Water is so common most of us hardly put any thought into it. If we are thirsty, we fill our glasses, when it is time to shower, we turn the knob. So how safe is the water you use everyday?
Suburban and city water is run by a metropolitan system, which means that the water is frequently tested and, if need be, treated. Hard water can still be a problem, but more on that later.
If your water is from a private well, that means that the water is not tested or treated. It also means that if you want to get the water treated, you will have to do so at your own expense. This can be costly, and most “we’ll test your water for free” ads come with a sales pitch and pricey filtering equipment. The best course of action, is to “find an independent testing company”.
Once you get the results back from the lab, your inspector will be capable of assisting you with the interpretation of the results.
Hard water is not necessarily contaminated water. It is a pain in the rump to tolerate, but in most cases is not dangerous. You can tell if your water is “hard” if there are calcium deposits and build ups around your faucets. It will dry out your skin and hair, and will probably taste terrible. A water softener (there are a wide variety of water softeners to choose from) is like most things nowadays, they are elaborate and expensive, or fairly cheap and easy, and everything in between. When shopping for a water softener, decide how much you want to spend, how long it takes to install (and if you need to hire a plumber to come out and do the job, or if the water softener company takes care of that for you), and then ask the same questions about the refills: how much is it and how difficult is it to install. Of course you will want to get quotes from several different companies, and ask around to see who your neighbors recommend. You will also want to ask about warranties- a sure way to save money and stress if your water softener breaks.
We use water all day every day, so water treatments and water quality testing may be a good investment for you depending on where you live and where your water comes from.
home-inspection
