Last Updated: Dec 1, 20205
A common thought of homeowners is that the city provides the best water possible. In one way, that’s true—it’s safe from pathogens. However, the chemicals used are still in your water. C and J Water has helped thousands of Central Indiana families treat their water. We’ve found that high chlorine levels can damage softeners, appliances, and negatively impact your home experience. We’ll explain the necessary steps to remove chlorine and chloramines from your entire home’s water supply.
Why is Chlorine in Your Water and What is Chloramine?
Chlorine has been the go-to method for disinfecting public water supplies in the U.S. for over a century. It effectively kills dangerous germs, bacteria, viruses, and parasites (like E. coli or Giardia) before reaching your home. Municipalities can also use chloramine (a mix of chlorine and ammonia). Both are effective disinfectants. Chloramines are more stable and harder to remove.
You may notice a strong, unpleasant bleach smell or chemical taste when chlorine levels reach one milligram per liter (mg/L). The EPA’s safe limit is up to 4 mg/L. Once the water arrives at your home, the disinfectant has done its job, and it should be removed.
How Chlorine Affects You
Chlorine affects every drop of water that flows through your house—the water you drink, bathe in, and use for laundry.
- Breathing: When you take a hot shower, chlorinated water turns into vapor. You inhale this vapor. This can irritate sensitive lungs and the throat. This may be a concern for those with respiratory issues like asthma.
- Skin and Hair: As chlorine dries on skin and hair, it can strip away natural oils. This leads to dryness, irritation, and damage to hair keratin. It can become brittle and discolored.
- Byproducts: Chlorine can react with organic material (like algae or dirt in old pipes) to form harmful byproducts. Some of these, like Trihalomethanes (THMs), have been linked to potential health issues, including some cancers.
How Chlorine Affects Your Home
While it may not seem like a big deal, chlorine is a strong oxidant and can damage some of the key parts of your home. Here are four very likely situations.
- Damage to Seals, Gaskets, and Hoses: Chlorine breaks down the chemical bonds in natural and synthetic rubber (elastomers). Seals, gaskets, and O-rings found in faucets, dishwashers, washing machines, and ice makers will become brittle, crack, and fail prematurely. That leads to leaks and repairs.
- Water Heater Tanks: Water heaters are highly vulnerable to chlorinated water. Chlorine oxidizes the anode rod much faster than normal, reducing its effectiveness and lifespan.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems: Chlorine is extremely damaging to the delicate membranes used in RO systems. If chlorinated water is flowing into an RO system, it must have a pre-filter (usually a carbon block filter) installed before the membrane to remove chlorine. Otherwise, the RO membrane will rapidly fail.
- Water Softeners: Chlorine is corrosive to the critical internal components of a water softener. Softeners use thousands of resin beads to exchange hard minerals for sodium. Chlorine will oxidize and degrade the resin beads. This can cut the life span of your softener in half.
Permanent Solutions for Chlorine and Contaminants
The only way to completely protect your health and your appliances from chlorine and chloramine is to install a dedicated filtration system.
Whole-House Dechlorinator (Softener Protection)
A dechlorinator is the most economical way to protect your entire home and your water softener.
- How it Works: The system uses catalytic carbon media to remove both chlorine and chloramine from the city water before it reaches the softener.
- Benefit: Extending the life of the resin beads and maintaining the full capacity of your softening system. The carbon media typically lasts for years before needing replacement.
Ready to Solve Your Water Quality Problems?
Our goal is for your family to enjoy the purest water possible.
It is not a possibility, but a certainty that chlorinated water will affect your home and virtually every appliance or fixture it touches.
As seasoned treatment professionals with decades of experience serving the Central Indiana area, we are uniquely qualified to diagnose the specific chlorine, hard water, and contaminant issues in your water supply.
Contact us today to schedule your free water analysis and discover the right whole-home solution for your needs.
