In search of clean water: the story of the Ivask family
The Ivask family already knew, before they even managed to move into their newly built private home, that the village of Vilina in Jõgevamaa has water with an excellent taste.
Soon, however, changes were noticed. Mother Merge Ivask recalled how the family sensed that the water was no longer what it used to be, because the black wall tiles in the sauna room turned white and blond hair took on a yellowish undertone. It was a sign that something was wrong with the water.
The Ivasks’ water comes from a nearby pumping station, and so they turned to the local waterworks for water quality data. Although everything seemed fine on paper, in the summer of 2022 they noticed that the taste of the water had turned unpleasant. “Within about a month the water developed an unpleasant aftertaste reminiscent of iron,” said father Arli Ivask.
As the father is involved with building heating systems every day, he knew that the water treatment company Miridon also offers its customers the option of having water analyses done. No sooner said than done. Water in a bottle and off to Tartu.
Water analysis results
“Within a week we received the analysis results, and sales engineer Argo explained the results to us in more detail,” said Merge.
According to the analysis, the water hardness was quite high. Argo added that although hard water is a nuisance in a household because of the limescale it causes, no limit values have been set for it and such water is not harmful to people. The iron content was close to the norm based on the results, but since the water sample was taken in the middle of the previously mentioned “taste change” cycle, it was, according to Arli, expected for them.
As the water can be even harder in winter and spring, the situation became increasingly worrying for the Ivasks. The father knew that hard and rusty water is also harmful to the domestic hot water boiler of a ground-source heat pump, and to the washing machine, dishwasher, coffee machine and other household appliances. Thinking of the well-being of their family and new home, they decided together to take action.
Why was there a fear of a water softener?
Merge smiled and said: “We had no previous experience with softened water, so we considered for a long time whether to install a water softener. You could even say we were a little afraid of it, because at home we had good-tasting water and we did not want to give that up. But to ensure the lifespan and reliability of the heating system (ground-source heat pump) and household appliances, it was a necessary step.”
Once they had a quote, they visited the Miridon booth at the construction fair held in Tartu in the autumn to see the proposed water softening and iron removal unit with their own eyes. Arli added that visiting the fair turned out to be the deciding factor.
Positive changes in quality of life
After the water softening and iron removal unit was put into use, a significant change in water quality was noticed. Black-colored taps now stay black, the wall tiles in the sauna room no longer turn white, and glass surfaces and taps stay spot-free much longer. Mother Merge’s hair keeps its light color, and dust can be wiped off the body cream jars, because the skin is no longer dry and tight after washing.
The family is satisfied that the water still tastes good and the household appliances have been protected. They are grateful because a simple solution was found to the problem, and the time previously spent on cleaning can now be used much more sensibly.
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If you too are struggling with water problems, we at Miridon can help you.
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tel. 50 66 775
