Author Archives: Courtney Zukoski

Frozen Pipe Leaking

Helpful Hints to Protect Your Pipes From Freezing

Winter is coming! Gainesville and the surrounding areas are expecting their first freeze this weekend. Do you know what to do? First, remember to bring people, pets, and plants indoors. Now, how to protect your pipes from bursting during a freeze? Follow these simple guidelines:

Outdoor Water Lines

1.  Protect all exposed outdoor water lines — including shut-off valves, outside water faucet hose bibs, water lines for water softeners and other water treatment equipment, pool equipment and/or sprinkler irrigation — to prevent back flow. ALL valves need to be completely protected, not just the water piping! You can use foam wrap, a blanket, a towel, or insulation tape.

2.  Insulate both hot and cold water pipes. Hot water supply lines can freeze as fast as a cold water supply line if water is not running.

Pump House & Garage

3.  A light bulb burning during the freeze in your pump house or exterior closet can furnish enough heat to protect water equipment from a typical freeze.

4.  Keep garage doors closed tightly if there are water supply lines in the garage. Or cover the pipes with a blanket or a towel.

In Your Home

5.  Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors and all other cabinet areas that are located on exterior walls, to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to take all child safety measures that are necessary in your home. For example, put away cleaning compounds and any other items you would not want your little ones getting a hold of.

6.  During cold snaps, do not alternate temperature settings on your thermostat. Keeping your thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night will help to keep pipe temperatures consistent. If you are leaving for an extended period of time, set your thermostats no lower than 60F.

7.  Open the attic access doors or stairs to allow warm air to circulate up to the water pipes in the attic.

Above Ground Pipes (Pool)

8.  To keep your back-flow preventer from freezing, shut off the incoming valve and both test ports and insulate the above ground pipes.

9.  To keep your pool filters, pumps, and pipes from freezing, run your pool equipment during the freeze. Change your timers to run the pool equipment at night and keep the equipment running if freezing temperatures continue into the day.

 

Stay warm and enjoy the start of winter!

 

Post-Hurricane Guidelines for Private Well Owners

 

Florida got pummeled by Hurricane Irma last week and, unfortunately, our north-central region suffered more than its fair share of Irma’s wrath:  fallen trees, power outages, ripped roofs, debris, water damage, gas shortages. Best Water Solutions sends our condolences to everyone affected.

As electricity returns and the flood water subsides, many homes and businesses need to be aware of possible contamination to their water supply by disease-causing organisms resulting from the flooding.

The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County issued a press release with helpful guidelines for users of private well systems, including recommendations to sanitize the well and test the well water for coliform bacteria. The Department of Health’s full press release is posted online here:  http://www.alachuacounty.us/news/pages/story.aspx?itemid=199

Best Water Solutions has a team of technicians certified by the Water Quality Assocation (WQA) and are available to evaluate your well to ensure that you have SAFE & PURE water. A complete list of our service offerings are listed on our website HERE. 

Image of iron bacteria in toilet tank

Got Slime? If You’re on Well Water, Here’s Why

Iron Bacteria in Your Well Water May Be to Blame

Have you ever opened the tank on the back of your toilet and been greeted with a scene like this? Are there red-brown stains, crusts, and gross slime all over the inside, sides, and bottom of the toilet tank? If your home or business uses well water, this daunting problem is more often than not caused by tiny, unseen culprits:  oxidizing bacteria, more commonly known as Iron Bacteria.

What is Iron Bacteria?

Iron Bacteria (Gallionella) are small organisms that cause huge issues and are common in wells and other ground water sources. They produce buildup (such as rust, debris, and slime) in water by chemically merging iron and oxygen, further changing the characteristics of the water supply. While there are no reported health side effects, it can cause the quality of the water to be unacceptable to many people. Aside from the slime found in toilet tanks and other places where water accumulates from systems (for example:  water tanks, water heaters, bladder tanks, etc.), an Iron Bacteria population can cause unpleasant odors and tastes, severe water discoloration, and changes to the texture and flow of water through your home.

How can Iron Bacteria impact me?

