Water Problems In The Home.
Does your water have a gross egg smell, a metallic taste, or particles floating in it? These problems and more can all affect your water supply. Sometimes it’s an easy fix, but sometimes your water system may need extra filtration, new appliances, or even a whole new plumbing system. In this article, we tell you about Edmonton’s common water problems and what to do about them.
1. Iron in the water
Iron is one of the minerals commonly found in water. It occurs naturally in the ground and can seep into your water supply, especially if you take water directly from the ground. A lot of homes outside of cities get their water from wells, so it’s common to hear complaints about rusty-looking water.
If you don’t have well water, you could be seeing rusty water because of corrosion in your pipes or your hot water tank.
Iron in the water won’t kill you. Usually, it’s safe to drink, but it could have a strong sulphur smell and look dirty. A lot of people use their well water for washing but buy bottled water for drinking. It’s a smart idea to filter the iron out because excess iron can cause clogs in your plumbing and it can stain your tubs, washing machines, dishes, clothes, etc.
It will even affect your cooking, giving food a metallic taste and making them look dark and unappealing.
A water softener will remove some iron (around 3g/L) from the water, but it’s not a filtration system. The iron that is removed from the water ends up at the bottom of the tank. Air injection systems are the most effective and there are many homes in Alberta that use them. They can remove up to 30g/L of iron.
If you think you have high levels of iron in your water, you might be interested in The Government of Alberta’s article, “Alternatives for Iron Removal.”
2. Hydrogen Sulfide in the Water Causes an Eggy Smell
Do you have black water coming out of your taps? No, it’s not the apocalypse. It’s hydrogen sulphide (H2S). And at low concentrations, it gives water a strong rotten egg smell. As with iron, H2S usually isn’t in high enough concentrations to create any health problems, but no one wants to suffer through foul water.
There are quite a few methods for removing H2S from water and all of them involve changing dissolved H2S into a solid using chemicals, storing the water while the chemicals work their magic, and then filtering to collect the solid H2S particles.
You can read about them in the Government of Alberta’s article, “Removing Hydrogen Sulfide Gas from Water.”
3. Cloudy Water When it’s Fresh from the Tap
Do you ever fill up a glass of water straight from the tap and notice it’s incredibly cloudy? You think, “Ewwwww! Why does my water look like that?” You wonder if you had milk in that glass that you forgot to rinse out.
Well, surprise! Edmonton’s sometimes cloudy water has nothing to do with your plumbing or the quality of your water. It’s caused by millions of tiny air bubbles. You’ll notice that if you let the glass sit for a few minutes, the water will clear from the top down. That’s the bubbles floating to the top and popping.
Cold water tends to be cloudier than warm water, so you’ll notice a difference in cloudiness throughout the year.
4. You Have Hard Water
You won’t smell anything in particular when you have hard water, and the water will look normal. You’ll notice that something’s wrong with the water when you have a look at your pipes and fixtures. Hot water heaters and washing machines are particularly prone to clogs and corrosion caused by hard water because they are constantly exposed to it.
Hard water leaves a buildup of white, yellow, or beige particles that can turn into a flaky crust if left for a long time. Crusty buildup on the outside means the inside of your pipes and appliances are probably affected ten times worse.
If you notice that your dishes aren’t coming clean, your clothes are stiff and dingy, and your skin doesn’t feel clean after a shower, your home would benefit from a water softener. Need more convincing? Read Top 5 Reasons Why Water Softeners are Good for Your Home
5. Grey or White Particles in your Water
There are a couple of reasons why you see tiny grey or white particles in your water and they’re both caused by your hot water heater. If the particles float, your water heater’s dip tube is probably disintegrating, and you need to call a plumber.
If the particles sink, you probably have a buildup of calcium carbonate in your water tank and it needs to be flushed and given some routine maintenance.
Call Kingstree Plumbing for Help with Your Water Problems
Kingstree Plumbing can help you with any of your water problems. We can replace your hot water tank if the corrosion has taken over. We can also recommend and install a water softener if hardness is causing problems for you. Whatever the problem, we can diagnose it and suggest solutions so you can enjoy clean, clear water in your home or business.
Looking for a plumbing repair service near you?
Check out Kingstree Plumbing! We provide residential and commercial plumbing services, including plumbing repair, installation, water softeners, water heaters, gas fittings, sump pumps, humidifiers, and whole-house repiping.
It’s our goal to ensure you have an operational plumbing system you can always rely on, regardless of the issues you may experience.
Our professional plumbers offer only quality services to you, helping you keep your plumbing systems in good operating condition with efficient repairs and replacements when necessary.
Fill out our contact form for regular services and more information, or call 780-695-2792 for emergency services.
