Water Spots Blog

When our children are young, it is important to instill many important habits. We teach them to say “please” and “thank you,” to wash their hands after going to the bathroom, not to talk to strangers, and fire safety. But do we do a good enough job instilling habits of drinking for their health, both physical and dental? Many of us are a little too lenient in this area, probably because the hectic ways of life force us to find some type of easy choices. And while soft drinks or other sugary fruit drinks can often times be simple, they are not the habits we need our young children to pick up, rather they should be drinking plenty of safe water to protect their dental health. Protecting dental health may also mean investing in a water purifier to protect your drinking water quality at the same time.

Each February, the American Dental Association sponsors a month named National Children’s Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. NCDHM messages and materials have reached millions of people in communities across the country. As they explain, “developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.” In fact, soft drink consumption is one of several leading causes of tooth decay. Carbonation, sugar and acids in soft drinks weaken tooth enamel and encourage the growth of bacteria that contribute to tooth decay. Furthermore, sugar in soda combines with bacteria in your mouth to form acid and this acid, plus the extra acid from soft drinks, attacks the teeth. Each acid attack lasts about 20 minutes, and acid attacks start over again with every sip. Constant acid erosion weakens enamel and weakened enamel causes cavities.

Again, dental health is essential to overall health. Good dental health improves a person’s ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow, and make facial expressions to show feelings and emotions. One of the best things you can do for your child according to the American Dental Association is to instill the habit of drinking water as part of a healthy diet and routine to support good dental health. But when we drink more water from the sink, we also run the risk of drinking more water which could be contaminated. In this case, we recommend our water filters and drinking water systems which effectively and efficiently reduce harmful contaminants right from the tap. Kids these days need to drink more water, plain and simple, but as a parent, we need to make sure the water is safer and great-tasting. So this National Children’s Dental Health Month, invest in a drinking water system which will have your kids wanting to drink more water… better water and start instilling healthy drinking habits which they will continue for a lifetime.

Dim lights. Flickering candles. Soft music. A good book. Peace and quiet. Read in the Bathtub Day, February 9^th, is just around the corner and is the perfect time to plan a relaxing, guilt-free night to yourself and let the water do the healing. We all need some time away from the hectic schedules and lives we lead. Without the pressures of work, family, or school, a long bath can be just what the doctor ordered… unless you have hard water. Almost 85% of homes deal with the problems hard water creates and in this case, you may feel worse after your long, hot bath than beforehand, or at least disappointed with the soap scummy bathtub.

Hard water is a problem for many homeowners because of the nuisances and hard-to-deal-with issues it brings. It is usually defined as water which contains a high concentration of calcium and magnesium minerals or ions. Measurements of hardness are given in terms of the “calcium carbonate equivalent, which is an expression of the concentration of hardness ions in water in terms of their equivalent value of calcium carbonate.” Water is considered to be hard if it has a hardness of 100 mg/L or more as calcium carbonate. Hard water makes soap precipitate out of water and form a scum, such as the ring which forms around bathtubs. In addition to being unsightly, the reaction of hard water with soap results in excessive use of soaps and detergents. Hard water may also cause taste problems in drinking water, cause discoloration, and may shorten the life of fabrics washed in hard water and even the appliances themselves due to buildup in pipes.

With all of these worries that hard water brings, it is hard to imagine how someone could enjoy bathing in it after all. Hard water leaves skin feeling itchy and dry. In fact, people suffering from skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis especially report much nicer skin. According to experts, dry, scaly skin is one of the most common effects of hard water. Since hard water makes it more difficult to rinse soaps and shampoos from the skin’s surface, the skin may become quite irritated. To prevent the effects of hard water on skin, people should limit their exposure to hard water and use a natural soap on their bodies. For those with sensitive skin when the water comes in contact with a person’s skin, a small portion of the minerals are left behind. These deposits can absorb the moisture and natural oils from the skin. Dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis sufferers, for instance, often experience more dryness and irritation after being exposed to hard water.

