Testing Your Water Quality

Posted on August 16, 2010

If you are moving into a new home in a different city you may have some concerns about the utilities in your home. You can easily spot problems with your electricity by reading the meter and cable services are usually easy to trouble shoot. Water quality is a little more difficult to verify due to the fact that most issues with water can only be identified through various tests. Testing for water quality could get expensive because separate tests are needed for different pollutants. American Van Lines Greensboro movers would like to offer some advice on what chemicals you should test for.

Calling your health department can eliminate the need to test for most of the chemicals in your water. You should ask for the most recent reports and the type of chemicals they usually test for. Note any hazards that are unique to your area. Water that comes from a natural source such as well water should be tested for mineral content, lead and radon. The most affordable chemicals to test for are usually calcium, chloride, nitrate and sodium.

Testing for more volatile chemicals such as pesticides and solvents is a little more expensive. Our Greensboro movers have moved customers that use independent labs to get test done at cheaper rates than state laboratories.

There are some basic tests that you can do on your own, but the results are not concrete. You can try running some tap water into a clear glass hold the glass up to a light and check for any cloudiness or if it is discolored in any way. Smell the water, if your water smells slightly like chlorine it’s perfectly normal if you get your water from a city water supply. Any other smell means that your water should be tested.

Check drains and porcelain items where water frequently passes, toilets and bath tubs are usually a good place to check for red, green or brown stains that could indicate chemicals in your water. Water testing kits from your local hardware store are a good option but are nowhere near as accurate as lab tests. You should try to test the water as soon as possible when you move in to have something to base future tests on.

If any of your tests should render results of contamination, you can purchase a water filter that can be placed outside of your home to filtrate all of the water you will be using indoors.

Visit our Greensboro movers often for more interesting facts, tips and tricks.