With August being National Wellness Month, we thought we’d talk a little bit about water safety. After all, the air we breathe and the water we drink are the two most important components in our lives.
Our health depends on the availability of clean and safe water. We’ve come a long way from washing our clothes in a nearby river and gathering water from a well or pump out in the yard.
Water safety is a term we like to use when talking about the delivery of safe clean water through plumbing services, its further purification with modern water filters, and the prevention of hazards associated with water leaks. Let’s start with a brief explanation of the role of modern plumbing services.
Plumbing Services Deliver Plenty of Clean Water
Our modern world depends on the availability and access to clean water. Most municipalities take on the burden of ensuring a water supply is readily available for their residents. They ensure that this water meets minimum health standards.
It’s the task of plumbing companies to deliver that water from the source to our individual homes’ fixtures and faucets. Through a complex system of pipes, this water is brought into our homes and directed where it is needed. Other pipes carry away the used wastewater for proper disposal and recycling.
Without a standardized plumbing system, our society could not function the way it does. Our cities and other municipalities ensure that our water supply meets minimum standards, but what if you want a higher degree of water safety for you and your family? In this case, you can turn to one of the many different types of water filters available today.
Water Filters Provide a Higher Level of Water Safety
The marketplace provides a water filter for just about every need and every budget out there. While there are many different types of filtration methods, the first consideration is whether you want a filter for your whole house or just individual areas.
There are filters available that attach to showerheads for your bathing needs, the ends of faucets for your drinking and cooking water, and even refillable pitchers. These styles are much less expensive and can often be installed by the homeowner.
Others wish to protect and filter their entire water supply. Opting for a whole house filtration system at the main supply line to the home is more expensive and usually requires professional installation.
All these filters rely on one of the following methods of filtrations:
- Reverse Osmosis
- Activated Carbon Filters
- UV Filters
- Ceramic Filters
They all have their pros and cons. Some require a source of electricity and some rely on the water pressure in the lines to force the water through small openings to strain out impurities.
To decide which is right for your home, you’ll want to decide on a budget and have your water tested by a professional to determine what type will work best for your particular situation. On the other side of water safety, is the part that water leaks play in making the water dangerous to our well-being.
Water Leaks and Other Dangers Associated with Water
Ask anyone about the dangers associated with water and the first thing that comes to mind is swimming, or more precisely, drowning. While this is certainly true, there are other ways in which the misuse of water can cause problems for the average homeowner.
Undetected or slow leaks can linger for long periods of time. We may try to ignore them, fearing a costly repair. These leaks can cause slip and fall accidents if they are in a high-traffic area. That is obvious, but what you might not realize is the potential for this moisture to cause mold. Mold can grow wherever there is moisture, left unchecked it can cause tremendous damage to our homes and our health.
Water safety can also be compromised by older plumbing that may allow lead or other contaminants to leach into our water supplies. Modern plumbing is such a staple of our everyday lives that it is easy to take it for granted. It’s hard to imagine life without easy access to water, but this does not mean that there aren’t precautions that homeowners need to take to protect their homes and their families.
If you have questions about whether you need a water softener, a filtration system, or are just not sure if your plumbing is up to par, give us at Knight Plumbing, Inc. a call. We can check out your home’s plumbing from top to bottom to ensure that you have the safest water possible.