Water Treatment
FAQ
- Why do I need to filter my water?
- What can I do to improve the safety of the water in my home?
- Why should I buy a water filter from Bestfilters.com?
- Isn't bottled water easier, cheaper and just as safe?
- What about water pitcher filters or faucet-mount filters?
- Why should I be concerned with filtering my shower water?
- Is drinking distilled water dangerous? I've read that it's harmful!
- What is distilled water?
- My water tastes really bad, what is causing this and how can it be fixed?
- What colour is water?
- Our Lake has been contaminated by coliform bacteria. How can I make sure that the water is safe to drink?
- What is the difference between filtering, reverse osmosis (RO) and distilling?
At Home Safe Home our primary goal is to provide safe water for our clients. Towards this end we have a number of tests we can apply to your water system and once we have the results we can determine the correct solution and design the right system for your needs!
In a perfect world the hydrologic cycle looks something like this:
However this system is harder and harder to achieve naturally and these days there is more chlorine in Winnipeg drinking water than in the Pan-Am pool. And the chlorine can’t even kill many kinds of parasites! So people turn to filters but are unaware that filters do not purify water but only strain it. Even boiling water (as recommended by the Canadian government in extreme cases) can’t be done properly with today’s electric kettles, which most people use since, for safety reasons, the kettles can’t reach a rolling boil for 3 minutes, the required length of time to deal with most problems!
Pure Water
At Home Safe Home we focus on developing systems that replicate the hydrologic system artificially. We begin by testing the raw water by sending samples to the ALS Laboratories to identify specific problems. Then we generally recommend treating the water with water softeners to reduce mineral content before treating it with high doses of ultraviolet light (which destroys the DNA of parasites) and finally filtering it with a filter less than 5 microns in size to remove everything. That’s for most water that people use in their homes.
In the cases of life-source water, water that is ingested, we go further and recommend using distilled water that has not been stored in plastic containers for the cleanest possible water. Distilled water is water that has been heated into vapor, separated from any volatile gases and then condensed back into water. The result is the cleanest possible water possible!
Everyone’s Water is Different
In Manitoba everyone’s water is different. Water in the south of the province is better than in the north, water east of the Red River is better than water west of the Red. Everybody’s water is different and everybody’s water changes all the time, for that reason we recommend a test every three months. Some of the problems we have seen include: <//p>Arsenic
Arsenic is an element present in all living things but high concentrations can become dangerous. The mineral is tasteless and odorless but can be lethal if the drinking water is contaminated by any one of several causes. The burning of fossil fuels, metal production, pesticide and feed additives and waste burning can all put extra arsenic into individuals. Home Safe Home can perform tests to determine whether arsenic is present in the water our clients are drinking and then we can fix the problem.
Chlorine
Chlorine (bleach) is added to drinking water in 42% of the communities across Canada to eliminate bacteria and viruses. In some cases chlorine can react with organic compounds and create trihalomethanes (THMs) which some studies show are linked to cancer and miscarriages. By providing high quality distilled water Home Safe Home eliminates the danger of THMs.
Escherichia Coli
Escherichia Coli 0157:H7 bacteria (along with Campylobacter jejuni) were responsible for seven deaths and more than 2,300 people becoming sick in Walkerton, Ontario in 2000. E. Coliform bacteria is common and has several hundred strains but the 0157:H7 strain produces an extremely powerful toxin and is a leading cause of food-borne illness. The toxin can be transmitted through a variety of means including undercooked meat, tainted fresh vegetables or by drinking contaminated water. The bacteria causes bloody diarrhea and can cause kidney failure but its presence is easily detectable by tests available from Home Safe Home.
Fluoride
Fluorides are added to water to help prevent the incidence of dental cavities and it is estimated that 40% of Canadians regularly receive fluorides in their drinking water. However there are dangers: if young children (under six years of age) are exposed to high levels of fluoride while they’re growing they can develop dental fluorosis, an unsightly staining of teeth. Also high levels of fluoride over a long time can lead to skeletal fluorosis where the victim’s bones become more brittle and movement becomes more difficult combined with severe pain. By providing non-fluoridated water Home Safe Home can prevent both of these conditions.
Lead
Lead is an element that occurs naturally throughout the planet. However it was also widely used during the early industrialization of western society and sometimes reaches a dangerous level even today. Extreme cases can result in serious illness and death although these are rare. Lead can enter water through lead solder used in plumbing (although it is no longer used) and it is more commonly found in very soft or very acidic water. Since lead levels in tap water increases as the water stands in the pipes it is a good preventative idea to run cold water through them before use. It is also a good idea to use only cold water for anything that is ingested as hot water is more prone to carry lead.
These are only a few problems Home Safe Home can help you deal with!
These are some of our Water Products: