Keep Your Water Clean

When you pour yourself a glass of water from your tap, you expect your water to be clear, clean, and free of unexpected smells. But, sometimes, you might fill your cup and find specks of debris floating around in your water. The problem could come from your municipal water supply or it could stem from a problem in your home’s plumbing. When it comes to your water, one of the healthiest things you ingest each day, it is important to know what is causing the debris to appear. Once you solve the mystery, it is rather easy to keep your water clean and fresh.

When you notice that your water has debris or silt, there are several things you can do to remove the problem and make your water clear again. Most of the problems can be solved on your own, unless you discover something major that requires hiring a plumber. At Scott English Plumbing, we are always willing to help solve a water mystery and take care of the problem, too.

Dirty Water from the Ground

If your water is dirty, it could actually come from the earth around your pipes. You could be seeing the result of a broken pipe in the main that runs from your municipality and the city might not know there is a problem. It can be helpful to contact your water supplier and let them know what is happening before the problem gets worse. If you use well water, the debris could be coming in through the well. Some people will flush the well by running their water for a long time. You might simply need a new filter in your faucet or you might need to let your water run for a while to get the system flushed, especially if you have a new well system.

Broken Carbon Filters

If you use a carbon filter in your water system, tiny pieces of debris could actually come from your filter. After a given time, the carbon filters break down and pieces get caught in the water supply. It is a good idea to record the date that your filter was installed so you can keep track of when you need to change it. This will keep your water clean. If your filter does not come with a replacement date, you can always check the manufacturer’s website to see when they suggest replacing or repairing the filter.

Minerals Unique to a Community

Different parts of the country have different minerals in the water. If you find floaters in your water, it could be iron, manganese, or other minerals unique to the community’s water supply. Fortunately, having minerals in the water is safe for people and animals that drink it. Unfortunately, the excess minerals can stain clothes, dishes, sinks, and tubs. Water with excessive minerals is called hard water, so homeowners will use water softeners or filters to keep the minerals from reaching the faucet.

Floating Rubber Pipes

Another possibility for the floating pieces in your water is the plumbing system itself. In some cases, rubber piping will break over time and the tiny pieces will end up in the water. If your water system has chlorine in it, rubber is more likely to break apart. Once the rubber starts to break down, the only way to fix the problem is to replace the hoses.

Rusty Pipes Break Down

The other possibility is that your pipes are beginning to rust. A little bit of rush is not a big deal, but it could be a sign that your plumbing system is ready for repair. If you have rust in your water, it could also come from the community water supply. Plumbers, like us, can tell you exactly where the problem stems.

Conserving Water: Stop Wasting Electricity

When we think of water usage in our homes, we tend to think of our showers, sinks, and appliances. Do you ever consider that when you turn on your lights, air conditioning, and microwave oven that you are using water? If not, you are not alone which is why it is important for homeowners and business owners to be aware that water is used to generate electricity.

Several Methods for Using Water for Electricity

There are several methods for generating electricity and they all involve using water. Interestingly, the hydro-electric power uses more water than any other method. Each kilowatt hour requires approximately nine gallons of water. Much of the water used in hydropower sources comes from reservoirs and much of that water evaporates. In drought-stricken California, it is important to know where electricity comes from; Lake Mead, a major source, has serious problems with evaporation, due to the heat of the arid desert Southwest.

Steam Creates Thermoelectric Energy

Thermoelectric plants generate the majority of electricity in the United States. In order to produce electricity, these plants need to boil water to create steam. The steam then turns the turbine so electricity can be created. Eventually, the water needs to be cooled so the steam can become water again. It does not matter if the heat comes from coal, gas, or nuclear sources, it requires the use of water.

Water Lost to Evaporation

Some thermoelectric plants use natural water sources, like rivers or lakes, to cool the water. Plants also might have a cooling pond or a circulating system that uses recycled water. Unlike the hydropower sources, the thermoelectric power plants often return the water to the original source. But in hot climates, much of the water is used for evaporation. There is often a significant water waste thermoelectric plants because items are often sent through cooling water more than one time each day.

Ranking the Three Power Plants

When it comes to using water for creating energy, power plants that use natural gas require the least amount of water. Coal plants and nuclear plants use over a half of a gallon of water for each kilowatt hour generated. That is a serious amount of water. The natural gas plants use less than a fifth of a gallon of water for the same amount of energy production. Most of the water in a coal plant is consumed in evaporation and the rest of the water is used in transportation and mining. Nuclear plants use most of their water for cooling and recirculation. Natural gas plants use water for a variety of reasons, but most researchers do not consider the water used to frack for natural gas, which can use millions of gallons for a single well.

