Protecting Against Lead in Water

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in the Earth’s crust in small amounts. It can be beneficial in specific uses, but it is a harmful metal to a person’s health and there is no safe level for lead exposure to humans. People are exposed to lead products that range from lead-based paint, air, soil, dust inside homes, food, pottery, and even drinking water. Consuming high levels of this metal can cause health issues once it enters the blood, especially for younger children.

Effects of Lead

The EPA is required by the Safe Drinking Water Act to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water that is considered safe with minimum health effects. The standard allowed for lead is set to zero, and even at low levels, lead can be very harmful and can accumulate in the body over time. Lead is a neurotoxin that can cause brain disorders and severe kidney damage. The effects of lead do not equally impact individuals. The risks will vary depending on the person, the chemical properties of the water, and the amount of lead consumed. Specific issues found in people:

Pregnant Women – As discussed above, lead can accumulate in the body over time and can be found in a person’s bones along with calcium. Lead is released from the mother’s bones when maternal calcium transfers to the fetus to help develop bones for the baby. The lead can also cross the placental barrier that can expose the fetus, possibly causing reduced growth and premature birth.
Infants and Children – Infants who consume water with lead content may be at a higher risk of exposure since the large volume of water they consume is relative to the proportion of their smaller body size. Children are often vulnerable to lead poisoning due to the fact they drink more water and have developing bodies. High levels of lead exposure can cause convulsions, significant neurological damage, organ failure, coma, and even death. Lower exposure of lead can cause hearing loss, reduced growth, and an increased chance of learning and behavior disabilities.
Adults – Adults who are exposed to lead can suffer from health issues such as cardiovascular effects with increased blood pressure and hypertension. In addition, older persons can develop kidney damage and complications with reproductive organs.

How Does Lead Get in Tap Water?

Lead is in all areas of our environment and can be found in the air, soil, and water. Lead can even be found within our homes in certain places. Most lead contaminates come from human activities such as the use of fossil fuels and gasoline, factories, or lead-based paints. When lead is released into the air, it can travel long distances before it settles in soil or water supplies. Lead can merge into drinking water, causing corrosion to take place, and eating away at the piping within homes. In older houses, before 1930, lead was used for soldering pipes. It wasn’t until the early 1980s when we saw a decrease of lead being used for pipes in homes.

Lead Removal

If you suspect that lead may be in your water, we advise that you get your water analyzed by a certified laboratory, or at minimum, purchase a DIY self-test kit to determine for sure. The good news is, lead can be removed from your drinking water. The simplest way to solve this issue is by using the correct water filter after the contamination source is identified. The three basic water filtration methods to remove lead are:

Reverse Osmosis – The most popular and inexpensive option, and it can eliminate 95% of lead in water.
Activated Carbon Filtration – This option allows the activated carbon in filters to absorb minerals such as lead and magnesium from the water, decreasing the amount of lead supply significantly. However, the disadvantage is that the filter cartridges may fill up quickly and need replacement often. The lead removing capabilities also decrease after a certain amount of water has been passed through the system.
Distillation – This method produces the purest water, but it comes with an expensive price tag and requires a lot of electricity and processing time as well.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your home’s unique water quality needs, including arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on water treatment solutions, including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal, can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

February 25, 2020February 25, 2020

The Importance of High-Quality Drinking Water

Hydration is key to all living things, and without it, we would only live for about five days. Our bodies are more than 50% water and it helps maintain our normal body temperature, lubricates joints, and enables the body to rid waste through urination, sweat, and bowel movements. Doctors advise us to drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water every day and studies have shown that women, on average, will consume approximately 91 oz. of water and men will drink about 125 oz. of water every day. Part of this consumption of water is from foods such as fruits and vegetables. It seems quite simple why water is so important to our health, but understanding the different risks from contaminations and how to protect your drinking water can be more in-depth.

Is Tap Water Safe?

In general, tap water is considered to be safe to consume if it comes from a public water system that is run and maintained by a municipality. When drinking water exits a treatment facility and travels to your home, the quality standards must reach strict safety requirements. Unfortunately, even with these safety policies, it does not mean that the water is free of any contaminants, but that the levels of the pollutants are low enough not to cause any health risks. Accidents do happen and if the water supply does become contaminated with something that can create illness, the supplier must inform consumers within 24 hours and offer alternative suggestions for safe drinking water.

