So its another weekend filled with fun and those not so fun house chores. Part of your weekly chores are cleaning the bathrooms. You keep noticing a blue and/or green stain developing in your sinks, toilets, and bathtub or shower. Each week you scrub it clean and a week later its back again. You don’t think much of it, and continue your weekly cleaning and removal of the stains. Along with the stain, you might begin noticing your water has a bitter taste to it first thing in the morning. Also, any family members with blonde hair may also start noticing a green or blue tint to their hair. Are these all related to a water problem? Let us explain.
According to a study by copper.org, approximately 95% of the homes in the USA today are equipped with copper plumbing for their water supply. With the advancement of plumbing systems available to homeowners today, you may see a mixture of copper, CPVC, PVC, and Pex plumbing throughout a home.
Our discussion today lies within the problems associated with visible green/blue staining. Typically these problems are most visible with homes that primarily use copper for their water plumbing. The problem lies within the pH and alkalinity of the water supply. If these levels are are too low, an acid water condition exists. This acid water reacts with any copper or brass plumbing and corrodes it from the inside out. Homeowners often start experiencing pin-hole leaks in their plumbing along with the visible green/blue staining. Water heater and boiler life expectancy is also typically greatly reduced when these water problems exist. The hotter the water is, the more corrosive it becomes. The visible stains are the re-precipitation of the dissolved copper piping that is left behind after the water evaporates, and is often most noticeable around drains where water tends to sit.
Day after day, year after year this acid water continues to dissolve the inside of your home’s plumbing system. You now have a plumber on speed dial and have become a master at patching drywall holes from leaks you’ve had to repair. You know there is definitely a problem and are ready to find a solution.
So now you know you have an Acid Water problem. How do you fix it?
Luckily acid water is often easily corrected. The primary objective is to raise the pH and alkalinity to convert the water back to a state of neutrality. These water solutions can help. There are often two treatment methods to accomplish raising the pH and alkalinity.
The first and most common method used is installation of an Acid Neutralizer system. In this process, water passes through our Pro-pH media blend, which consists of marble, calcium, and magnesium. The acid water slowly dissolves these medias, which now restores the pH and alkalinity back to a neutral state. This prevents any further corrosion within the homes plumbing. With this system design, there is also an increased water hardness that will be present. To prevent this hardness from becoming an issue, often our ProSoft will be installed with the Pro-pH system. These systems are installed to provide pH adjusted water year after year and only require annual maintenance. This provides the homeowner the best treatment solution to prevent their acid water condition along with the benefits of filtration and softened water.
The second treatment method for acid water involves the injection of a pH adjustment chemical into the water supply, proportional to the flow of water used in the home. In this system design sodium carbonate (soda ash) is diluted with water to form a chemical solution. This solution is injected into the water supply at a calculated rate proportional to the water flow. This chemical will raise the pH and alkalinity of the water to neutralize the acid water condition. Often this system is paired with an inline chemical mixer and retention tank to ensure adequate mixing of the chemical and water. This system design is typically chosen when pH levels are extremely low or the installation of a Pro-pH system is not feasible. This system often requires more maintenance throughout the year because of the need to mix batches of soda ash and water when needed.
Here at Hydro-Therapeutics we have customized solutions to correct any water problem, that can fit any budget. Take control of your home’s water today by scheduling your complimentary water analysis here.