So how can we avoid contact with hard water, particularly to not bathe or shower in it? Our PE Tank Service is an easy and affordable solution for households who require soft water. With this service, one of our technicians will deliver a fresh Soft Water Exchange Tank to your home and exchange it regularly depending on the demands of your household. The old tank gets regenerated at the plant while we do all of the work. It doesn’t get much more relaxing that, right? So this Read in the Bathtub Day, grab a good book and think about how much better you (and your bathtub!) will look and feel with soft water.

Did you know that every four minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect? I was astounded at that number!  That’s 360 babies per day. Of course, there are literally hundreds of causes that we can point our finger to – smoking, drug abuse, poor nutrition, and so forth. But, as a water guy, I decided to just do a quick search on how drinking water affects pregnancy, so I plugged “drinking water + birth defects” into Google, and I found quite a wide array of potential problems. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think our municipal water treatment plants do a fantastic job of keeping us safe, but an unborn baby is affected by minute quantities of contaminants that wouldn’t affect a healthy adult so drastically.

So, here’s what I found on my search:

• In 2009, MedPage Today wrote “An expectant mother’s exposure to drinking water contaminated with the solvent perchloroethylene (PCE) increases the risk of congenital anomalies in her offspring.” Exposure to PCE was accompanied by a marked increase in neural tube defects and oral clefts.
• In 2002, WebMD wrote, “Two groups report that hundreds of thousands of pregnant women are at risk of birth defects and miscarriages from contaminated tap water.” The culprit in this article? The chlorine that is added to save us from harmful bacteria in the water. That chlorine creates disinfection byproducts that are toxic and can lead to low birth weight, cleft palate, spina bifida, and even miscarriage. This article not only recommends a drinking water filter, but also some sort of whole house system or water conditioner because these contaminants can be inhaled during a shower or bath.
• In 2011, the EPA indicated that high nitrate levels in drinking water has been linked to thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women, which leads to reduced childhood IQ scores, neurodevelopmental effects, and unsuccessful or complicated pregnancies. The EPA also indicates that arsenic in drinking water has been tied to a long list abnormal pregnancy outcomes from reduced cognitive function to childhood cancer to still-births and infant mortality.
• In 2009, the US National Library of Medicine published an online article titled Agrichemicals in surface water and birth defects in the United States. Their study found that “Mean concentrations of agrichemicals were highest in April – July. Total birth defects […] were more likely to occur in live births with LMPs between April and July. A significant association was found between the season of elevated agrichemicals and birth defects.” Yes, there are problems outside of cities and industrial centers – farm folks need to watch their water too.

And so the list went on. If you are pregnant, or are considering adding to your family, we encourage you to have your water tested. Birth defects are heartbreaking – and permanent. There is much that we cannot control, such as genetic factors, but we can most certainly control the water we drink and use in our homes. A quality water filter, drinking water system, or water conditioner could mean life or death to your baby.

Wouldn’t you love to get more from your money without actually having to pay more? In this day in age, we have so many appliances and electronic devices. We live in a world driven by technology which translates to using a lot of energy and paying for it with our monthly energy bills. A couple of days ago, we (as a nation) celebrated National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, a day to create an awareness on how to lower energy costs and promoting less energy use while saving more money. Interested in a home drinking water system, but afraid to add yet another system to your home’s energy bills and consumption? With our water filters which use LINX® technology, you may not have to worry about that at all.

Our reverse osmosis systems are leading the competition in water technology and efficiency. For instance, a recent study by Van Newenhizen and Associates evaluated the use of water in several types of POU water treatment systems under various conditions – and our LINX product came out head and shoulders above the others. Not only was it shown to be incredibly effective, its efficiency demonstrated advantages when compared to other competitors making it a great choice for a water filter. In their executive summary, they stated that “The LINX system demonstrated superior efficiency in this study comparing typical and enhanced RO systems and a capacitive deionization system.” The temperature and pressure of the water tested didn’t even make an impact on the system efficiency. Water waste can be excessive with other systems and National Cut Your Energy Cost Day is a great reminder to reduce waste in all forms and save energy in whatever ways we can to protect and preserve this great planet – and our bank accounts!