Types of Contaminations

There are a few ways that water can become contaminated. Water can contain microorganisms like parasites and bacteria that are added to the water from human or animal feces. It can also become contaminated from industrial waste such as spraying crops that contain chemicals or nitrates used in fertilizers that run off the land. Sometimes the natural deposits from underground can have various minerals like lead or mercury that can enter the water supply. Lead can also transfer to a water source through old lead pipes as well. Even pipes that claim to be “lead-free” can contain as much as 8% lead. To avoid lead consumption when using tap water, use water from the cold tap and to let the water run for a minute before using it.

A Solution to the Problem

Often, when a contamination notice is sent to homes about a water crisis, it is advised to boil your water for 24 to 48 hours, so many consumers are under the impression that contaminates can be removed by heating the water to cleanse it. Boiling water will indeed kill germs; however, contaminants such as lead, nitrates, and pesticides will not affectedly be removed using this method. It may have an opposite consequence since boiling will reduce the amount of water when it evaporates, making the concentration of the contaminate even higher. There are four main types of water filters that are more beneficial for contaminant removal:

Activated Carbon Filters – These can remove organic contaminants that change the taste and smell. Certain systems are designed to remove chemicals such as chlorination by-products, pesticides, and some metals like copper or lead.

Reverse Osmosis – This filtration system can remove nitrates, sodium, pesticides, and petrochemicals.

Ion Exchange – This type of filter can remove minerals like calcium and magnesium, and they are used in combination with other systems such as carbon absorption or reverse osmosis.

Distillation – This method creates distilled water by collecting condensation of steam from boiling water.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your home’s unique water quality needs, including arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. To learn more information on our water treatment solutions, including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron and odor removal, visit https://reynoldswater.com.

January 3, 2020

What You Should Know About Hexavalent Chromium

Due to the rising attention given to the seeping of hexavalent chromium (or “green goo”, as called by area residents) in Madison Heights, MI, it is important to understand how you can protect your family from such dangers should they arrive near your home.

What is Hexavalent Chromium?

While the hexavalent chromium (made famous in the movie Erin Brockovich) seepage in Madison Heights poses little health risk to residents due to differing drinking water sources, it is important to understand exactly what this health risk is and what it can do to you and your family. Hexavalent chromium, according to this OSHA article, is one of the valence states (+6) of the element chromium, usually produced by an industrial process. Cr(VI) is known to cause cancer and targets the respiratory system, kidneys, liver, skin, and eyes.

What Can be Done to Prevent This?

What happened with the Electro Plating Services building in Madison Heights was the result of gross incompetence with waste disposal by the owner and thus posed a huge risk to residents who are Ill-equipped to deal with such contaminants when the seepage was discovered, as reported in this WXYZ article. A net positive with this unfortunate incident is the growing awareness of how to deal with potentially harmful contaminants in your home’s water going forward. One proven combatant to contaminants like Cr(VI) is reverse osmosis, which sends water through a thin membrane that naturally filters particles too small to be filtered through prefilter systems located within the overall reverse osmosis filtration system. By installing a system like this in your home you’re able to keep harmful contaminants, not only Cr(VI) but a vast quantity of other similar agents, out of your home’s water and keep your family safe.

Reynolds Water is the best local source that provides you with a variety of filtration systems to keep your family safe. Give us a call and we can hook you up with the right system for your family at the best price in the area.

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019

Why You Should Have A Water Filtration System

Without water, we could not live so it’s easy to see why choosing the best source for the cleanest water is an important decision to be made. Industrial chemicals, heavy metals, and pesticides are found in water supplies all over the world and it is up to us to protect ourselves and our families from the pollution we can potentially put into our bodies. The good news is there are many affordable options that are available to produce and improve water quality.

Knowing You Water

The first step to improve your water quality is to know exactly what type of water you are currently dealing with. There are several ways that water testing can be performed some more accurate than others. The most simplistic form of testing is by using your senses of sight, smell, and taste. With sight, you may notice cloudiness or particles that float or if the coloring of red, brown, or orange it could indicate rust from corroded pipes. As for the smell, certain aromas will inform you of chemicals that are in the water such as bleach type which could be chlorine from the local facility. Or perhaps you smell rotten eggs, and this may indicate somewhere through the water’s course there is bacteria growth. Lastly with taste, if the water instantly doesn’t taste normal it is best to never swallow it. The next option for water testing is to have a professional water treatment company to test your water supply or purchase an at-home water test kit. These tests can determine if the water contains harmful materials and reveal the water’s pH and hardness. If your water source is from a private well, it is advised to have the water tested twice a year.

Water Filter Options

Water filters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and each one has unique features that will benefit a home differently depending on your water quality needs. The first question to ask yourself is what impurities are you wanting to remove from your water? After reviewing your water quality report or speaking to your professional water treatment company, you can decide what type of filter you are needing to use.

