No matter what the source of your home’s water is, it should fall within healthy pH ranges to be safe to consume. The pH level refers to how basic or acidic the water is, and the normal range is 6.5 to 8.5. Higher numbers mean the water is basic, and lower numbers indicate acidity. Both can pose risks if you don’t use a water treatment solution, so it’s crucial to understand pH imbalances and how to remedy the issue.

Understanding pH Imbalances

Why Water Treatments Are Crucial for Basic & Acidic Water

Without a water filtration system, acidic water exposes you to heavy metals like iron, copper, and zinc. Too much exposure to these metals can lead to illnesses, including tooth decay, vomiting, kidney disease, and stomach cramps.

Your home’s plumbing will sustain damage as well. The acidic nature of the water corrodes the pipes, which adds even more metals to your water and leads to problematic leaks.

Basic water is also dangerous without the right water treatment system. Hard water contains excessive calcium that builds up inside of the plumbing fixtures and blocks the flow of water. It also decreases the efficiency of your water heater, forcing it to work harder and break down faster.

If you consume too much basic water, you’ll expose yourself to metabolic alkalosis, which causes nausea, hand tremors, muscle twitching, and confusion.

Water Treatment Solutions for pH Imbalances

The best treatment for acidic water is a filter with calcite, which raises the pH by adding calcium carbonate and neutralizes the acidity. For a more thorough treatment, installing a chemical feed pump with soda ash balances the water by dissolving the minerals that create the imbalance.

If your home has basic water, however, you’ll need a water softener solution. The most common is using salt and a tank containing polystyrene beads. The beads have a negative charge which attracts the contaminants and removes them from the drinking water.

Another popular option is a reverse osmosis filtration system that removes the contaminants by forcing the molecules through a semipermeable membrane that filters out everything but the water.

 

 

If you have a pH imbalance in your home’s drinking water, contact the water treatment experts at The Water Source in Wappingers Falls, NY. For more than 25 years, their team has provided local homeowners with a variety of drinking water systems designed to remove contaminants. Whether your water is acidic or basic, they’ll install a solution that makes the water safe. Call (845) 297-1600 for a free water analysis or learn more about their services online.