When we conserve energy, we conserve money and time. Our water filters require less energy and electricity to function. The electricity cost is about $0.004 per gallon of drinking water produced based on the highest electrical rates in the US. That’s less than it costs to run your toaster or your blow dryer. Likewise, if a customer used one gallon of drinking water per day they can expect to save money on their water and sewer bill. The more water you use with our products, the more the savings add up. To learn more about the features and benefits to one of our drinking water systems, contact us today. When it comes time to remind ourselves to conserve energy and cut energy costs through financial savings, you will feel good about choosing us as your energy partner and know you have done something right.

A lot of our customers recently have been asking us why we still sell water softeners when they are supposedly so bad for the environment. That’s why we decided to tell you a little bit about the difference in water conditioners and water softeners – and why water softeners really aren’t as bad as some might have you to believe.

Water softeners actually remove the calcium and magnesium ions from the water by exchanging those ions with a salt or potassium ion. Water conditioners simply “condition” the water making it taste and smell better by reducing chlorine. Why do we sell both? Because they serve two different purposes. Our water softeners are for homes that have hard water and water conditioners are for homes that have unpleasant smelling or tasting water. So, if someone tries to convince you that you should opt for a water conditioner because it is better for the environment, make sure that a conditioner will solve your particular water problem.

To address the environmental concern, it is true that a traditional water softener does discharge a small amount of salt down the drain. However, new water softeners minimize this and we firmly believe that the environmental impact of NOT using a water softener is much worse than the impact of using a water softener. An independent laboratory study by Battelle Memorial Institute weighs the options very clearly.

Battelle researched the effect of water hardness on the performance of faucets, showerheads, laundry washers, and water heaters. The results? Overwhelmingly, softened water produced better function, efficiency, extended life, and appearance. There were no calcium-clogged pipes. The appliances used significantly less energy to operate. The appliances, plumbing, and fixtures lasted longer and needed fewer repairs. There were no water spots to be scrubbed away with harsh chemicals. To give you scientific evidence, the water heaters using soft water had operating costs 47% less than those water heaters used with hard water, and even the most energy-efficient water heater on the market was 10% more efficient when used with softened water. Water softeners also were shown to reduce a home’s carbon footprint by over 14% – just on water heating. So, when you consider all those appliances that wore out unnecessarily early and are dumped in landfills, and the extra energy required to operate them, the environmental benefit of using hard water simply isn’t there.

Because we are truly committed to being green as possible, we offer Exchange Tank Services. This service provides the same benefits of a water softener but uses no salt in the home. Rather, regeneration takes place in a properly-designed facility and a Rayne technician delivers fully-regenerated tanks to your home periodically. Not only is this the environmentally friendly way to go, it’s easy for you!  Rayne does all the work for you.

To read the entire Battelle study, click here.

A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. It is a time to reflect on the changes we want or need to make, yet many Americans tend to make the same resolutions each year whether or not it was successful. In fact, historians believe that we have the Babylonians to thank for the annual chore of reflecting on our character and vowing to do to better. Traditionally, many Americans will make weight loss and getting healthy their resolution for the New Year. As part of this healthier lifestyle, many Americans will try to eat better and exercise more. As you improve your diet and burn more calories, remember to drink plenty of water to keep you feeling and looking better.

Drinking water before each meal has actually been proven to help you lose more weight. It has been hailed as a secret weapon in weight loss and is such an easy change you can do within your diet plans. Brenda Davy, PhD, an associate professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech and senior author of a 2010 study, says that drinking just two 8-ounce glasses of water before meals helps people melt pounds away. She tells WebMD that many people substitute sweet-tasting calorie-containing beverages for water. Choosing water has so many benefits. You will feel fuller, look younger, and consume fewer calories. Why would you choose a resolution that will lead to failure? Drinking more water is easy and you will reap the benefits quickly, keeping you motivated for sure. After all, success is the best motivator.