Pitcher filter- The simplest water filters to use that fit inside a pitcher that can be kept inside the refrigerator. This style is inexpensive and easy to use but the lifetime is short and typically only removing few contaminants such as chlorine from the water.
Faucet mount filter- this style is exactly as its name implies and is located directly under your faucet. They require little installation with easy replacements and are an inexpensive option. These filters can remove a decent number of contaminants but be sure to research what exactly it can remove to be safe.
Countertop filters- These filters will not take up space under your sink but can however clutter your countertops. They work best for filtering large amounts of water without having to modify any plumbing. Installation can be done hooking to your faucet or be freestanding as well. An advantage is they do not clog as often as a faucet-mounted system but are not compatible with all types of faucets either.
Reverse osmosis– A process where water is forced through a membrane that filters molecules that’s are physically larger than the water molecules. This type of filter is very well at removing minerals however it cannot remove chlorine or volatile organic compounds which are more of a cause for concern so many ROS systems combine prefilters and carbon filters to help this issue.
Whole-house filters- This type of filter is installed directly in the water main and filter all water coming into the home. An advantage is they have a long lifetime and are an inexpensive option for removing sediment, rust, and sometimes even chlorine. Unfortunately, they can not remove most other contaminants, so it is important to pair this with another drinking water filter. They are on the pricier side in relation and must be installed by a professional water treatment company.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018

Reverse Osmosis Improving Your Homes Water Quality

Everybody knows there are a number of ways in which you can improve the quality of water in your home. What adds increases your homes water quality may not be the same system that is bringing quality water to your neighbor. Your waters specific needs are based on exactly what issues are found when analyzing your homes water.

One system that is often recommended to improve your water is a reverse osmosis drinking water system. If your water is analyzed and has a high concentration of metals, minerals, or microorganisms a reverse osmosis may be your best option. Reverse osmosis systems improve the overall taste of the water in your home. Below we will answer a number of questions that are often asked about RO, reverse osmosis, water treatment solutions.

Can you use a RO system to remove sodium in your water?

YES! RO can remove up to ninety eight percent of sodium in your homes water. It is a perfect combination when homeowners are concerned with the sodium levels in their water from using a water softener. RO systems also are used to remove chlorine, lead, nitrates, and several other impurities in your water.

What is the difference between the four and five stage RO systems?

Four Stage RO: A four stage RO system is used within most homes where the water is being treated by a whole house water treatment unit such as an iron filter or water softener.

Five Stage RO: When a whole house water treatment unit is not used within the home the best option is to use a five stage RO system. This option gives you additional protection in an added filter for contaminants such as arsenic and nitrates.

There is no need to use a RO system less than four state as it will not provide the needed filtration. The opposite is true of any RO system over five stage which is an overkill and considered a waste of money. Filters are costly and the more filters that need to be changed the more money spent. Why waste money on RO filters that are not adding to the actual filtration of the water.

Can a RO system be used in conjunction with an ice maker or my refrigerator water?

YES! RO refrigerator kits are available with thirty-foot hoses and all the fittings needed to be used with your home’s refrigerator. Think about the crystal-clear water and un-cloudy ice cubes you will be enjoying when your refrigerators RO system is used.

To understand if a RO system could improve the quality of your homes drinking water bring in a sample of your water to be analyzed by the experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning.

October 25, 2018

Do I need to Install a RO System If I Have a Water Softener?

More often than not, a water softener will increase the quality of your homes water however, is it enough? The truth is that although a water softener will improve the quality of your water, impurities may remain in your drinking water. A reverse osmosis water treatment system can remove the impurities from your already softened water, to give you quality drinking water. RO systems are the perfect accessory to use with a water softener because it removes 98% of the sodium from the softened water. These aren’t the only reasons to use a RO in combination with a water softener.

Although a reverse osmosis system removes a lot of impurities in your drinking water they have a hard time removing and reducing calcium and magnesium, both which are known to be in hard water. This is one of the reasons that a water softener works perfectly when used in conjunction with a reverse osmosis water treatment system. When used together a water softener and RO system will create high quality drinking water by reducing the water hardness and removing impurities.

Many homeowners elect to install an under the sink reverse osmosis system as a point of use water treatment option. A water softener is used as a whole house water treatment system. It is important that hard water is softened throughout the home however, it doesn’t really matter if the water used in your appliances has run through a RO system. An under the sink RO can also be tapped into the lines leading into the refrigerator. This assures your drinking water is of the highest of qualities. When used together a water softener and RO are a perfect combination to give you soft water throughout your home, while allowing you the purest of water from your tap.

