mg/l or ppm of hardness.
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Classification |
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mg/l or ppm |
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grains/gal |
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Soft |
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0 - 17.1 |
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0 - 1 |
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Slightly hard |
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17.1 - 60 |
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1 - 3.5 |
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Moderately hard |
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60 - 120 |
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3.5 - 7.0 |
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Hard |
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120 - 180 |
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7.0 - 10.5 |
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Very Hard |
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180 and over |
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10.5 and over |
Benefits of soft water
Water is called "hard water" if it contains excessive amounts of certain minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, because these substances leave a hard scale on surfaces that come in contact with the water. You can tell you have hard water if there's build-up on your sinks and bathtubs, or if you have to use large amounts of soap to clean dishes or wash your hair.
True to its name, hard water can hit you—and your pocket—hard. It works against you in most indoor uses, such as bathing, washing dishes, and shaving.
Hard water can clog plumbing in appliances, cutting down on efficiency and hiking up energy and maintenance bills.
Treated water means less housework:
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A Culligan water softener removes the materials that make your water hard and causes scaly buildup on utensils, porcelain...even your skin! Advanced features help you save money by using less salt, water, and electricity. Easier living with softer water:
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The difference between softening and filtering
What is the difference between softening water and filtering water? You don't have to be a hydrologist to understand the basic principles behind water filtration and water softening. Here's an abridged version of what happens when you filter or soften water.
Filtering water involves separating mineral particles, like manganese, iron, hydrogen sulfide or other organic matter, from pure H2O. By passing water through a "filter bed," or "media bed," these granular particles are trapped—and clean, purified water passes through the bed.
Softening water involves something called "ion exchange" to remove dissolved minerals—like calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese—that can't be trapped in a filter bed. Softeners use fresh resin beads with sodium attached to the resin. As water enters the tank, dissolved calcium and magnesium are attracted to the resin. The resin passes up the sodium in exchange for the dissolved chemicals and the water is then rid of these impurities.
Free of contaminants and minerals, water treated with Culligan softeners or filtration systems will make an impression on you and your household, and at the work place.
Whether you use a filter or a softener depends on whether the contaminates in your water are particles or dissolved minerals. Culligan Water Filters remove the substances from your water that can cause staining, foul odors, and the need for excessive cleanup. Household chores become easier because your water is working with you, not against you.
How do softeners work?
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The solution to the hard water problem is to get rid of the calcium and magnesium. While there are chemical treatments that do this, we believe that the healthiest and best method is installation of a water softener.
A water softener is a mechanical appliance that's plumbed into your home's water supply system. Softeners trade the damaging minerals for sodium ions. The process is called ion exchange.
The heart of a water softener is a mineral tank. It's filled with small polystyrene beads, also known as resin. The beads carry a negative charge.
Calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) ions that cause water hardness can be removed fairly easily by using this ion exchange procedure. Water softeners are exchange devices. Exchange involves the replacement of the hardness ions with non-hardness ions. Water softeners use sodium (Na+) as the exchange ion. Sodium ions are supplied from dissolved sodium chloride salt, also called brine. In the ion exchange process, sodium ions are used to coat an exchange medium in the softener. The exchange medium is made of resin beads that resemble wet sand.
As hard water passes through a softener, the calcium and magnesium trade places with sodium ions. Sodium ions are held loosely and are easily replaced by calcium and magnesium ions. During this process free sodium ions are released to the water.
After softening a large quantity of hard water the exchange medium becomes coated with calcium and magnesium ions. When this occurs, the exchange medium must be recharged or regenerated. To recharge the softener with sodium ions, a softener is back flushed with a salt brine solution. During a back flush the brine solution replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on the exchange medium with sodium ions from the salt solution.
Maintenance of water softeners is largely confined to restocking the salt supply for the brine solution. The brine tank may require periodic cleaning. The frequency of cleaning depends on the amount and purity of the salt used in the softening process. The brine valve and float assembly should also be checked and cleaned as often as needed.
