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2014-06-02T15:00:00.05Z
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https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23655-nitrate-solution-in-hilbert.html
Nitrate Solution in Hilbert
2023-12-19T20:23:06.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p class="MsoNormal">To be on the safe side a reverse osmosis system was installed. Reverse osmosis and under ideal conditions will reduce nitrate levels by 77%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The family in this home also goes through a lot of drinking water, so a larger storage tank was installed as well. This will increase their drinking water storage from about 1 gallon to 5 gallons. The RO filters and tank were installed in the basement, keeping space under the sink for important storage and to make filter changes easier.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In Wisconsin the DNR recommends getting your private well water tested annual for health and safety. Those who do sometimes discover that their water, though technically safe, has water conditions that are not ideal for those who have particular health conditions. This customer had a specific condition that made their immune system weaker than the average person. They had their well tested and the results came back with nitrate levels that were close, but not above the EPA recommended level.</p>
2023-12-19T20:23:06.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23482-proper-reverse-osmosis-treatment-in-neenah.html
Proper Reverse Osmosis Treatment in Neenah
2023-11-07T14:52:25.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p class="MsoNormal">The Clean Water Center’s Ultro Water system is NSF 58 certified, and after installation we took a post RO water sample to a lab to make sure the arsenic was the type that is treatable and didn’t need additional equipment. The results came back good so no more work was required. Now the water is safe to drink, and the homeowner can have peace of mind.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Not all reverse osmosis systems are created equal. When treating specific water contaminants homeowners will need specific certifications so that they can be sure that contaminant is being treated correctly. This customer had an RO that was not certified to treat arsenic and needed an NSF 58 certified system, also there are two different types of arsenic and RO systems are only capable of treating one on its own.</p>
2023-11-07T14:52:25.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23450-high-iron-in-kaukauna.html
High Iron in Kaukauna
2023-10-30T11:43:21.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p class="MsoNormal">Instead of just a water softener, the suggestion was to treat the iron and the water hardness separately. This gives a more consistent treatment of the iron and makes the softener much more salt efficient, only using about a third of the old system. This should also make the softener age much slower so it will not have to be replaced as quickly. These systems, the EVR and EVBF, are also eligible for our optional maintenance plan, meaning they get annual preventative maintenance, annual salt delivery and a lifetime warranty of the system.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Years ago, this customer got a single large softener to treat the water in their home. However, this customer had high iron, which would occasionally break through and cause staining. The softener also regenerated nearly every other day and uses near 25 pounds of salt each time. This homeowner needed salt deliveries multiple times per year and needed a special rust reducing salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all this time it was working less and less, so they decided to call Clean Water Center and discuss replacement.</p>
2023-10-30T11:43:21.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23416-bad-odor-in-a-new-menasha-wi-home.html
Bad Odor in a New Menasha, WI Home
2023-10-17T10:34:39.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>When customers move, it is nice to hear that they want us to come out and supply water treatment solutions to their new address. They called Clean Water Center, and a Project Coordinator was sent out to do a water test. The customer had concerns of bad odor, and test results showed high sulfur. The customer was advised that service would be required to keep up with the amount of sulfur and that regular visits are highly recommended. The mineral in sulfur filters needs to be replaced over time to keep the filter functional and lengthen its lifespan. The customer also wanted a reverse osmosis system for drinking water and a water softener. We installed an ES-1054 model water softener and an EVS-1354 sulfur filter. We also plan on installing an Ultro Water RO system once the kitchen sink and counters are in and refrigerator is installed.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our customer moved into a new home and was concerned about protecting a lot of the renovations they were doing as well as protecting their family. They also immediately noticed a strong odor any time they used the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This particular customer had worked with us in the past at their previous address, so they already knew what solutions we had and what they wanted.</p>
2023-10-17T10:34:39.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23357-lead-reduction-in-larsen.html
Lead Reduction in Larsen
2023-09-28T16:08:36.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">A project Coordinator came out to the home and discussed the option of installing a ONE filter. The One filter is a 40in floor standing cartridge filter and when paired with our lead and cyst carbon filter all the water in the home is now lead free. The filter is rated for 50,000 gallons and now they don’t have to dig up the yard, or possibly even drill a completely new well.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A customer in Larsen was selling their home, during an inspection they discovered there was lead in the water. After replacing a lot of the plumbing in the home from galvanized to copper they still had unsafe levels of lead. Instead of digging up all the plumbing from the well to the home, which if the well is cased in lead, may still not solve the problem, they called Clean Water Center to see if we could help.</p>
2023-09-28T16:08:36.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23311-bio-film-in-neenah-wi.html
Bio film in Neenah, WI
2023-09-13T16:30:31.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>After some tests of the water we found a lot of iron and a heavy amount of iron bacteria. The iron bacteria will cause the bad odor on the hot water and leave a slimy film left behind. Removing the bacteria requires some sort of chemical injection, we recommend a hydrogen peroxide injection. The hydrogen peroxide will disinfect the water all the time then breaks down into water so its tasteless and odorless. </p>
<p>We had a customer who build a work shop that ran on well water. After a couple months using the water they noticed iron stains and a bad smell on the hot water. With using the water to wash off cars, boats and other equipment they did not want to ruin anything they where cleaning. </p>
2023-09-13T16:30:31.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23307-iron-filter-leaking-in-richfield.html
Iron Filter Leaking in Richfield
2023-09-12T14:16:37.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>We were able to send out our technician John within just a few hours of them giving us a call. John went out and quickly determined that the iron filter was plugged up and due for a re-bed. John and Sam were able to come back out that same afternoon and re-bed the unit. Since they were there, they also looked over the softener and changed some of the essential annual parts to keep their equipment working efficiently!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We followed up with them a couple of days later and they were very happy with our services, and their equipment is still working well. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>These customers in Richfield have two of our impression units; an IMP-948 softener and an IMPB-1248 iron filter. This particular morning, we received a call from them stating that one of their units was squealing and spraying water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eager to help them out as soon as possible, we were quick to respond! In the first instance our customer service representative was able to talk the customer through putting the units into bypass temporarily to prevent any more damage. Then we turned our attention to scheduling them an appointment to find a long term solution to the problem...</p>
<p> </p>
2023-09-12T14:16:37.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23295-crawl-spaces-confined-spaces-in-oconto.html
Crawl Spaces & Confined Spaces in Oconto
2023-09-06T15:37:43.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Just above where the pressure tank was in the crawl space was the laundry closet. A counter could be moved from the closet to make a 2.5ftx3ft floor space, 3 3/4in holes had to be drilled in the floor behind the equipment, one for the water intake, another for the outgoing and a final for the drain line. Both the softener and iron filter were pushed against the wall as far as possible, and the brine tank was placed and filled directly in front of the two tanks. This solution does come with its own challenges. Iron filters can be noisy and having it on the main floor not far from the main bedroom is not the most ideal, but they closet door still closes properly and they don’t have to crawl into a crawl space of venture out to the garage to fill salt or investigate if there ever was a problem. Now they have odor free, iron free, soft water to use in their home.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A lot of waterfront property can have a lot of challenges that come with water treatment. Lot sizes tend to be smaller, and the houses on those lots use all the space they possibly can. This particular home had a crawl space, not tall enough for a hot water heater or any other home equipment. Just enough room for a well pressure tank, the plumbing, and the HVAC. The project coordinator and homeowner then have to brainstorm on where in the home is best to put their water treatment equipment. To add to the challenge the water had to much iron and odor for a softener or conditioner to handle on their own. For good, usable, working grade water we needed to add an iron filter to a softener and still have room for the brine tank. The first option was to install in the garage, there was a space that seemed quite unusable for the homeowner; however, the garage wasn’t heated, and the project coordinator was worried about freezing.</p>
2023-09-06T15:37:43.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/23268-diy-iron-removal-in-shiocton.html
DIY Iron Removal in Shiocton
2023-08-29T16:29:16.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Jason decided the home needed professional help and called Clean Water Center. Our office scheduled a no cost, no obligation consultation with him. Our Project Coordinator discussed with him that a fresh start would be the best way to solve the problem outright with a new air charge regenerating iron filter, instead of the inline filters and a new, professional grade water softener instead of the big box store piece he got with the house. This way all the equipment is easy to maintenance, expected to last longer, and will actually handle all the iron in the water for years to come. Jason also added our annual maintenance plan which means we will be out once a year to check up on equipment, deliver salt test the water. He also has a lifetime warranty with the maintenance plan, so if there is ever any issue, he is covered at no extra cost.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jason in Shiocton bought a home which had a significant amount of iron dissolved in their well water. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first the customer thought the existing water softener was not working properly and tried to fix it by adding resin cleaners to the salt, but it wasn’t enough. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then added a spin down sediment filter and 3 iron reducing 20in inline filters in series to try and reduce the iron build up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This helped a little but still was not enough to rid the home of rust colored staining on the water fixtures and appliances. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
2023-08-29T16:29:16.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/22994-remodeling-a-home-in-green-bay.html
Remodeling a Home in Green Bay
2023-06-28T16:14:20.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>Because all the cabinets in the kitchen were being redone, and the ceiling in the basement wasn’t finished it makes it super easy for new line for water treatment to get run and then ridden when the remodel is finished. They also put both pieces on our optional Maintenance Plan, so Clean Water Center will be out once a year to check on equipment, replace filter, deliver salt, and test water. The plan also extends the warranty to lifetime parts and labor for an annual fee. Now Mark doesn’t have to worry about water treatment in his home ever again.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mark and his wife were doing some home renovations with a home they just bought. They were ripping up the basement and kitchen and thought solving their soap scum problem while they were at it would be a good idea. They called Clean Water Center, and a Project Coordinator was sent to the home. After investigating their water conditions, the Project Coordinator suggested replacement of the over 20-year-old softener. After Discussing the options Mark Decided on an EVR-1044U to soften the entire homes water. The EVR is the most advanced piece of residential water treatment Clean Water Center has, optional WI-FI connectivity, remote monitoring, self-cleaning, and water and salt efficiency programing. He also added a Reverse Osmosis system for drinking water giving the home better than bottled water for cooking and drinking right from a tap at the kitchen sink, but also out of the refrigerator’s water dispenser. </p>
2023-06-28T16:14:20.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/22883-high-arsenic-in-winneconne.html
High Arsenic in Winneconne
2023-06-13T15:45:42.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>The customer wanted to eliminate the arsenic issue so we sent out a project coordinator too see what the best options would be. We found the Ultro flo RO the best option for them, this is a state certified reverse osmosis system to remove arsenic from the water. The customer agreed and after a quick and clean install the customer has safe drinking water in the home! </p>
<p>We had a current customer of ours who decided to test there well water for arsenic. The home owner had lived in the home for many years had just wanted to test the water to make sure it was ok. After testing we found 16ppb, this is 6ppb over the EPA suggested limit. </p>
2023-06-13T15:45:42.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/22814-kaukauna-city-water.html
Kaukauna City Water
2023-06-05T12:17:56.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>With Kaukauna area water we usually start by telling the customer that their softener is going to be larger than what us usually expected for a family of their size, given how hard the water is. After verifying the conditions at the home and discussing the different models the homeowners decided on the EVRS-1054. We also hedge expectations with Kaukauna water, with treatment comes salt usage, and with more hardness comes more salt needed for treatment. Thankfully, for them, with just the two of them for now they did not need anything to large to handle the home. Now we can protect their appliances from hard water and make them last a lot longer.</p>
<p>Kaukauna area wells have particularly hard water. Kaukauna city water suffers from the same problem. This couple just moved into a newly built home and very quickly realized something was different with the water compared to where they were from. Hard water build up can happen very quickly with these water conditions and could very well cause damage to water using appliances. For a lot of people our major appliances like our refrigerator or our laundry machines are some of the more expensive things in our home.</p>
2023-06-05T12:17:56.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/44145-is-there-sodium-in-soft-water-and-is-it-safe-to-drink.html
Is There Sodium in Soft Water and Is It Safe to Drink?
2023-05-31T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
There are no hard questions when it comes to soft water. A water softener can solve a range of hard water problems that are uncomfortable for you and expensive for your "home health." But what about soft water and your personal health? Is soft water safe to drink?
