When Should You Invest In Water Filtration Systems? | Oak Ridge, TN

The investment in water filtration systems could improve the quality of water in your home, but is it enough to make it worth your purchase? For many people in Oak Ridge, TN, it is certainly worth the investment.

What Are Filtration Systems?

Water filtration systems work to remove material from the water supply as it comes into the home, ensuring that when someone draws water from a tap, the water is purified as much as possible. This mechanism enables water to flow through it, and as it does, it pulls out chemicals, debris, and other elements found in the water supply.

It works behind the scenes. Nothing changes in how you use the water in your home from a faucet. There’s also no delay in the process of getting water as you currently do.

Why Invest in Filtration Systems?

For many residents, it may not seem like the water coming from your tap is problematic. It tastes normal, has no odor, and is what you’ve always used without ill effects. Yet, there are several core reasons why so many homeowners are installing a filtration system and enjoying its benefits.

Reduce Toxic Chemicals

Tap water contains a high amount of chemicals in it. Often, they are added to purify water from reservoirs to ensure you don’t get sick. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates most of these chemicals. There are limits on 90 different contaminants in water sources. That doesn’t mean those chemicals are filtered out by your local water provider, though. Each chemical has a maximum allowable, meaning you could take in far more toxins than you realize.

These chemicals are a problem. Evidence indicates that high levels of some can lead to a wide range of illnesses, including acute diseases such as endocrine disruption, development effects leading to learning disorders, gastrointestinal illness, and even cancer. While most regions have safe drinking water, that doesn’t mean you enjoy chemical-free drinking water.

Water filtration systems can work effectively to remove more of the chemical makeup than is currently present. That may include microorganisms like noroviruses and E. coli. It may also include inorganic chemicals such as lead, nitrates, arsenic, and nitrites. Even organic chemicals, such as glyphosate and trichlorethylene, are worrisome in high doses.

Depending on what you select, many water filtration systems can remove most of these contaminants, giving you the ability to drink water that’s less likely to make you ill. Compare several products to determine what they remove and how well they do.

It’s More Affordable Than Buying Bottled Water

For those that recognize that tap water isn’t the purest form, the alternative is often to purchase bottled water. According to data from the International Bottled Water Association, Americans used 15 billion gallons of bottled water in 2020. The good news is that many people have reduced the amount of soda and other sugar substances they drink (about 10 gallons worth or 5 trillion fewer calories in 2020 compared to 2010.) Drinking water is great for your health, but doing so out of a water bottle is expensive. Even if you find a great price on water bottles in Oak Ridge, TN, chances are very good that you will still be overpaying compared to using filtered tap water.

Consider that a family of 4 that consumes just 1 bottle of water each day per member is consuming 1,460 bottles of water in a year. Let’s say that, on the low side, that costs $2 per bottle. That means annually, this family spends $2,920 on bottled water alone. That doesn’t take into consideration higher prices for “healthier” versions of bottled water. It also doesn’t factor in the fact that many people drink more than one bottle of water daily. Do the math to see how much you’re spending.

You could buy a thermos and take your filtered water everywhere you go. With water filtration systems in place, you will significantly reduce the need for bottles of water at home, at least, which is one of the best ways for you to lower your overall costs.

The cost to have water filtration systems installed will range by type, size, and provider. Most of the time, it is a one-time cost that provides years of clean water for you, with the need to change out filters from time to time. It’s certainly not going to cost you as much as it does to buy water in plastic bottles, though.

Many water filtration systems can last for years, even as long as 10 years, if maintained. That’s savings year after year.

It Extends the Life of Your Appliances

Appliances work longer when well maintained and in ideal conditions. For some appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators, toilets, and showers, the water passing through them will impact their overall lifespan. How can water cause a problem?

In many areas, lime and calcium are key factors that can cause problems over time. Even in small amounts, these materials will build up on the interior components of these appliances. As that happens, it can create so much buildup that it limits the proper movement of water through pipes and lines. The water can also infiltrate other areas and build up.

It can also impact your drains and faucets. If you notice any yellow standing on your bathroom sink under the faucet, that is a good indication that there’s a significant amount of mineral compound in your water. That’s going to block the filters on your faucets and could lead to clogs in drains over time.

Water filtration systems work to remove most of the material. That means it doesn’t make it to the appliances or the faucets throughout the home. This could help to prolong the life of your appliances by months or years in some situations. It also makes scrubbing the sink far easier to do.