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Is softened water safe to drink? According to the U.S. Geological Survey, more than 85 percent of the United States geography has hard water. While many consumers use a water softener so they can enjoy the benefits of soft water, there is some confusion about whether softened water is safe to drink. Some consumers are concerned that drinking softened water will increase the level of sodium in their diet. Despite the myth, softening your water will not result in salty-tasting water. Sodium bicarbonate, which is different from sodium chloride (table salt), is formed through the water softening process. The amount of sodium added to water from the water softening process depends on the hardness of the water supply. When very hard water (greater than 10 grains of hardness per gallon) is softened, only 20 to 40 mg of sodium is added to every 8 ounces of water. For comparison, an 8-ounce glass of low-fat milk contains about 120 mg of sodium, a 12-ounce can of diet soda contains from 20 to 70 mg, and an 8-ounce glass of orange juice contains about 25 mg. The majority of the sodium in consumers' diets—more than 90 percent—comes from sources such as processed foods and table salt. The recommended daily allowance for sodium consumption is 2,400 mg. Drinking two quarts of softened water would only add only about 240 mg of sodium to your diet. Individuals concerned about sodium in their diet should consult their physician about effective means of reducing overall sodium consumption, which will probably involve diet change. It is unlikely that a physician would discourage anyone from drinking softened water. Of course, many of our water softener customers also use a drinking water system in their kitchens for the best combination of water conditioning methods.
Why is soft water so slippery? Many customers who have water softeners installed in their houses notice that their skin feels "slippery" after a bath. Some customers say, "My water is too soft! I can't rinse the soap off!" This reaction is normal for new soft water customers. What causes that slippery feeling? Clean skin! Hard water leaves an insoluble soap-curd film on you, causing your hair and skin to "squeak". Most of us grew up with hard water, so "squeaky clean" was all we knew and what we grew to expect from our bathing and shampooing. Some of the soap manufacturers even perpetuated this misinformation with their commercials about "squeaky clean". No wonder we all believed that we were our cleanest when our skin and hair squeaked. But, we know now that "squeaky clean" is not clean at all. It should be called "squeaky dirty". The fact is that we "squeaked" with hard water because there was an invisible hard water soap scum film on our hair and skin, causing our skin, scalp and hair to really be overly dry. This is bad for skin and hair. Soap scum film builds up on hair, weighting it down and making it brittle and lifeless. Soap scum film on skin makes our skin dry and itchy. Here is one way you can prove this to yourself. Notice that hard water leaves a bathtub ring and soft water does not. That hard water bath tub ring is made of scummy, "gooky stuff" that sticks to the tub. That same scum sticks to your skin, clogging your pores and causing your skin to feel overly dry and "squeaky". On the other hand, soft water leaves no bath tub ring. Soft water also does not leave scum on your skin, scalp and hair. Soft water leaves your skin and hair "hydrated and clean", not squeaky. Since water is wet and there is not scummy film on your skin to cause friction, the water feels "slippery". That slippery feeling is the indication of healthy, clean skin and hair. With soft water, you can rinse an extra 15 minutes but the slippery feeling will not go away! The soap is long gone and your skin is very clean. Within minutes of drying off, you will notice how soft your skin feels—almost as if you applied skin lotion. Soft skin is healthy and clean skin! Ladies, your hair will be easier to style, keep its curl longer, be more bouncy and feel weightless. Once you have experienced the wonderful clean feeling of soft water, you'll never want to be without it again. And, your skin, hair, appliances and plumbing will thank you.
Can I hook it up to my ice maker? Yes—in most case we can connect directly to your refrigerator. Connecting the system will extend the life of your ice maker and make clearer, great tasting ice. You can turn your fridge into a Culligan "Water and Ice Machine".
Is the water really as good as bottled? Yes—The system uses multiple processes including Reverse Osmosis to make great tasting, low sodium drinking water. Reverse Osmosis removes about 97% of the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) from most tap water. Read the labels on bottled water and you will discover Reverse Osmosis is the same process used by most bottlers—so in effect—you really are getting "bottled water without the bottle"!
Does the system require any maintenance or service? Yes—we recommend annual service approximately. Our service technician will test your water each time, replace necessary filters and sanitize the system.
What is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis, also known as hyperfiltration, is the finest filtration known. This process will allow the removal of particles as small as dissolved individual ions from a solution. Reverse osmosis is used to purify water and remove ions and dissolved organic molecules. It can be used to purify fluids such as ethanol and glycol, which will pass through the reverse osmosis membrane, while rejecting other ions and contaminants from passing. The most common use for reverse osmosis is in purifying water. It is used to produce water that meets the most demanding specifications that are currently in place. Reverse osmosis uses a membrane that is semi-permeable, allowing the fluid that is being purified to pass through it, while rejecting the contaminants that remain. Most reverse osmosis technology uses a process known as crossflow to allow the membrane to continually clean itself. As some of the fluid passes through the membrane the rest continues downstream, sweeping the rejected species away from the membrane, in concentrated brine reject water. The process of reverse osmosis requires a driving force to push the fluid through the membrane, and the most common force is pressure from a pump. The higher the pressure, the larger the driving force. As the concentration of the fluid being rejected increases, the driving force required to continue concentrating the fluid increases. Reverse osmosis is capable of rejecting bacteria, salts, sugars, proteins, particles, dyes, and other constituents that have a molecular weight of greater than 150-250 daltons. The separation of ions with reverse osmosis is aided by charged particles. This means that dissolved ions that carry a charge, such as salts, are more likely to be rejected by the membrane than those that are not charged, such as organics. The larger the charge and the larger the particle, the more likely it will be rejected.