Another benefit that comes along with using a combination of a water softener and reverse osmosis system is the amount of money you will save in energy costs, increased lifespan of your appliances, and lower soap usage throughout. Let’s not forget the money you will save in bottled water as well. So not only will you have the best quality water, you will be saving money as well.

It is important that when you are working with a water treatment company to install a RO water system after a water softener has already been installed that they do not interfere with one another. Before making a purchase be sure to have evaluated the warranties between companies. It is important to know what is covered and for how long. Another evaluation should be maintenance and noise level.

The addition of a reverse osmosis system when installed in addition to your water softener will bring you the purest drinking water possible. A RO system removes the impurities found in tap water ensuring the highest quality water for your family, direct from the source.

September 21, 2018

What’s the Difference Between Reverse Osmosis and Water Softening

There are several options available to homeowners looking to improve the quality of the water in their homes but don’t know how to. There is a lot of confusion when it comes to treating water because of the vast array of options available in the market. In residential use the two most common treatments used are water softeners and reverse osmosis systems.

Determining what the right option for your household comes down to understanding what is accomplished with each treatment option. The only way to really know what needs to be done to improve your homes water is to have it analyzed through thorough water analysis. Often this process only requires a small sampling of water from each of the sources throughout your home.

Reverse Osmosis

Often reverse osmosis and filtration are lumped together. A reverse osmosis system filters the water leaving it tasting better and healthier. RO is especially popular for homeowners with wells. This type of water treatment system is set up to remove contaminates and softened minerals by pushing them through an attached filter. As with most water treatment systems you can install a whole-house or point-of-use RO osmosis system.

Benefits of Reverse Osmosis

Tasteless Water: Often times tap water will have a funny taste. You won’t be able to pin point what the taste is however, a RO system removes the source therefore the water will taste better.

Chemical Free: RO drinking water systems do not use any special chemicals in the filtration of the water which makes its use environmentally friendly.

Softened Water: Minerals in the water cause hard water. A whole-house RO system creates softer water which leads to less pipe corrosion.

Odor and Color Removal: Many homeowners experience odors and colors in their tap water. The odors and colors occur from contaminates and minerals in the water. A RO system is used to take the pollutants out of the water which leaves you with higher quality drinking water.

Most often you see whole-house RO systems installed in homes with well water as it can benefit from the extra filtration. If water from the tap tastes or smells funny and is from a city water source, then your water may benefit from a point-of-use RO system that is installed under the sink.

Water Softeners

Water softeners and water conditioners are often lumped into one category. Instead of removing contaminants and minerals from the water like a RO system does, a water softener uses a process of ionization that replaces calcium ions and magnesium with salt ions.

Water that is hard has higher concentrations of minerals like magnesium and calcium. When a water softener is installed your homes, water replaces the minerals that make it hard with a softer mineral, sodium.

Benefits of Soft Water

Better, More Natural Tasting Water

More Vivid Colored Laundry with Less Yellowing

Cleaner, More Sanitary Dishes and Flatware

Appliances That Last Longer with Fewer Repairs Needed

Fewer Clogged Pipes

There are many problems caused by hard water. Installing a water softening unit can help lessen these issues. These units do not remove contaminants within the water as they are not filtration systems however, they are perfect for homes that experience problems with pipe corrosion, iron, staining, and more.

August 15, 2018

Understanding Reverse Osmosis Solutions

Nothing says freshness the same way a glass of clear glass of tap water does. Many homeowners seek a solution to bring clean, fresh water to their homes drinking water and with the right water filtration system it is possible. Every single drop of water that exits the faucets throughout your home can be used as pure quality drinking water when the right water treatment system for your homes water is used.

Choosing a water treatment system is not something most homeowners know enough about to make an educated purchase. It is crucial to meet with a water quality expert, such as the ones that can be found at Reynolds Water Conditioning who can test a sample of your homes water. This will allow them to do an analysis on the quality of the water coming from each faucet and find the perfect combination of water treatment solutions to ensure a clean, clear glass of quality tap water each time. One popular option that offers high quality drinking water from your sinks tap is a reverse osmosis water treatment system.

How does reverse osmosis work?

The reverse osmosis water treatment systems operate by forcing water through a filter and eliminating impurities within the water.

How is reverse osmosis water treatment different?

Standard reverse osmosis water treatment systems work by filtering water through one of three or more filters to remove impurities such as chlorine, contaminants like metal and nitrates, and another to eliminate compounds that often result in foul odors and tastes. Additional filters can be found on RO water treatment solutions with the water in your home requires further filtration. These additional filters can include filtration of arsenic, pesticides, organic compounds, and percolates. Filters can even be added to put important minerals back in to the homes water that aren’t necessarily good for your homes plumbing. This again depends on the original quality of your homes water.

