Meyer's Plumbing — Service Guide
Water Softeners & Water Treatment
A guide to understanding water quality issues common in the DFW area, how water softeners and filtration systems work, and what to consider when selecting treatment equipment for your home.
Water Quality in the DFW Area
The water supply in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is considered hard to very hard by most measures — meaning it contains elevated concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but it causes scale buildup inside pipes and water heaters, reduces the effectiveness of soaps and detergents, leaves spots on dishes and fixtures, and shortens the lifespan of water-using appliances.
Beyond hardness, some homeowners have concerns about taste, odor, chlorine levels, or specific contaminants in their water. Water treatment equipment addresses these issues at the point of entry to the home or at specific points of use, depending on the type of system and the problem being solved.
Signs Your Water May Need Treatment
Water quality issues often show up in predictable ways around the home. These are the most common indicators that treatment equipment may be worth considering.
Scale Buildup on Fixtures and Appliances
White or off-white crusty deposits on faucets, showerheads, and around drains are calcium and magnesium scale — the direct result of hard water. The same buildup occurs inside pipes and water heaters, where it's not visible.
Spots on Dishes and Glassware
Hard water leaves mineral deposits on dishes, glasses, and silverware after washing and drying. Cloudy glassware that doesn't come clean is a reliable indicator of hard water.
Soap That Won't Lather
Hard water reacts with soap to form soap scum rather than lather. If you use more soap or shampoo than seems necessary, or if soap scum builds up quickly in the shower, hard water is likely the cause.
Water Heater Efficiency Loss
Scale accumulation inside a water heater reduces its efficiency and shortens its lifespan. A water heater that takes longer to heat water or makes popping and rumbling sounds during heating may have significant scale buildup.
Taste or Odor Issues
Chlorine taste or smell, a metallic taste, or a sulfur odor in tap water are common complaints. These can often be addressed with point-of-use filtration at the kitchen sink or a whole-home carbon filter.
Dry Skin and Hair After Showering
Hard water can leave a thin film of mineral residue on skin and hair after bathing, contributing to dryness and irritation. Many people notice an improvement in skin and hair condition after installing a water softener.
Water Treatment Systems
Different systems address different problems. Understanding what each type does helps in selecting the right equipment for your specific water quality concerns.
Water Softeners (Ion Exchange)
A water softener removes calcium and magnesium from the water supply through an ion exchange process, replacing them with sodium ions. The result is soft water that doesn't form scale, lathers easily with soap, and is gentler on appliances and pipes. Softeners require periodic regeneration with salt and are sized based on household water usage and hardness level.
Carbon Filtration
Activated carbon filters remove chlorine, chloramines, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and many taste and odor-causing substances from water. They are available as whole-home systems installed at the point of entry or as under-sink units at the point of use. Carbon filters do not soften water or remove dissolved minerals.
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Reverse osmosis systems force water through a semi-permeable membrane that removes a wide range of contaminants — dissolved solids, heavy metals, nitrates, and more. RO systems are typically installed under the kitchen sink for drinking and cooking water. They produce a small amount of wastewater during the filtration process and are not practical for whole-home use.
Combination Systems
Many homeowners use a combination of systems — a whole-home softener to address hardness, a carbon pre-filter to remove chlorine before it enters the softener, and an under-sink RO unit for drinking water. The right combination depends on the specific water quality issues present.
Common Questions About Water Treatment
Want Better Water in Your Home?
Meyer's Plumbing installs and services water softeners and treatment equipment for Fort Worth and DFW homeowners. Call for a free consultation on the right system for your water and your home.