Looking for a new home is always exciting, and thinking about a new location, better space, and other benefits of a new house can be fun. If you’ve finally found the one, then it’s time to have a home inspection done. It’ll tell you about the overall condition of your property, the condition of appliances & what responsibilities you’ll be taking on if you purchase it. While a professional home inspection is usually quite thorough, water testing may not always be a part of one. Some states don’t require an analysis of the water quality for real estate transactions, and others only need the bare minimum of testing for bacteria if the water is coming from a well. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have one completed by a water treatment professional.
Also, don’t let sitting back in your new recliner in front of the cozy new fireplace distract you from doing your due diligence before taking the leap. Having your new home’s water tested before purchasing is highly beneficial. You’ll learn how hard the water is, what other contaminants may be in your water and if there is any iron present, that’ll lead to hours spent scrubbing the rust stains from the sink.
Knowing what’s in your water will help you to evaluate any existing systems that may be installed in the home to make sure they are working correctly, or determine any water treatment equipment you may need to correct these issues.
Factors That Affect a Home’s Water Quality
Many variables can impact a home’s water quality. If the property comes with a private well, the condition of the water is ultimately the homeowner’s responsibility since it doesn’t pass through any sort of filtering as the city’s water does.
Wells must be maintained thoroughly, or you may be inviting a wide range of contaminants to enter your water supply through a crack or any other openings, from pests and rodents to harmful bacteria, viruses & pollutants.
If the home you’re thinking of buying uses municipal water, the water passes through filters at the city’s water plant. However, even city water collects a wide variety of contaminants while it travels to your home, including lead from any old plumbing infrastructure used throughout the town.
Moreover, cities may only filter out the issues that affect the health and safety of their residents with their water treatment process. The city water treatment plants do not remove hard water minerals, and while they might not hurt you and your family, they can damage some of those new water-using appliances you plan on purchasing for your modern home.
The geographic region where your home resides also impacts what’s in your water. Some regions have more hardness in the water, while other regions may contain higher levels of contaminants like lead, iron, or magnesium. Homes near airports and industrial areas could also have dangerous PFOA chemicals that get into wells or city water pipes.
The age of the home, along with the age & condition of any existing treatment equipment, can play a role in whether the water in your home is safe to drink or not. Maybe the home already has old water treatment equipment, but it’s not as effective as it should be. Make sure to check the condition of this equipment to understand if the previous homeowners had been keeping it maintained and how much life is left before you may need to replace it.
Use Water Test Results as your Budgeting Guide
You should have a thorough understanding of your home’s water condition. It’ll help you understand the options available to improve drinking water quality. Our qualified water treatment professionals at Lone Star Water Services can provide equipment recommendations and costs, which can be very helpful when budgeting for your new home.
Knowing the cost of water treatment equipment will work to your advantage when negotiating the value of the property with the seller. You can request the current homeowner to make upgrades, remedy any situations that may negatively impact your health, or you could always ask for a price reduction to help you cover the costs.
During the home inspection when buying a home, you’ll want to learn as much as possible about potential fixes and costs related to a home, so you don’t face any unexpected expenses after moving in. Water quality and equipment should be a part of those considerations.
An Investment That Pays for Itself
Installing water treatment equipment such as a water softener, Reverse Osmosis (RO) System, or UV filters, can be challenging for you. Still, Lone Star Water Services will handle it for you, and over time, it will save you money.
For instance, a water softener can eliminate hardness in the water that can inhibit the efficacy of soaps & other cleansers. With soft water, you use fewer cleaning products and detergent, saving you money. Soft water also reduces scale build-up in appliances such as water heaters, prolonging their lifespan. Eliminating hardness from your water is even better for fabrics so that clothing will stay in good condition longer.
With drinking water systems like reverse osmosis, you will probably never need to buy bottled water for your home again. And with an average cost of around $1.50 per bottle, the expense of using bottled water as your home’s drinking water will add up quickly, while putting more burden on you. A RO system will provide you the cleanest drinking water right on tap in your kitchen, eliminating unnecessary expenses, and it’s better for the environment.
Some More Considerations
Approximately 90% of Americans get their water from a public water supply. While some regions have clean and healthy drinking water, water in other regions leaves people’s skin and hair dry, tastes terrible, is full of contaminants, and can even smell bad.
Before considering any water purifiers or water softeners, you should know the quality of your water supply. You can detect odor and hardness problems through simple observation. Detection of bacteria, potentially toxic substances, and other contaminants will require laboratory-conducted tests.
If the water in your area has any undesirable qualities, the problem can often be solved by replacing or repairing the existing water system or treating the home water supply.
Locating a safe water supply is generally the best solution for combating a health risk. When persistently contaminated water makes the water unusable or poses a health threat, consider the following options – correct good construction faults, eliminate sources of contamination, call us to install a new water filtration system, or connect to a public water supply.
After considering all of the options, a home water treatment system like Reverse Osmosis Systems or UV Sterilization will be the most economical choice. Unfortunately, filtering your household water is more of a necessity than an opportunity these days. Before you call us to install your first house water filtration system, here are a few things to consider:
1. Water Purity
Many water filtering systems are geared to eliminate specific types of impurities. To make sure you are getting the right one for your home, first, you’ll need to identify which impurities exist & which systems are perfect to meet your needs.
You’ll also need to get your water professionally tested. For that, it is wise to contact a professional to find out what contaminants are typically found in the water in your area.
2. Chemicals in the Water
If there are chemical contaminants or other impurities in the water, then you may need a granular activated carbon filter. This type of filter is highly effective in removing chlorine, which is the most commonly found chemical in municipal water.
3. Sediment Levels
If the sediment levels in your water supply are high, you’ll need to invest in a whole house sediment filter.
4. Flow Rate
Ensure the system you buy matches the flow rate in your house. The most efficient water filtration systems have a minimum flow rate of 7 gallons per minute.
It’s Never Late to Have Quality Water
Suppose you’ve already purchased a home and have discovered that the water is less than ideal. Treating the water is a vital step to take at any point in your residency. Try analyzing your home improvement budget and remember prioritizing water quality to help make your life more comfortable.
After all, water is something that can save you money; it’s not just an aesthetic or functional part of your home. And, more importantly, it can have a direct effect on the health of your family.
Whether you’re considering buying a home or have already purchased one worried about the quality of your water, well, don’t you worry. Connect with Lone Star Water Services in Austin and the Central Texas area. We’ll recommend which Water Treatment System to buy.
We are renowned for our Plumbing Services and Water Heater, Water softeners, sales, and services, especially installation. So, if you have decided on a Water Filter system for your new home, call us; we at Lone Star Water Services will take care of everything for you regarding the safety of your drinking water.