What is an RO system? A typical system consists of:
What factors affect an RO system? Permeate flux and salt rejections are the key performance parameters of the reverse osmosis process. They are mainly influenced by variable parameters such as; pressure, temperature, recovery, and feed water salt concentration. Water Pressure—Increased feed water pressure will increase permeate flux and decrease the permeate TDS. With excessive pressure the membrane may become deformed or compacted and a decrease in product flow will result. Temperature—Increased temperature will increase permeate flux, which increases salt passage. It is also important to note that every unit is rated for a product flow temperature of 77‹F (25‹C). With a temperature decrease, the product flow will decrease. On average the membranes lose about 2% production for every degree below 77‹F. Recovery—The recovery is the ratio of the permeate flow to the feed flow. When recovery is increased, the permeate flux will decrease and the salt passage will increase. Feed water Concentration—Increased TDS or salt concentrations will decrease permeate flux and increase salt passage. This can also lead to surface coating or fouling by the salt.
How does an RO system know when to produce water? A standard RO System has a hydraulic on/off pressure valve which is controlled by source water pressure to send pre-filtered water to the membrane to make water for storage. When water pressure in the storage tank builds up to 90% of the incoming line pressure, the standard hydraulic on/off pressure valve shuts off the flow of water to the system, stopping treated water production. When you open the RO faucet, system pressure drops as treated water exits the tank. The standard hydraulic on/off pressure valve turns on when the tank pressure is less than the source water pressure and treated water is produced through the RO system. The cycle repeats itself.
What does a typical RO take out of water?
Reverse osmosis is sometimes referred to as ultra-filtration because it involves the movement of water through a membrane. The membrane has microscopic openings that allow water molecules, but not larger compounds, to pass through. RO membranes also have an electrical charge that helps in rejecting some chemicals at the membrane surface. Proper maintenance is essential to retain effectiveness over time. Some units are equipped with automatic membrane flushing systems to clean the membrane. The effectiveness of RO units is characterized by the rejection rate or rejection percentage. The rejection rate is the percent of a contaminant that does not move through, or is rejected by, the membrane. These rejection rates are for single contaminants under design conditions. Rejection rates need to be high enough to reduce the contaminant level in the untreated water to a safe level. To determine the needed rejection rate, it is necessary to consider the initial concentration. For example, if a water supply contains nitrates at a concentration of 20 milligrams per liter (mg/l), an RO unit rejecting at a rate of 85 percent, which means 15 percent remaining, would reduce the level to 3 mg/l (20 times 0.15 = 3).
Selecting a water treatment product Having your water tested will help you determine your exact needs, even though you may already know you have one or more water problems. In determining your needs, our water expert will look at a number of things. For example, the hardness level of the water and the size of your family will influence the size or type of equipment necessary for water softening. Additional problems may require additional equipment solutions. The same principles hold true for drinking water systems. Your water usage and pressure will both affect your equipment needs. The amount of water used as well as water pressure are factors to consider when fitting your home with a water quality improvement system. Household size may influence consumption, but different families have different needs. Every factor should be considered, including family growth and guest visits. Fixing your existing water problem is your primary goal, but don't be eager to settle for the least expensive solution. A higher-priced unit may serve your needs better by being more efficient and long lasting, and by reducing operating costs and maintenance time. Be sure, however, that you're getting your money's worth. Before you buy, we will give you a detailed estimate of equipment, installation, and operating costs. You should study these materials and ask any questions you may have. We want you to be familiar with your equipment, our services and your costs. Water conditioning equipment may qualify for financing under FHA Title 1 or private lending agreements. Check with your local bank or finance company for information. McCardel Culligan also offers special financing options. For questions regarding plumbing, or home renovation/construction, please check out the: Grand Traverse Home Builders Association
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