There are many reasons to install a water filter. The two most common reasons are to remove odor and improve taste. However, a reason that usually goes unnoticed and yet is one of the most important is a filter that has the capabilities to remove contaminants that resist the city water treatments. Almost all drinking water filters remove the chemical chlorine that is the main cleansing component that our cities choose to filter our tap water with. However, other contaminants may still be present.

Scientists and researchers have stated that prolonged exposure to even a low level of chemical contaminants, which normally passes through EPA standards, can increase the risk of cancer.

Have you read the EPA report of cities in Maricopa County? If not click here to see what the EPA says about what is in our water.

A recent release from President Obama states that a water filter is one of the easiest and most inexpensive steps a family can take towards preventing cancer.  The President’s Cancer Panel, made up of scientist and physicians, has released a report on reducing environmental cancer risks. “Filtering home tap or well water can decrease exposure to numerous known or suspected carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals,” states the report.

The panel also suggests switching over to stainless steel or glass bottles because of the contaminants that can leak into the water from a plastic water bottles, whether that bottle is reusable or not. The exposure to these chemicals is also increased by heat so for Phoenicians the best option is a filtered system because of our already hard water, water supply. Then for transporting water around in these last few hot months consider the ease of a reusable bottle in the form that will be sure to last and give you the best health results.

Surpised by all these reports??  Don’t worry, you can protect yourself and your family.

• Have you tested your home water lately? Protect your family and yourself, test your water every six months to be sure your showering and protecting your plumbing system with better water.
• Our team has many years of qualified water treatment training and experience to be able to test your water and advise you how your current system is performing or not.

Thank you for reading this post, I would like to offer you a free home water test in our service area, contact us today and mention this blog post for your free water test.  

Water, whether you drink from your faucet, your fridge or a pre-packaged bottle is not what it used to be. We as consumers can tell by key factors like taste, smell and even appearance.

We have talked about what’s in your water. We have talked about how cities are trying to decontaminate it and what those decontaminates are like chlorine. We have talked about how they are affecting your plumbing and even a few ways to prevent that water from entering your home like with a whole house filter system.

What we haven’t talked about is exactly what contaminates are in your water, let alone what household items are flowing with that water around in your pipes.

A recent article by Readers Digest released what is truly in our tap water. “60,000 chemicals are used across the country—and can get into our drinking water—though the EPA enforces limits on fewer than 100.” Out of what was found, some could be expected like animal waste and pesticides especially around smaller, rural towns. Others, like medical waste, arsenic and rocket fuel were a bit more of a shock. The largest shock was how much was slipping through the checks and straight into our homes.

We’ll tell you here, exactly whats in our water and floating around with it in the sewers…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPFjP9H63zw[/youtube]

Have any questions about whats in your water? Call us at Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber today at 602-485-1111. Mention this Blog post, and we’ll even come out and check the quality of your water for FREE!

These three things could be occurring because of a few problems with the source of water that affects your laundry and cleaning not the actual cleaning machines themselves.

We have talked about what Chlorine and Hardness are, and how they affect your quality of water but do you know how the quality of your water damages your plumbing system?

Damaged Pipes Due to Chlorine attacking pipes	Leaking Faucets Due to Hardness corroding seals
Scale Buildup Due to Hardness clinging to pipes	Leaky Toilet Due to Chlorine attacking rubber gaskets

These are a few steps that will help you determine what kind of water treatment would be best for you, before you get something that is really not right for your needs.

• Check with your city and find the report for the water coming to your home, Dr. Oz has a link by zip code to your local report.
• Review that call your city or the safe drinking water hotline 1-800-426-4791 with any questions or concerns you see.
• Test your own water in your home, we have local testing agencies that can do this for you, if you need to find them contact us for their information.

H20 Harmony water filtration systems offer a solution for laundry and cleaning water quality.

Soft Harmony: Is a whole-house water softener that takes hardness out

Switching to a Whole-House water system will give you:

• Shiny, virtually streak-free glasses and dishes

• Clear, fresh, great tasting water

• Improved odor

• Brighter, whiter laundry

• Shiny fixtures

• Spot-free shower & bath

• Improved life of household appliances

• Will lessen household cleaning time & will use less energy= saving you money!