Drinking plenty of safe water is a doable resolution for sure. Most resolutions come with an average failure rate of about 78%, say experts. Our drinking water systems make it easy to complete your goals of being healthier. Reverse osmosis will turn your tap water into safe, healthy drinking water by eliminating harmful contaminants in a cost-effective manner. Making a resolution doesn’t have to mean spending too much money. In fact, bottled water costs more financially and environmentally. A drinking water filter will simply turn tap water into healthier water. This is the perfect way to support such an important resolution here in 2013. With so many unhealthy people in this country, increasing the water we drink is the perfect start to the New Year. Your resolution may also have a positive impact on those around you. You will be modeling healthy habits for your children and promoting a healthier lifestyle without “failing” at a resolution. Will you make drinking more (safe) water your 2013 New Year’s resolution too?

Our company has one very important purpose in mind – maintaining the quality and safety of your drinking water. That is why we have earned a Gold Seal from the Water Quality Association for our high industry standards.  According to their website, “the Water Quality Association’s Gold Seal Certification Program is dedicated to providing public health and safety services throughout the USA and globally, while maintaining expert service, superior reputation, and fair pricing.” Through affordable, eco-friendly, and effective products, we are able to sustain the integrity of your tap water by removing harmful contaminants at any household demand.

85% of the US population gets their drinking water from public water systems. When these systems are compromised, so is your drinking water. As one community in Virginia Beach has found, decisions and circumstances can impact drinking water sources in unheard of ways. Leaving your drinking water decisions in the hands of policymakers and corporations can also be dangerous. According to a recent article from wavy.com, uranium mining could impact public drinking water. Although the decision to mine the largest undeveloped uranium deposit in the nation could bring a major economic boom to the local economy in times where jobs are scarce, will it be worth the risks and threats to their drinking water in the long run?

Residents and officials are concerned that in the process of mining uranium, by-products could flow downstream and into local homes. Radioactive by-products, that is. The Virginia Beach mayor states that “I don’t think we want our citizen’s drinking water that has radioactivity in it.” But what will win out? The quality of drinking water or economic benefits that could fuel the Commonwealth for 75 years? The uranium is concentrated underneath one Virginia man’s farmland and it’s worth billions of dollars. What is a resident to do? Well, the best decision that those residents could make, as well as any other homeowners across the nation who find themselves asking this very question, is to consider a drinking water system such as a water filter or water cooler. Our drinking water systems are some of the smartest ever made and utilize the latest in drinking water technology. You don’t have to worry about the external decisions putting your drinking water quality at risk. If an economic stimulus is going to outweigh the safety of your public drinking water, our drinking water systems may be the perfect step in keeping your tap water safe and pure.

It’s that time of year again…the holidays are upon us!  For many, this is the busiest time of the year.  From shopping for holiday gifts to baking meals and holiday treats, it’s easy to have a jam packed day every single day of the week!  For a lot of folks, the holiday time also means lots of company.  Whether it’s family coming home for a week around Christmas, entertaining with holiday parties, or just getting ready for friends who will stop in for a quick visit, there is much to do.

If you live in an area that has hard water, like the majority of U.S. citizens do, you might consider the quality of your water before your holiday company arrives.  Hard water is simply water that has excess minerals in it, usually calcium and magnesium, and those minerals build up over time on any surface that the water comes in contact with.  This includes bathroom sinks, tubs, and showers, as well as dishes and even your own skin or hair when taking a shower.

If you want your house in tip-top shape for your holiday visitors, you will probably find yourself spending extra time cleaning those rooms in the house, such as the bathrooms, that are high traffic areas and easily get dirty.  If you have hard water, your task will be that much more difficult because you will have the mineral buildup on the sink, toilet, tub, and shower to clean off.  Once these items come in contact with your hard water again, however, the excess minerals will begin to accumulate, meaning that you’ll be cleaning it all over again very shortly.

If you have overnight guests during the holidays, they will also be using the shower and possibly your laundry facilities.  With either of these, they will find that your hard water leaves them with skin, hair, and clothes that just don’t feel clean, or at least dry and itchy.  This is because hard water does not clean as effectively as soft water due to its high mineral content.

So, even though you’re busy with other holiday preparations, you owe it to yourself to check out the quality of your water.  Start by having a water test completed by a local water treatment company and if it is determined to be hard, educate yourself on what water softener options are available to you.  A whole house water softener system will save you some stress this holiday season and make your life easier all year long!

