filtration Archives - B&L Plumbing and Heating

Does the Household Need a Water Softener or a Water Filtration System?

Water Softeners vs. Water Filtration Systems

When evaluating home water treatment solutions, many homeowners struggle to distinguish between water softeners and water filtration systems. Although both upgrades significantly improve overall water quality, they are engineered to resolve different issues within a household plumbing system. Understanding the specific function of each technology is essential for homeowners to select the right equipment for their unique needs.

The Difference Between Water Softeners and Water Filtration Systems

While both water softeners and water filtration systems work to improve overall water quality, they serve distinct purposes. A water softener is specifically designed to target hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium. By removing these minerals, it prevents scale buildup in plumbing and water-using appliances, effectively extending their lifespans and boosting energy efficiency for systems like the water heater. In contrast, a water filtration system focuses on removing contaminants, impurities, and chemicals, ensuring that the water flowing from taps is safer, cleaner, and better-tasting.

Signs to Install a Water Softener

Recognizing the signs of hard water can help homeowners determine if a whole home water softener is the right choice. Common indicators that suggest a need for water softener installation include:

Visible mineral and scale buildup on faucets, showerheads, and other fixtures.
Skin and hair that feels dry, itchy, or irritated after washing.
Persistent spots on dishes, glasses, and silverware even after a dishwasher cycle.
Laundry that feels stiff, rough, or fades prematurely.

Signs to Install a Water Filtration System

For those concerned about water purity, identifying the need for a water filtration system installation or a whole home water filter is crucial. Signs that indicate a water filtration system installation or water filter installation might be beneficial include:

Water that has a strange, metallic, or otherwise unpleasant taste.
Water that emits an unusual smell, such as chlorine or sulfur.
Cloudy or discolored water coming from the tap.
General concerns regarding potential contaminants, sediment, or unwanted chemicals in the municipal or well water supply.

Implementing a whole-home water filtration system can provide peace of mind by ensuring high-quality water throughout the entire residence.

About B&L Plumbing and Heating

B&L Plumbing and Heating is a plumbing and heating company based in the Colorado Springs, CO area. They provide competitive pricing, quality products, and emergency 24/7 service. Call for water softener or water filtration system installation in Colorado Springs, CO.

Reasons To Explore Water Filtration System Installation

The Importance of Clean Water in the Home

Access to plentiful clean water is a staple of human health and public health. When public water infrastructure fails, it can cause complete chaos for anyone who relies on the grid for their water. In modern society, most people don’t have to worry about the quality of their water. Still, as threats increase, homeowners should be aware of the shortcomings of public water treatment programs.

What Do Water Filtration Systems Do?

One of the more dangerous misconceptions people have about their drinking water is that it is clean and pure. Most people think it’s safe if it comes from the tap, but that is not necessarily the case. Municipal water treatment facilities are federally regulated to ensure they neutralize any biological threats that may be present in the water.

However, this is where the regulations stop. Most municipal water carries a high load of suspended solids that can cause problems with the plumbing, as well as chemicals and pharmaceuticals that aren’t removed during treatment.

For the purest water, homeowners should take it upon themselves to finish the water treatment process. Whole-home water filtration systems can help remove contaminants that are left after the treatment process.

Two types of filtration systems that are helpful in this regard are:

Carbon filters: Carbon filters do a good job targeting chemical contaminants found in treated water. This removes things like fertilizers, pesticides, and some heavy metals.
Reverse osmosis filters: For pure water, the only option is reverse osmosis filtration. While more expensive, this method removes nearly all impurities, including solids, heavy metals, and chemical contaminants.

Benefits of Water Filtration Systems

Water is the nutrient that people need the most besides oxygen. When people are stuck consuming water that is biologically safe but possibly laden with chemicals, it can manifest in the health of individuals in the home.

The truth is, the environment has become fairly universally contaminated with pollutants like:

Pharmaceuticals
Pesticides
Fertilizers
Microplastics
Heavy metals

The evidence shows that these can have potentially serious adverse effects on a person’s health. People can limit their exposure to environmental toxins by using the right filtration system. Not only is it healthy to drink better water, but the home plumbing will also improve.