Interestingly, alternative power generators use more water than most people think they do. Solar power requires water in the parabolic troughs. In some solar generators, a full gallon of water is needed to create one kilowatt hour of energy. When solar power is used in dry and sunny climates, even more water needs to be used.

Alternative Energy Uses Less Water

The best option for electricity without water comes from wind turbines and photovoltaic systems. The only time that water is needed for these types of power generators is during the manufacturing process. Fortunately, these two types of power generators are the ones being installed the most.

Turn Off What You Are Not Using

Conserving water does not just involve using less in the kitchen, bathroom, and yard. We need to turn off our computers, appliances, and televisions as often as we can. It might not seem like one homeowner can make a difference, but if we all think differently and turn off what we can – we will make a difference.

To learn more about how you can save water and money by reducing the usage of electricity, give Scott English Plumbing a call.

Reclaimed Water for Irrigation

With the droughts in California and other parts of the country taking center stage, it is time to talk about reclaimed water. Even though most people do not communicate with their plumbers about their exterior water usage, the water that is used for watering lawns and gardens does have to move through lines that have been plumbed. In the United States alone, nearly 7 billion gallons of potable water is used to water grass and gardens nearly every day. If homeowners learned about recycling their water, they could not only save money on their water bills, but also reduce the amount of water that enters the sewage lines. The process of reclaiming and recycling water is much easier that people tend to think it is.

Why Worry about Water Recycling

Before you decide to commit to recycling water, it is helpful to understand exactly why it is a good idea. When you recycle your water, you’re helping keep the environment robust and healthy. If everyone decided to recycle their water, there would be more water available for delicate habitats and ecosystems. City water supplies would have less wastewater to treat and this would create fewer opportunities for overflows and leaks that can harm those delicate habitats. Less water needs to be removed from natural water sources like lakes, streams, and rivers as well as underground reservoirs that can be quickly emptied in drought situations. Some communities actually get their water from hundreds of miles away, so reducing water usage can reduce fuel costs to pump water that far.

Types of Water

When it comes to water descriptions, there are three types: white, gray, and black. White water is the clean water that comes out of the tap. Black water is the sewage with fecal matter that leaves your home for the city sewer system. Gray water is what we get before water is sewer-bound. Gray water can be recycled, as long as it is not used for human consumption. Americans tend to create more gray water than they think they do. We create it when we wash our hands, take a bath, or wash our clothes in a washing machine. In most cases, the water is used once and sent down the drain. Instead, with a few mindful modifications to your daily activities, you can reclaim and reuse your gray water.

Why Gray Water Can be Used

Gray water is generally safe for plants that are growing outside of the home. Most gray water has soap residue, which is perfectly safe for plants. It is also common for gray water to have cooking oil and fat, as well as human skin and hair. These items also do not cause damage to exterior plants. If you are going to use gray water for your lawn and plants, you should pay close attention to the chemical cleaners you plan to use. Many cleaners with heavy chemical can often be the death of plants when that type of water is used as gray water.

No Buckets Needed: Install a Diversion System

If you are visualizing yourself bringing your bath water to your garden one bucket at a time, you should stop worrying. Sure, using a bucket is a fine way to bring reclaimed water to your lawn and garden, but there are other, more efficient ways to reclaim your gray water. There are systems, called diversion systems that will direct water from the bath tub, washing machine, bathroom sink, and other useful places right into an exterior area for use. Often, those diversion systems will go all the way to the yard, where the water is sent into underground pipes that drip water at a regular clip to keep the lawn strong at the roots level. There are also plumbing supplies that will directly reclaim water from sinks and put it into toilets so that fresh white water is not wasted on a toilet flush.

If you have any questions about water reclamation and recycling, please give us a call: (714) 987-9801 or (949) 293-2037

North Orange County
(714) 987-9801(714) 987-9801

South Orange County
(949) 293-2037 (949) 293-2037

Where Does Southern California Water Come From?

Since it is so easy to turn on the faucet and get water at any time of the day or night, it is rather easy to forget where our water actually comes from. In the Southern California region, it would seem like water would be readily available due to the proximity of the Pacific Ocean. In reality, we do not get any of our tap water from the largest source of water on the globe. Our water comes from places that surprise many residents.

