We are so blessed in America with things like water, electricity, heating and cooling, which are all part of a home or place to live. Some might even say we are spoiled as the comforts of home have been a part of our lives a long time.
Turn on the tap and the water flows, at least we hope so. Where does the water come from? Do you have a well? Do you live in an area where your water comes from a town or city water system? Either way, it’s sure nice to have water when you want or need it.
If you have a well on your property, you will have a pump and pressure tank that work together to provide you water and pressure. The homeowner should know the location and have labeled a MAIN shutoff valve. Everyone in your family should know where that valve is located in case of an emergency, a leak. You should also know where the main breaker is located for the water well pump. Turning off the power to the pump could be a secondary way of shutting off the flow of water if the location of the water shut-off valve is not known, hard to get to or perhaps if the valve will not work.
If your home is supplied by municipal water, your home will not have a pump or pressure tank, but you should still have a main shutoff valve that can be used to shut off the flow of water to the entire home in an emergency situation. Yes, most homes have what are called isolation valves at the kitchen sink, at the bathroom stools, vanity fixtures and clothes washer to shutoff the water to those individual water use points, but leaks can occur ahead of those valves, thus the main shutoff would be the only way to stop the flow of water.
Many homeowners like soft water, and hence, own a water softener. Water softeners can leak, malfunction and or sweat, causing water damage. Shut-off and bypass valves are normal parts of a softener installation as is a backwash discharge line. The prudent homeowner will keep an eye on all these components looking for possible leaks and wasted water. Water softeners do require maintenance from time to time, and that needed maintenance is not always obvious. Rust stains, water taste and or the feel of the water during a bath or shower may indicate a problem. It’s also easy to forget to check the brine tank for salt. Salt pellets are pure; while rock salt might be cheaper but can include dirt which can damage your softeners valves.
Water heaters give us hot water when we want or need it. The way we heat water efficiently has been changing lately. The two most common ways we heat water are electric water heaters and gas-fired water heaters. The older most common units were called tank-type water heaters, but today many homeowners are having tankless water heaters installed. Tankless units only heat water when hot water is needed. Water flow is a big issue when selecting and installing a tankless water heater. The condition of your water can be a negative for selecting a tankless unit.
If your home is on a well and you have hard water, the iron in the water can accumulate inside the tankless unit causing flow sensor problems and poor performance. Some municipal water supplies add chemicals to purify chlorinate and reduce possible bacteria content. These chemicals can collect on the internal components of either type water heater reducing efficiencies. If enough contaminants collect in the bottom, they can form a “pancake” which can vibrate during heating cycles. Yes, you can hear the pancake vibrate!
Water heaters can and should be drained perhaps once a year so as to purge contaminants before they harden and collect on the inside of the tank or tubing.
If you have ever had stinky water that smells like rotten eggs, well that might be from your water heater. Replacing the anode rod in the water heater may help. The rotten egg smell might be from your water pressure tank. Sometimes, the air bladder inside the tank will crack and release the air which can them mix with the water and cause that awful smell. A knowledgeable plumber or well driller can help you solve those issues.