So what are you waiting for?

Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today at 602-903-1762

And schedule your service appointment!

Water used for showering and bathing is usually one of the main sources of water that goes unnoticed.  But take a second to think about it…

Have you noticed your skin is dry or irritated?

What about dry hair?

If you answered yes to either of those questions your skin and hair could be experiencing reactions to the Chlorine in your bathing water or Hardness built up in your pipes.

Another thing you could be experiencing is smelly water, (link to post about smelly water) which could mean you are breathing in chlorine fumes during hot showers.

Like we talked about in last weeks post, (link to the post about chlorine) chlorine can cause serious problems when it reacts with certain organic materials and sometimes does not last long enough to completely filter the water. So although Chlorine is the cheapest method of filtration, it is not the most effective.

The city water is automatically chemically treated, however, as a homeowner you have the final say once the water reaches your home, whether you still want those chemicals in your water or not.

Certain water filtration systems like H2O Harmony Water Quality Solutions (link to site) offer the perfect fix for any water source. H20 Harmony water treatment products treat the water, protecting your body and home and helping save Mother EarthThere are two filtration systems that can help filter the water that you are bathing and showering with:

1. Whole Harmony:
   • Used for Drinking and Cooking
   • Showering and Bathing

1. Complete Harmony:
   • Complete Harmony actually covers filtration for water used for
   1. 1. Drinking and Cooking
      2. Showering and Bathing
      3. Laundry and Cleaning

Because Phoenix has naturally harder water, some homes suffer from excess sediment and turbidity, and the buildup of iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide and chlorine – and this may lead to corrosion in your plumbing system that could damage pipes, plumbing fixtures and water-based appliances.

By using either water filtration system, you will experience great drinking water, smoother and softer skin and improvements of skin conditions, including dryness. You will experience shiner and silkier hair and improved odor. The Whole Harmony filtration systems will protect your home’s plumbing for years to come efficiently and economically.

Last week we mentioned how the chlorine and hardness affected the performance of your plumbing and the quality of your water.

What you may not know is Chlorine is added to drinking water as a disinfectant, known as Chlorination, to prevent waterborne diseases. It is chosen, as the standard disinfectant because it is the cheapest, but that does not mean it is the most effective.

In fact, according to Judith Pratt, once chlorine enters our drinking water it unites with organic materials to from trihalomethanes, otherwise known as THM’s, which are known to cause cancer. They are also known to affect the nervous system; kidneys, liver and can even cause a miscarriage in pregnancy.

Apart from health issues, the main drawbacks to Chlorination are:

1. That the chemicals disappear to quickly from the water system
   1. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) “Risks to health from DBP’s, like THM’s, are extremely small in comparison with inadequate disinfection [from lack of chemicals].”
2. Another drawback is for aesthetic reasons, like taste and odor.
   1. What’s in your water? If you want to find out what that taste or smell is try and narrow it down with our help!

Find out what water contaminants Dr. Oz says could be in your water and some signs that could help you figure out if you need a water filter.

So now you’re wondering… “If chlorine is added by the city automatically into your water, how do you filter the good drinking water?”

In order to get out contaminants cause by chlorine, among other things, and leave in the healthy minerals you should invest in a filter system.

Now your second question is most likely, “How do I know which filter system is best from me?”

H20 Harmony offers a total of four treatment package systems:

1. Simple Harmony: under-the-counter drinking water carbon filer
2. Whole Harmony: whole-house carbon filter makes water taste better
3. Soft Harmony: whole-house water softener takes hardness out
4. Complete Harmony: whole-house carbon filter and softener combined

Stay tuned for our three part series, following last weeks water used for ‘Drinking & Cooking’ will be water used for ‘Showering & Bathing,’ then water used for ‘Laundry & Cleaning.’

We will explain the different filtration systems we use specifically for each category and ultimately help you experience cleaner, healthier water.

Have you noticed your water has started to smell or taste bad?

Water used for drinking and cooking is one of the most important water sources to maintain, and is usually the easiest to notice when it comes to repairs. However, you may not be aware of the two main components affecting the quality of your water OR that you have the ability to improve the quality of your water once it enters your home.

Phoenix has some of the hardest water in the country, affecting plumbing and if unfixed causes unsuitable drinking water. Through effective water treatment methods you can make hard water desirable and useful. Luckily, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing provides a few easy solutions to reduce repairs and protect your plumbing system so that you can enjoy cleaner, healthier water.

Two things affect the performance of your plumbing system:

1. Age of System

2. Quality of Water – Chlorine & Hardness

Water softening and Water Treatment can improve the quality of the water entering your home, improving your use of water for drinking and cooking, laundry and cleaning and showering and bathing. Find out how knowledgeable you are about Water Softeners.

How does your Water Taste and Smell?

• Swimming Pool Odor?
  • Tap water with a chlorine-like taste and smell may be cause by an elevated level of chlorine in the water.
• Sulfur or Rotten Egg Smell?
  • The smell is usually caused by bacteria growing in your sink drain or water heater, but could also be caused by the water itself.

• Metallic Taste?
  • Waters metallic taste is usually due to metals like iron or copper rusting the galvanized steel pipe in home plumbing. A low pH could also be a factor.
• Salty or Bitter Taste?
  • All water has a certain amount of salts and other minerals but high levels of TDS, sodium, sulfates or nitrates can affect your water’s taste, making it salty or bitter. The pH value determines how acidic or alkaline water is, and helps control pipe corrosion and some taste problems.

Treatment systems can improve odor, improve taste of food cooked or rinsed in water and improve taste of beverages made with water.

Arizona’s notorious summer heat will have everyone in search of shade and water, but there are some things homeowners might not think of when it comes to drinking and preserving water in their own home.

1. Drinking water.

Is your tap water ready to drink?

• The number one summer rule is to have a glass of water nearby at all times. What homeowners may not know is they should be checking and changing water filters to make sure that water is clean on a regular basis. Make sure to check not only your kitchen sink water filter, but also the refrigerator water and ice filters. The most common water systems are reverse osmosis systems, but there are others.
• Along with water filters make sure to check and test the house water treatment systems. Test the water to be sure the hardness or chlorine levels are still correct, even though the system is on, does not mean it is getting your water to the levels you want.

2. Checking for leaks saves you money.

• Homeowners can save money by doing easy appliance checks for leaks.

• Checking Toilet Flappers, the moving part of the flush valve, can be an easy measure to prevent wasting water. Flappers deteriorate over time and should be checked every year. Make sure the flap fits tightly over the flush tube. If it’s not properly secured over 200 gallons of water a day can be wasted and hundreds of dollars a year. If the flap isn’t sealing water into the tanks and allowing water to exit the tank when you flush, call 602-485-1111 for quick service.

• Check Yard Hoses.
  

  Check the Waterhose!

  Hosepipes should be tight, not dripping, if there is dripping, you’re losing money. The dripping water can also attract bugs you don’t want around the home.

3. Avoid Corrosion, the process metal, stone, steal etc. being damaged.

• Check the washing machine connections;
  

  Check your Washing Machine!

  be sure they are not leaking or corroded; otherwise they could burst with no notice.

• Take out the refrigerator and review the ice maker line connection,
  

  Ice Machine Line Connector

  be sure no small dripping is going on. Dripping could cause corrosion at the connection; this is a sign of possible future water damage.

4. Take the money saved from these easy fixes and install a low-flow shower head. By installing a low-flow shower head, homeowners can cut their water use by more than 30 percent.  Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual  Plumber has plenty of shower service options.

5. Although many basic fixes can happen inside the home, don’t forget about the outside. Now is also a good time to check sprinkler systems, including the back-flow device, this will make sure unsafe water is not coming back into your home, to be sure all your water in your home is safe to use. Many times sprinklers are on when no one is watching and drip systems can waste a lot of water when not spraying in the right place or leaking badly while turned on, take time now to watch them and be sure your not wasting money or water.

All Phoenix area Benjamin Franklin Plumbers have been professional trained and certified on water treatment and drinking water needs and systems. We only offer the best options for your water treatment needs, not everyone has the same water or the same need. Mention this blog for a free evaluation of your water treatment and drinking water at your home, this $69.00 value that will expire May 28, 2011 don’t wait contact us today by our real time online booking service or call us at 602-485-1111 24/7.

