While you are busy filling up water bottles and running the sprinkler, your water treatment system is working overtime to keep your water clean. Many people forget that heat actually changes how water behaves. These changes can cause your softeners or filters to struggle in ways they do not during the winter. If you ignore your system when the weather is hot, you might notice weird smells or a change in how your soap lathers. Taking some time to check your equipment ensures that your family stays hydrated and healthy through the longest days of the year.

Warm Water and the Growth of Bacteria

Warm water is the perfect environment for tiny organisms to grow and multiply. If your water lines sit in a hot crawlspace or an attic, the temperature inside the pipes can rise enough to encourage biofilm to form on the inside of your treatment tanks. If you have a carbon filter that has been sitting for a while, the trapped organic matter can start to smell like rotten eggs. You can fix this odor by making sure you run your water regularly so that fresh, cool water from the ground moves through the system.

Salt Bridges and High Water Usage

If you have a water softener, you probably know that it uses salt to remove minerals that make your hair feel crunchy and your dishes look spotted. During the summer, your family likely uses much more water for extra showers and laundry. This means your softener must regenerate more often than it does in the fall. High humidity can cause the salt in your brine tank to clump together and form a hard crust known as a salt bridge. When this crust happens, the water cannot reach the salt underneath. The system fails to soften the water even if the tank looks full. Every few weeks, check the salt periodically to make sure it is loose and not forming a hard crust. If a hard layer forms, it can prevent the system from working properly and may require professional attention.

The Strain of Seasonal Contaminants

Summer typically brings heavy rainstorms that can wash fertilizers and extra minerals from the soil into your local water supply or your private well. These seasonal changes mean your filtration system has to work much harder to catch all the extra sediment and chemicals that are suddenly present in the water. If you live near a farm or a large park, the runoff from a summer storm might increase the levels of nitrates in the ground. You might notice that your filters get dark and clogged much faster in July than they did in January, so checking the color of your cartridges is a smart move. When you replace a dirty filter before it becomes completely blocked, you protect your appliances from damage and ensure that every glass of water you drink is as pure as possible.

These tasks ensure that your family always has access to crisp, clean water for every summer activity, from backyard barbecues to cooling off after a run. You can also avoid expensive headaches that can potentially rob you of your summer vacation plans. If you live in Ormond Beach, FL or a surrounding area and need water treatment services, make your first call to Andy’s Plumbing.