FAQ

Plumbing FAQs

There is a bad odor coming from my garbage disposal. Does this mean it is not working properly?
What can cause a bad odor coming from an infrequently used drain?
Can I prevent the freezing and breakage of pipes that lead to outside faucets by turning the faucets off before the freezing weather arrives?
When mineral deposits build up on fixtures do I need to replace them, or is there something else I can do?
Why is a rumbling sound coming from the water heater?
What is the recommendation for toilet replacement to be sure that it flushes properly?
What can affect the amount of hot water available in a home?
What, besides dripping faucets, could contribute to a high water bill?

Water Softener FAQs

What causes the rotten egg smell in water?
Are there different types of well water?
What causes rust stains?
What causes water taste and smell like chlorine?
Is it possible to remove iron from water without adding water softening equipment?
Why does soft water cause a "slippery" feeling on the skin?
How does hard water affect appliances that use water?
Does hard water impact energy costs?
What are the reasons for using a Water Softener?
How do water softeners work?
How do water softeners differ?
Are water softeners costly to operate?
Is there a way to soften water without using salt?
Can the water softeners' discharge from regeneration hurt my septic system or drain field?
How should my water be tested?

Plumbing FAQs:

There is a bad odor coming from my garbage disposal. Does this mean it is not working properly?
Foul odors do not always mean there’s a problem. A buildup of food debris in the disposal unit may cause odor. Often it can be removed by placing ice cubes and lemon or orange peels in the disposer and run it for 30 seconds. Baking soda can also help to eliminate odors.

What can cause a bad odor coming from an infrequently used drain?
Plumbing fixtures are designed to include a flap, which keeps odors from entering the house. These traps contain water to seal out foul odors. Odors can occur if the water seal evaporates. Alleviating the problem may be as simple as pouring a bucket of water in each trap, sink, shower and floor drain.

Can I prevent the freezing and breakage of pipes that lead to outside faucets by turning the faucets off before the freezing weather arrives?
Turning off the water is step one. Step two is to disconnect the garden hose connected to the faucet, which allows the water in the pipe to drain out and withstand the cold weather.

When mineral deposits build up on fixtures do I need to replace them, or is there something else I can do?
It may not be necessary to replace them. Deposits can often be removed from fixtures. One way is to fill a plastic bag with a cup of vinegar, secure it over the fixture and leave it in place overnight. Remove the bag the next day and gently scrub off the deposits. If fixtures are easily removed they can also be directly soaked in the vinegar overnight.

Why is a rumbling sound coming from the water heater?
Rumbling sounds from a water heater are an indication that sediment has built up on the bottom of the water heater. The sound comes from boiling water that is trapped in the sediment. This indicates that the water heater is not operating efficiently. Sediment will not allow the heat to transfer to the water in the tank, which sends the heat up the flue. Newer models of water heaters have a new feature that prohibits the buildup of sediment in the tank. If your heater is an older model and the buildup is severe, it may be cost effective to replace it.

What is the recommendation for toilet replacement to be sure that it flushes properly?
Due to a federal government mandate, manufacturers had to develop a toilet that used no more than 1.6 gallons per flush and function effectively. Some of the early models did not do this properly, so manufacturers have since developed new ways of flushing toilets, including the pressurized toilet tank. These look like regular toilets, but with a pressure tank inside that when flushed, it works like a commercial toilet. A large surge of water enters the bowl and clears the bowl of any waste. These toilets work well, but are not as quiet as a conventional model. VanRite can assist you with selecting the right model to suit your needs.

What can affect the amount of hot water available in a home?
A broken dip tube may cause this problem. The dip tube forces incoming water to the bottom of the tank so that hot water will be drawn off of the top. When dip tube damage occurs, cold water entering the tank mixes with the hot water and cools it down. This can occur in both gas and electric models. With an electric water heater, the problem could also be that the lower element, responsible for heating the water, may not be working. This would result in only the upper half of the tank heating up. The cause of this problem is likely a bad element or a thermostat malfunction, and should be evaluated by a qualified technician.

What, besides dripping faucets, could contribute to a high water bill?
A leaking toilet can also increase the water bill. Check the water level to make sure that water is not overflowing the tank into the overflow pipe. If water is running into the overflow, you will need to adjust the fill valve to stop the flow approximately one inch below the top of the overflow tube. There may also be a water level mark on the side of the tank. Another option is to test the flush valve mechanism by adding a few drops of food coloring to the tank water. Within 15 minutes, if the water in the bowl changes color, this is indicates that water is leaking into the toilet bowl. The ball or flapper should be replaced.

Water Softener FAQs What causes the rotten egg smell in water?
This unpleasant smell is caused by the presence of Hydrogen Sulfide. Hydrogen Sulfide is produced by decaying organic matter, some bacteria, and also petroleum refining. If the odor is only present in hot water, the rotten egg smell may be the result of a deteriorated anode on a water heater system.

Are there different types of well water?
Well water may have a variety of elements therefore not all well water is the same. This is true even of wells within close proximity to each other. Typical well water issues include dirt, sediment, hardness, bacteria and iron. It is essential to have your well water tested before determining the proper treatment.

What causes rust stains?
Though iron is not immediately visible as it flows from your faucet, upon exposure to air, iron oxidizes and leaves rust colored stains on sinks, showers, clothing, and fixtures.

