Should I remove chlorine from my house? Find out about the effects of chlorine and whether it is safe for your family. Concerned about chlorine in your water? Contact WaterSmart today to discover your options.
Should I Remove Chlorine from My House?
Chlorine is considered to be one of the best disinfecting agents for water. But one thing many homeowners wonder is if it harmful to you and your family. We will explore more about the safety of chlorine in drinking water below.
Chlorine Helps to Make Drinking Water Safe
Chlorine has been added to drinking water for many years to help get rid of waterborne diseases. It is very effective at killing pathogens and diseases. It is inexpensive and easy to control and monitor. Chlorine also leaves a residual level that is easy to maintain, so it effectively helps protect your drinking water from bacteria growth .
Chlorine Gives an Unpleasant Smell and Taste to Water
One of the most common issues with having chlorine in your water is the unpleasant odour and taste that it leaves. Some people are more sensitive to the odour and taste than others. You may even find that the chlorine affects the taste of your coffee, tea, and other drinks that you make with water.
Chlorine can leave your water with an unpleasant
taste and odour
Chlorine Can Affect Your Health
You may also find that showering and bathing in water treated with chlorine is a problem for you. The heat from your shower or bath opens up the pores of your skin, allowing the chlorine in the water to be absorbed by your skin into your body.
Chlorine is a toxic substance that can be irritating to your skin and lungs. If you or some of your family members have sensitive skin, then this can be a real problem. Possible skin problems associated with long-term exposure to chlorine include:
Hives and rashes
Itchy dry skin
Dry hair
Premature wrinkling of your skin
You can also inhale chlorine when you are showering. Chlorine gets vaporized when you are showering and is inhaled into your lungs. This could possibly trigger asthma or breathing problems.
Chlorine can dry out your skin and hair and sometimes
cause irritation
Chlorine Sometimes Produces Harmful Byproducts
If chlorine is added to water that contains organic materials such as algae, river weeds, and decaying leaves, a byproduct known as TMHs (trihalomethanes) are formed.
According to Canada.ca "Current scientific data shows that the benefits of chlorinating our drinking water (less disease) are much greater than any health risks from THMs and other by-products."
THMs are less harmful than waterborne diseases, however, they still pose health risks and are potentially toxic. According to a University of Florida report, if you are exposed to THMs, then you may have an increased risk of cancer.
A California study showed that THMs may also be responsible for reproductive problems and miscarriages.
If your drinking water comes from surface water such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, it will have higher levels of THMs than if it comes from groundwater, such as wells and springs.
Some ways to remove THMs in your water include filtration, aeration, boiling, distillation, commercial home treatment systems or filters, activated carbon filtering, or leaving tap water standing in a pitcher in the fridge overnight.
Chlorine Is Harmful to Fish
Chlorine in tap water can kill fish. The chlorine will react with living tissues and organic matter and cause the cell death or acute necrosis in fish. If you have an aquarium and you have fish for pets, then you should not put water that contains chlorine in it.
Chlorine in tap water can kill your fish
Chlorine Can Damage Some Appliances
Another problem with having chlorine in your water supply is the damage that it can cause over time on your appliances. Chlorine oxidizes rubber when it comes in contact with it.
You may find that your appliances that have rubber seals, gaskets, and other rubber parts will start to leak over time.
Your faucets, toilets, water heater, water softener, dish washer, and washing machine can all be affected. If you remove chlorine from your water, these appliances can last longer.
Chlorine oxidizes rubber so over time it can cause your toilet and faucets to leak
WaterSmart - Providing an Effective and Affordable Way to Remove Chlorine from Your House
A whole house dechlorination system from WaterSmart is a simple and very effective way to remove chlorine from the water in your home.
It's an affordable way to dechlorinate your tap water and leave you with better tasting water and healthier showers and baths. Whole house dechlorination systems from WaterSmart:
Are flexible: You can add our dechlorination system to any water softener or you can use it as a stand-alone option.
Are easy to use: Our system is non-electric, which means that there are no timers or computers to set, adjust, repair or replace.
Will last: They have an incredibly strong Pol-E-Wound fibreglass resin tank that won't deteriorate, rust or corrode. In addition they are made from the highest grade of carbon media for containment removal and long lift.
If you would like to get rid of the chlorine in your house, contact the experts at WaterSmart today. WaterSmart has been serving the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and surrounding areas for 25 years. We know water, and you can trust us to offer smart solutions for today's water!
Here's what WaterSmart customers are saying:
"Just wanted to thank Scott and Paul for the good service yesterday when they installed my new water softener. They called ahead and said they would be arriving in 10 - 15 mins and worked diligently for the 1 1/2 hrs or so they were here. Took boots off at the door and were very careful with the cart as they moved up and down the stairs. Gave my wife and I instructions at the finish and were very professional. Everything cleaned up at the end. Good job and well done!"
-Bob Reith
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