Water from the Snowy Mountain Tops

Most of the water that comes into our homes and businesses comes from either the Rocky Mountains or the Sierra Nevadas in the form of snow melt. When the snow in the Sierra Nevadas melt, it travels into the northern Bay Delta, but some of the snow is pumped into the southern part of California for residents living in a boundary marked by Bakersfield, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, and San Diego. The snow melt from the Rocky Mountains takes its route through the Colorado River, making its way through the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam so it can supply residents in Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California. Unfortunately, the Colorado River is tapped by so many communities that the once grand river just trickles into its final destination at the delta that leads into the Gulf of California.

Water from the Underground Aquifers

Southern California residents are often surprised to find that a significant amount of water comes from underground lakes in the Inland Empire. These giant lakes help supply water when dry years are unable to deliver enough water from snow melt. The underground lake water is pumped through wells where it is cleaned and combined with the snow melt water. Communities are relying on the underground water because of the droughts that have been occurring over the past several years. The underground aquifers act like banks where we are able to save up some water to use when we fall into an emergency situation. Some communities are not able to use the aquifers, so they are more vulnerable to drought conditions. One such place is Atlanta, Georgia. There are not any aquifers in the area and groundwater flows south into Florida and Alabama. The Empire City of the South is very vulnerable to water shortages and the latest one occurred just a few short years ago. Fortunately, Southern California and the Inland Empire have aquifers that collect groundwater. It is important that we take the necessary steps to ensure that our groundwater stays pollution-free so we can use it when we need it the most.

Using Desalination on Groundwater

We may not get water from the Pacific Ocean, but we do use salt water. The underground lakes contain salt water or brackish groundwater. Since desalination is possible, Southern California communities are able to remove the salt from the water in the aquifers. With reverse osmosis, salt can be safely and effectively removed from groundwater. We do not use desalination with ocean water because the process is rather costly and requires a significant amount of energy. The Australians are using desalination on a large scale because they have been suffering from fresh water droughts for years. Without desalination, the Australian population would not have any fresh water to drink. As the Australians continue to refine the desalination process, Southern California communities continue to watch and see what developments occur to make the process less costly. Until that time, Southern California water organizations have been working together to build a brine line to keep salt out of the groundwater. This brine line is made of large pipes that move water used in manufacturing and industry so the salt can be quickly removed and sent into the Pacific Ocean.

If you have any questions about the quality of your water and where your water comes from, please contact us at 714-987-9801 or (714) 987-9801.

The Effects of Hard Water on Your Plumbing System

Many homes have hard water simply because of the minerals that are present in the water supply. The term “hard water” means that there is a high level of minerals in the water, particularly calcium and magnesium. Hard water isn’t hazardous to your health, but it may not taste good and it can damage your plumbing system. You might also notice that hard water makes it difficult to lather your soap and rinse your hair and skin clean; you may feel like there is a film left behind on your skin.

Whether you get your water from a well or the municipal water supply, you need to do something to treat hard water. The best and simplest solution for dealing with hard water is to install a water softener in your home.

What is Hard Water?

Initially, let us try and understand what hard water is. Generally, it is defined as water that contains minerals, specifically high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. However, it should be clarified that not all water that contains minerals are considered as hard.

As it falls from the sky, water is empty of minerals; it really is just H20 – hydrogen and oxygen. When it lands on the ground and rolls down hill, the water picks up debris in the form of minerals like calcium and magnesium. We know that calcium is good for your bones and magnesium benefits several systems in the body, like the nervous system and circulatory system. Many municipalities and homeowners filter hard water to remove or “soften” out the minerals. If you use a well for your water, the minerals remain, unless you add a water softener to your plumbing system.

How to Tell if You Have Hard Water

If you aren’t sure whether you have hard water, one of the easiest places to spot evidence of hard water is on your showerhead. Look for white or yellow flaky buildup on the showerhead. You should also look for individual spray nozzles that are clogged or that are spraying in a strange direction. These are signs that the nozzles are clogged with calcium buildup from hard water. Additionally, if you have hard water, you will notice a scaly residue on your dishes after you run them through the dishwasher. Your clothing will become discolored, as hard water creates a dingy gray look to clothing. You will also notice that your clothes do not last long because of the hard water build up. Your bathtub, shower head, and sinks will develop a buildup of calcium which can be challenging to remove.

How Does Hard Water Damage Plumbing?