<p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0in; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: normal; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: black;"><img style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in 0s;" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/cms_images/2393/march-2022-header-image_1649961862.jpg" alt="Pouring Salt Into Brine Tank" width="640" height="332" /></span></p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> </p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">There are no <em style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit;">hard questions </em>when it comes to <em style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit;">soft water</em>.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Water is considered “hard” when it has a high mineral content, including dissolved calcium and magnesium. These minerals can dry out your skin and hair. Plus, they can build up inside appliances like washing machines and ice makers – shortening the life of your household investments. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />A water softener can solve a range of <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/33049-6-warning-signs-of-hard-water-in-the-home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hard water problems</a> that are uncomfortable for you and expensive for your “home health.” But what about soft water and your personal health? Is soft water safe to drink?<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />You bet it is!</p>
<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px; color: #e9a13f; font-family: var(--main-font-family); font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 23px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Is There Sodium in Soft Water?</h2>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Occasionally, we hear from people who are concerned that a water softener will increase the amount of sodium in their water. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Water softeners do add a small amount of sodium to your water—but not salt. (Read more about <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/41042-why-do-water-softeners-need-salt-to-work.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">why water softeners need salt to work</a>.) <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Just <em style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit;">how much</em> sodium depends on how hard your water is to begin with. The harder your water, the more sodium is released because it’s basically a one-to-one exchange. But even in the worst hard water situations, the added amount would be very small in comparison to many other things we encounter in day to day life.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit;">Let’s run some numbers.</strong> Let’s say you have hard water – measuring more than 15 “grains per gallon.” A water softener will release about 448 milligrams of sodium per gallon of water during the softening process. That means installing a water softener will add about 28 milligrams of sodium to each 8 oz. cup of water you drink. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; text-align: center;">(448 mg of sodium per gallon = 28 mg of sodium per cup)<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit;">Now let’s put that in perspective.</strong> A cup of milk contains 122 milligrams of sodium. That’s more than 4x the sodium in a cup of softened water. Even a plain egg contains about 59 milligrams of sodium, still 2x as much as the cup of softened water in our example.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />To be clear, water does contain some sodium naturally - 9.4 mg per cup, on average, <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173647/nutrients" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the USDA</a>. So using a water softener will increase those sodium levels a little.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />But overall, the sodium in soft water doesn’t even come close to the amount of sodium in many of the foods we eat every day. You get far more sodium in your diet from bread, dairy products, snacks, and other common foods.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><img style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in 0s;" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/sodiumev_1649968233.png" alt="Sodium in softened water" width="446" height="480" /></p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> </p>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><img style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in 0s;" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/sodiumev2_1649968269.png" alt="Sodium in Every Day Foods" width="338" height="480" /></p>
<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px; color: #e9a13f; font-family: var(--main-font-family); font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 23px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Will a Water Softener Remove Healthy Minerals from My Water?</h2>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It is a water softener’s job to remove calcium and magnesium from your water to protect your home, hair, and skin from taking damage. Some people worry that they’ll miss out on important nutrients if the water they’re drinking no longer has these minerals. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Here’s the thing – the calcium and magnesium in your water are inorganic minerals that come from the bedrock of the Earth. It’s difficult for your body to absorb and process these minerals directly from your drinking water because they are the wrong kind.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />But when calcium and magnesium are processed through plants (think veggies and grains), they transform into an organic state that’s easier for your body to access.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />So when it comes to getting essential minerals in your diet, drinking hard water won’t do much good. (But eating your greens will.) </p>
<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px; color: #e9a13f; font-family: var(--main-font-family); font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 23px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Your Health Concerns and Soft Water</h2>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It’s natural to have concerns about how your home’s water system could affect your health. We agree the water you drink should be the very best kind! <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />The good news is that the process used by our Evolve Series water softeners has very little effect on any health concerns you may have. Any extra sodium in soft water would fall well below the levels considered harmful. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />If you have a health condition that could be worsened by increased sodium, talk with your doctor. If your doctor does express concern, you can still enjoy the <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/33048-3-things-your-body-will-benefit-from-with-treated-water.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benefits of soft water</a> while avoiding any excess sodium. Consider these two options:</p>
<ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem 1.1rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit;">Bypass faucet</strong>: Some people install an extra drinking water faucet in the kitchen. That way, you get untreated water for cooking and drinking, but your other appliances receive the soft water they prefer for their own well-being!<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit;">Reverse osmosis (RO) system</strong>: An <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/33676-your-solution-to-getting-clean-drinking-water-at-home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RO system</a> filters the sodium and many other contaminates a water softener isn’t capable of removing. With an RO system, like the <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/products/drinking-water/clearflo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ClearFlo RO</a> and the certified <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/products/drinking-water/ultrowater.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UltroWater RO</a>, your entire home benefits from the protection of a water softener, and any water you drink goes through an extra layer of purification. </li>
</ul>
<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px; color: #e9a13f; font-family: var(--main-font-family); font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 23px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Whole Home Health and Water Safety</h2>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">If you’re concerned about the water quality in your home, talk to a <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/36151-is-buying-a-water-softener-a-diy-project.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water treatment specialist</a>. They can help you get specialized water testing and interpret the results. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Whether you get your water from a <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/40116-the-importance-of-testing-well-water-regularly.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">private well</a> or a <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog.html?c=City%20Water" target="_blank" rel="noopener">city water</a> source, it’s a good idea to test your water and check your home water safety. An authorized Evolve dealer can design a system that specifically meets your water goals and needs. <a style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #e9a13f; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> to contact your local dealer today!</p>
2023-05-31T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/43955-signs-of-hard-water-and-how-to-wipe-them-out.html
Signs of hard water and how to wipe them out.
2023-04-13T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Stained porcelain. Spotty dishes. Clogged shower heads. Sound familiar? If so, you are one of many who suffer from the remnants of hard water in their home. Read this blog to learn hard water stain cleaning tips and what you can do to prevent these problems from happening again in the future.
<p><img title="signs of hard water" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/cms_images/2393/aug-2021-header-image_1630339959.jpg" alt="signs of hard water" /></p>
<p>Stained porcelain. Spotty dishes. Clogged showerheads. Sound familiar? If so, you are one of many who suffer from the remnants of hard water in their home. These signs of hard water can be very demoralizing when you realize you need to add them to your cleaning to-do list.</p>
<p>There are a few tips and tricks you should know to help you with your bathroom and kitchen cleaning endeavors, as well as some permanent solutions to prevent the problem from happening again in the future.</p>
<h2><strong>Spots & Stains from Hard Water</strong></h2>
<p>Hard water is caused by an abundance of minerals, like calcium and magnesium, that your water has collected from traveling through the ground. The water in your home picks up these minerals through rock formations underneath the earth as it travels past. The amount of hardness your water has depends on the amount of contact the water in your area has with these minerals along the way. According to a U.S. Geological Survey, <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-xpm-2012-04-25-sc-health-0425-hard-soft-water-20120425-story.html">85%</a> of the water going to homes in the United States is considered to be “hard.”</p>
<p>Visual signs of hard water in your home can include gray or even red/brown stains on toilet bowls and shower drains, chalky white residue on faucets and showerheads, a buildup of soap scum in bathtubs or shower walls, calcium deposits inside water using appliances (like a humidifier), and spotty dishes.</p>
<p>If you have experienced hard water residue in your home, you know it is not the easiest thing to clean. It takes a lot of effort to scrub away or a lengthy soaking routine with harsh cleansers in order to break up the mineral deposits. So how do you get rid of the stains hard water leaves behind?</p>
<h2><strong>Cleaning Methods</strong></h2>
<p>Leaving these signs of hard water unattended can cause future issues with your plumbing, or permanent staining that can be a real eyesore. Here are some common signs of hard water and what you can do to remedy them.</p>
<p><strong>Stained Toilets</strong></p>
<p>Unsightly reddish-brown or dingy gray stains around your toilet bowl from hard water can be a big embarrassment, especially when you have guests over. Try pouring a mixture of vinegar and borax into the toilet bowl. This concoction will react with the stains helping to loosen them. You can then use this mixture, a toilet cleaning brush, and a little elbow grease to scrub away the staining. If you do not have borax handy, a simple solution of vinegar and water could be enough to help loosen up those mineral deposits on your toilet if the buildup is not too severe.</p>
<p><strong>Hard Water Spots on Surfaces</strong></p>
<p>When hard water evaporates it leaves behind calcium deposits that appear as white spots. Try using a similar mixture of white distilled vinegar and water to clean up this residue. It works best if you have an empty spray bottle handy to pour the mixture into. Spray generously on areas overcome with these hard water spots (showers and bathtubs) and let the vinegar/water solution sit for at least 15 minutes before wiping it away. If using this solution on glass, a microfiber towel can be used to clean away any streaks left behind.</p>
<p>Hard water is also a sneaky accomplice when it comes to the formation of soap scum. The calcium minerals quickly attach to soaps and the mixture turns into a sticky clump that loves to create a film inside your sinks and showers. If vinegar alone is not strong enough to break through the soap scum, try adding a little dish soap to your spray bottle as well to try to release its hold.</p>
<p><strong>Stained and Clogged Showerheads and Faucets</strong></p>
<p>We have all been a victim to the showerhead or faucet that just doesn’t seem to be pumping out water like it used to when it was first installed. This could very well be due to the mineral buildup that has accumulated over the head causing the water pressure to drop significantly.</p>
<p>To solve this issue, soak the shower head in a large bowl of white vinegar (for heavy buildup, you may need to try this same process with a heavy-duty multi-use cleaner). Let the showerhead soak for a few minutes then use a sponge or brush to scrub away the grime. You may need to repeat this process a few times before the showerhead is completely clear. If you are trying this method with your faucet, or you cannot remove your showerhead, try filling up a plastic bag with this solution and using a zip tie or rubber band to hold it while the faucet soaks.</p>
<p><strong>Spotty Dishes</strong></p>
<p>If you notice white spots on your dishes that are extremely difficult to scrub off, hard water is to blame. Hard water can also cause other issues with your dishwasher, so it is important to clean it at least once a month. Clean the dishwasher with a gentle soap and toothbrush to get food and grime out of all the hard-to-reach places. You can then try filling a cup with white vinegar and place it somewhere on the top rack of the dishwasher. Let the dishwasher run with the vinegar inside to help clean some of the mineral deposits left behind from your water.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, glass and plastics that have spent years being washed by hard water may still look cloudy even after you have tried to clean them with vinegar. This is because the calcium and magnesium inside the water are thousands of tiny pieces of dissolved rock. When the water inside a dishwasher sprays your dishes with hard water, its like using a sandblaster every time and your dishes end up getting etched by the minerals. Even if you hand wash your glassware, the abrasiveness of the dissolved rock inside your water will scratch up the surface as you are rubbing the sides.</p>
<h2><strong>How to Eliminate Those Signs of Hard Water for Good!</strong></h2>
<p>As you can see, signs of hard water in your house are rather easy to spot. The real issue comes with having to clean up the mess it leaves behind. A permanent solution to these problems would be to install a water softener. Water softeners use a process called ion exchange which removes hard water minerals from the water supply before it reaches the various points of your home. Soft water also works better with soap to give you a spot-free shine when cleaning around the house.</p>
<p>Adding a water softener has even more benefits than you might think to all of the areas in your home you can’t see as well. Contact your local authorized <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evolve dealer</a> today to learn more about the variety of <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/products/water-softeners.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water softeners available</a>. They will happily conduct a complimentary water test and answer any questions you may have about which water treatment solution is best for you.</p>
2023-04-13T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/43954-calcium-buildup-in-toilet-why-does-it-happen-and-how-can-it-be-removed.html
Calcium buildup in toilet: Why does it happen and how can it be removed?