The largest impact that oxidizing bacteria can have on you and your home are the problems it can create in the future. First, it causes damage and clogging in your pipes as well as in appliances and systems that use water. The bacteria film congregates in pipes, plumbing, and especially in any standing water fixtures. This leaves significant amounts of debris in the water and can eventually clog pipes and reduce water flow. The remaining flow will most likely be rust-colored and musty-smelling. Second, the contaminated water creates an ecosystem that encourages growth and accumulation of other, more harmful bacteria, as well as chemicals and hazardous compounds. Bacterial iron contaminations often are associated with the smell of rotten eggs, because it encourages accumulation of sulfur (the source of the smell). It can also encourage growth of coliform bacteria, leading to health risks. If left unchecked, this can lead to the need for expensive system-wide plumbing repairs as well as potential negative health effects.

How can I tell if my water supply has Iron Bacteria?

To see if you may have Iron Bacteria in your water, here’s what to check for:

  • Rust colored or red-brown stains in sinks, tubs, and toilets near faucets or other points of water entry.
  • Slimy, similarly-colored grime or build-up in areas with water flowing or standing, ESPECIALLY inside the toilet tank.
  • Thin film on the water surface, floating debris, or “oily” feeling to the water.
  • Staining of clothes, dishes, and other surfaces frequently exposed to well water.
  • Unpleasant or strange odors from the water (“musty,” “swampy,” “rotten-egg,” “metallic,” or various others).

If you have any of these qualities present in your water, or if you aren’t sure if that’s what you’re dealing with, we’re here to help ꟷ don’t hesitate to contact us today! We’ll work to develop an effective custom solution to your water problems.

Best Water Solutions offers complimentary in-home water testing and consultation to determine what is in your water, as well as water treatment options available to help you reach the goals you have for your family and home. We have practical, proven, cost-effective technologies that ensure your family drinks great tasting, contaminant-free water.

Say “Goodbye!” to the slime, and make your water SAFE and PURE today!

Schedule your FREE water analysis online here or call us:
Gainesville:  352-372-2707
Ocala:  352-369-1707

 

 

Sources: Minnesota Department of Health, National Groundwater Association, and Penn State University.

 

 

Water Quality Association Business Excellence logo

Best Water Solutions Receives Water Quality Association Recognition

“Business Excellence” designation sets company apart for certified products and professionals

Best Water Solutions has received the honor of “Business Excellence” from the national Water Quality Association (WQA), the leading voice of the water treatment industry. WQA’s Business Excellence program calls attention to companies who demonstrate a strong commitment to the values and high standards of the Association and strive to provide excellent value to their customers.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to business excellence,” said Jorge Zukoski of Best Water Solutions. “We believe it is important for customers to see the extra steps we’ve taken to ensure that we have trained and certified water professionals on staff and that we sell certified high quality products.”

The Business Excellence program singles out WQA members who make a special commitment to business excellence, the values of WQA, and to advancing the betterment of water quality.

In order to earn this new designation, a company must meet the following qualifications:

  1. WQA Member company in good standing
  2. Sell Certified Products
  3. Have Certified Professionals on staff

“With water quality issues popping up across the country, there’s never been a greater need for our industry,” said WQA Executive Director Pauli Undesser. “This distinction helps showcase participants’ expertise and sets them apart within the marketplace.”

A long-standing member of the Water Quality Association, Best Water Solutions has made a name for itself in north Florida by providing quality products at fair prices, installed and serviced by highly-trained technicians. Walt Zukoski, the founder of Best Water Solutions, has the highest level of certification offered by the WQA:  “Master Water Specialist”. Other on-staff water specialists and service technicians are factory-trained and certified, with a combined 150+ years of experience.

As an independent dealer, Best Water Solutions carefully selects the products which they sell, offering a variety of different lines to cater to the various needs and budgets of their clientele. Products are offered with manufacturer warranties.

Best Water Solutions is an active member of various national and local associations. Click here for more information:  www.BestWaterSolutions.com/professional-associations/

WQA is a not-for-profit trade association representing the residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment industry. Since 1959, the WQA Gold Seal certification program has been certifying products that contribute to the safe consumption of water. The WQA Gold Seal program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

More information on the WQA Business Excellence program is available on the WQA website:  www.WQA.org/BE

 

 

 

Roy Duenas at Habitat for Humanity Installation

Giving Back to Our Community:  Working with Habitat for Humanity in Alachua County

Photo Credit: Alachua Habitat for Humanity

Earlier this month, Best Water Solutions had the honor of partnering with Alachua Habitat for Humanity and Santa Fe College’s Perry Construction Institute to build a house for a family in need in High Springs.

