WATER TREATMENT

Tomball Plumbing believes strongly in the benefits of a water treatment system.  Harris and Montgomery counties are high on the list of poorest water quality in the United States. Municipal water is treated with a disinfectant to kill harmful bacteria in the water supply. The most common disinfectant used in the Harris and Montgomery county area is a combination of chlorine and ammonia called Chloramines. Ammonia is added to the water to extend the life of Chlorine as it goes through the water distribution system.  The problem is that once the water gets to your house, the Chloramines produce negative side effects on the human body and plumbing system. Most people do not drink from the tap. However studies have shown that during a 10 minute hot shower the absorption of chlorine into the body is equivalent to drinking 8 glasses of tap water. Chloramines also have a negative effect on plumbing systems such as copper pipe, and rubber and plastic parts. Tomball Plumbing recommends the installation of a whole house carbon filter to negate the effects of disinfectants in Municipal water.  There are different grades of activated carbon. Tomball Plumbing offers filters with Catalytic Carbon. This type of carbon has 3 times the effectiveness to remove chloramines from water than standard Carbon found in most systems.

Another negative effect of Harris County and Montgomery County water is hard water. Hard water thrives in a condition where there is an increase in temperature and /or a decrease in pressure such as a water heater, shower heads and appliances. Signs of hard water are spots on dishes, shower doors and fixtures. You will also have problems with getting a lather from soap and shampoos.   Water softeners have been the solution to negate the effects of hard water for many years. Requirements for installing a water softener include; tapping into main house water line, electrical, and a sanitary plumbing drain for regeneration discharge. Plumbing code also requires a backflow device at the main water line and an expansion tank at the water heater. Also, city permits and inspections may be required. Many water treatment companies ignore these requirements in order to make the sale.

In recent years, many alternatives to water softeners have appeared on the market.  Most of these companies advertise their products as ones that will negate the effects of hard water. Tomball Plumbing believes in the Flow Tech de-scale system due to positive customer feedback after many installations. The Flow Tech de-scale unit mounts at the hot water heater and sends a mile long signal through the water column to attract calcium and magnesium (hard water) to each other to form tiny seed crystals. The strong signal keeps the seed crystals in suspension rendering it harmless and eventually routed down the drain.  Unlike other de-scale systems, Flow Tech hold the signal 24 hours a day 365 days a year through the entire water distribution system. Contact Tomball Plumbing for more information on this premier alternative to water softeners and to schedule your free water test.