2023-04-13T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Any fixture that uses water is at risk of clogging from calcium and magnesium buildup when your home has hard water. This includes your toilet! Learn why this happens, how to clean the clogs, and how to prevent them when you read this blog. [[phone]]
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<p><img src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/may-2022-header-image_1657743549.jpg" alt="Cleaning a toilet" width="640" height="332" /></p>
<p>Hard water contains high amounts of dissolved minerals, including calcium and magnesium. As water flows through your pipes, some of those calcium and magnesium minerals get left behind. Over time, those minerals can build up, causing unsightly stains and scaling. </p>
<p>One of the most obvious <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/40763-signs-of-hard-water-how-to-wipe-them-out.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signs of hard water buildup</a> is in the toilet. You might see a white or rust-colored ring forming at the waterline or staining at the base of the bowl. If it’s really bad, limescale and calcium buildup can plug the water jets under the toilet rim, causing slow, weak flushes. </p>
<h2>Cleaning with Vinegar or Other Acids</h2>
<p>To clean calcium buildup out of your toilet, use vinegar or another acidic cleaner. The acid will break down the mineral deposits so you can brush them away. Be sure to take the necessary safety precautions when working with cleaners. Wear gloves and eyewear and open windows for ventilation. </p>
<h2>Cleaning the Toilet Bowl</h2>
<p>When removing limescale from the toilet bowl, pay attention to the base of the bowl, the waterline, and the water jets below the rim. Each of these areas can be prone to mineral buildup.</p>
<h2>Step 1: Remove water from the bowl</h2>
<p>In most cases, you’ll want to remove water from the toilet bowl so your cleaning solution can work undiluted. To remove water from a toilet bowl, use a plunger to force water out of the u-bend. </p>
<p>Another way to empty water from the tank is to turn off the toilet’s water valve (located near the floor). Flush the toilet a couple of times. This will drain water in the bowl as well as the tank. Because the water valve is turned off, the toilet won’t refill. </p>
<h2>Step 2: Apply your cleaning solution </h2>
<p>Pour your cleaner onto the affected area and give it time to work. If using a vinegar solution, you may need to wait a few hours for the vinegar to dissolve and penetrate the hard calcium buildup.</p>
<h2>Step 3: Scrub with a firm bristled brush</h2>
<p>Once your solution has had time to work, use a toilet brush or a scouring pad to scrub the limescale away. (Do not use sandpaper or metal scraping tools as they will scratch the porcelain, which can lead to faster staining and buildup in the future.)</p>
<h2>Step 4: Clean the water jets </h2>
<p>To clean calcium out of the under-rim water jets, use a foam paintbrush to apply your cleaning solution around and into each jet. Do your best to press the solution into each jet. Once you’ve let it set for a while, use a stiff bristled brush to scrub the jet clean. You can also use a small wooden skewer to help clear sediment out of the jets. </p>
<h2>Preventing Limescale Buildup in the Future</h2>
<p>The cleaning process is only a temporary fix. Also keep in mind that using highly acidic cleaners do a great job to clean up the calcium but exposing these harsh chemicals to your fixtures on a regular basis can also do their own damage over time. To avoid unsightly limescale and calcium buildup in the future without having to go through the harsh cleaning process, consider installing a water softener. </p>
<p>Water softeners provide a long-term, cost-effective way to avoid calcium buildup once and for all. Water softeners turn hard water into soft water by removing calcium and other minerals from water. No more scaling inside your toilets, pipes, or other fixtures! </p>
<p>That means your appliances will last longer – and look good longer – without a lot of costly products and time-consuming cleaning. On top of that, many people find that soft water is <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/33048-3-things-your-body-will-benefit-from-with-treated-water.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">easier on their hair and skin</a>. Overall, soft water can be better for you, your family, and your home. </p>
<p>If you’re tired of calcium buildup in your home, contact us using the form below. We’ll connect you with a local water specialist who will come to your home to do on-site water testing and design the ideal water treatment system for your household.</p>
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2023-04-13T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/22506-high-iron-in-slinger-wi.html
High Iron in Slinger, WI
2023-04-06T11:42:54.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>A Project Coordinator went out to his home to discuss options. While they were assessing his current equipment and testing the water, they also found little pieces of well casing coming into the water. He had a filter in place to take care of it, but was not happy with it either, as it was a lot of work to clean and flush. </p>
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<p>After assessing everything the Project Coordinator discussed the options of equipment and really talked to him about the EVR water softener as he could go on the maintenance plan. He liked that option, and decided to have us install an EVR-1044U which will give him a lot of salt saving using the WET technology and only 1 person in the home, he also had us install a Twist2Clean filter to catch any well casing that was getting into the home,, and an EVFE-1054 Iron Filter for the iron concerns. He will no longer have to buy chlorine tablets, and the Twist2Clean will be a much easier option for his well casing problem. He also opted to go on the maintenance plan for his equipment, so that we will be the ones to help take care of the equipment, gives him lifetime warranty on the equipment and we can deliver out his salt, and fill the brine tank for him, when we are there. </p>
<p>Customer called the Clean Water Center as he was looking for water treatment for his home, that was a bit more salt efficient He also, had higher iron levels in his water, and had to buy chlorine tablets to help with it. He was an older man, and was looking for help maintaining his equipment and salt delivery. </p>
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2023-04-06T11:42:54.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/22404-clean-drinking-water-in-oconomowoc-wi.html
Clean Drinking Water in Oconomowoc, WI
2023-03-23T13:39:32.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>After testing the water and finding that the softener was working, they decided to install a ClearFlo Reverse Osmosis Drinking system with a brushed nickel contemporary faucet. </p>
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<p>The customer is so much happier with her water and will tell everyone in their neighborhood who have the same issues as she does with the drinking water. She no longer has to buy bottled water from the store and haul it into her home. </p>
<p>Customer met the Project Coordinator at a networking event through the Chamber of Commerce in Oconomowoc. Stated that she would not drink the water from the tap as she hated the taste of it. She was buying a ton of bottled water and was sick of hauling it in, and creating so much waste. </p>
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<p>The Project Coordinator went out to her home to assess the water and where any treatment could be installed. </p>
2023-03-23T13:39:32.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/products/case-studies/22403-softener-for-high-chlorine-city-water-in-sussex-wi.html
Softener for High Chlorine City Water in Sussex, WI
2023-03-23T13:13:43.05Z
Clean Water Center
<p>The Project Coordinator kept in touch with the homeowner throughout the process of his new home build, and when the time was right, they were able to have him sign a Purchase Agreement to get the softener ordered for him so it would be here and waiting for when the house was ready. This way, it would be installed right away and they would have good, clean water from the start. Many months later it was time for the install. We were able to install the water treatment system before the homeowners moved in so there wouldn't be any hard water ruining the new faucets, fixtures, and appliances. </p>
<p>Customer called into the Clean Water Center as he was just starting to build a brand new home and was concerned with chlorine on city water as he had been on a well before. He found the EVRC softener through an online search and was very interested in it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A Project Coordinator reached out to him to discuss the options with him, find out how many would be living in his new home and start a conversation with him. The home was barely built at this point, but he wanted to have everything in place when it was time to install. After discussion, he decided he wanted to move forward with us to install the EVRC-1354 resin/carbon water softener for him when it was time. </p>
2023-03-23T13:13:43.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/42789-how-much-water-does-an-average-household-use.html
How Much Water Does an Average Household Use?
2023-05-31T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Water is the element of life! We drink it, bathe in it, and use it to clean our clothes and dishes. It's an essential part of our day-to-day comfort and well-being.
But just how much water do we use every day? Does it matter? And how can we use less? To learn more, read this blog!
<h1>How Much Water Does an Average Household Use?</h1>
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<p><img src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/april-2022-header-image-ev_1651780575.png" alt="Filling Teapot at Faucet" width="640" height="332" /></p>
<p>Water is the element of life! We drink it, bathe in it, and use it to clean our clothes and dishes. It’s an essential part of our day-to-day comfort and well-being. <br /><br /></p>
<p>But just how much water do we use every day? Does it matter? And how can we use less?</p>
<h2>Water Use: The Average American Household</h2>
<p>According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American household uses more than <a href="https://www.epa.gov/watersense/how-we-use-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener">300 gallons of water per day</a>. Most of that (70%) comes from indoor use, including showers, faucets, toilets, and washing machines. <br /><br /></p>
<p>But what do those numbers really mean on a per person, per use basis? The table below provides estimated water usage for common daily activities. If you have an older home and older appliances, your usage will likely be on the higher side. Newer fixtures and appliances are more water-efficient and can save significant amounts of water. <br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/gallons-used-chart_1651778475.JPG" alt="Average Gallons Used by Activity" width="640" height="260" /><br />*Most water estimates from <a href="https://water.usgs.gov/edu/activity-percapita.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USGS.gov</a><br /><br /></p>
<p>Add up a shower, several flushes, and some basic grooming and maintenance, and it’s not hard to see how the gallons can add up. And that doesn’t even include cooking or <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/39940-drink-more-water.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drinking water</a>! <br /><br /></p>
<p>According to the EPA, another 30% of household water use comes from outdoor activities, such as watering lawns and gardens and outdoor cleaning. Of course, those percentages can fluctuate seasonally during the summer months. </p>
<h2>How Much Water Am I Using?</h2>
<p>To understand your own water usage, you can look at your water bill if you live in the city. It should show you how many gallons of water you used over the last billing period. Divide the number of gallons by the number of people in your household and then divide again by the number of days in the billing period. <br /><br /></p>
<p>For example, let’s assume you’re a household of three and you used 6,000 gallons in March. <br /><br /></p>
<p>6,000 / 3 = 2,000 gallons per person for the month<br />2,000 / 31 = 64.5 gallons per person, per day<br /><br /></p>
<p>What’s typical? Estimates vary. The folks at Water Footprint Calculator say the average at-home water use is <a href="https://www.watercalculator.org/footprint/indoor-water-use-at-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60 gallons</a> per person per day. But the US Geological Survey puts the average at <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-qa-how-much-water-do-i-use-home-each-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80-100 gallons</a> per person. The wide range depends a lot on the habits of the individuals in your home. For example, a young teenager daughter may notoriously take longer showers as they daydream about their upcoming weekend plans while going through a multiple-step hair care routine. On the other hand, your grandfather lost his hair long ago, so he keeps his showers quick. Just a few minutes less every day can add up to a big difference over the course of a month or a year.</p>
<h2>How Much Water Do My Neighbors Use?</h2>
<p>While you can’t find out how much water your next-door neighbors are using, you may be able to see residential trends for your area. Look up your local water utility online and see if they provide neighborhood comparison data. (Not all utilities have the systems to capture and share this data.)</p>
<h2>What Can I Do to Reduce My Water Usage?</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<h3>Look for leaks</h3>
Leaks can waste hundreds (or even thousands!) of gallons of water per month, and toilets are one of the biggest culprits. Sometimes you can hear a toilet leaking, but not always. To check your toilet for leaks, open the tank lid and place a few drops of food coloring inside. Don’t flush – just wait about 30 minutes. If you see colored water in your toilet bowl, you have a leak.</li>
<li>
<h3>Update your showerhead</h3>
Standard showers use 2.5 gallons of water per minute. But water saving showerheads that carry the EPA’s “WaterSense” label use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute. Newer models are designed to provide a high water pressure experience using less resources, creating a more sustainable, but yet comfortable shower. Note that water-efficient showerheads also decrease demand on your hot water heater, saving money on your electric bill as well. <br /><br />Of course, cutting down on your shower time can also save hundreds of gallons per year. Tips for shorter showers? Set an egg timer or create a playlist of two or three songs that’ll last less than eight minutes. <br /><br />Installing a water softener can also help you shorten your shower time. That’s because when you <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/40525-soft-water-how-to-adapt-to-life-with-a-water-softener.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shower in soft water</a>, it’s easier to work your soap and shampoo into a nice lather. You spend less time trying to soap up. </li>
<li>
<h3>Turn off the tap while you brush</h3>
If you leave the water running while you <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/41154-is-it-okay-to-brush-your-teeth-with-hard-water.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brush your teeth</a>, you might be using a gallon of water or more. Save water by turning the faucet off between wetting your toothbrush and rinsing. </li>
<li>
<h3>Don’t throw things away in the toilet</h3>
Tempted to throw something away in the toilet? Use the trash can instead. Older toilets use 3-5 gallons of water per flush and new models use 1-2 gallons. Over time, all those unnecessary flushes add up. </li>
<li>
<h3>Only wash full loads</h3>
The average top-loading washing machine uses 40 gallons of water per load. So running your washing machine for partial loads can use up hundreds of gallons of water unnecessarily. The same thing goes for your dishwasher. If you have enough dishes, you can save water by only running it when it’s full. </li>
<li>
<h3>Update your appliances</h3>
Replacing the old toilets and faucets in your home can have a big impact on your annual water use. Modern water faucets use 40% less water than those installed before 1995. New faucets typically have aerators that restrict flow rates, while still creating the feel of a high-pressure flow. New toilets are also available with water-saving features, including light-duty flush options for liquid waste. <br /><br />Front load laundry machines and energy efficient dishwashers also use much less water than conventional appliances. Look for appliances with the <a href="https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/watersense/general.html#energystar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WaterSense or Energy Star</a> rating from the EPA. An Energy Star washing machine uses 30% less water, while Energy Star dishwashers use 18% less water per load. </li>
</ol>
<h2>Does Water Usage Matter?</h2>
<p>As communities grow, more and more people are using the water supply. In some areas, that population growth is stressing local water resources. Conserving water can help alleviate the effects of droughts and water shortages in some communities.<br /><br /></p>
<p>But even if you live in a water rich area of the country – where natural water sources are replenished as fast as water is consumed – you may still want to reduce your water usage. That’s because in-home water usage uses energy – energy to deliver water to your home, to heat it, and to process the wastewater through your local sewer district. </p>
<h2>How Much Water Does a Water Softener Use?</h2>
<p>A water softener will clean and recharge itself through a process called <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/35236-how-does-a-water-softener-work.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regeneration</a>. During regeneration, a typical water softener may use between 25 to 65 gallons of water, depending on its size and design. This water is necessary to rinse away the hardness minerals the water softener collected so it is able to reset itself and start collecting more.<br /><br /></p>
<p>How often your water softener regenerates will also depend on its capacity, the volume of water you use in your home, and the hardness of the water being treated. <br /><br /></p>
<p>Let’s say you have a total water hardness of 10 grains per gallons (GPG) and a mid-size water softener with a capacity of 36,000 grains. If your household uses 300 gallons of water per day, your water softener will only regenerate about once every 12 days. Many water softeners also are set up to regenerate sooner than that to help maintain the system, whether you have fully used your capacity or not.<br /><br /></p>
<p>With our top of the line Evolve series water softeners, our dealers can set you up with a model equipped with our patented Water Efficient Technology® (W.E.T.). This unique feature will save not only how much water it uses to regenerate, but the amount of salt as well. The technology inside calculates the amount of capacity that has been used so far, and proportionately scales back it’s cycles to only target and refresh the media inside that needs it. <br /><br /></p>
<p>Let’s say your water softener that is fully exhausted normally uses 40 gallons of water every regeneration to rinse away the minerals of an entire tank. It also will use 40 gallons of water to regenerate a water softener that has only been exhausted half way. When a water softener with W.E.T. regenerates when it is only half exhausted, it would only use 20 gallons of water in this example.<br /><br /></p>
<p>All in all, water softeners don’t add very much to your total water consumption – comparable to only the equivalent of two loads of laundry each month– but ask your local Evolve dealer about W.E.T. and they can help you use even less!<br /><br /></p>
<p>If you’re conservation-minded, recognize that a water softener system can <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/33044-5-ways-treated-water-prolongs-the-life-of-your-appliances.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contribute to your goals</a> in other ways. Water softeners can help prevent hard water buildup and scaling inside your appliances – buildup that can significantly reduce their efficiency and shorten their overall life.</p>
<h2>Let’s Talk Water</h2>
<p>Concerned about your water quality but looking for the most efficient treatment system available? Call your authorized <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evolve dealer</a>. They can help you review your options and discuss the best system to meet all your water goals. </p>
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</div>
2023-05-31T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/41219-is-it-ok-to-brush-your-teeth-with-hard-water.html
Is It Ok To Brush Your Teeth With Hard Water?