Hard water won’t make you sick, but it can ruin your plumbing The calcium that is present in hard water leaves deposits on the plumbing system. You may have noticed that you get a white or yellow flaky build-up on your fixtures, including your faucets, sinks, and showerheads. This buildup is an accumulation of calcium that is left behind by hard water. Obviously, this buildup is unattractive. It makes your fixtures look dirty, and it’s a hassle to clean it off since it builds up again so quickly.

If hard water leaves behind this visible buildup on the exterior of your plumbing fixtures, think about what it is doing to the inside of your plumbing system where you can’t see or clean it. These calcium deposits accumulate on the interior of the pipes. Over time, this accumulation builds up until it actually narrows the opening of the pipes and reduces the amount of water that can move through the pipes. Now, this probably won’t accumulate to the point where it completely blocks a pipe. However, it can decrease your water pressure and increase the odds of developing a clog.

Hard water can also cause problems with your water heater. The minerals in the hard water can cause the water heater tank to corrode, which can cause the water heater to fail. Hard water is hard on your water heater and can significantly decrease its lifespan. Installing a water softener will remove the minerals from the water and protect your water heater from corrosion, making it last much longer.

Hard water is rough on your plumbing. It leaves ugly buildup on fixtures and stains in sinks and tubs. It affects the inside of your plumbing system by creating buildup in the pipes that can decrease water pressure and lead to the formation of clogs. Perhaps worst of all, it can cause corrosion in your water heater, ultimately causing the water heater to fail.

Soften Your Water

The best way to deal with hard water is to have a water softener installed in your home. Water is softened by using a water softener. These usually need to be installed by a professional plumbing company. The softeners remove the minerals by using sodium molecules. The calcium and magnesium bind with the sodium molecules as the water moves through a specially designed filter. Water softeners usually require sodium tablets to effectively work. Softeners themselves can be automatic, so they soften the water as soon as it enters the home, but some are manual and require regular maintenance to keep the water free of minerals.

Types of Water Softeners Include

Ion Exchange Water Softener

Traditional water softening solution that replaces the hard minerals with potassium or sodium ions. The sodium ions contained in special beads are released as the hard water passes through it to complete the exchange. The sodium ions need to be regenerated once all the beads have been saturated.

This type of system relies on a brine tank where the salt is kept. The flushing cycle can be initiated manually, electronically, or with the use of a sensor. This system is simple, safe, and effective in addressing problems associated with hard water.

Salt-Free Hard Water Conditioners

Also known as Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) technology, it is a salt-free solution to hard water. Instead of removing the minerals, it acts as a catalyst to form stable hardness crystals that do not stick to the surfaces. This is currently considered as the most effective non-salt water conditioning solution to prevent the formation of mineral scales.

TAC technology consistently reduces the level of hardness by more than 90%. This makes it more effective than electronic and magnetic water conditioning solutions that also prevent the formation of hard water scales. This solution also does not need regeneration or backwash so it is friendlier to the environment.

Polyphosphate

This conditioning solution is effective for cold water and low volume applications. Polyphosphate is dissolved in the water and begins to coat the calcium, magnesium, and iron minerals. This makes it impossible to precipitate the water and result in hard water problems.

The crystals are placed in a housing where the water will flow to dissolve it. This technology is available even in more traditional filtration solutions. These types of filters are effective when dealing with small amounts of water like those used with ice makers for example. This solution though may lead to bacterial contamination.

Magnetic and Electronic Water Conditioners

This fairly simple technology makes use of an energy field that is created to allow the water to flow through. When the water passes the field the hardness agents are altered to the point that precipitation is impossible. This means that it cannot attach to the fixtures, so the water can harmlessly pass down the drain. Although used predominantly in large scale operations, many detractors believe that this technology is not satisfactory for residential applications.

If you have hard water, contact Scott English Plumbing. We will come out to your home, assess your water, and give you a free estimate for the installation of a water softener. Get in touch with Scott English Plumbing today to learn more about how we can treat your hard water.

What to Know about Your Tap Water

Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your water supply. It is important for you to understand what happens when the water that you get from your municipal water source enters your home and comes out of the faucets. When you understand what happens on that journey, you will be better prepared to manage the water that enters your home so you can protect your body and your family members’ bodies from harmful pollutants that get pick up along the way.

Wait Before You Drink Your Water

You may have heard that it is best to let your tap water run for a little while before you fill your glass and take a drink. This is not an old wives’ tale. As your water moves through the pipes in your community and through your home, your water can pick up bacteria and unwanted germs. While that water has been sitting in your pipes before you turn on the tap, it can pick up bacteria from the inside of your faucet. When you let the water run, the bacteria runs out and down the drain.

