Spring 2012

Improving the Quality of Water with Water Softeners

Hard water is a persistent problem for millions of homeowners. Excess minerals from the water supply can be deposited in your pipes or come through your faucets and cause damage to your fixtures. Water softeners make it possible to remove the minerals in your tap water and ensure a nice even pH balance. Here are some ways that water softeners can increase the quality of your water.

Why You Need Water Softeners

When we say someone has hard water, we refer to the mineral content of that water – specifically calcium and magnesium (along with some other common ground water minerals). Hard water is anything rated at 7–10.5 grains per gallon of water (1 grain is 64.8 milligrams of calcium carbonate). If your water matches this definition, it can cause a number of problems for you.

First, it can create a scale buildup on your pipes and fixtures. Anything in your home that uses water regularly will develop this scale buildup, and while it is frustrating on a coffee pot or kettle it can be damaging if it builds up in your pipes. With time, scale build up can lead to clogged pipes, loss of heat or cracks in the pipes due to excessive pressure.

Another unfortunate side effect of hard water is that soap is less effective. It won’t lather properly and therefore won’t work as effectively in your dishwasher or for bathing.

What Water Softeners Do

The solution to these problems is a good water softener. Water softeners replace the calcium and magnesium ions clogging up your water with sodium, which doesn’t settle and therefore moves directly through pipes and fixtures. Before you worry about the addition of sodium to your water, know that most water softeners only add about 1.5 milligrams per ounce of sodium to your water – well below safe standards set by the Food and Drug Administration.

By removing the excess minerals from your water, you ensure that water will flow smoothly between the source and your fixtures. This reduces the risk of scale buildup in your pipes, damage to your fixtures, and possible issues with low pH balance.

Hard water doesn’t have to be a problem you must live with. If you are concerned about its effect on your home’s water supply, consider the benefits offered by modern water softeners. 

Relieving Allergies with Better Indoor Air Quality

Many people have allergies, especially in the spring when trees and flowers start to bloom.  But, if your allergies persist year round or if your home is prone to problems with ventilation, pet dander and hair, or moisture build up, then you may need a better indoor air quality system. Fortunately, there are a number of technologies available that make it possible to efficiently remove the vast majority of indoor air pollutants, thereby reducing the number of irritants making your allergies worse.

Common Indoor Air Pollutants

There are quite a few common indoor air pollutants that can make even relatively mild allergies worse. The most common air pollutants include:

• Pet Dander
• Pollen
• Mold
• Dust
• Smoke

These are all very common in most homes, even if you don’t have pets or plants to produce dander and pollen.  Why is this problem worse in recent years than in the past? Our parents and grandparents didn’t have indoor air quality systems after all and they were fine, right?

It has to do with how we seal our homes against heat and cooling loss. New insulation and building standards seal up homes so efficiently that air flow is disrupted, keeping contaminant laden air inside and fresh air outside. To offset this imbalance, we need technology to both clean and circulate air and keep it safe.

Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality

There are a number of technologies that immediately improve indoor air quality. The most common is filtration. Air filters are present on all of your major HVAC components – the furnace, air conditioner and air handler. However, additional highly efficient air filters, including HEPA filters, can be installed to work with your ductwork system.

UV germicidal lights can also be installed in your ductwork can help remove a number of unwanted pathogens as well, including bacteria and viruses that are circulated by your forced air system. Combined with higher MERV rated air filters and an electronic air cleaning system which can remove smaller particles like gas fumes and smoke, your indoor air quality system can immediately improve your allergies by removing the number of things you must breathe in each day.

If you are concerned about your overall health and are tired of dealing with allergies on a consistent basis, now is the time to take action. Give us a call to learn more about installing or expanding your indoor air quality system today.