Here at Rayne of Irvine, we like to think of ourselves as experts in the field of hard and soft water. On our website, you will find an informational video of an experiment that went “all wrong.” No, not the experiment itself, but rather the outcome of the hard water. We know that our neighbors here in the Southwest deal with hard water on a daily basis. But we also know that with a Rayne of Irvine water softener the struggles of hard water disadvantages is over and you will start living differently in your home.

The purpose of the experiment is just one piece of the puzzle – to show how soft water reacts better with less soap and detergent to clean your clothing properly than when you use it in hard water. Cost comparisons are often an easy way for consumers to make decisions about purchases, rentals, and change in general. The experiment begins with two flasks. In one flask, hard water, and the other flask contains softened water from Rayne of Irvine. Three drops of a pure soap (like that which a doctor would use) are added to each flask. After being shaken, the hard water does not create suds, but rather a gray color. The soft water reacts better to the soap, creating suds in the clear water. With only a few drops of soap, the soft water would be ready to clean. But hard water requires much more soap or detergent to clean clothing properly, and often creates a dull color on your whites or lighter colored clothing.

Other cost incentives for softened water come from facts from experts all over. According to a study from the Battelle Memorial Institute, “appliances and plumbing in soft water lasted longer and needed fewer repairs. There were no water spots, tarnish, or stains to be cleaned away. Specifically, the water heaters using soft water had operating costs 47% less than those water heaters used with hard water. Even the most energy efficient water heater on the market was 10% more efficient with softened water. Another segment of the study compared showerheads. Those being used with hard water lost 75% of the flow rate in less than 18 months – and in some cases only had six tiny holes left open to spray water, while showerheads used with soft water maintained a brilliant luster, full flow, and good-as-new performance. Water softeners also were shown to reduce a home’s carbon footprint by over 14% – just on water heating.” Likewise, our water softener systems will significantly reduce the amount of soap, detergents and cleaners you use – by as much as 80% less! For more information about how you could live differently with soft water, or to see this experiment in the video, click here. Between savings and convenience, a water softener from Rayne of Irvine could be the perfect addition to your home.

As with all of our home water systems, our water softeners can truly improve the quality of life with hard water. Hard water is a common problem that more than 85% of American households are trying to live with. As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution.  Hard water is a result of the dissolved minerals calcium, magnesium, and manganese. Hard water causes quite a list of issues for homeowners; soap scum in sinks and bathtubs, bathtub rings, spots on dishes or shower doors, reduced foaming and cleaning abilities of soaps and detergents, dingy and yellowed clothes with soapy residues that require extra rinsing to remove, clogged pipes from buildup of minerals, increased water heating costs from buildup of minerals, reducing efficiency of water heaters, and possible skin infections from bacteria trapped in pores underneath soap scum.

With a water softener, these annoying issues are eliminated and the savings are immediate. For a low cost of one of our water softeners, you could potentially make back that money just from lowering the energy costs hard water required. The higher energy requirements meant that you could have been spending additional money when you could have partnered with us to install an energy-efficient water system. A recent independent laboratory study by Battelle Memorial Institute states that soft water produced better function, efficiency, extended life, and appearance. “There were no clogged pipes or water lines. The appliances used significantly less energy to operate. The appliances and plumbing lasted longer and needed fewer repairs. There were no water spots, tarnish, or stains to be cleaned away. Specifically, the water heaters using soft water had operating costs 47% less than those water heaters used with hard water. Even the most energy efficient water heater on the market was 10% more efficient with softened water.” Furthermore, eventually pipes can become completely clogged, requiring expensive replacement of an entire plumbing system. Of all the savings in a study of Chicago motels, the largest percentage was registered in the area of plumbing repair costs.

Time for a water softener yet? We think so, too. Contact us today so that you can start to enjoy the little things in life. Your hair, skin, and clothing will feel and look better. You pipes will work better, as will your appliances. The combination of health and financial benefits make our water softeners worth the investment and definitely worth the savings in the long run.