More than 15 million homes in the U.S. have well water. There are some things to know about well water such as it comes from groundwater, smells differently than city water, and can also be smelly and can stain. One question many do wonder about though is, does well water have fluoride? Yes, fluoride is naturally occurring in groundwater so the concentration amount will vary.
Let’s take a look.
What Is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a form of fluorine and occurs naturally in the environment. It is found in all waters as well as in rocks that are deep underground. High amounts of fluoride often come from the mineral fluorite found in limestone and bedrock.
Additionally, it is found in soft water, clay, and shale bedrock. Also, it is added to some dental products such as mouthwash and toothpaste and helps prevent tooth decay. It is also naturally occuring in black tea and raisins. Did you know that toothpaste can have 1,000-1,500mg/L of fluoride? That is a lot of fluoride and should not be swallowed.
How Much Fluoride Is In My Water?
Unfortunately, we don’t know how much fluoride is in water as it is tasteless and odorless. The only way to know is through laboratory testing. Here are some ideas for testing the well for fluoride levels.
- Test one time to see if fluoride is present in the well water.
- Regularly to make sure the levels are near the standard for drinking water. If fluoride is lower than 0.7 mg/L, then you may need to add to it.
- Test every 3 years if your area is known for levels of fluoride that are elevated.
- If you use a water treatment system because you have too high of fluoride, make sure the water is tested and the system is working to remove it.
Levels of Fluoride
As mentioned above, if you have high level of fluoride (above 2.4 mg/L), you may need a treatment system or install a filter to remove fluoride. This is important so the well water is safe to drink. Other water sources to use are bottled water or public water system.
The recommended amount of fluoride is 0.7 mg/L as this is what is needed for good dental health. If your level is too low, (below 0.7 mg/L) then your dentist may suggest fluoride supplements.
Recommended Maintenance
Now that you have learned that there is fluoride in well water, let’s take a look at a few other areas of maintenance. One of those is what to do when you have brown well water. Well, you will want to have a water test done, inspect the pipes, add a water softener, or an iron filter.
Another area is low water pressure. This may be due to debris in the pipes, corroded water lines, failed water pressure regulator, or leaking pipes to name a few.
Lastly, sometimes we have water intrusion in the home, no matter how careful we are. This is when water has access to a home or structure and causes damage. It happens when pipes break, roof leaks, or sprinkler system sprays into the home. It can then lead to mold and structural issues.
When to Call a Professional
It is a good idea to call a professional if you think the levels of fluoride are too high or too low in your water. It is important to make sure your water is clean enough to drink and bathe for you and your family and guests of the home.
There are professionals who are at water testing labs that can help you or there are do-it-yourself kits. Also, you want to make sure your water system is working and if you are having issues with your water or well, contacting your local home inspection team is a good idea.
Conclusion
Water is something we need to drink everyday, several times a day. Also, fluoride is an important part of your dental health. It is important to make sure that your water quality meets the standards. If not, the family can be sick as well as have a lot of bone and dental issues. Call on Bentley Home Inspection team for a well inspection in East Tennessee, and surrounding areas.