What are the benefits of treating water through reverse osmosis?

The smell and taste of a homes water is what usually is what triggers homeowners to have the water tested. However, there are quite a few other containments that can be hiding in your water that would be better for you not to consume. RO systems offer you a certain comfort in your homes drinking water, free of contaminants unseen with the naked eye. Reverse osmosis water treatment solutions save homeowners money overtime by allowing them to adequality use the water within their homes rather than purchasing bottled water.

At Reynolds Water Conditioning Company, we are here to help make sure our clients don’t buy water treatment systems that they don’t need. We are here to make sure you find a water softening system that gives you the results you are looking for, whether it is to remove iron or odor from you water; we have a solution that will help! For more information contact our experts at 800.572.9575 or at our website https://reynoldswater.com.

May 24, 2018

6 Reasons Why Homeowners Should Consider Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment

Many homeowners are looking into reverse osmosis water treatment as a useful method for treating contaminated drinking water. RO is probably best known for its use in turning seawater into actual drinking water however, it’s also an effective way for treating water quality problems your home might be facing. Having a reverse osmosis water system in your home can reduce how much bacteria, particulates, and other common things found in contaminated drinking water so that you drink only clean water. Here are a few reasons why you’ll want to get a reverse osmosis water filtration for your home:

High Quality, Drinkable Water

Water that has been treated using a reverse osmosis water filtration system is totally drinkable and some cities actually use this treatment when there’s too much saltwater in the water. You’ll be able to taste the difference in the cleaner water since there are no impurities that will give your home’s water a funny taste.

Increased Peace of Mind

If you live in an area that’s plagued with issues in the water, getting a reverse osmosis water system will make you feel better about the water you drink. It can make a lot of sense and is a great option for removing trace minerals in your water.

Decreases Sodium in Your Water

If your home has a water softener, a reverse osmosis water filtration system will reduce sodium in softened water. This way you enjoy the benefits of both soft water and purified water.

No Need for Bottled Water

When your water is filtered with a reverse osmosis water system, you no longer have to spend money on bottled water since your water is cleaner. This will also reduce plastic waste while also saving you money in the long run.

Better Tasting Food

The impurities in the water you have at home can affect the taste of the food you make, but that won’t happen when your home has its own reverse osmosis water filtration system.

Clearer Ice

Have you ever wondered why your ice cubes look cloudy? That’s because of all the impurities in the water. Having a reverse osmosis water filtration system in place will give you crystal clear ice cubes, which is an indication of cleaner water.

March 26, 2018

Which Water Treatment System Is Best For Your Home?

Having a water softener installed in your home makes most homeowners feel good about the quality of their drinking water. However, depending on your homes water a softener may not be enough to remove the contaminants that are still in the water that you drink, use to wash food, cook with, and more. A reverse osmosis system can eliminate the contaminants from your softened water including a solid percentage of the sodium left in the water after the softening process.

There are a number of reason that a water softener and reverse osmosis system work well together. A water softener protects a reverse osmosis unit. A reverse osmosis system is not as efficient at removing or reducing calcium and magnesium, the contents of hard water, as a water softening unit. Installing a water softener in combination with a RO system reduces the hardness level in the water acting as a protective level for the reverse osmosis unit keeping it from layer containments within the system and in turn extending the life of the system.

Another reason the two systems work well together is because they improve the quality of the families drinking water. Many people that install a whole house water softener also desire the installation of an under the sink reverse osmosis system in the kitchen. This type of system can be installed to service the kitchen tap, the refrigerator lines, or both.

A reverse osmosis unit takes your water softener to the next level helping to make sure the quality of your drinking water better. A water softener and reverse osmosis system work together. The softener gives you soft water throughout the house by eliminating minerals in the hard water while a RO unit increases the purity of the drinking water by removing impurities.

Once a water softener has been installed homeowners will notice a savings in energy expenses, increased appliance lifecycle, and a decrease in the usage of soaps and detergents. In fact, a water softener quickly pays for itself quickly. Reverse Osmosis owners find the same to be true as well. Once a RO unit has been installed the need for bottled water is non-existent. A water softener and a reverse osmosis system work together to reduce expenses and provide high quality drinking water.

If you already have a water softener installed call a water professional to help you choose the best reverse osmosis system to install. You want the RO unit to work in conjunction with one another and not compromise or interfere with the water softener. A little research will tell you what type of warranty the system has as well as the how filter maintenance exists.

Having a whole house water softener installed in conjunction with a reverse osmosis system allows you to give your family high quality drinking water. RO systems remove impurities that are still found in tap water after it has been run through a water softener.