Since our founding in 1982, Best Water Solutions has always been actively engaged with the North Central Florida community. Serving and giving back to the community that fostered our growth for over 35 years is incredibly important to us, and working with Alachua County Habitat for Humanity has given us an exciting opportunity to do just that.

Alachua Habitat for Humanity Housing Project

Every year, the Santa Fe College construction apprentices build a home with Habitat for Humanity, putting their vocational skills to work by installing the plumbing, electricity, air conditioning and heating systems in the housing project. As a member of the Plumbing Advisory Committee for the Perry Construction Institute, Best Water Solutions has worked with the plumbing apprentices in the past, providing hands-on training in the water treatment industry. So it was a perfect partnership opportunity to join the plumbing students on this construction project, providing them with technical guidance and training to install our donated water treatment equipment in the home.

Cooperative Installation

The Best Water Solutions representative on site for the day was our very own Service Manager, Roy Duenas. Roy worked with the plumbing apprentices installing pipes and water treatment equipment at the High Springs housing project. The apprentices, some of whom have been mentored by our certified service crew in the past, put learned skills and information to the test alongside Roy to properly install the equipment on the home.

We’re looking forward to seeing a well-deserved family move into the new home shortly and enjoy the Safe and Pure Water provided by our donated water system. We loved installing it in the house, and we trust that it gives the family many, many years of health and happiness!

Stay Connected!

For updates on the Alachua Habitat for Humanity housing construction and our partnership with Santa Fe College Perry Construction Institute, follow us on Facebook!

Best Water Solutions is dedicated to providing you with Safe and Pure water. Schedule your FREE Water Analysis today by filling out this form.

Child drinking RO water

What’s REALLY in Your City Water?

Do you ever wonder what’s actually in your city water? Drinking water represents only 1% of the water treated by municipalities.  The other 99% is “working water” which is used to flush toilets, water lawns, shower, brush teeth, wash hair, do laundry, wash dishes, clean,  fight fires, etc. Is it reasonable to expect that “working water” be brought up to the level of pure drinking water? The cost would be prohibitively foolish.

We are fortunate that municipalities in US disinfect water to remove disease-causing agents like bacteria and viruses which cause serious gastrointestinal illnesses and other problems. However, Chlorine and Chloramine, chemicals used to sanitize city water, create by-products such as Haloacidic acids (HOACs) and Trihalomethanes (THMs) −several of which are proven to cause cancer.

Municipalities are required by the EPA to diminish the level of some of the contaminants in city water, but they are not required to completely eliminate them. Numerous new chemicals have been invented and have ended up in our water supply since the Safe Drinking Water Act was enacted in December 16, 1974. Therefore, no minimum standards for an overwhelming majority of these contaminants have been established to protect our drinking water. Many impurities like endocrine (hormonal) disruptors, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, Chromium-6, and several others remain in city water.

Municipal water treatment plants do a great job at sending disinfection chemicals like chlorine into the water distribution system to protect the water.  However, on the way to our homes water can become contaminated by:

  • Leaching from pipe walls
  • Leaks in pipes
  • Repairs and replacements of pipes
  • Cross connection with waste
  • Corrosion from the water distribution system and from home plumbing
  • Biofilms, which are a collection of organic and inorganic materials (living and dead) in which cells stick together and adhere to surfaces regularly in contact with water such as water pipes.   Microorganisms in biofilms can include bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. Current research has revealed that viruses and parasites can get trapped in biofilms after a contamination event such as a break, leak, or repair in a water pipe.  There is concern for the potential of coliform bacteria growth in the pipe network.  Some microbes may separate from biofilm producing odor, color, or taste problems in drinking water.

Once the water reaches our home it is up to us to prevent our family and pets from ingesting contaminants that may pose a health hazard and to limit exposure to unpleasant odors, taste and color in the water.

Best Water Solutions offers complimentary in-home water testing and consultation to determine what is in your water, as well as water treatment options available to help you reach the goals you have for your family and home. We have practical, proven, cost-effective technologies that ensure your family drinks great tasting, contaminant free water.

Discover how to make your water SAFE and PURE Today!

Contact us:

Gainesville: 352-372-2707 Ocala: 352-369-1707

Schedule your FREE Water Analysis today by filling out this form!

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