Water Problems and Culligan Solutions

Everyone has water problems. Whether its scale buildup, staining or bad-tasting drinking water. And as an industry leader in water filtration and treatment, Culligan has the solutions to solve them.

Posted in Acid Stains, Bad Tasting Water, Culligan Nation, Culligan Solutions, Drinking Water, Drinking Water System, Hard Water, High-Iron Content, Reverse Osmosis, Total Home System, Water Filtration System, Water Problems, Water Softener, Water Treatment

So what exactly are some of the most common water problems and their Culligan solutions? Before we get started, let's talk about where the water in your home comes from.

Where Do Your Water Problems Come From?

Depending on your location and water source, the quality of your home's water can vary greatly. It's important to stay up to date on any possible issues. In fact, knowing the risks will help you eliminate these common water problems before they wreak havoc on your home.

Ultimately, the water in your home comes from one of two places. Groundwater sources, which include various types of wells. And surface-water sources such as rivers, lakes or reservoirs.

According to the USGS, roughly 258 million people in the United States rely on public suppliers, such as the county water department, to deliver water to their homes.

If you are one of the 43 million people not relying on a public supplier, your water is likely being sourced from either a well, cistern, pond or stream.

Roughly 98 percent of self-supplied water, according to the USGS, comes from groundwater wells.

How Does This Cause Water Problems in Your Home?

All in all, it's important to know where your water comes from because knowing this information can help you better understand some of your water problems.

The EPA regulates all public suppliers to ensure the quality of the water entering your home. However, public water supplies sometimes add things to drinking water like chlorine and fluoride. While this is the right choice for some, it might not be preferred by everyone.

Because they're not regulated by the EPA, private wells, cisterns, ponds or streams that bring water into your home could be filled with hundreds of contaminants if not treated properly.

So now that we know where your water comes from, let's discuss some of the most common water problems.

The most common water problems include hard water, rust stains, bad-smelling or bad-tasting tap water and acid corrosion.

Let's jump in and discuss our first water problem.

Water Problem #1: Hard Water

Hard water may not be a hazard to your health. But it can still be very harmful to your home. Ordinarily, if this common water problem is present, you may be familiar with the following indicators.

These include films and stains on fixtures and appliances, dull hair, itchy skin, spotty glasses and an increase in the amount of soap and detergent needed for bathing and laundry.

So what can you do about this common water problem?

Culligan Solution: Water Softener

The best way to treat and eliminate hard water problems is with a water softener. And Culligan offers many home water softening systems. Such as the world's best Culligan HE 1.25 Series for example.

But what does a water softener do and how does it fix your water problems?

To answer that question we need to learn more about soft water.

What is Soft Water?

Soft water contains few or no dissolved minerals. Such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. However simple that definition may be, the technology behind it is a bit more technical.

Water softening involves a process called ion exchange. Which removes dissolved minerals that a filter won't catch. Basically, hard ions like calcium and magnesium exchange with sodium or potassium (salt) ions.

Water softeners use a resin tank where water runs through a bed of beads covered with sodium or potassium ions. As the water flows through the beads, the hard ions trade places with the softer ones, eliminating impurities in the water.

As water continues to undergo softening, the resin beads become exhausted over time. Therefore requiring regeneration. To regenerate or recharge the resin beads, you need to add salt to the brine tank.

Next, the calcium and magnesium are again swapped with sodium and potassium. And sediments are flushed from the beads into the wastewater drain. Finally, the tank is rinsed with fresh water and the system begins the water softening process all over again.

Benefits of Soft Water

Regardless of which water softener you choose, the benefits of soft water are numerous. By reducing the hardness of your water, you can:

Use less soap when bathing, laundering and cleaning, since soft water increases soap lather.
Reduce sticky soap residue and film on skin, hair, clothes and dishes.
Significantly decrease scale buildup in plumbing and appliances, ensuring efficient operation and increasing their lifespans.
Lower energy consumption and costs by improving water flow in your pipes and reducing scale buildup in water heaters.
Eliminate mineral-derived odors in your home.
Make household cleaning and maintenance easier and more cost-effective.