Better for the Environment

The investment in water filtration systems could also help to support the environment. If you recycle, drive a fuel-efficient vehicle, or buy from companies you trust to protect the planet, you can do your part as well.

It all comes down to water bottle usage. According to data provided by EarthDay.org, people use 1.2 million plastic water bottles every minute. Americans purchase an estimated 50 billion bottles every year.

All of that plastic is bad for the environment. It’s estimated that, across all uses of plastic, about 14 million tons of it end up in oceans. That pollutes water systems. Most plastic bottles find their way to a landfill. There, they sit and break down. However, that process takes decades, and as the plastics break down, they leach chemicals into the environment. These toxic particles will then contaminate soil and waterways as rain runs over the landfill.

Even if your family only buys a case of water bottles a month, that’s still 24 to 48 bottles of water you can keep from entering a landfill, helping to protect the environment as you do. Instead, use water filtration systems and stainless steel water thermos and bottles that can last years with routine use and then can often be recycled into new products.

Find out what types of environmental programs are present. Even if you do not eliminate all of your water bottle usage through water filtration systems, you can recycle these products to help the planet at least minimally.

Improve Your Cooking Methods

You may have many other reasons to invest in water filtration systems in, but here is one that could impact your overall enjoyment of the food you prepare at home. When using filtered water for cooking, you could see a noticeable improvement. While it may not add a lot of significant difference in flavor, cooking with tap water can create some changes in your food.

First, there is the concern with the smell. Though this is more impactful in some areas than others, smells from chemicals and bacteria can make any recipe a bit off. It can often leave a sour taste in your dishes as well. For delicate meals or with sauces, that can create a significant alteration of the final product, and someone is likely to notice.

In addition to this, most tap water contains minerals, sometimes in high amounts. Those minerals will stick to the foods you eat, like rice or pasta, and alter not just their flavor but also their texture. That’s more common in some areas than others, but when you are preparing a refined dish, it is well worth it to use the best water available to you. Water filtration systems can make that possible.

Reduce the Risks Associated with Some Health Conditions

Clean, filtered water eliminates many of the toxins that could make you sick. Yet, what can happen? What types of conditions could you develop if you just drink tap water? This is very specific to where you are and the type of chemicals and filtration systems that your water treatment plant uses.

However, in some areas, there is a higher risk of developing a gastrointestinal infection if you drink tap water instead of filtered water. There is also concern with high levels of calcium, which is common in some areas. While calcium could be good for you, it can also cause an increased risk of developing kidney stones. These are painful and also hard to treat.

Some people also suffer from acid reflux and ulcers without a noted cause. In some areas, this could be brought on by high amounts of toxins in the tap water. Water filtration systems could help to provide some relief.

When you put cleaner water in, such as that from water filtration systems, your body has less to adjust to during the digestion process. It is less likely that this water is going to alter the delicate chemical balance and pH in your body.

Better for Your Skin

For those who have sensitive skin, it can be worrisome to know that the water you are using for baths and showers could actually be causing some of the irritation you feel. One of the more common problems relates to chlorine. Chlorine is one of the most commonly found chemicals in tap water. Water treatment centers use a careful balance of chlorine in the water to treat it, killing off bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that live there.

Chlorine in high doses is bad for digestion. It is also damaging to the skin, especially when you come in contact with it, often like with your daily shower. In some people, the amount of chlorine in tap water is not problematic, but for those who have skin infections, autoimmune disorders, or complicated skin damage, even a small amount can be problematic.

Water filtration systems are an effective way of removing much of that chlorine as well as other toxins that could cause irritation to your skin. Reducing exposure to these chemicals may even help your hair to do well. If you are worried about the amount of material in your water that could be impacting your skin, contact the local water department to inquire about the amount and type of chemicals used.

How to Get a New System Installed

To find out if water filtration systems could be beneficial to you and your home, contact a professional for a consultation. This is a fast way to learn more about how water filtration systems work and what one sized for your home could cost you. You will learn not just what this cost is for installation but how much you may spend to keep the system operational throughout the year.

To learn more about how to have water filtration systems installed in your home, give My Professional Plumber a call. Our highly trained technicians can provide you with specific information related to your home’s unique needs. Let’s work on improving water quality for you and your family.

See our most recent blog on this topic here.

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