Frequently Asked Questions
Water Conditioning FAQs
Hard Water
vs. Soft Water
What
is hard water?
According
to the U.S. Geologic Survey,
85 percent of the United
States has to cope with hard water,
which is water with excessive levels
of calcium and magnesium. While
hard water is not considered
to be unhealthy for people to drink,
it can be very unhealthy for household
plumbing, cleaning processes, and
water-using appliances. The phrase “Hard
Water” came
about because it was found to be
very hard to clean with.
What does
hard water scale do?
The
minerals in hard water gradually
settle out forming a hard scale.
Scale build up will eventually
clog pipes, and can decrease
the life of toilet flushing
units by
70 percent and water faucets
by 40 percent according to
a report
published by the American Water
Works Association (AWWA). Hardness
scale can also shorten the
life of washing equipment,
dishwashers,
and clothes washers by as much
as 30 percent according to
the AWWA report.
Scale also
tends to form on
the heating elements and heat
transfer
surfaces in these units, which
leads to a shortened operational
life and reduced efficiency.
Reports have shown that a water
heater’s
useful life can be reduced
by as much as 50 percent through
scale
build-up.
Why
does it feel like
I can’t
get the soap off my skin
when I bathe with soft water?
The squeaky clean feeling
that many people correlate
with
cleanliness is actually
the complete opposite.
That feeling typically
happens because there is
still soap
residue on your body that
is there because
of the reaction calcium
and magnesium have with
soap.
Your skin should
actually feel smooth and
slippery, the way skin
should naturally
feel when wet. You’ll
also notice that you require
much less shampoo
and soap in soft water
as apposed to hard water.
Your
hair will
also be free of soap residue
allowing
it to be more manageable.
Drinking
Water Systems
Is my water
safe to drink?
Congress
signed the Safe Drinking
Water Act into
law on December
16, 1974. It was designed
to protect groundwater
form contamination
by organic and inorganic
chemicals, radionuclides,
and microorganisms.
On a municipal water supply
the water is consistently
monitored to ensure that
it remains in
conformance
with all applicable standards.
On a private well, the
homeowner is responsible
for monitoring
the water quality. The
most common
test applied in this situation
is a coliform bacteria
test. Additional
testing could be considered
but would typically be
case specific.
Reverse Osmosis
Water
Reverse Osmosis Water
is a highly filtered water.
Many
of the total
dissolved solids, and minerals
are removed from the water.
The water is prefiltered
through a specially designed
sediment/carbon
block cartridge that removes
particles
such as silt, rust, and
scale down to 5 microns
(equal
to .0002
inch)
along with chlorine, taste,
and odors. Next, water
is forced through
a semipermeable membrane
removing many contaminates,
reducing
them so that the water
becomes cleaner.
The water then passes slowly
through a carbon filter
before entering
a storage tank. Upon demand,
the reverse osmosis water
passes through
a final carbon filter.
If
you’re accustomed
to drinking spring water
but are interested
in a reverse osmosis system
be sure to try reverse
osmosis water
before you make your final
decision. Call us and we’ll
recommend a bottled water
that accurately
represents what you can
expect from a reverse osmosis
drinking
water system.
What is the
maintenance on a Reverse
Osmosis System?
We recommend
that you change 3 out of
the 4 filters
once a year.
Every 5-7 years it is recommended
to change the membrane
of the system. A comparator
is integrated
into
the system to verify that
the TDS is being reduced
by at
least 75%.
Iron/Odor Problems
Why
does my water look clear
yet stain my fixtures
a rusty
orange
color?
There are different
types of iron found in
water
that cause
different
problems. Ferrous iron
is clear iron that may
have
an off taste
that will cause rust staining
when it has an opportunity
to come into
contact with oxygen. This
type of iron can sometimes
be filtered
through a water softener.
If the iron is above a
certain level, a softener
will not
be able to
accommodate excessive levels
of
iron. This level is determined
through a water analyisis.
Another type of iron found
in this area is ferric
iron. This
type
of iron has an orange appearance
and sometimes may also
be filtered through a water
softener if
the iron level is not excessive.
A
third type of iron staining
can result from an iron
reducing bacteria.
Although not a health concern,
iron bacteria can result
in staining and mechanical
problems
with
several appliances. This
type of contaminant
must be eliminated with
chlorine or other bactericidal
water
conditioning technologies.
When
dealing with a higher level
of iron, an iron
filter is required.