Now that we understand how to combat hard water problems, let's tackle another common water problem.

Water Problem #2: Rust Stains & Iron in Water

Rust-colored streaks in bathtubs and sinks or orange stains on freshly washed clothing are both signs that your household water contains high amounts of iron.

Water with high iron content is not only annoying, but it can also damage any of the surfaces or appliances it touches. This large list includes sinks, bathtubs, dishwashers, washing machines and water heaters.

How Does Iron Cause Water Problems in Your Home?

Rusty iron stains are the result of dissolved iron seeping into a water supply. Whether that's a well or an aquifer. And while water that contains ferrous iron will still come out of the tap clear and colorless, exposure to air converts it into the insoluble ferric iron. As a result, the water to turns orangey-brown, which leaves stains on surfaces and has a metallic odor.

If you have high amounts of iron in your water supply, it can leave its mark on anything in the home. Such as faucets, toilets, sinks, clothes and appliances. And a point-of-use water filter can't protect your home from these damaging effects.

So how can you eliminate water problems like iron throughout your home? The answer is simpler than you think.

Culligan Solution: Whole Home Water Filtration System

A whole home filtration system ensures the safety and quality of your home's entire water supply. There are many ways to treat water high in iron content. In fact, Culligan has eight different whole home water filter systems to choose from.

How Does a Water Filtration System Work?

While there are many types of water filters specific to different needs, they basically work the same way. For systems that filter all the water going into a home, the process is as follows:

First, the water entering a home goes through a pre-filter, which removes larger particulates, contaminants and impurities.

The water then undergoes a process to remove chlorine and chlorine-like contaminants. While chlorine plays an important role in water treatment to neutralize biological contamination before it gets to your home, it can make for bad-tasting and smelling drinking water.

An activated carbon filter will then catch all the other impurities missed in the first two stages. It will also help improve taste quality.

Finally, the waste removal process will flush away the remaining contaminants that have been removed from the water.

Benefits of a Whole Home Water Filtration System

Now that we understand how a whole home filtration system works, let's talk about all of its benefits. These include:

Protect your home against and prevent the build-up of iron in plumbing.
Stop the appearance of rusty iron stains found on laundry, appliances, plumbing fixtures, sinks, bathtubs and toilets.
Eliminate the ugly orange tinge of iron that, when combined with tannin in coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages, can cause them to look gray and murky.
Remove the bitter, metallic smell and taste associated with iron.
Eliminate the reddish-brown residue found on dishes, glasses and silverware.
Provide your family with cleaner, clear, better-tasting water.
Eliminate iron residue buildup in plumbing and appliances, decreasing the need for repairs.
Keep water heaters, dishwashers and washing machines running more efficiently.

With this water problem solved, let's discuss another common issue.

Water Problem #3: Bad-Tasting or Smelly Tap Water

For the most part, smelly or bad-tasting water can be the result of a number of possible water problems. Like high levels of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, iron or dissolved solids.

Many water supplies suffer from high levels of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, iron or dissolved solids. And each one of these contaminants causes its own unique combination of unpalatable water.

But because this water problem can be caused by one or more of these contaminants, it's important to get your water tested. Then you'll know exactly how to fix the problem.

After you get your water tested, how do you rid your home of bad-tasting and smelly water?

Culligan Solution: Water Filtration & Conditioning

In short, there are several filtration and conditioning solutions to address the issues of bad-smelling or bad-tasting tap water. But the best solution of all is a reverse osmosis drinking water system. A Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System from Culligan provides better-tasting water at your tap.

Additionally, the ClearLink PRO Home Drinking Water Wireless Accessory works with your current faucet. Not to mention, it avoids the need to drill a hole through your countertop, saving you money on plumbing or construction costs.

But what is reverse osmosis and how does it tackle this water problem?

What is Reverse Osmosis?

So what does a Culligan® reverse osmosis system with a Total Defense Filter do? And how does it reduce harmful contaminants, like arsenic, in drinking water?

When thinking about the RO filtration process, it's helpful to break it down into four specific steps.

