With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.
Do you find yourself struggling to load your shopping cart with enough bottled water for your family? Or do you feel a little anxious when you notice your supply is getting low? Instead of dealing with the hassle of remembering to buy enough bottled water, why not consider an under sink water filtration system. With the right system, you will never need to bother about buying bottles and bottles of water each week; you can drink straight from your kitchen tap and enjoy great tasting, crystal clear water. If you’re still not convinced, we’ll explore some practical reasons why an under sink water filtration system deserves some serious consideration.
It Tastes Better
It’s likely that the reason why you started buying more and more bottled water was that you found your tap water had a terrible taste. Even if your local water treatment facility is highly efficient and effective, there are a number of issues that can compromise the aesthetic qualities of your water including the taste. Additionally, many homes are supplied with hard water that has a high mineral content that can make it unpalatable.
It has a Better Odour
The minerals, residues, and contaminants can not only affect the taste of your tap water, but they can also create a slight odour. While this odour may not be immediately noticeable, but it can make the tap water unpalatable. An under sink filtration system will capture all of these contaminants that may be creating that disagreeable distinctive taste and odour. What remains is clean water free of an after taste making it more pleasant to consume.
Healthier Water
While municipal water treatment plants are designed to remove any potentially harmful contaminants from our water supplies, our aging infrastructure has created a potential risk. Unfortunately, any contaminants not removed during water treatment could pose a threat to the health of you and your family. If there are bacteria lingering in the water supply, it could trigger anything from an upset stomach to other conditions or ailments.
Even if your local treatment plant is highly efficient and effective, your water supply still needs to travel a great distance through a network of pipes to reach your home. The water can pick up metals, bacteria, and other contaminants as it makes its way to your neighborhood.
By installing a water filtration system and replacing the filters according to the manufacturer instructions, you will be able to remove any contaminants that may have made it through the city system and pipe network. This will ensure that your water is free of contaminants, making it healthier to drink.
It Makes Your Food Taste Better
While it is easy to overlook, you only have to imagine that if your tap water tastes bad when you’re drinking it, what effect is it having on the food you’re preparing with it. Just consider how many dishes you make that are prepared with water. Whether you’re rinsing salad, boiling vegetables or making soup, water is an essential ingredient. Although boiling and baking could eliminate some of the mineral content, it will still alter the taste of your recipe.
Even something seemingly innocuous such as hard water can have a massive impact on cakes and breads. The hard water minerals interfere with the activation of the yeast or other rising agents to alter the taste, texture, and appearance of your baked goods.
Once you install an under sink filtration system, you can expect to notice differences in the ways your food tastes and looks. Instead of detecting an underlying hint of minerals, the clean water will allow you to savour the taste of all the ingredients in your dish. If you’ve followed a recipe with precision and still been disappointed with the results, you may be pleasantly surprised at what a difference a water filter will make to your recipe.
Your Dishes Will be Cleaner
While the taste and odour of your water are important, those contaminants in your tap water can also have a detrimental effect on other areas of your home including your dishes. The minerals in your water can react with your dishwasher detergent to leave your dishes coming out of the dishwasher with streaks, spots, and other unappealing aesthetic qualities. Additionally, the minerals in the water may allow a residue to linger on your dishes, particularly if you’ve washed them by hand, so you could be adding a liberal amount of dish detergent to your next meal.
The mineral content in your water can also have a dulling effect on the colors of your dishes. So, while the dishes may look clean, the film left behind will keep them from being pristine.
You’re likely to notice two things after you install a water filtration system. Your dishes will not only feel and look cleaner, but you’re likely to find you need less dishwashing detergent to get a truly clean finish.
Whole House Effects
If you have concerns about the effects of your tap water on other areas of your home, you may need to consider a whole of house system rather than an under sink unit. Whole of house systems treat the water supply as it enters your home. This ensures that the water supplied to your showers, sinks, water heater and appliances is free of minerals and contaminants. This will improve your bathing experience, as your skin and hair will not be affected by minerals or excessive soap use and can protect your water using appliances. The minerals and contaminants in your water can create a scale that can accumulate inside water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers and any other water using appliances. This can impact performance and energy efficiency, gradually leading to a compromised lifespan requiring premature replacement.
If you have concerns about your water quality, now is a great time to chat with a water treatment expert about installing a water filtration system in your home. There are many designs and configurations of systems that can be tailored to the characteristics of your water to ensure that your water tastes great, improves cooking and leaves your dishes cleaner.