Hard Water, Smelly Water, Bad Tasting Water, Scaly Water.   Does any of this sound familiar? Every city near Phoenix Arizona is ranked nationally as having the hardest water in the country.  Water Quality Reports show hard to very hard readings throughout Maricopa County.  Here are a few city’s water hardness reports: 

• Mesa  2009 Water Quality   Avg 10.4  gr/gal in the city, 17.1 gr/gal in the East Zone
• Avondale 2009 Water Quality  21 gr/gal
• Phoenix 2010 Water Quality  10-18 gr/gal
• Tempe 2009 Water Quality  9.9-13.3 gr/gal
• Gilbert 2007 Water Quality 2.3 – 18.7 gr/gal
• Chandler Water Quality  5-20 gr/gal
• Scottsdale 2010 Water Quality 12-20 gr/gal

According to the US Geological Survey water hardness classifies anything over 7 gr/gal as hard water and over 10.5 is very hard water. Water softeners and other treatment systems are important for our health and to extend the life of our home’s plumbing system.  Our experience is that most homes in the valley test at 15 gr or higher.   

Don’t Miss Our Water Photo Contest Below to WIN $100.00 CASH!    

Bath Tub Fun

Test your knowledge:    

1. If I have a water softener, I’m protected?    T  or   F
2. If I’m OK with having hard water, there is no reason to have water treatment?   T  or  F
3. If I have a water softener, I’m protected from the Chlorine our cities add?   T  or  F
4. If I have a drinking water filter, nothing more is really needed? T or F

If you answered True to any of the above questions, let me explain why False may be the correct answer in your home. 

1. Congratulations on having a softener, but more importantly, how do you know it is working correctly to reduce the hardness of the water regularly?  Water hardness should be tested regularly with proper testing supplies to be sure it is always working properly.  The system should be the correct size for your home.and not every system fits every home.  If your softener is  mis-matched for your home, although it seems to be working, you could be wasting a lot of water, energy and the money.
2. Having hard water is more trouble for you and your investment than you may be aware of.  It is not just a personal preference choice to have water treatment when you live in the Phoenix area.  One of your biggest investments in life is your home, which includes faucets, shower doors, pipes, a dishwasher and other important appliances, etc. Hard water will make all these items wear out much faster, cause them to work harder, possibly use more energy and force you to spend more money on cleaning and soap products. With a water softener you won’t have to work as hard trying to keep your home clean and faucets working properly.
3. Having a water softener sized right and working properly, will NOT protect you and your family from the high levels of chlorine in the city water.  It takes something else called a whole house filter installed correctly to remove the chlorine in your water.  According to the Water Quality Association Press Release Dated May 17, 2010 says “Home water treatment is a proven final barrier against many harmful chemicals.” Untreated water is known to cause cancer, allergies, eczema, breathing concerns, and many other health issues.
4. Having a drinking water filter, is great, but it will not protect your pipes and fixtures from deteriorating quickly. 

As fully trained plumbers we know your home plumbing system and your water treatment best, this includes what you can’t see and what you can.  It is a full system with many items attached together that makes everything work optimally.  Over the last 25 years we have personally witnessed home repairs that wouldn’t have occurred with a proper water treatment system installed.  We are here to protect your investment with our fully trained experts in water treatment, we help you just as we would want our own mother serviced.  Who else would you want to get advise from?    

Are you looking for a TRUE GREEN WATER DESCALER, to help with the white calcium deposits on your fixtures and pool?  We recommend EASYWATER, no salt used, no discharge of water and it can also work with water softeners to increase their life too.     

WIN OUR PHOTO CONTEST:  Send in Your Cutest Water Photo by August 31, 2010.  Do you have a cute one that that shows off your pets, children or car? Then enter to Win $100.00 CASH!    

Do you have friends with some cool water photos, share this with your friends.    

Submit your photo to eastvalleyservice@benfranklinplumbing.com, by submitting this photo you grant us permission to post it on our Facebook page and share it on our home show September 10-12th, 2010.  To win include your name and your contact information. Phoenix area homeowners over age of 18, are eligible to win.    

You still have time to enter the Apprentice contest too and win many prizes including 100 grand at www.win100grand.com      

Watch for my upcoming Blogs on better cleaning suggestions and more great contests.