Signs Your Home’s Water Is Contaminated

We can sometimes take our home’s water supply for granted. That is until it’s compromised somehow. Whether our hot water isn’t working, or we have a slow leak that is raising our water bill, or our water stops working altogether, if our home’s water isn’t right, our whole life can be thrown off track. Another water-related issue that can give us problems is if our home’s water becomes contaminated. It can negatively affect our health, impact if and how we cook, and even prevent us from being able to brush our teeth and shower without taking precautions.

In some cases, we may not even know our water is contaminated until it begins impacting our health. However, there are signs we can look for that will let us know sooner rather than later if our water is contaminated.

Tips for Determining If the Water in Your Home Is Contaminated

It is not always easy to tell if your home’s water is safe or not. Here are few signs that can help you determine if home’s water is contaminated:

• Cloudy Water – Ideally, your water should be clear. Water that is cloudy might not necessarily be unsafe, but it could be. Water turbidity, or cloudiness, is often a sign that your water contains dangerous chemicals or pathogens.
• Hard Water – Many people have heard the term “hard water,” but they don’t necessarily know what it means. Generally, hard water is water that contains excessive amounts of substances such as lead, magnesium, aluminum, manganese, and calcium. You can usually tell that you have hard water by the traces it leaves behind on your drinking glasses, in your sinks, and on your faucets. In addition, if you need to use more laundry detergent than normal to clean your clothes, or your hands still feel dirty after washing them with soap and tap water, you may have hard water.
• Discolored Water – If your water is discolored, it could be a sign of contamination. Yellow water can be a sign of chromium-6, which is a cancer-causing chemical. Yellow water can also be a sign of a buildup of copper, iron, lead, or manganese. Brown or orange colored water could be a sign of rust, which can lead to bacteria growth. Orange or brown water can also signal your water is contaminated with lead, manganese, or iron. Blue or green water can mean that your water contains excessive amounts of copper, which can result in kidney damage, anemia, and liver damage.
• Smelly Water – If your water smells strange, that is another sign it could be contaminated. If it smells like rotten eggs, it could contain hydrogen sulfide, which can cause issues like diarrhea and dehydration. If your water smells like bleach, it could mean it contains excessive amounts of chlorine. Chlorine is added to water to kill pathogens and germs, but too much chlorine can lead to health problems, including diarrhea, nausea, cramps, kidney damage, and cancer. Water that has a fish-like smell, could be contaminated with cadmium or barium. Cadmium can cause liver, bone, and kidney damage. Barium can result in kidney damage, muscle weakness, heart damage, blood pressure problems, and liver damage.
• Metallic Tasting Water – Metallic (or salty) tasting water can be a sign of different issues. Sometimes it just means your water has a low pH level. In other instances, it means that your pipes are rusty, which can lead to copper, iron, zinc, manganese, and lead contaminating your water.

Speak with Our Water Purification Experts Today!

Keeping our home’s air and water clean is key to protecting our health. If you can’t trust that the water in your home is safe, that is a huge problem. That is the water you drink and that you use for cooking, bathing, and cleaning. At Winters® Home Services, we understand the importance of having clean water in your home. Since 1995, we have been helping homeowners in Boston, Cambridge, and their surrounding areas keep their home’s water systems working properly.

Our licensed, bonded, and insured technicians can turn your water contamination problems into a thing of the past. We offer water purification services you can count on to get the job done. We will pinpoint the source of your home’s water contamination issues, and repair the problem quickly, efficiently, and effectively.

To talk with our experienced plumbers about your water contamination issue, contact us online or call us at 617-221-5899 today. We are available for emergencies and same-day appointments. Ask us about our specials!