2021-12-17T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Dental hygiene is a matter of daily attention. Have you ever thought about how much water you use when you brush your teeth? Brushing your teeth might not require a lot of water, but increased awareness of hardness in water has made people wonder if it is bad for your teeth to brush with hard water. Check out this blog to learn more about brushing your teeth with hard water.
<h1 style="font-weight: 500;">Is It Okay To Brush Your Teeth With Hard Water?</h1>
<p>Dental hygiene is a matter of daily attention. Have you ever thought about how much water you use when you brush your teeth? Brushing your teeth might not require a lot of water, but increased awareness of hardness in water has made people wonder if it is bad for your teeth to brush with hard water. Since there are a lot of misunderstandings about hard water, it is important to get the facts straight first.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">What Is Hard Water?</h2>
<p>Hard water is water with calcium and magnesium dissolved in it. Other minerals are usually involved, but these are the two most common elements that contribute to water hardness. Hard water is a problem for most homes and businesses in the United States and surrounding areas. These minerals can cause all kinds of problems that slowly develop around your home (like scale buildup and soap scum), and many people still do not understand the consequences of using hard water.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Where Does Hard Water Come From?</h2>
<p>All wells and most city water systems pump water up from deep in the ground to supply people with water. Groundwater that was once rain soaks into the groundwater, pooling up under the surface layers of the Earth. These areas of Underground water are called aquifers. The water eroded the bedrock and other layers of ground as it traveled to the aquifers, with calcium and magnesium being two of the most common among them. Most municipal water treatment plants will not filter out or soften the water before sending it into the pipes that lead to homes and businesses because hard water poses no immediate health concerns. <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/map-water-hardness-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Most well water in the U.S. is considered hard water</a>, and each well will vary in hardness. So, a water test is necessary to find out how severe the hardness is in your water.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Will Hard Water Damage Your Teeth?</h2>
<p>The whole idea behind brushing your teeth is to remove leftover food, plaque, and other things that do not need to stay in your mouth. The bristles of your toothbrush help knock things off your teeth, but they are not strong enough on their own, which is why toothpaste is necessary. Aside from chemicals that are meant to kill bacteria in your mouth, toothpaste includes abrasives that help break up plaque more effectively than bristles alone. It is because of these abrasives that too much brushing can hurt your teeth. Brushing too hard or too many times in a day can result in damage to our teeth. The same abrasives that help keep your teeth clean can damage them when used in excess.</p>
<p>The calcium and magnesium particles in hard water are abrasive too, which makes people worry that hard water will also damage their teeth. Unless your water is exceptionally hard, the minerals in your water will not make a noticeable difference when brushing your teeth. If you still use hard water, there is no reason to fear brushing your teeth with it. While having a water softener will help in other ways, hard water is not going to break down the enamel of your teeth.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Does Hard Water Stain Teeth Yellow?</h2>
<p>Human teeth tend to go yellow when they are not kept up well. Yellow stains are unappealing when mild and appalling when severe. A few things can cause yellow tooth stains. The most common come from acidic, dark-colored drinks like coffee, brown sodas, teas, and wines. Some fruits and vegetables can cause stains too, especially blueberries, tomatoes, beets and grapes. The worst yellow stains often come from tobacco use, like smoking and chewing tobacco. Some medications could also cause changes in tooth color. Out of all the things that are known to tooth discoloration, is hard water one of them?</p>
<p>There is no proof showing that hard water stains teeth, regardless of the color of stain. Other water conditions might cause tooth stains, but no scientific studies have found links between hard water and tooth discoloration. Still, brushing teeth with soft water might be more palatable for many who find it difficult to maintain a daily tooth-brushing habit.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Does Hard Water Help Your Teeth?</h2>
<p>Some have theorized that the calcium in hard water can be beneficial to dental hygiene instead of damaging. It is common knowledge that healthy bones need lots of calcium to remain strong over the length of a person’s life. While calcium is a vital nutrient, not all calcium is the same. The calcium found in dark green leafy vegetables is not the same kind of calcium found in hard water. The difference is calcium from vegetables is organic, meaning the body can use it to rebuild bones and keep your marrow in top condition. The story is not the same for inorganic calcium that your water has picked up from the local rock formations. This kind of calcium does not bond to your teeth and strengthen them on contact as some might think. The benefits of calcium to your body need to come through processing the mineral through digestion. Vegetables and other sources of organic calcium are the best places to turn if you want to strengthen your teeth and other bones.</p>
<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Is Soft Water Better For Your Teeth?</h2>
<p>Considering all the things that hard water affects, there is little evidence that hard water will adversely or positively affect your dental health. But because hard water can cause scale buildup in showerheads, faucets, dishwashers, clothes washers, water heaters, and more, the prospect of investing in a water softener sounds better. It may cost some money upfront to get a water softener installed but protecting the life of your water-using appliances might make it worth it. Even if dental hygiene has nothing to do with it, softened water helps improve life in many ways. <a href="https://www.cleanwatercenter.com/free-estimate.html">Contact us today</a> to schedule a water test. A water test will identify issues that are in your water, and how you can counter them with water treatment. Your local Evolve® dealer will use the results to customize an efficient, effective water treatment system, and you will be well on your way to enjoying premium water in your home or business.</p>
2021-12-17T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/40125-the-importance-of-testing-well-water-regularly.html
The Importance Of Testing Well Water Regularly
2021-06-02T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Many people are under the impression that a well is the cleanest, purest form of water there is. Though, this may not be true because we also forget all of the unwanted contaminants that make there way into ground water. Fortunately, we can identify most of these contaminants by testing the water right on-site. To learn more about the importance of water testing, read this blog!
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<p><img title="Woman looking at water glass" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/mayevolve-2021-header-image_1622559244.jpg" alt="Woman looking at water glass" width="640" height="332" /></p>
<p>Getting your water supply directly from the ground near your home is about as natural as it gets. Because of this, many people are under the impression that a well is the cleanest, purest form of water there is. Though, this may not be true because we also forget where ground water comes from.</p>
<p>The surface of the earth is porous, meaning that as soon as precipitation falls, the earth begins to absorb it like a sponge. As the water makes its way through the soil and bedrock, it picks up minerals and contaminants along the way. </p>
<p>Fortunately, we can identify most of these contaminants by testing the water right on-site. This is always the first step in making sure your family receives high-quality water from the well all year round.</p>
<h2><strong>Well Water Problems</strong></h2>
<p>Unlike municipal city water systems, private wells are not regulated the same way meaning that it’s usually the sole responsibility of the person using the well to make sure the water supply is safe.</p>
<p>Well water is supplied deep in the ground underneath your home. When it rains, precipitation passes down through the various levels of minerals, rocks, soil, as well as any runoff from nearby sources, like fertilizers from nearby farm fields. Some of these contaminants can be picked up by rainwater before making its way down into the groundwater. Some common concerns and contaminants that could be picked up and found in well water are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Nitrates</li>
<li>Arsenic</li>
<li>Iron</li>
<li>Calcium</li>
<li>Magnesium</li>
<li>Acidic pH Levels</li>
<li>Bacteria</li>
<li>Hydrogen Sulfide</li>
<li>TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)</li>
<li>PFAS Chemicals</li>
</ul>
<p>Although some of these contaminants and water issues are relatively harmless to your health, there are others that could be a serious concern. Arsenic, for instance, is a naturally occurring substance that has been associated with negative health effects such as <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/arsenic">cancer and heart disease</a>. Nitrates, another common contaminant with both man-made and natural sources, can get into groundwater by runoff from fertilizers used on nearby fields, golf courses, or lawns. It is widely thought that being exposed to a high concentration of nitrates is dangerous for<a href="https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/nitrates-tap-water-what-parents-need-know"> infants and pregnant women</a>. All valid reasons to get your well water <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/about-us/blog/35919-know-your-water-contaminants-nitrate.html">tested!</a></p>
<h2><strong>Well Water Testing</strong></h2>
<p>So how often should I test my well water? The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommends testing your water at least once a year.</p>
<p>If you can’t remember if your well has ever been tested, contacting a professional, such as an authorized Evolve dealer is a good place to start.. The experienced water expert will arrive on the scene and begin by asking a few questions to better understand some of the water problems that may be occurring. There are various tests that can be performed based on what you are experiencing specifically with your water. They also take into account any common water contaminants that neighboring properties have experienced to help with your diagnosis. When the tests are complete and the results are in, your water expert will review them with you and talk about next steps that will help clean up your water, if necessary.</p>
<p>By having your well water tested regularly, you will have peace of mind that your family has safe, clean water for the future.</p>
<h2><strong>What Can You Do To Help Prevent Contamination?</strong></h2>
<p>The best way to make sure you don’t contaminate your well is by taking the proper precautions to make sure you aren’t adding to the problem yourself. You should also pay close attention to farms or new industrial buildings being constructed in your area. They often have manufacturing byproducts that can leach into the nearby water supply. Although you won’t be able to stop them from being built, you will at least know which contaminants to test for in the future, such as the emerging PFAS chemical.</p>
<p><img title="Farm Nitrates" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/farm_1622558204.jpg" alt="Farm Nitrates" width="500" height="333" /></p>
<p>Here are a few more steps you can take to make sure your well water is free of pollution:</p>
<ul>
<li>Make sure area around the well is sloped so any runoff occurs away from the well.</li>
<li>Install a well cap to make sure nothing makes its way into your system.</li>
<li>For new construction, make sure you hire a certified well driller.</li>
<li>Refrain from using fertilizers and pesticides near the well.</li>
<li>Occasionally inspect well components for any cracks or damage to prevent exposure to bacteria growth.</li>
<li>Regularly pump and inspect your septic system.</li>
</ul>
<p>The quality of well water can change dramatically over time. Pay close attention to any changes in the taste, look, or feel of your water as this could be a sign that new contaminants have made their way into the groundwater nearby. Lastly, make sure you speak to a qualified Evolve dealer whenever the time comes to perform your annual well water test. Having a professional is important to ensure the safety of the water in your home. Our authorized dealers have an entire suite of water treatment solutions to handle any of the contaminants that may be present in your well water. <a href="https://evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer.html">Find your local dealer today!</a></p>
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2021-06-02T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39979-drink-more-water.html
Drink More Water
2021-05-03T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Water is one of the most important parts of human life and many of us do not consume nearly enough of it. To understand the health benefits of drinking water, how you can get clean drinking water right from the faucet at home, and ways to help you consume more water, read this blog.
<h1><img style="font-size: 10px;" title="Drinking More Water" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/april-2021-header-image2_1619446937.png" alt="Drinking More Water" width="640" height="332" /></h1>
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<p>Did you know the human body is made up of around 60% water? It should then be no surprise that the <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=So%20how%20much%20fluid%20does,fluids%20a%20day%20for%20women">recommend amount of water</a> the average person should consume daily is around 3.2 liters (13.5 cups) a day.</p>
<p>Water is one of the most important parts of human life and many of us do not consume nearly enough of it. Understanding the health benefits of drinking water, learning about how you can get clean drinking water right from the faucet at home, and figuring out creative ways to help you consume more water are all important steps in helping you reach your daily hydration objectives.</p>
<h2>Health Benefits Of Drinking Enough Water</h2>
<p>Drinking enough water has numerous benefits for the human body like helping to regulate body temperature and assisting in the transportation of nutrients. Even your brain knows when you are short on water and will initiate the “thirst” mechanism. If your brain tells you that you are thirsty…listen to it! Below are some other health benefits of staying properly hydrated.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Great Dieting Aid:</strong> Drinking water is actually a very common weight loss strategy used by many people today. There are no hidden benefits here; if you replace your sugary soda or juice with water, you will, in turn, absorb less calories. Drinking water can also give you the feeling of being full which can kill those mid-day cravings so many of us have.</li>
<li><strong>Can Help You Look Healthier:</strong> If your body is lacking hydration, your skin can be a tell-tale sign. Dry and wrinkled skin can be a result of improper hydration. Your skin’s elasticity is dependent upon your body having enough water. Instead of applying globs of lotion to your hands and face, first, make sure you are getting enough fluids into your body. Keep your skin healthy and smooth by drinking plenty of water.</li>
<li><strong>Assists in Bowel Movements:</strong> Constipation can also be a result of inadequate hydration. If your body isn’t getting enough water, the colon has no choice but to grab water from stool in the digestive track. The result of this is constipation. Pairing a high fiber diet with plenty of water should be enough to keep your bowels functioning properly.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Reverse Osmosis System: A Convenient Way To Get Pure Water At Home</h2>
<p>If you find that you and your family are not drinking enough water, there are easy solutions to increase your intake. The easiest way to reach your daily water goal is by drinking more water at home. However, the water quality in your house may not necessarily entice you to fill your water bottle or glass from the kitchen tap. Instead of resorting to buying cases of pricey bottled water from the store, consider installing a reverse osmosis drinking water system in your home. Reverse osmosis (RO) is a multi-stage water treatment process in which pressure forces molecules through a semi-permeable membrane. The water moves from the side more concentrated with contaminant to the less concentrated side, leaving behind the impurities that contribute towards taste and odor problems. The result of this is purified drinking water.</p>
<p>During the first stage in a reverse osmosis drinking water system, water moves along through a carbon block filter to remove some of the larger sediments and particles while also reducing chlorine. After that, it moves in through the semi-permeable membrane which will capture unwanted contaminants like lead, arsenic, nitrates, chromium, total dissolved solids (TDS) and fluoride to name a few. Next, the water is filtered by another carbon filter for any remaining taste or odor issues and it finally travels to a storage tank so you have a large supply of freshly filtered water ready to go whenever you need it.<br />These RO systems are convenient long-term drinking water solutions and can be installed underneath your kitchen sink so you can have clean, fresh drinking water right from your tap. The Evolve Series UltroWater® RO system is a great solution if you are looking for an easy way to increase your families water consumption. These units are economical and bring healthy water to your home with ease. Each UltroWater® RO system is NSF/ANSI Standard 58 certified, which means it has been proven to reduce impurities like arsenic, lead, copper and more.</p>
<h2>What Can I Do To Make Sure I Am Getting Enough Water?</h2>
<p>You know the health benefits of drinking more water and now you have clean RO water coming right from your kitchen sink. But what are some things you can do to make sure you are getting enough?</p>
<ul>
<li>Instead of grabbing a soda or coffee before heading to work, fill up a reusable water bottle at home. This way you know exactly how much water you’ve consumed and how much more is needed before you achieve your daily goal.</li>
<li>If replacing your morning coffee with water is not an option for you, try drinking two full glasses of water at every meal. Most people naturally can’t eat food without having something to wash it all down with. Why not water?</li>
<li>Consider tracking your water consumption by using a fitness app on your phone or mobile device, logging a journal, or by using a measured water bottle. The act of tracking can help you turn your daily water intake efforts into a solid habit over time.</li>
<li>Finally, you can always wind down from the day with a cup of herbal tea before bedtime using filtered water. This is a relaxing and healthy way to increase your fluids and help you to feel less dehydrated in the morning.</li>
</ul>
<p>If you feel like you aren’t meeting your body’s daily water intake needs and are looking for an effective way you can get great drinking water right at home, an Evolve water treatment expert would be happy to help you. Visit <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer.html">www.evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer</a> to find an authorized water expert in your area and see what water treatment system is best for you.</p>
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</div>
2021-05-03T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39978-hard-water-vs-soft-water.html
Hard Water vs. Soft Water
2021-05-03T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
How does your skin feel when you step out of the shower? Would you call it silky smooth or do you feel dry and itchy after bathing? The water in your home can have significant effects on the condition of your skin, and it may all come down to whether you have hard water or soft water.
