Choosing The Right Water Treatment - Where To Start?

Obviously this is the most often asked question we get. Most people already know if they need some type of water treatment. They will have something wrong with their water that they do not like. They are most likely concerned that it could cause health problems and want to take care of it. There could be undesireable odors or stains as well. Nobody wants to have to deal with the mineral buildup or stains on their bathroom fixtures and such. While there are some really great specialized cleaners out there for these types of problems, most people realize it's best to take care of the problem at the source. And because most wells are expensive and it is nearly impossible to deal with a water municipality on mineral content of your water, a Point-Of-Entry (POE) seems like the best place to start.

The first requirement to identifying what is wrong with your water is through some sort of water test/evaluation. Not only will these tests tell you what is in the water but they will also tell you how much of what is in the water. This is very important for treating common water problems. It's fairly easy to detect an odor in your water, but to treat it properly, you need to know how much.

Water testing kits are readily available online or even at the local hardware store, pool and supply shop or at home improvement stores. Either way, make sure you get the kit with the most tests available so that you may have a complete overview of what is in your water.

An even better way of testing your water is by contacting a local laboratory that specializes in water testing. Most local governments require new wells to be tested before they'll sign off on the well's potability. While these labs can cost considerably more than a simple do-it-yourself test kit, the results and especially the amounts are more accurate.

Once you know what is in your water, it's time to find a solution to treating it. If there are dangerous or unacceptable levels of undesireables in your water such as lead, you should probably concentrate on treating that first. The secondary concern should be the undesireables that were mentioned above such as staining minerals or odors. There are two good ways to determine your best treatment method. One is to contact a professional with your water test results and concerns. The other is to research yourself. If you're reading this article, then you are a do-it-yourself researcher and while it can be more difficult that calling someone about treatment solutions, you will be rewarded by the fact that you will become educated in water treatment methods and solutions.

There are some misleading claims out there about water treatment but if you avoid product specific hype, you'll find that "the truth is out there". While this may well be a commercial site, we also take pride in our information services as well which we keep seperate from our product pages. Some of our competitors feel the same way and their web sites can contain a great deal of specific information related to your water treatment solutions. It is also wise to look at non-commercial sites and any web address (URL) that ends in .edu. They are normally focused on facts instead of hype.

Keep an open mind. Often times there is more than one solution to specific water problems. Take bacterial iron for example. You can remove the iron that the bacteria feeds off from or you can kill the bacteria with UV light or you can even destroy the bacteria and oxidize the iron at the same time with chlorine. There are many possibilities and you need to find the one (or more) that work for you. I am always suprised at the number of customers that want a water softener so that they can make their water safer to drink. While a water softener does solve a great deal of common water problems, unless you have radium in your water, a softener will not make your water any safer to drink. It will not make it any less healthy either. Note: Radium can be completely removed with a standard water softener.

One you've found common treatment methods for the undesireables in your water, it's time to shop around for the best equipment, prices, warranties and service. So be sure you come back here!