Signs That Might Indicate You Have Poor Water Quality
Symptoms of Bad Water
Maintaining good water quality in your Sarasota, Florida, home is crucial for the whole family. Ingesting poor quality or contaminated water can lead to health issues such as nausea, cramping, and other stomach illnesses. Do you want to make sure your home doesn’t have poor water quality? Watch for the following signs.
Murky Water
Cloudy or murky water can signify higher levels of minerals. It’s normal to have some organic minerals in your water, but they should be kept within a certain range. Run the water for several minutes, and if the cloudiness doesn’t clear up, you should have your water checked to see how safe it is.
Chlorine Smell
Chlorine is a common additive to pool water to help destroy bacteria and keep the water sanitized. Likewise, your water treatment plant is likely to add small but safe amounts of chlorine to the tap water for the same bacteria-killing properties. The amount added will quickly dissipate in the supply, and you should not notice the smell. If the smell of chlorine is present, the water is not safe to consume.
You may also notice the presence of excess chlorine in the water due to eye and skin irritation when you bathe and shower. High levels of chlorine in laundry water can fade and damage clothes and linens during the wash.
Sulfur Smells
If you detect the smell of rotten eggs when you run your water, there is likely sulfur in your water supply. When your water contains any level of sulfur, it’s too dangerous to consume, and you should contact a plumber to inspect it immediately.
Tinted Water
Your water should always be clear, especially after running it for a few minutes. When it’s placed in a cup or glass, if you notice a tint or discoloration, it’s a sign of something in your water that isn’t safe to drink. It could be a result of an increased level of iron or manganese, or it could be rust from your water pipes that have come loose. It may also be an indication that you need to replace your old, corroded water heater. Discoloration has also been related to upstream pollutants from rain washed chemicals such as motor oil, pesticides, or agricultural runoff.
Oily Water
Another sign of poor water quality is an oily film that stands on top of your water, such as in the toilets or when you run a bath. This is an indication of grease or oil that has made its way into the system. Since oil and water don’t mix, you’ll notice that this substance will rise to the top.
Metallic or Bitter-Tasting Water
If you detect a metallic or bitter taste when you drink the water in your home, you should stop drinking and using the water immediately and contact a plumbing specialist. This taste is a sign of severe contamination in the water supply, and consumption of the water can result in severe illness.
Blue-Green Stains
When you have blue-green stains that are left in your tubs, showers, or sinks, it’s often an indication that there are elevated levels of copper in your water supply. When you consume copper in high levels, you can suffer from anemia, problems with digestion, and even possible liver and kidney damage.
Detergent Smell
The smell of detergent is a sign that there are disease-causing microorganisms in your water supply. This can be due to septic discharge that seeps into the water supply. Once this occurs, you are at risk for severe water-borne illnesses.
Low Water Pressure
If you notice that your faucets are running more slowly or you have less water pressure coming from your showerhead, it might be a signal that your pipes are clogged and corroded. Often, this clogging is caused by scale and sediment that has built up in your pipes over time. This sediment can begin to break off into the water, lowering the water quality.
Water purification systems can help fix many of the problems associated with poor water quality. If you detect any of these signs of poor water quality in your South Florida home, contact the water quality professionals at Arctic Air Home Services at (941) 283-7532 today.