For the most part, all reverse osmosis systems have pre-filtration, reverse osmosis, drainage and storage stages.

First, pressurized water moves through a particle filter. This removes impurities like salt, sand and sediment.

Next, the water passes through an activated carbon filter. Which traps and removes minerals and contaminants such as chlorine, mercury, copper and pesticides. This is the pre-filtration stage.

After that, pressurized water forces its way through the semipermeable membrane. So that the smallest impurities become trapped and only water passes through. This is the reverse osmosis stage.

Finally, the discharge stage. In this stage, removed contaminants get flushed away. While the treated water moves to a storage tank.

And before the treated water reaches a faucet, it undergoes a final activated-carbon filtration. Therefore ensuring safer, better water for household use.

Benefits of Reverse Osmosis

In addition to removing harmful drinking water contaminants, a Culligan Reverse Osmosis System will:

Ensure the removal of dissolved organic and inorganic compounds in water.
Remove common contaminants like sodium, chloride, fluoride and nitrates.
Eliminate foul smells and tastes that are caused by chlorine and sulfur.
Reduce the level of pesticides and other chemicals that are harmful to your health.
Provide cleaner, better-tasting water that does not cause scale buildup in plumbing and appliances or stains in bathtubs, sinks and dishes.

Now that we've solved most of the problems on our list, let's take a look at the final common water issue.

Water Problem #4: Acid Corrosion & Acid Stains

Cloudy, hazy and discolored water may leave behind blue-green stains in sinks or bathtubs. Overall this is a sign of acid corrosion and acid stains. In addition to stains in sinks or bathtubs, there could be corrosion of the copper or brass pipes within your home plumbing and porcelain fixtures.

What Causes This Water Problem?

Acidic water has a pH of less than 7.0, and usually comes from acid mine water or acidic industrial wastes that has seeped into your water supply. The high level of acid causes what is typically known as acid corrosion or acid stains in your home. The acid causes your copper and brass pipes to corrode and deposit minerals, which leave the annoying blue-green stains behind. And water that has a low pH level is also often unsuitable for drinking.

With such acidic water, how can you ensure that your home is protected from acid corrosion and acids stains?

Culligan Solution: Acid Neutralization

The most complete water softening and filtration system for your home and family is the High Efficiency Whole House Water Filter. The Medallist Series® Home Water Softener reduces contaminants in your home's water supply with great efficiency and affordability. Comparatively the Culligan Gold Series Whole House Filter provides four layers of filtration to prevent corrosion of your pipes and heaters.

How Does a Whole House Filter Work?

There are a few stages in the water conditioning process. First, during the service cycle, hard water enters the media tank and forces its way through a Cullex resin column that replaces the hard minerals with soft minerals. The water is also filtered through carbon media to eliminate other contaminants and impurities like chlorine before it even enters your home.

Depending on the hardness of your water and soft water needs, the system will regenerate itself accordingly. During the regeneration cycle, the water is forced through the Cullex resin to flush out sediment. A brine solution is then drawn from the bottom of the salt storage tank and is also directed through the resin column, restoring the resin's ability to remove hard minerals.

Finally, during the brine refill cycle, Culligan's Dubl-Safe valve allows a predetermined amount of salt to be dissolved in the water to deliver the perfect amount of water softness for you family. The large tank of the Total Home Water System ensures your family will always have soft water.

Benefits of Acid Neutralization

Installing a Culligan Whole House Filter is an easy way to improve the water quality throughout your entire home. With a whole house filtration system you can:

Stop corrosive acid from leaving pinhole leaks in your plumbing.
Get rid of the blue-green stains found in sinks, bathtubs, toilets, fixtures and pipes.
Prevent copper and lead from seeping into your drinking water.
Keep laundry clean from residue and stains.
Protect copper pipes and plumbing.

Conclusion

To summarize, everyone experiences problem water in the home. But you aren't forced to live with it forever. Your local Culligan water expert can test your water and find the best solution for your unique needs.

*CONTAMINANTS MAY NOT BE IN YOUR WATER. CULLIGAN REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS CAN REDUCE CONTAMINANTS BY UP TO 99.9%