Water Testing Explained Simply
A water test measures hardness, pH, iron and dissolved solids, plus chlorine on city water and signs of sulfur on wells, so you buy only the treatment your water needs. Bacteria and other contaminants need a certified lab, and Utah State University Extension recommends well owners test every year. We explain results in plain words.
Hard water, chlorine, iron, sulfur and low pH all need different fixes. Buying a system without testing is a guess, and a wrong guess wastes money. A test tells us exactly what your water needs, so we can recommend only that.
When You Need Water Testing
Test your water if you're thinking about a softener, filter or RO system, if you just moved in, or if you notice spots, stains, a smell or a change in taste. Well owners should test every year, since private wells get no treatment from the city.
If you already have a system that doesn't seem to be working, a test can show whether it's set up right for your water.
It's also smart to test before buying a home with a well, and after any big change like a flood, a new well pump or a nearby construction project.
Even on city water, testing is useful. City reports give averages for the whole system. A test at your tap tells you what's actually coming into your house.
Testing also helps if you're just curious. Many people along the Wasatch Front are surprised by how hard their water is, or by how much it changes between their old house and their new one.
Our Water Testing Process
We test for the things that decide which system you need, including hardness, pH, iron and dissolved solids, and we check for chlorine on city water. On wells, we also look for signs of sulfur. We explain the results in plain words and show you which options fit.
Testing for bacteria or other contaminants on a private well needs a certified lab. Utah State University Extension keeps a guide to Utah testing labs and recommends that well owners test every year. We'll point you to a lab if you need one.
Hardness tells us whether you need a softener and what size. pH tells us if acidic water is putting your pipes at risk. Iron tells us if a softener alone will be enough or if you need an iron filter first. Dissolved solids tell us whether reverse osmosis will make a big difference in taste.
We'll leave you with a clear summary of your results, so you can look back at them later or compare after a system is installed.
Water Testing Cost in Salt Lake City
What you pay depends on what we test for and whether the test is part of a system quote. We'll tell you up front before we test.
If you move ahead with a system, we'll use your test results to size it so you don't pay for more than you need.
Why Choose Us
We respond in about 10 minutes on average. We're an authorized dealer for the equipment we install, so the team that sells it is the team that installs and services it. We're Utah locals with offices in Salt Lake City, Draper and Springville, covering everywhere from Bountiful to Spanish Fork. We only recommend equipment your water test says you need.
See every service we offer on our Salt Lake City water softener and water treatment home page.