<div class="content__hero"><img src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/water-effects-skin.jpg" alt="Hard Water vs. Soft Water – The Effects on Your Skin"></div>
<h1>HARD WATER VS. SOFT WATER – THE EFFECTS ON YOUR SKIN</h1>
<div class="content__meta"><span class="content__date">April 5, 2021</span><span class="content__categories"><a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/category/water-health/" rel="category tag">Water & Health</a></span></div>
<h4><strong>How does your skin feel when you step out of the shower? </strong></h4>
<ul><li class="first-child">Would you call it silky smooth or squeaky clean?</li>
<li>Do you feel dry and itchy after bathing? </li>
<li class="last-child">Do you have to lotion up every day to avoid itchiness and skin irritation?</li>
</ul><p>The water in your home can have <strong>significant effects</strong> on the condition of your skin, and it may all come down to whether you have hard water or soft water.</p>
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<h1>WHAT HARD WATER CAN DO TO YOUR SKIN</h1>
<h2><span>Soap Scum</span></h2>
<p>Hard water contains dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. Those minerals make it harder for water to form a solution with soap, and it leaves behind a scummy residue. If you have hard water in your home, you’ll notice that white soap scum all over your bathroom fixtures. Hard water can also clog up your plumbing and your shower head, reducing pressure.</p>
<p>But what you may not realize is that same soap scum builds up on your skin. Instead of getting a nice lather, you’re leaving behind a residue that clogs your pores the same way it clogs your pipes. Clogged pores can lead to breakouts and worsen skin conditions like acne or eczema.</p>
<p>The natural oils your body produces are distributed through the pores of your skin. When those pores are clogged, the oil gets trapped and blemishes like pimples and zits form.</p>
<h2><span>Dry, irritated skin</span></h2>
<p>Not only can soap scum from hard water clog your pores, many people find it also causes them to feel dry, itchy, and irritated. The minerals in hard water can actually strip moisture from your skin while preventing the natural oils your body produces from doing their job, which is to lubricate your skin and hold in moisture. Hard water may also be making your skin age faster. That means it could cause you to look older than you really are!</p>
<p>Dermatologist, Dr. Dennis Gross, told <a href="http://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/hard-water-skin-and-acne/">YouBeauty.com</a> that many of the impurities in hard water, like iron and magnesium, can form free radicals that <strong>damage healthy skin cells</strong>. That can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Free radical damage can even cause a breakdown of collagen, which is a structural protein that helps your skin look and feel firm and healthy.</p>
<p>If you are experiencing the negative effects of hard water; don’t worry – <strong>there’s a solution</strong>.</p>
<h6> </h6>
<h1>WHY SOFT WATER IS BETTER FOR MAINTAINING HEALTHY-LOOKING SKIN</h1>
<p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-3325 size-full" src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/shutterstock_1690717753-4.jpg" alt="Hard Water vs. Soft Water - Image 2" width="1920" height="1080"></p>
<p>One of the biggest advantages to having a water softener installed in our home is the fact that soft water is better for cleaning. That goes for your clothes and dishes as well as your skin. Soft water makes it easier to form a sudsy lather, and it makes it easier to rinse the soap away. That means your soap works more efficiently and you aren’t left with that pore-clogging soap scum residue all over your body.</p>
<p>Because of the fact you don’t get a good lather with hard water, you’ll find yourself using more soap to get clean, which only exacerbates the problem more. But with soft water, you will be able to use less soap product to get clean. In fact, after installing a water softener, you may not need to purchase the expensive body wash and lotion you thought you needed. It’s really quite simple to understand…</p>
<p>Hard water is hard on your skin. Soft water is gentler on your skin. Hard water makes it difficult to get completely clean. Soft water is better for getting your body completely clean.</p>
<h6> </h6>
<h1>SQUEAKY CLEAN VS. YOUR NATURAL SHEEN</h1>
<p>Some people get used to the feeling of washing their bodies in hard water. They incorrectly assume that the “squeaky clean feeling” we get after showering means the soap did its job. However, what you’re really experiencing is the sticky soap scum all over you – not to mention dead skin and dirt that didn’t get washed away.</p>
<p>On the other hand, when some people first have a water softener installed in their home, they notice a slick or slippery feeling to their skin. It’s easy to assume you are not getting completely clean and blame it on the soft water, but that’s not the case.</p>
<p>The slippery feeling is how your clean skin is actually supposed to feel. Since the natural oils from your own body haven’t been stripped from your skin, it feels different. Don’t forget, those natural oils serve an important purpose.</p>
<p>The truth is, the idea of “squeaky clean skin” is more of a marketing tactic than anything else. That squeak comes from mineral deposits and soap scum.</p>
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<h1>WATER QUALITY AND SKIN CONDITIONS</h1>
<p>Softening your water is not a cure for any sort of skin disease or chronic condition. However, it can be a helpful step towards avoiding irritation and improving certain health problems. There has been a significant amount of research examining how hard water may impact the common skin condition, eczema. This is something that experts say affects 20% of kids 11 and under, as well as 8% of teenagers and adults.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9716057" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">One study</a> that took place in the U.K. found schoolchildren who lived in areas with hard water were 50% more likely to suffer from eczema. <strong><a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/hard-water-eczema-connection/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Other agencies have identified hard water as an environmental trigger for eczema</a></strong>.</p>
<p>Hard water may not be the cause of skin conditions, but there is a lot of evidence indicating it can aggravate things further. With soft water, you’ll be less likely to clog your pores and dry out your skin, you won’t be as itchy and irritated, and you’ll be more likely to have the beautiful, clear skin you want.</p>
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<h1>SO SHOULD YOU GET A WATER SOFTENER?</h1>
<p>Skin and <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/4-ways-to-save-your-hair-from-hard-water/">hair</a> issues may not be the only problem hard water is causing you and your family. Check out our article on <strong><a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/8-hard-water-problems/">8 Major Hard Water Problems</a></strong> for even more signs. And see <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/hard-water-appliances/">how hard water affects your appliances</a>. </p>
<p>If you’re sick and tired of dealing with hard water in your home, a water softener is the most effective and most permanent solution to hard water challenges. Water-Right makes some of the most innovative residential water treatment products on the market.</p>
2021-05-03T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39798-how-does-a-well-work.html
How Does A Well Work
2021-04-01T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Modern plumbing makes getting water from a well to our homes much easier, but have you ever wondered exactly how this happens? To learn more about how a well system works and what you need to do to keep your well maintained, read this blog!
<div class="content__hero"><img src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/P_WRCM-21-1119-How-Does-a-Well-Work-Blog-Header.jpg" alt="How Does a Well Work?" /></div>
<h1>HOW DOES A WELL WORK?</h1>
<div class="content__meta"><span class="content__date">January 2, 2020</span><span class="content__categories"><a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/category/water-home-living/" rel="category tag">Water & Home Living</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/category/well-water/" rel="category tag">Well Water</a></span></div>
<p>Fortunately, today’s well systems work a bit differently than in the past. Well owners no longer have to lower a bucket into a hole in the ground and transport buckets full of water to where they need it. Modern plumbing makes things much easier today, but did you ever stop to wonder just how a well works?</p>
<p>If you’re used to having city water, you might have questions about how the well works at your new rural home. Or, perhaps your current home has a well, but you haven’t put too much thought into it since the water seems fine. However, is the water safe? Is there anything you need to do to maintain it? What can go wrong?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The fact is, there are concerns with well water that need to be understood. Knowing more about how a well works can give you a better understanding of your options and responsibilities. Ultimately, with well water, the quality of the water is managed by you.</p>
<h2>Well water and your home</h2>
<p>Well water is untreated groundwater stored in aquifers (underground layers of porous rock). Wells get drilled as far down as 1,000 feet into the rock to access the water. Pipe casing gets installed into the hole, and a concrete or clay sealant surrounds it to protect against contaminants. Water travels through this casing via a well pump. The well system gets capped off above ground. The water then enters your home from a pipe connected between the casing and a pressure tank (generally located in your home’s basement). From there, it gets distributed to faucets throughout your home.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3003" src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/P_Modern-Wall-Well-Diagram.png" alt="how a well works diagram" width="1000" height="1000" data-attachment-id="3003" data-permalink="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/how-does-a-well-work/p_modern-wall-well-diagram/" data-orig-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/P_Modern-Wall-Well-Diagram.png" data-orig-size="1000,1000" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="P_Modern Wall Well Diagram" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/P_Modern-Wall-Well-Diagram-300x300.png" data-large-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/P_Modern-Wall-Well-Diagram.png" /></p>
<p>Some people are under the impression that well water is “pure” since it comes from within the earth. However, it’s rainwater which has moved through the air, across the ground, and through the soil. By the time well water gets into your home, there’s likely more to it than just water. Those elements can affect your pipes, clothes, food, skin, and your health.</p>
<h2>What’s in well water?</h2>
<p>Well water is more likely to be hard water, meaning that it contains minerals like calcium and magnesium. Water containing minerals can be a good thing. Still, too many minerals can create build-up in pipes and heating systems, leading to costly repairs. Hard water also performs poorly with soaps and detergents, leaving spots on dishes, shower doors, and generally not cleaning things as well as soft water.</p>
<p>Water coming from your well is also more likely to encounter other contaminants. Depending on where you live, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/types-of-iron-in-water-and-treatment-solutions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iron</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/common-reasons-why-your-water-stinks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sulfur gas</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/common-water-contaminants-and-risks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">arsenic</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/common-water-contaminants-and-risks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nitrates</a>, tannins, and various other items found in nature could be present. Some parts of the country do not have iron issues. In contrast, other areas might have entire neighborhoods with whole-home iron filters to prevent rust stains from forming on everything their water touches.</p>
<p>Homeowners with well water should have their water tested by a licensed professional at least once per year. Many <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/common-water-contaminants-and-risks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">contaminants cannot be seen or smelled</a>, so you’ll want to make sure there isn’t anything present that might affect your family’s health. </p>
<h2>Keeping contamination away</h2>
<p>Besides the environmental factors that could be in your well water, you’ll also want to make sure the well casing is in good condition. This chamber holds your well pump and should stay wholly enclosed to help keep your water source clean. Cracks in your well cover or casing walls will leave your well exposed to dirt, insects, or rodents that can cause e.coli bacteria to grow inside your well.</p>
<p>Having this bacteria in your water isn’t so bad if you’re using it for your laundry or taking a shower. Still, it can become an issue when it comes to the water you drink and use for cooking. While not harmful to your health, consuming e.coli bacteria can give you a stomach ache and diarrhea. The only way to know for sure if you have bacteria contamination in your well is to have it tested. If the test results come back positive, don’t worry, there is a solution! A local water expert can “shock” the well using chlorine, but make sure to inspect the well itself to ensure that it will adequately seal again once finished. Otherwise it will just get contaminated again.</p>
<p><strong>Here’s a checklist for keeping your well in good working order:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li class="first-child">Always use licensed or certified service technicians for any maintenance on your well</li>
<li>Conduct testing annually, or when a change in taste, appearance, or odor are detected</li>
<li>Keep hazardous chemicals away from the well</li>
<li>Occasionally check the well cover cap to make sure it’s secure and in good shape</li>
<li>Make sure the cap is at least 6” above ground</li>
<li class="last-child">Keep the well cap area free of debris and take care when mowing or moving around it</li>
</ul>
<p>There are a variety of products that can give you peace of mind that you’re drinking and washing with quality water. For example, a water softener will help filter out excess minerals which can make your hair limp, skin itchy and cleaning difficult. A filtration system will tackle elements like chlorine, iron, manganese, and more, which will eliminate unwanted tastes and stains. And, you could consider a <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/reverse-omsosis-system-questions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reverse osmosis system</a> to eliminate harmful contaminants in your drinking water.</p>
<p>Remember, a well system transports water from the ground to your home; it doesn’t do anything to treat or sanitize the water. With water testing, an accurate diagnosis and recommendation, you can overcome even the most challenging well water.</p>
2021-04-01T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39496-point-of-entry-vs-point-of-use.html
Point of Entry vs. Point of Use
2021-03-09T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Understanding the difference between Point of Entry and Point of Use systems for water treatment is a great way to feel more confident when it comes to solving your home's water issues. Check out this blog to learn more about POE vs. POU water treatment.