What causes water taste and smell like chlorine?
Chlorine is commonly used by municipalities treat water, and noticeable in drinking water because of its taste and smell. Though chlorine is effective for removing dangerous bacteria from the water supply, it can affect drinking water, and irritate eyes and skin. By the time the water reaches your home, the chlorine has already accomplished its purpose, so the WaterMax® can safely remove it from your water.

Is it possible to remove iron from water without adding water softening equipment?
There are three different types of iron water: ferric, ferrous, and iron bacteria. Have water analyzed to determine the type of iron in your water before determining what you need to solve your iron issues.

WaterMax®, with its multi-compartment tank, is the only system that offers different media configurations allowing you to adjust The Right Solution™ for your water treatment specific needs. The advantage of WaterMax® is that whole-house water treatment occurs in a single appliance. To achieve the same results, competitors must install a series of different models.

Why does soft water cause a "slippery" feeling on the skin?
With soft water, it may feel as though soap and shampoo haven't rinsed off your skin. Since the dissolved rock is removed from your water, the natural softening and moisturizing agents do their job, and allowing water to completely clean skin and hair. Hard water clogs skin pores with soap residue, resulting in dry feeling skin and hair.

How does hard water affect appliances that use water?
Hard water leads to build-up in fixtures and plumbing, causing a restricted flow of water in water using appliances. Eventually the build-up leads to the need for service or replacement. Often in hard water areas, the flow of running water through household water lines may be constricted to the size of a ball point pen head.

Does hard water impact energy costs?
Even if only 1/8" thick, hard water scale can result in the need for 33% more fuel to heat water in a water heater. This is because more energy is required to heat hard water scale before it can heat your water. Soft water eliminates hard water scale, resulting in lower energy costs.

What are the reasons for using a Water Softener?
The benefits of soft water over untreated hard water include:

• Soaps and shampoos to lather more effectively, so you can save by using up to 75% less product.
• Natural, earth friendly healthy soaps and cleaning products work better with soft water.
• WaterMax® is the most efficient water softener on the market, making it an eco-friendly choice.
• Clothes washed in soft water last up to 30% longer.
• Glassware, dishes, and silverware get cleaner and sparkle more with soft water. < /li>
• Soft water leaves hair and skin feeling softer and cleaner.
• The elimination of hard water soap curd substantially reduces household chores.
• Fabrics are soft, colors are bright, and whites stay white, without the dingy gray caused by hard water.
• Soft water prolongs the life of all water using appliances such as dishwashers, coffee makers and washing machines.
• The annual energy cost of a water heater used with soft water is as much as 29% lower.
• Water softener use substantially reduces greenhouse gases equaling the benefit removing an SUV from the road for one year.

How do water softeners work?
Calcium and magnesium is removed from hard water as it flows through the resin beads of the water softener system. Hardness ions in the water are replaced with the soft ions of the resin beads during the ion exchange process, resulting in soft water.

When the resin beads in the water softener become coated with calcium and magnesium ions, they lose their capacity to soften hard water. Water is then flushed through the water softener with a concentrated amount of regenerant in a process called regeneration. The resin beads pick up the soft ions from the regenerant in exchange for the hard ions. The WaterMax® whole house water filtration system incorporates a patented self-cleaning dirt and sediment filter, which washes the dissolved dirt, rock and sediment down the drain. When the resin beads have been restored, the water softener goes back to work, providing clean, soft water.

How do water softeners differ?
Water softeners come in a variety of sizes. Bigger is not always better. The WaterMax® system uses smaller beads with a fine mesh resin, providing more filtration surface area to soften water. The vacuum-packed resin allows maximum capacity in a minimum of space. The patented Directional Flow Screen system helps assure that all resin beads are used. Screens along with the whole-house dirt and sediment filter of the WaterMax® protect the resin bed, so space is not wasted on freeboard, the empty area in conventional water softeners that allows a churning of resin during regeneration.

Are water softeners costly to operate?
A water softener is actually the only household appliance that can reduce costs. Water-heating bills can be reduced by up to 29%. Since soft water also requires less detergent to do laundry and dishes, water softeners save you even more.

Is there a way to soften water without using salt?
There are electronic or magnetic devices known as "descalers" in the water treatment industry. However, they are not considered water softeners and will not address water hardness. They can help prevent scale build-up in pipes and appliances, but if you are looking for the benefits of softened water, you will need an actual water softener.

Can the water softeners' discharge from regeneration hurt my septic system or drain field?
1970's University of Wisconsin studies confirmed that salt-brine discharge from water softeners had no adverse effects on the operation of typical anaerobic or newer style aerobic home treatment systems. It was also determined that water softener regeneration discharge did not impede drain field soil percolation and under some circumstances, actually improved soil percolation. The significant and beneficial difference is that septic tank effluents containing water softener effluents include substantial amounts of calcium and magnesium. These balance the effect of sodium, in addition to promoting and sustaining soil permeability. The study results indicated that it is better to discharge water softener waste to septic systems than to separate ditches or dry wells. For more information visit www.wqa.org.

How should my water be tested?
City water should be evaluated for hardness, pH and chlorine. Well water should be checked for hardness, iron and pH. Contact us to schedule a FREE in-home water test.