2 Signs You Need A Water Conditioning System
Water conditioning is a form of water treatment that aims to alter or remove the mineral deposits in the water you consume. However, water conditioning differs from water softening. While water softening seeks to reduce the hardness of water, water conditioning aims to improve the taste and smell of your water.
Most people don't know whether they need a water conditioning system. Hence, they consume water saturated with various mineral elements and volatile organic compounds. However, the prolonged consumption of such water often results in different health conditions.
Here are two signs if you are unsure whether you need a water conditioning system.
Foul Smells in your Drinking Water
Water is naturally odorless. But depending on where you get your water and the period before the next delivery, you might notice that your water has a persistent odor. Some of the most common scents people find in their water include:
- Chlorine odors
- Dust odors
- Sulfur odors
- Metallic scents
Chlorine odors are common because water supply companies use chlorine to kill bacteria and germs in your water. However, if a water supply company uses excess chlorine for water treatment, you will notice the scent of chlorine in your water.
Dirt and metallic scents occur when the pipes delivering water to your home contain rust. Rusted pipes will contaminate your water with rust particles that provide a metallic odor to the water. At the same time, damaged water supply pipes will allow dirt particles to contaminate your water supply. Thus, you will notice a slight whiff of dust emanating from your water.
If you draw your water from a well or borehole, you should note that it often contains sulfur bacteria. Sulfur bacteria is a combination of sulfur and bacteria which feeds on organic matter. But as the sulfur bacteria feed on organic matter, they produce hydrogen sulfide gas that dissolves in your well or borehole water. Thus, you tend to notice a sulfur scent in your water.
If you notice any of the above scents in your water, it is a clear sign you need to invest in a water conditioning system.
Weird Tastes
Since water is naturally tasteless, any distinct tastes in your water indicate contamination. Different tastes you might find in your water include:
- A salty taste suggests the presence of mineral salts in the water
- A metallic taste signifies the presence of metal particles such as lead, magnesium, copper, etc.
- Soil taste which indicates the presence of dirt in your water
Hence, if your drinking water has any of the above tastes or any unusual taste, it is a sign you need a water conditioning system.
Note: Depending on the type of water conditioning system you invest in, it can either filter or crystalize the contaminants. But some water conditioning systems also add flavors or scents to your water to mask the tastes and smells mentioned above.