Pro H2O’s Squidoo Lens

It offers great insight to the people of the business and their passion for the industry.

water softeners | Inverness FL | water filtration

Water quality is a term used to describe the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water, usually in respect to its suitability for a particular purpose. Although scientific measurements are used to define a water’s quality, it’s not a simple thing to say that “this water is good,” or “this water is bad.” After all, water that is perfectly good to wash a car with may not be good enough to serve as drinking water at a dinner party for the President! When the average person asks about water quality, they probably want to know if the water is good enough to use at home, to play in, to serve in a restaurant, etc., or if the quality of our natural waters are suitable for aquatic plants and animals.

As the diagram below shows, assessment of the occurrence of chemicals that can harm water quality, such as nutrients and pesticides in water resources, requires recognition of complicated interconnections among surface water and ground water, atmospheric contributions, natural landscape features, human activities, and aquatic health. The vulnerability of surface water and ground water to degradation depends on a combination of natural landscape features, such as geology, topography, and soils; climate and atmospheric contributions; and human activities related to different land uses and land-management practices.

More and more nowadays we are hearing about situations where the quality of our water is not good enough for normal uses. Bacteria and microorganisms have gotten into drinking-water supplies, sometimes causing severe illness in a town; chemical pollutants have been detected in streams, endangering plant and animal life; sewage spills have occurred, forcing people to boil their drinking water; pesticides and other chemicals have seeped into the ground and have harmed the water in aquifers; and, runoff containing pollutants from roads and parking lots have affected the water quality of urban streams.

Yes, water quality has become a very big issue today, partly because of the tremendous growth of the Nation’s population and urban expansion and development. Rural areas can also contribute to water-quality problems. Medium- to large-scale agricultural operations can generate in animal feed, purchased fertilizer, and manure, more nitrogen and phosphorus than can be used by crops or animals. These excess nutrients have the potential to degrade water quality if incorporated into runoff from farms into streams and lakes All this growth puts great stress on the natural water resources, and, if we are not diligent, the quality of our waters will suffer.

Check with your local water specialists about having your water tested for contaminants. This will often be cheaper and more accurate than buying your own water test kit and mailing it away to a laboratory. Some specialists even offer this service for free.

The article above has been provided by U.S. Geological Survey. Opinions and views expressed are those of USGS and not Pro H2O. Free water analysis available to residents of Citrus County, Hernando County, Sumter County and Marion County in Florida by appointment or in-store through Pro H2O.

So essentially, a whole house system filters every drop of water that you use inside and outside of your house.

Some people move into a house and don’t even realize what those cylindrical towers are connected to their piping. This is troublesome for the simple fact that these systems typically need regular maintenance to not only continue purifying the water but also to avoid clogging up or breaking down. Most whole house water filters are cylindrical towers that connect to piping and force water through high micron fibers, sediment-reducing membranes, and houses activated carbon and resins which pull away:

• Microscopic sediments
• Chlorine
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Volatile organic compounds
• Odors
• Cloudy or unsightly tint

Let’s quickly discuss the pros and cons of a whole house water filter:

Pros

• Has a larger treatment area with multiple stages of mechanical (floss, membranes, fibers, etc) and chemical (carbon, resins) filtration
• Treats water from your faucets to your shower to the water coming from your outdoor hose for your trees and gardens
• Acts as a mini treatment plant in your home and is ideal as a first stage of filtration if you use secondary countertop or faucet adapter filter units

Cons

• Difficult to install (requires plumbing tools and a fair amount of plumbing skill)
• Positioning the units for easy maintenance access may complicate installation procedure and needs to be carefully planned ahead of time
• May waste filtration on outdoor water usage (though plants do benefit from unchlorinated water)

A couple other things to note:

After installation it may take two weeks or more for the sediment and unfiltered water in your piping system to flush out completely. Don’t automatically assume you need a secondary point-of-use system until you have given adequate time for the flushing to take place. A knowledgeable professional will not the difference as what matters is that the new water coming through is free of the contaminants it previously had.

It is not recommended to install your own filtration system though the entire units can be purchased through retail. Instead, it is suggested to deal with a local licensed professional who offers units with manufacturer warranties and monthly maintenance plans if desired.

This article has been provided by Pro H2O in Florida servicing Citrus County, Sumter County, Hernando County and Marion County. They are licensed professionals who specialize in water softeners, iron filters, chlorination and reverse osmosis systems for whole house or point-of-use systems. Free water analysis available to local residents or in-store by appointment.

What is hard water?

How does it affect you? And what are the benefits to purchasing one of these systems and installing it in your home?

If you are not familiar with the term “hard water,” it seems difficult to grasp since when we think of water we would never refer to it as “hard”. You most likely won’t FEEL a difference but hard water contains more minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron than ordinary water. The degree of hardness is measured by the level of concentration of these minerals that dissolve in the water. Because these minerals are positively charged ions, other positively charged ions will have a more difficult time dissolving. For example, ordinary soap will not dissolve as well in hard water as it would in water that does not contain such a concentrated amount of calcium and magnesium.

At a quick glance, you wouldn’t expect this to be as menacing as it really is. Other than soap and detergent’s difficulty dissolving in hard water, it can also cause build up on pipes and eventually result in clogging. Hard water can also cause lime scale deposits to form in your household water system. When the pipes are blocked by this buildup, the efficiency of your hot water heater and tanks is reduced, increasing the cost of residential and commercial water heating by up to twenty percent. Lime scale can also have harmful effects on your household appliances. Softening your water will increase the life span of appliances like laundry machines and dish washers and expand the life span of pipelines.

Does hard water have any effects on the human body?

Hard water makes it much more difficult for your skin to absorb the moisture it needs to appear healthy. Although you may use moisturizing shower gel and pricey facial remedies, hard water will be fighting against you the whole way leaving your skin persistently dry, no matter what you do. The buildup of these minerals on your skin can also block the flow of natural oils through your skin causing breakouts, acne, rosacea, and even inflammation. The use of hard water on the skin has also been found to affect the body’s natural cooling system – sweat.  This can lead to increased blood flow and higher body temperature during times of physical activity.

What do water softeners do?

Water softeners are the solution to saving on repair costs and maximizing the efficiency of your home. They are designed to remove those positively charged ions (the calcium and magnesium that we talked about earlier). The damaging minerals will accumulate in a conditioning tank and be drained out periodically, thus saving them from terrorizing your hot water heater, laundry machine, and piping system. This will save you on not only water heating bills, but on replacing costly appliances and piping ruined by hard water. 

Water softeners can last for decades and are extremely beneficial to your body, appliances, and wallet.

It is recommended you have your water tested and your softening equipment installed by licensed professionals. Free information about your water supply can be retrieved from your local Health Department. If you are on a well supply, you can get a detailed water analysis from your local water purification specialist.

This article has been provided by Pro H2O in Inverness Florida – licensed professionals who specialize in water softeners, iron filters, chlorination and reverse osmosis systems for whole house or point-of-use systems. Free water analysis available to local residents or in-store by appointment.

Building a new house and need a water softener?

Pro H2O is here to help. We service much of Central Florida, but also provide retail service nationwide and want to give you the best price on your next water softener purchase.

We started our business to provide knowledgeable help and eliminate the frustration of trying to find someone who knows what their talking about. You will from here on be dealing only with professionals.

That’s the Pro H2O difference.