<h1>The Difference Between Point Of Entry Vs. Point Of Use</h1>
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<p><img title="POE vs POU" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/february-2021-header-image_1614359949.png" alt="POE vs POU" width="640" height="332" /></p>
<p>Like most technical industries, the world of water treatment is inundated with lingo, acronyms, and hard-to-pronounce terminology that is difficult for outsiders to grasp and understand, especially if you’re only just beginning to research how to supply your home with better quality water.</p>
<p>Two of the more common acronyms that you may have encountered during your preliminary research are POE (Point of Entry) and POU (Point of Use). While these are relatively simple concepts on paper, understanding the difference between POE and POU systems, how they are applied, and what kind of products are normally associated with each term is a good way to feel more confident in your choice to treat your home’s water.</p>
<h2><strong>POE Vs POU Water Treatment: Location, Products, And Capacities?</strong></h2>
<p>Simply speaking, the biggest difference between a POE system and a POU system is location. A point of entry system (often called a “whole house system”) is located directly on the entry point for your home’s water supply. This means that all water passing through and into your home must first pass through the POE water treatment system.</p>
<p>An example of a POE system is a water softener. Water softeners are typically sized and installed to supply soft water to the entire home’s plumbing so all appliances and fixtures can take advantage of the benefits that soft water brings. Softeners are suitable for POE because of their high capacity (they can treat large numbers of gallons of water before needing to be regenerated) and their ability to not significantly restrict flow rates and water pressure. Other examples of POE systems can include iron filtration units, acid neutralizers, and taste/odor filtration solutions.</p>
<p>A POU system is located further down into your home’s plumbing line and is installed directly before a desired end-point, like a dispensing faucet or appliance. As in the name, a point of use system is on-demand equipment, meaning that water only passes through it when the appliance or dispensing faucet at the end-point is in use.</p>
<p>POU systems are rated to treat smaller quantities of water that would not be typically used for utilitarian purposes like cleaning or bathing. The most common example of a POU system is a reverse osmosis (RO) unit. Often installed below a sink, a RO system takes time to generate purified water through its complex routing of stage filters and membrane. The purified water that is generated is then stored in a holding tank which is drawn from for use. In most cases, a single RO unit will only be hooked up to a dispensing faucet and/or a fridge ice maker.</p>
<h2><strong>POE And POU: Working Together</strong></h2>
<p>The first thing you should do when considering treating your home’s water is to ask yourself what your goal is. Since there is no one-size-fits-all solution to treating every water issue, this is where a combination of POE and POU equipment comes into play.</p>
<p>Let’s look at an example. Say that you own a home supplied by well water with very high levels of iron and hardness. Your goals are to eliminate the rust stains and buildup that comes with hard, iron-heavy water and be able to have crystal clear, great tasting water right from your kitchen tap. The first thing you would do is call a local water treatment expert to have your water tested. The results of your test would determine what kind of equipment you would need to tackle the initial problems of the contaminants in your water. First, a POE iron filter would be installed. This unit would precipitate and filter out the iron particulates in the water being supplied to your home. Next, a POE water softener would be installed directly following the iron filter. The softener would reduce the leftover minerals that make up your hard water problems.</p>
<p>While the combination of an iron filter and a water softener will provide your entire home with a high quality of water to protect your fixtures, plumbing and appliances, they will only reduce those minerals that they are targeting. There still may be other things traveling in your water that you’re not comfortable drinking or cooking with. The final step would be to install a POU reverse osmosis system connected to your kitchen sink. The RO’s filtration process will provide a wide range of contaminant removal that is not caught by the previous products, like lead, arsenic, or nitrates. The result of this combination of equipment is a full treatment system that works together to reach your end goal of purified drinking water at your kitchen sink.</p>
<h2><strong>Achieve Your Water Goals</strong></h2>
<p>If you haven’t considered water treatment before, take some time to sit down and come up with a few water goals of your own. Do you want to improve the smell of your water? Or make sure you’re drinking the best water possible? Whether you’re struggling with some serious problem water or if you want to turn your good water into great water, speaking with a water treatment professional can help you align those goals and turn them into a reality.</p>
<p>Your <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/" target="_blank">local Evolve Dealer</a> has access to an arsenal of precision POE and POU water treatment products that work together to provide your home with a custom water treatment solution. Click here to find your local dealer and start down the path of achieving your water goals</p>
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2021-03-09T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39253-can-hard-water-cause-hairloss-4-tips-to-strengthen-your-hair.html
Can Hard Water Cause Hairloss? 4 Tips to Strengthen Your Hair
2021-02-01T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Worried about the amount of hair your comb is catching? While genetics may be more to blame for a receding hair line, hard water does make your strands more brittle and prone to breaking. Click the link below to learn more about how good water can protect your lovely locks.
<div class="content__meta"><span class="content__date">January 19, 2021</span><span class="content__categories"><a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/category/hard-water/" rel="category tag">Hard Water</a></span></div>
<p>Are you noticing large amounts of hair on the shower floor? Or is your hair notorious for coming off in the comb? If you’re sick of losing your locks, identifying the causes of hair loss can be tricky. You can’t do much about genetics, but there are several contributing factors that you can do something about. From in-home remedies to expensive salon treatments, there are ways to help your hair growth, but you may be fighting an uphill battle if your water is part of the problem. </p>
<p>If you’re showering in hard water, all of your efforts to strengthen your hair may be going down the drain – literally. Can hard water cause hair loss? In short, not directly, but hard water can negatively affect your hair, which can indirectly lead to hair loss or at least the appearance of it.</p>
<h2><span>What is Hard Water & What Problems it Does Cause?</span></h2>
<p>Hard water is water high in mineral content like calcium and magnesium. As many as 85 percent of homes in the United States have hard water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, creating issues for everyone from rural well owners to urban municipal customers.</p>
<p>But what problems exactly? We’ve identified <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/8-hard-water-problems/">eight problems caused by hard water</a>, including soap scum, skin irritation — and yes, hair damage.</p>
<h2><span>3 Signs of Hard Water on Hair</span></h2>
<ol>
<li><strong>Shampoo doesn’t form a lather </strong>– this is because the minerals in hard water negatively interact with the fatty acids in soaps. The calcium clings to the cleaning agents making a sticky solid that is very difficult to rinse away. This might sound familiar because that is what causes soap scum build-up on your shower walls. If there is soap scum there, you can bet that it is everywhere, including your hair.</li>
<li><strong>Hair is dry and frizzy </strong>– this is because hard water actually dries out your hair (and skin, which can lead to issues with dandruff, too) by not allowing moisture into the hair strands. Having dry hair not only makes it more prone to tangles and frizz, but it will make it thinner over time as well.</li>
<li><strong>Hairs break off at the base </strong>– this is due to calcium deposit build-up on the scalp and is what many may mistake for hair loss. The problem may not be with the hair root, but in the brittleness of the hair shaft. Hard water will make your hair weak, no matter how healthy your follicles are functioning. </li>
</ol>
<p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/4-ways-to-save-your-hair-from-hard-water/">negative effects of hard water on your hair</a>. </p>
<p>More importantly, what can you do about it? We’ll now turn to the solutions to hard water hair damage and the appearance of hard water hair loss.</p>
<h2><span>4 Tips to Counteract Hard Water Hair Issues</span></h2>
<p>You might think showering more often could help, but <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/showering-hard-water/">extra showers in hard water may actually</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/showering-hard-water/">prevent you from getting clean</a>. Here are some things that can work:</p>
<h4>1. Use an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse</h4>
<p>The acid in a vinegar rinse like apple cider vinegar can remove the layers of magnesium and calcium build-up from previous showers with hard water.</p>
<p>Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 3 cups of water (or distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice), then apply it as close to the scalp as you can after shampooing. Let it sit for a few minutes then rinse away. This homemade solution is best applied once a week to neutralize the hair damage from hard water, and it can even prevent hair color from fading.</p>
<h4>2. Apply Aloe Vera to the Scalp</h4>
<p>Aloe vera is typically thought of for skin care, but it can help protect your hair from hard water effects too. Aloe vera juice can be applied directly to the scalp, and if you leave it on for 2-3 hours and rinse away, you’ll strengthen your hair, while reducing scalp inflammation. Hard water can make hair brittle; aloe vera can restore it before you comb it out. </p>
<p>This process can be done a few times a week.</p>
<h4>3. Rinse With Bottled Water After Every Shower</h4>
<h4><img class="wp-image-3297 alignright" src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Rinse-with-bottled-water-1024x683.jpg" alt="Rinse With Bottled Water After Every Shower" width="255" height="170" data-attachment-id="3297" data-permalink="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/can-hard-water-cause-hair-loss/rinse-with-bottled-water/" data-orig-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Rinse-with-bottled-water-scaled-e1611070807681.jpg" data-orig-size="1000,667" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Rinse with bottled water" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Rinse-with-bottled-water-300x200.jpg" data-large-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Rinse-with-bottled-water-1024x683.jpg" /></h4>
<p>Softer, purified water applied throughout your scalp and hair as you’re wrapping up your shower can help prevent scaly build-up from the magnesium and calcium in hard water.</p>
<p>Of course, it’s an extra step that can get expensive quickly, and it’s ultimately ignoring a bigger problem since hard water is <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/soft-water-hard-water-effects-skin/">damaging your skin</a> besides, as well as your <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/hard-water-plumbing-problems-cholesterol/">shower head, pipes</a> and maybe even <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/resources/hard-water-ruining-laundry/">laundry</a>.</p>
<h4>4. Install a Water Softener for a Permanent Hard Water Fix</h4>
<p>Ultimately, there’s only one way to permanently fend off hard water at the source, before it impacts your plumbing, appliances, shower experience and hair: Make a smart upgrade to a home water softener.</p>
<p>A water softener is designed to be a continuous solution to all of your hard water issues by capturing the calcium and magnesium minerals as soon as your water enters your home, leaving only the softened water to travel up through your faucets and plumbing. Once the media inside a water softener is at the maximum amount it can hold, it will go through a “regeneration” process to use a salt water solution to flush the calcium minerals down the drain, leaving the water softener refreshed and ready to remove the hardness once again. </p>
<p>That means with very little effort, you can enjoy not only strong supple hair, but silkier skin, less soap scum, and appliances that stand the test of time without limescale build-up. </p>
<p>If you’re in the 85% of homes with hard water, get the problem out of your hair — literally — by reaching out to a local water expert who can evaluate the mineral content in your water and recommend an affordable, long-term solution specific to your needs.</p>
2021-02-01T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39252-water-treatment-certifications-what-do-they-mean.html
Water Treatment Certifications: What Do They Mean?
2021-02-01T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Many water contaminants are colorless, odorless, and tasteless... so how do you know if your filter is even taking anything out? Read this blog about how looking for water treatment certifications can help you establish trust in our products.
