It’s no secret that what you consume affects your health. The most common ways that people take care of their health are usually through things like adopting a healthier diet or increasing physical activity and exercise. These lifestyle changes are beneficial to health, but what most people don’t know is that their surroundings could be affecting their health just as much as diet or exercise. Our homes and the contaminants that they carry could at times lead us to become ill.
One of the most common ways that your home could be affecting your health is through water. We shower, brush our teeth, cook, wash our hands, wash dishes, brew coffee, feed our pets and even drink as-is. The water in our homes isn’t always as safe as we may think it is. The reason being is that many contaminants and chemicals go undetected and end up in our homes’ water. These contaminants could even come from your pipes, faucets, or other equipment that water runs through. Here are a few ways that the water in your home could be detrimental to you and your family’s health and how you can prevent water contamination in your home.
Metal poisoning can be caused by the water in your home. Heavy metals are naturally occurring on earth, this means that they can easily seep into our groundwater. Drinking water that is contaminated with these heavy metals can cause major health problems if consumed in large quantities. The most common heavy metals include:
• Arsenic
• Lead
• Copper
• Iron
• Cadmium
• Mercury
• Zinc
Hard water with traces of these metals is common and normal. However in large amounts, tap water that is contaminated with these metals could cause metal poisoning. Symptoms of poisoning may vary based on the type of metal that an individual is exposed to, but may include nerve damage, diarrhea, memory loss, or muscle cramps.
The solution to avoid these issues in your home is to have a water analysis done. Total Mechanical Systems offers water treatment services which includes a free water analysis with your consultation. After a water analysis is done, our knowledgeable technicians can provide you with the right solution to improving the safety of your home’s water.
We offer many solutions to improve the water in your home including:
Water Softeners: A very common solution in Connecticut homes, these inexpensive units will help get rid of calcium and magnesium that make the water hard. Hard water typically reduces the effectiveness of soaps and detergents and can cause scale buildup in hot water pipes, water heaters, faucets and showerheads.
Iron Water Filters: If you only have high iron content in your water supply (orange staining and/or bad smell are the symptoms), this device will solve the problem. The above water softeners will also filter out iron and may make sense as a more comprehensive solution.
Reverse Osmosis Systems: If you’re specifically worried about the quality of the water you drink, bathe or cook with, an RO system makes sense. Installed directly to a cooking, bathing or drinking water lines, these systems will filter out approximately 90% of all mineral and biological contaminants such as fluoride, lead, chlorine, pesticides, sulfates and nitrates.
pH Neutralizers: Neutral water is important for the life of your entire plumbing system. High or low pH will cause corrosion and system failure over time. Additional problems, from acidic water specifically, are blue-green staining, dry hair/skin, and the leaching of lead into your water.
Well Water Treatment: There are many different treatment options for household wells. No single treatment type will protect against all problems. Many well owners use a home water treatment unit to improve taste or remove contaminants. A well water test is the place to start.
These are just a few of the many options that exist for treating or purifying your water. Give our Water Treatment pros at Total Mechanical Systems a call to learn more!