Suspended solids tend to cause problems like silt buildup in water heaters and quickening corrosion. Both of these can cause costly damage to the plumbing system when uncontrolled. Water filtration systems may be the most cost-effective option to decrease plumbing repair bills.

When To Look Into Water Filtration Systems

Most homes could benefit from some form of water filtration. For more assurance that water filtration systems are the right choice for a home, look for signs like:

Water tastes or smells bad
Plumbing problems are common, especially when they are related to mineral scale or sediment buildup
Water is hazy or has visible suspended solids
Federal citations for local water treatment facilities
Dingy clothing or dishes after washing
Poor health among family members

About B&L Plumbing and Heating

B&L Plumbing and Heating has water filtration options for any customers. With residential and commercial plumbing installation and repair services, they can improve everyone’s water quality. Call today for water filtration services in Colorado Springs, CO.

Why Install a Home Water Filtration System?

Understanding the Benefits of Water Filtration

Water is arguably the most precious resource in the world - without it, life wouldn't exist. Fortunately, most parts of the developed world have abundant potable water. Even in places like Colorado that experience long periods of drought, virtually every home has a steady water supply.

The trouble is that the tap's water isn't always pristine. Whether from a municipal water supply or a private well, a home's water can contain a wide range of contaminants, even after passing through water treatment facilities or the earth's natural filtration processes. Installing a water filtration system in the home is a great way to protect against these contaminants - but it can also have some other advantages. This article will explain three ways homeowners can benefit from a water filtration system!

Safer & Better-Tasting Water

Person drinking a glass of clear water, emphasizing the benefits of safe and better-tasting drinking water from a filtration system.

The most important benefit of a water filtration system is that it makes water safe for use. A quality reverse osmosis water filter can remove heavy metals (lead, arsenic, chromium, etc.), bacteria, and other contaminants that negatively affect health.

Removing harmful pollutants doesn't just make water safer - it can also make it taste better. Some pollutants may not be harmful but can affect the taste and smell of the water. For instance, chlorine is often used to treat water and is considered safe to ingest in small amounts, but it can give water a noticeable chemical flavor. On the other hand, water that has passed through a reverse osmosis system will be free from such pollutants and taste pure and clean, as water should.

Helps Save Money

Person placing a coin into a pink piggy bank, symbolizing savings and financial benefits of installing a water filtration system.

Another advantage of filtered water that often gets overlooked is that it can help homeowners cut costs. The expenses can add up quickly if the household relies primarily on bottled water for its drinking water needs. The initial cost of installing a reverse osmosis filtration system is less than some households spend on bottled water every year, so it's an investment that can pay for itself relatively quickly.

Many homeowners install a single point-of-use filtration system under their kitchen sink to provide clean drinking water. This alone can lead to significant savings, but the rest of the house will still get unfiltered water. This is why some homeowners prefer to install a whole-home water filter, generally located where the main water supply enters the home.

Whole-home systems can also help save money - just in less obvious ways. Unfiltered water often contains heavy metals and minerals that can cause corrosion or leave mineral deposits inside the pipes, fixtures, and appliances. This can lead to costly repairs and reduce the lifespan of appliances. Having only pure, filtered water running through the home helps homeowners save their money and their plumbing system as a whole!

More Environmentally Friendly

Not having to rely on bottled water also means a more eco-friendly home. Even with the widespread recycling programs throughout the nation, most plastic bottles wind up in landfills or the ocean. Since plastic doesn't readily biodegrade, this can take a major toll on the environment.

Installing a home water filtration system helps the environment by reducing the number of disposable consumer plastics used. Though it may seem like a drop in the bucket (no pun intended), every little bit helps!

About B&L Plumbing and Heating

The veteran-owned B&L Plumbing and Heating has been pridefully serving the Colorado Springs community since 1999. Their trustworthy licensed experts always arrive on time in fully-stocked trucks, ready to provide tailored options, up-front pricing, and award-winning service. They offer a rewarding membership maintenance plan and 24/7 emergency service with no after-hours fees. Call B&L today for water filter installation in Colorado Springs, CO!