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<p><img title="Man with Clipboard" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/january-2021-header-image_1611779144.png" alt="Man with Clipboard" width="640" height="332" /></p>
<p>Say you’re walking into your local grocery store at eleven o’clock in the evening with one thing in mind; a jar of pickles. Ignoring some of the bigger questions like “why am I buying a jar of pickles this late?”, you have a few requirements and restrictions while heading into the store.</p>
<ol>
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<p>You only have enough money in your pocket for one jar of pickles.</p>
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<p>Your friends have warned you against buying sweet pickles in the past.</p>
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<p>You know nothing about pickles and you’ve never bought a jar of them before.</p>
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<p>When you make it to the pickle aisle, you’re greeted with the classic problem of Overchoice: there are dozens of jars there with dozens of varieties of pickles inside. Some have orange “sale” stickers plastered on the price tag. Some are priced higher than others, but why? Some are labeled “premium” while others have a picture of a dancing cartoon cucumber on the face of the jar. And since you know nothing about pickles outside of your friends’ advice on avoiding a specific variety, even reading the ingredients on the back of the jars is no use. </p>
<p>You want to make an educated decision to choose a high-quality pickle, but the absolute wealth of choice is overwhelming, even after whittling your choices down a bit by eliminating a few of the jars.</p>
<p>If you’ve just made the decision to start looking into treating your home’s water, you might have already found that the process of research is strikingly similar to standing in front of a wall of pickle jars. You may already have some rough idea of what is wrong with your water. Perhaps you’ve noticed scale buildup on your faucets or bad taste or odor to your water. But, knowing nothing about water treatment, it’s hard to figure out where to head next. You know that there are big-box stores that sell water softeners and there are some local water treatment specialists in the area, but how do you know that what you’re buying is actually doing what it’s advertised to do?</p>
<h2>The Importance Of Certified Water Treatment</h2>
<p>Whether you’re just getting started on researching water treatment equipment or if you’ve had a unit recently installed, you want to make sure that your equipment is working as well as it claims to do. This is where third-party certifications come into play.</p>
<p>A certification body is an independent organization that performs a series of tests on water treatment devices to ensure that equipment is performing as the manufacturer advertises. The goal of these organizations is to place their approval stamp on certified products and to pass on confidence to the end consumer that what they have installed in their home is trustworthy and working as advertised. Bringing things back to the pickle aisle; perhaps you would prefer to buy pickles that are labeled as organic. Farms that are providing truly organic pickles go through a series of validations to prove this is true and that brand then earns the right to include on their packaging that they aren’t just organic, but they are <em>certified organic</em>. Water softeners and filters work in the same way.</p>
<p>Manufacturers work through several third-party agencies to get their water treatment products certified. You may have seen some of their certification labels before on products that you’ve purchased or researched in the past. The three primary certification bodies are the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Water Quality Association (WQA), and the International Association of Plumbing and Manufacturing Officials (IAPMO). Each of these bodies has specific certification standards for different products. Understanding what these standards mean can help you better determine if the water treatment equipment that you’re researching or have installed in your home meets your requirements.</p>
<h2>NSF/ANSI Standards<img title="NSF" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/nsf-independantly-certified-logo_1611780458.jpg" alt="NSF" width="100" height="100" /></h2>
<p>The National Science Foundation is a federal agency that was created back in the 1950’s with the tagline of “promoting the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; to secure the national defense…”. Among its myriad of other responsibilities, the NSF’s certifying body extends to many different industries. When certifying water treatment equipment, the NSF uses a set of strict standards created by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI). Some of the common water treatment standards are:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>NSF/ANSI 42: Aesthetic Effects<br /></strong>This standard applies to evaluating non-health-related qualities in water, pertaining to factors that influence the odor, taste, and appearance of water. Some examples would be the reduction of iron or total dissolved solids.</li>
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<ul>
<li><strong>NSF/ANSI 44: Water Softeners<br /></strong>Specifically for water softeners, this standard creates baseline requirements for the reduction of hardness, capacity (amount of hardness that can be removed before regeneration), and material safety. Additionally, this standard can also establish efficiency standards that pertain to the amount of salt and water used during regeneration and normal use.</li>
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<li><strong>NSF/ANSI 53: Health Effects<br /></strong>Pertaining to water filtration, this standard applies to equipment that claims to remove more than 50% of contaminants linked to health-related concerns.</li>
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<li><strong>NSF/ANSI 58: Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)<br /></strong>The R.O. standard ensures that certified equipment is reducing contaminants in accordance with its claims. It also creates baselines for unit efficiency, overall safety and quality of materials used in its manufacturing, and the recovery rating, which establishes the amount of wastewater used to flush the membrane system vs the amount of drinkable water it makes.</li>
</ul>
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<li><strong>NSF/ANSI 401: Emerging Compounds/Incidental Contaminants<br /></strong>This standard applies to the reduction of emerging contaminants, which are contaminants that are believed to cause health problems, although there is not enough evidence backing their negative health claims. This may include some common herbicides and pesticides discovered in the water.</li>
</ul>
<h2>WQA Certification<img title="WQA" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/goldsealbwuscan_1611780670.jpg" alt="WQA" width="100" height="103" /></h2>
<p>The Water Quality Association offers a Gold Seal Certification Program which measures standards similar to the NSF. The WQA provides regular audits on products in their Gold Seal Program to ensure that standards are still being met following the initial certification. Some of the WQA standards include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>WQA S-100:</strong> Pertains to household, commercial, and portable cation exchange water softeners.</li>
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<li><strong>WQA S-200</strong>: For residential and commercial water filters.</li>
</ul>
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<li><strong>WQA S</strong>-<strong>300: </strong>For point-of-use reverse osmosis systems.</li>
</ul>
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<li><strong>WQA S-400: </strong>Pertains to point of use distillation drinking water systems.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>IAPMO Certification<strong><img title="IAPMO" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/iapmo-rt-water-quality-seal-vector-wht-tagline_1611781077.jpg" alt="IAPMO" width="100" height="63" /></strong></h2>
<p>The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials consists of a laboratory testing unit that examines water treatment products against both NSF/ANSI and WQA standards. In addition, IAPMO has its own set of standards that it tests and validates against. Like the other certification bodies, IAPMO certifications require regular audits and must be resubmitted every three years.</p>
<h2>Why Buy Certified?</h2>
<p>Just like many of us wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a certified organic pickle and a non-organic pickle in a blind taste test, you can't always see, smell, or taste the difference between regular water and treated water. You just have to trust that the system did what it said it was going to do. This is the real benefit to third party certification, being able to feel confident that the product you’ve settled on has been tested to meet the standards it’s claiming to meet, making your decision that much easier.</p>
<p>A way to make the process of settling on a water treatment unit even easier is to contact your <a href="https://www.evolveseries.com/find-a-dealer.html" target="_blank">local Evolve Dealer.</a> An Evolve water expert takes all of the guesswork out of the equation, from testing your water to prescribing a customized solution to your water woes. You can feel comfortable relying on the Evolve Series line of professional water treatment products that include a variety of industry certifications to live up to their impressive claims. Just look for the gold WQA seal on qualifying products.</p>
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2021-02-01T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/39192-common-water-softener-problems-what-is-a-salt-bridge.html
Common Water Softener Problems: What is a salt bridge?
2021-01-22T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Have a softener but don't think it's providing soft water? There are a few maintenance related things you can look for that will cause this, including a "salt bridge" inside your brine tank. Check out this blog to learn what to look for and how to fix it.
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<p><img title="Plumber" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/december-header-image_1608310525.png" alt="Plumber" width="640" height="332" /></p>
<p>Like most of your other large appliances in your home, your water softener takes a little bit of maintenance to keep it efficiently providing softened water through your home. It normally involves pretty basic tasks revolving around remembering to keep enough salt in the brine tank. It may not seem like a big deal, but salt plays a very important role in making sure your water softener continues to reduce the hardness minerals on a daily basis for your home. And while that usually means making the occasional trip down to the basement to check salt levels, the peace of mind that comes with knowing that softened water is actually prolonging the life and reducing maintenance on the rest of your water-using appliances makes that minor inconvenience well worth it.</p>
<p>And again, like the other large appliances in your home, your softener may occasionally need a little extra attention. Often times a problem with your system will go unnoticed until the normally softened water in your home starts to feel unconditioned, a sign that the softener isn’t providing treated water. One of the more common issues that can cause this, and one of the easiest to remedy, is called salt bridging. Understanding what a salt bridge is, how it can occur, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening again are useful skills for any water softener owner.</p>
<h2><strong>What Is A Salt Bridge?<img title="Salt Bridge" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/brine-tank_1608310162.jpg" alt="Salt Bridge" width="250" height="318" /></strong></h2>
<p>Salt bridging occurs within the brine tank, the large supplementary tank next to your softener that creates a brine solution to recharge the resin beads in the primary media tank. A salt bridge is a solidified layer or crust of salt that spans the entire diameter of the brine tank. This surface crust creates a solid blockage that prevents the salt on top of it from coming in contact with the layer of water in the tank beneath it.</p>
<p>To understand how this occurs and why it can be so detrimental to the function of your water softener, it’s important to first understand how the brine tank works. In all Evolve Series water softeners, salt is added to the brine tank and is stored until the water softener enters a state of regeneration. This is called “dry storage,” meaning water is only in the tank during periods in which it is needed. During regeneration, a measured amount of water enters the brine tank from the bottom and sits for a pre-determined amount of time, letting the salt dissolve into the water, forming a brine solution. This brine solution is then pumped into the main softener media tank where it comes in contact with the resin beads inside, recharging or regenerating them. This resets the media beads allowing them to function again, removing hardness from raw water.</p>
<p>As the water is working away at dissolving the salt, sometimes the salt crystals will clump back together forming a solid layer that holds its shape long after the saltwater leaves the brine tank. That is what we call a “salt bridge.” When a salt bridge occurs, the crusty, solidified layer of salt that is formed creates a wall between the salt and the water that flows into the bottom of the brine tank. Because the water level cannot reach the salt above, a brine solution is unable to be created. As salt is a critical part of the regeneration process, the raw water is unable to recharge the resin media within the media tank. The resin media is not able to remove the hardness elements in the water, leaving unconditioned, hard water to flow to the taps and appliances in your home.</p>
<h2><strong>How Do I Know If I Have A Salt Bridge?</strong></h2>
<p>The telltale sign of a salt bridge is if your water begins to feel like it did before you had a water softener installed. If your water feels different to the touch, your hair seems more course and frizzy, your skin is drying out fast, your soaps begin to not perform as well as they normally do, or you notice scale around faucets, then your softener is not providing soft water.</p>
<p>The next step is inspecting the brine tank. A salt bridge can be disguised by resting below a fresh layer of salt and may not be immediately visible. Using an object with a long, thin, sturdy handle, such as a broom, can often determine if a bridge is present.</p>
<h2>How To Fix A Salt Bridge</h2>
<p>Thankfully, once a salt bridge is identified, its removal is a simple process. It involves scooping out the loose salt that is above the bridge, using a long-handled item to break the crust, and removing the large, chunky pieces of the bridge which are then discarded. The brine tank should then be cleaned and refilled with the proper amount of salt; then regeneration can begin. Your qualified Evolve dealer is always available to answer questions and assist in the removal of a salt bridge if you suspect one has developed in your brine tank.</p>
<h2><strong>Preventing A Salt Bridge In The Future</strong></h2>
<p>There are several steps you can take to prevent a salt bridge from occurring. Bridges tend to form in more humid environments, so accounting for humidity can help prevent them from forming. Humidity can be prevented, especially in the summer months or in more humid climates, by ensuring that the brine tank lid is always on securely. Using the correct, manufacturer-approved salt in your brine tank can also prevent bridging and other problems from occurring. And lastly, ensuring that you are not overfilling the brine tank is critical in preventing problems. Evolve softener brine tanks should usually be kept 1/3 to 2/3 full. </p>
<p>Understanding more about common problems associated with your water softener can leave you better equipped to deal with issues when they occasionally happen and allow you to return to being supplied with soft water sooner. If you have questions or issues with your water softener underperforming, a call to your nearest Evolve dealer can get you the answers you need! </p>
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</div>
2021-01-22T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/38351-cleaning-and-disinfecting-home-surfaces-soft-vs-hard-water.html
Cleaning and Disinfecting Home Surfaces: Soft vs. Hard Water
2020-11-02T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
Most of the time, you can tell if a table, countertop, or any other surface in your home is dirty just by looking at it. But what about the things you can't see? The first thing to realize is that there is a difference between cleaning and disinfection.