Check Your Faucet Style

In most cases, the style of faucet determines how much bacteria growth occurs. Gooseneck faucets harbor bacteria in the highest point of the curved neck. In many kitchens with gooseneck faucets that dip down in the basin, bacteria actually comes up from the bottom of the sink and attaches to the faucet. Kitchen sink basins are some of the dirtiest places in any home, so if you do not regularly clean the basin, you could be drinking your old food particles as they bounce around and connect to the faucet. This occurs especially when homeowners run their disposals.

Clean Your Sink

It is important to keep the basin of the sink clean. It is also important to keep the drain and disposal clean. The best way to clean your sink basin and drain is with one quart of water combined with one teaspoon of bleach. Once you clean the drain and basin, it is equally important to clean the faucet, too. The manufacturer will have the best ideas to regular cleaning so you do not scratch the finish or damage the faucet in any way.

Rust in the Cold Climates

Another common problem with tap water is rust, especially in homes located in colder climates. One big problem with cold climates is that water main breaks from cold weather can create rust build up and release in many homes. When those water mains are repaired, rust is often loosened into the system and carried into homes.

What if Your Water Turns Brown?

If you notice that your water is brown when you first turn on the tap, you can usually diagnose a rust issue. While tap water with a slightly brownish hue does not look appealing, it is generally safe to drink brown water from the tap. In many cases, people who live the farthest from the water source might have the most rust, since the water has to travel the longest journey. If you are worried about drinking brown water, there is nothing wrong with boiling your water before you drink it. With a simple boiled water supply, you can get rid of brown, rusty water. Since many people are reluctant to drink water that is not clear, it is always a good idea to call a media outlet to see if there really is a problem with the water.

Call Us with Questions and Concerns

Once you start to see rust in your water, you should hire a plumber to investigate the problem. If could be due to the age of your water heater or it could be due to the age of your plumbing. Regardless of the seriousness of the problem, you are always better off getting help from a professional company. Call Scott English Plumbing.

How a Plumber Diagnoses Water Back-ups

Everyone has probably experienced water back-up at some point, whether it’s as simple as a clogged sink or something more complicated that requires a plumber. But what’s even scarier is having a serious back-up and not knowing where all that water is coming from! When water is backing up, it means that there are contaminants that are getting into your water supply. This is a very dangerous situation that should be handled right away. You could even be facing a fine if your plumbing system isn’t secured properly.

Here’s what to expect when you’re having a water back-up problem checked on your property:

• • Make sure that the company you are using to test the backflow of your property is certified and that they test it regularly so that you know the results will be accurate.
• • Usually when you need to have your backflow tested, the county will send you some papers telling you that it needs to be done. Just send those papers over to the plumber and see if they need anything else. Most quality plumbers will just take it from there.
• • When the time for the testing arrives, you will need to turn off the water so that it can be completed. This can take a short or long time, depending on whether there are any problems.
• • The plumber then will usually return the papers to the county, although you should verify that they will do it for you.

It isn’t a bad idea to have them install a backflow preventer so that you know you will not face a fine. This piece of technology actually keeps chemicals and bad water from going back into the county’s water supply. It also helps you keep your family just a little bit safer. All it takes is a quick test to find out if there is anything dangerous getting into your water supply or the supply of the county.

It is possible to have a backflow problem and not even know it, so you should always have a plumber check out any problems you have inside your home, whether it’s with an appliance or a fixture. Sometimes the smallest problem can create major issues that just become worse and worse over time until they are impossible to fix.

You should also consider having a plumber install new fixtures and appliances for you so that you know they get hooked up correctly. It may seem like putting in a garbage disposal isn’t that big of a deal, but think for a moment about the things that go down that disposal. You certainly wouldn’t want any of that getting into your water supply! It also takes a professional far less time to do these installations than it does someone who doesn’t do them every day.

If you are ever in doubt about what’s happening with your pipes or plumbing you should call someone right away. Your pipes are running all throughout your house, so just a small problem behind one of the walls can create a huge mess down the line if it isn’t take care of early.

Scott English Plumbing, your plumber in Orange County, CA, offers quality, affordable prices 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Their 24-hour emergency repair service will ensure that you are covered even during the overnight hours in case something breaks during an odd time of the night. They work to make sure that all repairs are done quickly and efficiently so that you can move on with your day and don’t have to put up with having the water turned off for a long period of time.