Home water testing

The water that comes out of your tap can contain a number of contaminants even when using a filter. Some may be deliberate additions that aren’t always ideal and others may be harmful. Examples include chlorine, lead, mercury, fluoride, nitrite and more. One of the biggest problems with water contaminants is that you take them in slowly. You may not even realize your health is impacted until you have a real problem.

The best way to get ahead of this is to have your water tested before you develop an illness that could be connected to drinking water. There are other signs to watch for such as the water color, odor, taste or residue. Contaminants are sometimes additives that are present at levels too high for you. In more dangerous cases, contaminants can come from plumbing materials, water service lines or the water source.

Water companies do test water at a system-wide level. They watch for areas of particular concern such as lead or other heavy metals. They also keep watch on certain types of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness. This is excellent for an overall picture, but it doesn’t tell you much about the water that comes out of your own faucet. A lot can happen between the time a random sample is taken from the general water supply and the time you fill your glass at the tap.

You can purchase a test kit online, though be very cautious when doing so. Some of the online test kits are overpriced and under-effective so they may give you a false sense of security and just cost you money. It is safer and sometimes less expensive to choose a professional water tester from a recognized company. You can have your water tested on a routine basis for a reasonable fee and be comfortable knowing that you and your family are enjoying safe drinking water!

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