<div class="article-image clearfix"><img class="article wp-post-image" title="" src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Cleaning-and-Disinfecting-Kitchen-_-Water-Right.jpg" alt="Cleaning and Disinfecting Kitchen _ Water-Right" width="1000" height="668" data-attachment-id="3143" data-permalink="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/best-water-for-cleaning-and-disinfecting-home/cleaning-and-disinfecting-kitchen-_-water-right/" data-orig-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Cleaning-and-Disinfecting-Kitchen-_-Water-Right.jpg" data-orig-size="1000,668" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{" data-image-title="Cleaning and Disinfecting Kitchen _ Water-Right" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Cleaning-and-Disinfecting-Kitchen-_-Water-Right-300x200.jpg" data-large-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Cleaning-and-Disinfecting-Kitchen-_-Water-Right.jpg" /></div>
<h2 class="entry-title"><a title="Permalink to Cleaning and Disinfecting Home Surfaces: Soft vs. Hard Water" href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/best-water-for-cleaning-and-disinfecting-home/" rel="bookmark">CLEANING AND DISINFECTING HOME SURFACES: SOFT VS. HARD WATER</a></h2>
<div class="datebox-hub">Sep 16, 2020 | <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/category/hard-water/" rel="category tag">Hard Water</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/category/home-living/" rel="category tag">Home Living</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/category/water-health/" rel="category tag">Water & Health</a>, <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/category/water-softeners/" rel="category tag">Water Softeners</a></div>
<div class="entry-content">
<p>Most of the time, you can tell if a table, countertop, or any other surface in your home is dirty just by looking at it. But what about the things you <em>can’t </em>see?</p>
<p>In water treatment, we know <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/common-water-contaminants-and-risks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">drinking water with contaminants</a> that are invisible to the naked eye are more likely to be the ones that raise serious concerns. The same goes for what lies unseen on household surfaces. The quality of water you use to clean your home matters.</p>
<p>As concerns about harmful pathogens such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) continue and as we enter the traditional flu season, it’s important for everyone to understand how to avoid health risks. Whether it’s a school, restaurant, or your own kitchen and bathroom, surfaces that are properly cleaned and disinfected are the safest surfaces.</p>
<h2>Cleaning vs. Disinfecting Surfaces</h2>
<p>The first thing to realize is that there is a difference between cleaning and disinfection. They are actually two distinct processes.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://waterandhealth.org/disinfect/cleaning-vs-disinfecting-whats-difference/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Water Quality & Health Council</a>, cleaning involves using water along with soap or detergent to remove dirt and grime as well as some (but not all) of the germs present on the surface. <em>Disinfection</em> involves eliminating/killing a much higher number of germs while inhibiting the pathogens’ ability to reproduce. This is usually done with household chemicals such as Clorox bleach, Lysol spray, or other similar products.</p>
<p>The next important concept to grasp is that to effectively disinfect a surface you need to <em>clean it first</em>. Simply spraying disinfectant on a surface may eliminate germs, but if that surface is still dirty, that dirt and grime could cause your sanitizer to miss bacteria and viruses sticking to the surface beneath it. Plus, these germs hiding beneath the dirt will feed on the soil and continue to multiply.</p>
<p>Clean first, then disinfect using the right soaps and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-all-purpose-cleaner/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">household chemicals to eliminate COVID-19 </a>and other pathogens. You can remember this by thinking about how the letter “C” comes before “D” in the alphabet.</p>
<p>As you work to clean and disinfect home surfaces, be sure to do so safely. Products used on surfaces should not be used on or in the human body. <a href="https://waterandhealth.org/disinfect/preventing-infection/cleaning-and-disinfecting-against-coronavirus-are-we-doing-it-right/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WaterandHealth.org</a> provides more information on cleaning and disinfecting for coronavirus the right way.</p>
<h2>Hard Water vs. Soft Water</h2>
<p>Hard water makes it harder to clean your home than it is with soft water. That’s because hard water contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium that not only will leave behind a limescale residue, but also decrease the efficiency of soap. Those minerals are like tiny grains of sand traveling in your water, and when mixed with soap, the grains actually become very sticky and will clump together into globs of coagulated detergent, also known as “soap scum.”</p>
<p>That soap scum clings to your surfaces and causes germs to stick around, too. Norman Pace, a microbiologist from the University of Colorado, Boulder told the journal <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/common-water-contaminants-and-risks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nature</em></a> he was surprised at the germs he found lurking in soap scum:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>“I scraped a little bit of soap scum, put it under the microscope and went: ‘Wooah!'” he says. The sample teemed with bacterial life … Each time you take a shower you are engulfed by an aerosol of bacteria, Pace told the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle. In most cases, that will not be dangerous. But if you have an unprotected cut, or your immune system is suppressed, it could be a different story.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>On the other hand, soft water encourages a sudsy, soapy lather and helps wash cleaning products away completely, so you avoid soap scum buildup. It also means you’ll need less soap to get things clean because there are no tiny grains of minerals for it to stick to.</p>
<p>Getting the most out of soap during household cleaning could be an important factor in protecting against pathogens such as COVID-19, as well as influenza and other viruses. In an article on coronavirus for <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/deadly-viruses-are-no-match-for-plain-old-soap-heres-the-science-behind-it-2020-03-08" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>MarketWatch</em></a>, chemistry professor Palli Thordarson explained that soap has special properties, which make it even better than a disinfectant in some cases:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>“Soap dissolves the fat membrane, and the virus falls apart like a house of cards and ‘dies,’ or rather, it becomes inactive as viruses aren’t really alive … Disinfectants, or liquids, wipes, gels, and creams containing alcohol (and soap) have a similar effect but are not as good as regular soap.”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, having soft water can help soap do its job as you clean. But what about when you use a disinfectant? Does having hard or soft water in your home make a difference? Research shows that it does!</p>
<p>A <a href="https://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2672.2001.01422.x" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2001 study</a> published in the <em>Journal of Applied Microbiology</em> examined the effect of different substances and how they interfere with disinfection. The study found:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“<em>Disinfectants can be seriously affected by the presence of organic matter; for example, iodophor and chlorine disinfectants are ‘notoriously sensitive to organic soil’. <strong>Hard water also reduces the effectiveness of disinfectants</strong> …”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>There you have it. Dirt and the minerals in hard water have a negative impact on both the cleaning and disinfection process. Your home needs soft water for the most effective way to fight those surface germs.</p>
<h2>Bleach and High-Iron Water</h2>
<p>Here’s one more factor to consider when it comes to water quality and disinfecting surfaces in your home. If you are using more bleach lately to help disinfect your home and live out in the country, you actually might be seeing MORE stains around your home. Unfortunately, using bleach could cause aesthetic problems in high-iron water.</p>
<p>There are two <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/types-of-iron-in-water-and-treatment-solutions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">types of iron in water</a> – one you can see in the water as a particle, and one you can’t because it is dissolved. Both kinds cause those ugly orange stains on kitchen and bathroom surfaces. But the invisible (or soluble) iron takes much longer to leave a stain because it needs to wait for the water around it to dry, leaving the iron to become oxidized.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3142" title="" src="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iron-stains-well-water-copy.jpg" alt="iron stains in sink from well water | water-right" width="993" height="659" data-attachment-id="3142" data-permalink="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/best-water-for-cleaning-and-disinfecting-home/iron-stains-well-water-copy-2/" data-orig-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iron-stains-well-water-copy.jpg" data-orig-size="993,659" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{" data-image-title="iron-stains-well-water-copy" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iron-stains-well-water-copy-300x199.jpg" data-large-file="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/iron-stains-well-water-copy.jpg" /></p>
<p>As it turns out, bleach is also a natural oxidizer. So, if you have iron in your water and use bleach products to disinfect surfaces in your home, you may start noticing rusty-looking stains a lot faster. However, you can disinfect your home and manage to avoid iron stains with a residential water filtration system designed to remove iron. Rather than constantly scrubbing away stains, filtration is a <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/get-rid-of-iron-and-rust-stains-once-and-for-all/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">permanent solution to high-iron water</a>. Using a unique Water-Right water conditioner with our patented <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/innovation/crystal-right/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crystal-Right media</a> can even help provide soft water while filtering out iron at the same time.</p>
<h2>Get the Right Water for Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home’s Surfaces</h2>
<p>Soft water alone won’t protect you from harmful bacteria and viruses, but it will increase the effectiveness of household cleaning products and disinfectants.</p>
<p>If your home doesn’t have a water softener, or your <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/reasons-why-to-update-water-treatment-equipment/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">water treatment system needs an update</a>, now is the right time to make that decision. In addition to providing peace of mind about the cleanliness of your home, soft water also makes life easier. It’s better for laundry and dishes as well as your hair and skin during bathing. Plus, a <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/blog/water-treatment-cost-savings/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">water softener saves you money</a> in the long run.</p>
<p>Don’t assume you don’t need a water softener in your home. Whether you have city water or a private well, it’s estimated that 80 to 90 percent of all homes in the U.S. have hard water. </p>
<p>Find out if your water quality could be improved when you <a href="https://www.water-rightgroup.com/contact/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">contact one of our local water treatment experts</a> for an assessment.</p>
</div>
2020-11-02T00:00:00.05Z
https://aquacareservices.cgosite.com/about-us/news-and-events/38114-know-your-water-contaminants.html
Know Your Water Contaminants
2020-10-01T00:00:00.05Z
Kim Rankinen
PFAS are an emerging class of contaminants that are extremely persistent in the environment and our bodies. This group of man made chemicals that include PFOA, PFOS, and GenX chemicals are found just about everywhere and are known to be harmful to your health.
<h1>Know Your Water Contaminants: PFAS</h1>
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<p><img title="Know Your Contaminants: PFAS" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/headerimagetemplatepfasoct_1601305371.png" alt="PFAS & Water Contamination" width="640" height="360" /></p>
<p>For many families, Saturday night means gathering around the TV with the latest Netflix movie and a big bowl of delicious microwave popcorn! It’s one of the simplest snacks and great for movie night! But did you notice that when you pulled that steaming bag out of the microwave and you were flooded with steam, the paper bag wasn’t even a little soggy from all that butter and moisture?</p>
<p>That’s because the inside of the bag that your microwave popcorn comes in is lined to stop the oil from leaking through the paper. But what is it lined with? There are a variety of different processes, but some are a little more concerning than others. In the past, some companies looked to a man-made chemical compound to provide this leak protection. This chemical is found in many items that we encounter every day; nonstick pans, waterproof and stainproof fabrics, food wrappers, and pizza boxes to name a few. These modern-day conveniences have their benefits, but also come with the downside of an emerging class of contaminants known as Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).</p>
<p><strong>What are PFAS?</strong></p>
<p>PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are man-made chemicals which were commercially developed around WWII. During that time, the two chemical compounds in the PFAS family that were most commonly used and produced are PFOA and PFOS.</p>
<p>Today, PFAS may be found in everyday items like food packaging, and household products such as cookware, carpets, cosmetics, paint, lubricants, and clothing.</p>
<p>PFAS compounds have been used to make consumer goods resistant to water, grease, or stains in products like Scotchgard and Teflon, and are found in a staggering array of products and commercial applications today. Their unique chemistry gives them the unusual ability to repel liquids and create non-stick surfaces.</p>
<p>Sounds like a great thing to have to make life more convenient, right? Unfortunately, the convenience may not be worth the risk. Research has shown that exposure to these chemicals allows them to enter our bloodstream. They essentially never breakdown and stay with us for decades.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong><img title="Infographic PFAS Water Contamination" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/pfas_1601311221.png" alt="PFAS & Water Contamination" width="307" height="480" />How do PFA’s get in the water supply?</strong></p>
<p>Much like how salt dissolves when poured into a glass of water, PFAS are also water soluble making it a commonly found contaminant in today’s water supply, including the water you drink and cook with.</p>
<p>Since PFAS are in so many consumer products, there are many sources for contamination:</p>
<ul>
<li>Landfills where products that contain PFAS such as carpets, food wrappers, and textiles are discarded</li>
<li>At home, clothes treated with PFAS will leech the chemical into the sewer and groundwater with every laundry cycle</li>
<li>The industrial facilities that use these chemicals discharge wastewater into nearby streams or through the wastewater they send to treatment plants</li>
<li>Firefighting foams used on residential applications and military bases are left to seep into the ground after use</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>How many areas are affected?</strong></p>
<p>The extent of the contamination continues to grow at an alarming rate. As of July 2020, 2230 locations in 49 states are known to have PFAS Contamination in the United States. This updated map from the Environmental Working Group shows the pollution in public and private waterways.</p>
<p> <img title="PFAS Contamination Map" src="https://cdn.treehouseinternetgroup.com/uploads/blog/4929/medium/pfas-map_1601305259.png" alt="Map Showing PFAS Contamination" width="640" height="328" /></p>
<p><span><em>Figure 1 – Purple - Military Sites, Blue - Drinking Water, Orange - Other Known Sites</em></span></p>
<p>Even though some areas seem to be untouched, nearly all Americans are affected by exposure to PFAS chemicals in food, water, and consumer products. The dangers of PFAS pose a serious risk to wildlife, people, and communities. In the Great Lakes region, for example, elevated levels of PFAS have been found in insect-eating birds such as tree swallows and fish-eating birds like great blue herons, as well as bald eagles, fish, and deer – resulting in fish consumption advisories and a “Do Not Eat” advisory for deer in certain counties in Michigan.</p>
<p>The two most common compounds of PFOA and PFOS are no longer made in the USA, but stocks of firefighting foams can be stored for decades and are likely to be used in firefighting training long into the future. And although contamination levels have been decreasing in the blood of the general population since they were phased out, the compounds remain the human body for years after exposure and in the environment for longer so it will be a very long time before they disappear completely.</p>
<p><strong>What are the long-term effects on health?</strong></p>
<p>The chemical bonds are so hard to break that these compounds have environmental lifetimes of 100’s of years or more, which is why they are also known as “forever chemicals.” These chemicals accumulate in the cells and are consumed through the food you eat and water you drink. Since they repeal water or oil, once they are consumed, they stay in the cells and continue to build up in our blood and organs.</p>
<p>There is evidence that they can have adverse effects on <a title="EPA PBasic Information on PFAS " href="https://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas" target="_blank">human health</a> . That includes the possibility of affecting fertility, immune systems, hormones, and infant health. The effects of exposure are still being studied but the biggest concern is for women who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant. Evidence also suggests that PFAS could contribute to cancer, kidney disease, and increased cholesterol levels.</p>
<p>The health effects on animals are similar to the effects on people. If you have high levels of PFAS in your water, your pets and livestock should not drink it either.</p>
<p><strong>How can I protect myself?</strong></p>
<p>Although the EPA has set advisory levels for PFAS to 70 ppt (parts per trillion), only a few state government agencies have stepped up to enact limits for PFAS in drinking water or banning its use in food packaging and firefighting foam. There are currently no enforceable federal standards for PFAS in drinking water, so protecting yourself ultimately falls into your own hands.</p>
<p>Fortunately, as knowledge of the overall impact of these emerging contaminants continues to expand, so do the potential solutions being developed to address them. If you are concerned about the possibility of these contaminants in your water supply, contact your local water supply and ask for more information about PFAS in your community.</p>
<p>The removal of this class of contaminants is resistant to many, if not most, water treatment processes. There are options available, but you need to make sure they have been tested and certified to remove the contaminant. The ONE filter is a certified solution to remove PFOA and PFAS chemicals from your water supply. It can be installed in conjunction with your existing water treatment equipment or on it’s own to provide filtered water you can trust to every part of your home. Not only will it keep your family safe from these emerging contaminants, it is also capable of lead and cyst reduction. Contact your local Evolve Dealer today to learn more about how the Contaminant Reduction Technology inside the ONE filter can help keep these harmful contaminants out of your family’s water!</p>
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2020-10-01T00:00:00.05Z