Water Filtration System Installation in Bensalem: Clean Water Starts With the Right Setup

Is the taste of your water different from what it was a year ago? Has it taken on a swimming-pool or rotten-egg type of smell? These changes may not just be in your imagination — they're an indication that there could be a problem with your water quality.

Over the years, we've made quite a few calls throughout Bensalem that deal with similar complaints. Homeowners living close to Bensalem Township's historic areas, with older housing stock, have called us complaining of a white film on their glasses coming out of the dishwasher, and homeowners on newer streets, such as streets off Street Road, have called complaining of showerheads that keep getting clogged every couple of months. These might sound like two very different issues, but in all likelihood they have the same culprit: minerals in the water and older pipes.

• Cloudy or slightly yellowish coloration of the water coming out of the tap
• Water that's unpleasant to drink because of a chlorine odor or taste
• A chalky white buildup on faucets, showerheads, coffee makers, and the like
• Skin or hair that feels dry after a shower even with your usual soap
• Rust-like discoloration in bathtubs, sinks, or toilet bowls

Don't brush off signs of sudden staining. Wear and tear can explain staining, but if the staining comes on suddenly, something has likely changed in your plumbing or your water. If you're experiencing two or three of these signs, it's reason enough to look into whole-house filtration solutions — it's time to retire the pitcher filter.

Although it's common among homeowners to use filtration, softening, and under-sink systems as equivalent terms, these are actually quite different.

There are three main types of water treatment options for homes. A whole-house filtration system filters all of the water in the home, including the shower, kitchen, and washing machine, to improve overall water quality by removing sediment and eliminating the taste and odor of chlorine. A water softener has a very specific purpose: removing hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) from the water. Although our public water is compliant with drinking regulations, Bensalem is a hard-water area, and over time these minerals collect inside water heater tanks and plumbing, shortening the life of water heaters and causing scaling on plumbing. An under-sink filtration system filters the water from one specific faucet, most commonly the kitchen, for drinking and cooking purposes.

Still unsure which system is right? Consider these questions. Do you have dry skin after a shower? Consider a whole-house system. Is there white gunk on your faucets, or is your water heater not performing as it should? Try a water softener. Do you just want purer drinking water? If so, you can avoid modifying all of your faucets with a simple, compact under-sink purifier.

• A whole-house filtration system filters all the water coming into a house, removing sediment, chlorine taste and odor, and more.
• A water softener softens only hardness minerals, protecting your pipes and water heater from scale.
• An under-sink system is used for drinking and cooking purposes, typically hooked up to one tap.
• In some homes, it's an advantage to use two systems together, not just choose between one.

Another question we're asked is what filtration system will work for a given home. There's a lot of options out there. During your initial walkthrough, before we book an install, we'll figure out the best option. More times than not, clients assume they'll need a whole-house system when an under-sink system will address their complaint. We've done so many of these installs that it doesn't take us long to figure out what will work best for you.

There are times when we recommend a smaller option rather than a complete water filtration system. For example, if all you want is better-tasting drinking water, we'll be happy to recommend a countertop or refrigerator line filter to improve the taste. We like to be honest rather than sell more than what's needed.

Point-of-use systems, such as those under the sink, are very helpful. However, for minor taste and clarity issues, a full-house system may be more than you actually need. We receive calls about cloudy ice and bad-tasting coffee, and in many of these cases a new filter is all that's needed.

Full filtration systems that hook into the home's plumbing are an investment that doesn't make sense if you're planning to move within a year or two.

We also inspect your pipes before recommending installation of any system. For example, if you have low water pressure and we don't resolve that problem before installing a system, your water pressure would become even lower.

It amazes us how many times we'll get a call from someone who thinks they need everything we offer to treat their water, when we get a sample and find out that it really doesn't take much to make it perfect. We'd rather tell you that and save you some money than sell you more than you need to treat your water. Test first.

Bensalem has a wide variety of houses. If your house is closer to the historic part of the township, it's possible your home has older galvanized metal or even cast iron plumbing. This will greatly affect the conversation about what kind of filter you need before we make a recommendation.

We can fit the best water filtration system, but how well it works is dictated by the plumbing that feeds it. We always carry out certain checks on your plumbing before installing a water filtration system. Corroded pipes and pipes with a large amount of scale in them restrict flow rates, affecting both the flow from your system and the quality of water being provided.

• Tie-in requires knowledge of pipe condition and materials; areas close to the historic sections of Bensalem Township frequently have cast iron setups.
• Water pressure at the point of installation matters too, since some older houses run low, and a filter can lower that pressure further.
• Existing shutoff valves sometimes give way during a new installation, especially in older homes where valves have gone unused for years.
• Space under sinks or beside water heaters varies greatly, particularly in additions that weren't built with modern fixtures in mind.

Jobs in older houses require allowance for more time, but homes recently built in areas like the Street Road corridor and Route 13 corridor often feature PEX or copper, making them nicer to work with, with fewer surprises and faster completion.

We often get called out to install a water filter and then open up under the cabinet to discover the valve needs to be replaced before we can put a filter in. We recommend the valve because it's reality, not an upsell.

Issues that can result from a poorly installed water filtration system include low water pressure, leaks (especially nasty when concealed behind walls), and a system that doesn't filter your water as it's supposed to. Connecting your water filtration system to your plumbing can get a little tricky. A filtration system hooks into your home's water line, and depending on the system you've selected, you may have to make connections to your water heater as well. Some systems will also require a drain line in case you need to backwash the system or dispose of wastewater.

Although each house is slightly different from the next, the bones of the job are very similar.

• Before we even touch a piece of equipment or plumbing, we identify your water main and test your water pressure.
• We size the system according to your household's water usage, not just the size of your home.
• We shut off the main water line, cut in a bypass valve, and put the unit inline with the water supply.
• We hook up any required drain lines to dispose of backwash or reject water.
• We stress-test the whole system before we call the work done.
• We check each fitting twice for leaks and flush the lines.

Sometimes a fitting needs to be adapted to work with the item, and this happens more often than not — galvanized piping is a common example. There are still numerous homes in Bensalem that have galvanized lines in the walls, and these don't always mate up to contemporary products.

Are permits required? Some installations may require a permit from the municipality. Most under-sink installations won't require one, but more complicated installs such as whole-house systems are considered a modification to the plumbing and may require a permit. Rules vary from township to township — we'll take care of any necessary paperwork before we start cutting into your pipes, so there won't be any surprises if someone conducts an inspection later.