This piece of equipment
is installed prior to the
water
softener and
works independently of
the water softener. Guthrie & Frey
Water Conditioning installs
an iron filter
called the Iron Curtain.
It is designed to treat
the water
for
both iron and odor.
My water has
a terrible odor, similar
to rotten
eggs.
There
are two forms of sulfurs
that can appear
in water:
hydrogen sulfide gas, and
sulfate salt.
Hydrogen sulfide can have
a rotten egg smell & taste.
Hydrogen sulfide can also
be responsible
for tarnished silverware
and yellow or black stains
on kitchen
or bathroom
fixtures. Hydrogen sulfide
can also cause pipe corrosion.
Hydrogen
sulfide is corrected by
an oxidizing method
that will remove
contaminants from water
through a chemical reaction.
Aerating
is the process of exposing
water to
pure oxygen. The oxidation
process is designed to
convert the hydrogen
sulfide gas to a solid
that can be mechanically
removed.
The “Rotten
Egg” odor
can also be the result
of sulfur reducing bacteria.
(SRB’s)
Although they don’t
present a health risk,
SRB’s can
result in odor, staining, & mechanical
problems throughout the
plumbing and related appliances.
The most
common way to treat for
SRB’s
is with extended exposure
to bactericidal levels
of chlorine.
Particularly
different cases may require
pH adjustments and contact
times in
excess of 48 hours.
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Well
Pump FAQs
How often do I need to
test my water?
The Wisconsin
DNR recommends that private
wells be tested
annually for coliform bacteria
to ensure continued safe
drinking water. Your water
should also be tested if
you notice a change in
the taste or odor. Numerous
other contaminants can
be tested for, however,
coliform bacteria is the
most common.
What
do I do if I get
an “unsafe” water
sample?
Depending on the
degree of contamination,
there
are various levels of chlorinations
that can be done to attempt
to eliminate the bacteria.
These procedures range
from simply putting chlorine
tablets in the well, recirculating,
or a “mass” chlorination.
Should
I chlorinate my own well?
Guthrie & Frey,
Inc. recommends that if
an owner
is to chlorinate their
own well that they recognize
that chlorine is a highly
corrosive substance which,
if improperly introduced
into the well, can cause
serious and costly damage
to the well system, as
well as being a potentially
dangerous procedure. We
recommend that homeowners
have the well professionally
chlorinated the first time
in order to become familiar
with the proper procedure.
Where
is my pump?
Most modern
well pumps are located
in the well & when
replacement is necessary,
a mobile crane is used
if possible. Access to
the well with a truck-mounted
crane facilitates the replacement
of the pump when necessary.
What
should I do if I’m
out of water?
-
Check the
circuit breaker for the
well pump to determine
if adequate power is available
to run the pump.
-
Check pressure
gauge at tank to
see if there’s
pressure at the tank.
-
Check
to see if there’s
water at the boiler
drain (faucet) at
tank. If you
have water here,
you may have a restriction
in the
plumbing distribution
system (e.g. water
filtration
equipment).
How long does
a pump last?
The average
life span of a pump is
considered to
be 10-15 years.
I have no
water, is my well dry?
Low
pressure or loss of water
can be caused by
anything from water-saver
faucets to a mechanical
problem with the pumping
system to a well going
dry. It is uncommon/unlikely
that your well is actually
going dry. The cause
of water loss or pressure
loss in most cases is
a
mechanical or electrical
problem. In general,
ground water supplies in
this
area are plentiful.
Do I
need a vermin proof well
seal?
Since the early 1990’s,
the Wisconsin DNR has required
a vermin proof seal to
be on all new wells. When
properly installed, these
seals prevent insects from
entering your well. They
are a very good idea and
highly recommended.
Does
my pressure tank need to
be air-charged?
Some styles
of pressure tanks need
periodic air
charges to prevent “waterlogging.” Other types of tanks have
a permanent air charge,
and some tanks are air
charged from the well.
It is sometimes difficult
for a homeowner to know
which type of tank they
have. A qualified pump
installer can usually determine
this by a description over
the phone.
What do I do
if I have a leak in my
pressure tank?
Try to
determine that the leak
is, in fact,
at the
tank, and not from
another source such as
other
plumbing fixtures or
a leaky basement
wall. If the tank is
leaking, it should
be replaced as
soon as possible. If
the leak is severe,
the pump
can be shut off electrically,
and the tank drained
to minimize consequential
damage from the leakage.
(The tank will need
to be replaced immediately
in order to regain water.)
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