How a Water Softener Works

February 12th, 2024
Water flowing into a stainless steel sink drain, symbolizing water usage related to water heater repair.

Water softeners are pretty well-known these days. Many homes throughout our area rely on water softeners to enjoy soft, clean water that’s free of pesky minerals that might do harm to your plumbing system or your skin. But it wasn’t always like this. Having a water softener ensures you always have access to clean, high-quality water, improving overall water quality in your home.

When it comes to water heater repair, troubleshooting gas water heaters often starts with confirming that the gas supply valve is open and checking the pilot light. A malfunctioning pilot light can cause temperature fluctuations or prevent the burner from operating properly. Fluctuations in water temperature may also be caused by issues with the pilot light or the heating element. Common signs that your water heater needs repair include rusty or smelly water, strange noises, leaks, inconsistent hot water, and low pressure. Most traditional tank water heaters last between 8 to 12 years, and those over 10 years old are more prone to failure.

Introduction to Water Heaters

Water heaters are a cornerstone of daily life in Olympia, WA, providing the hot water you rely on for everything from washing dishes to taking relaxing showers. When your water heater is working properly, you hardly notice it—but a malfunctioning water heater can quickly disrupt your daily routine, leaving you with cold water and plenty of worry. At American Pump and Drilling, we understand how essential a dependable hot water supply is for your home. That’s why we offer expert water heater installation, repair, and maintenance services, tailored to meet the needs of Olympia residents. Our team of skilled technicians is fully equipped to handle all types of water heaters, including tankless water heaters, heat pump water heaters, and traditional tank-style units. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your system or need a quick repair, you can count on us to restore comfort and efficiency to your home.

Types of Water Heaters

Choosing the right water heater for your Olympia home is an important decision, as each type offers unique benefits to suit different lifestyles and energy goals. Tankless water heaters are a popular choice for their energy efficiency and ability to deliver a continuous supply of hot water on demand—perfect for busy households that never want to run out during showers or while washing dishes. Heat pump water heaters use electricity to efficiently heat water, making them a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option for those looking to reduce their energy footprint. Traditional tank-style water heaters remain a reliable and affordable solution, providing a steady reserve of hot water for daily needs. Our comprehensive plumbing services cover the installation, repair, and maintenance of all these models, ensuring you have access to the best solution for your specific needs and enjoy optimal performance year-round in Olympia, WA.

Water Heater Components

A water heater is made up of several essential components that work together to deliver reliable hot water throughout your home. The tank serves as the main reservoir, storing water until it’s needed. Inside, heating elements—powered by gas or electricity—raise the water temperature to your desired setting, while the thermostat ensures the water stays just right, not too hot or too cold. The drain valve is a crucial feature for maintenance, allowing technicians to flush out sediment buildup that can affect efficiency and lead to water damage if left unchecked. Regular inspection and timely repairs of these components are key to maintaining optimal performance and extending the life of your water heater. Our experienced technicians are trained to inspect, flush, and repair your system, helping you avoid unexpected breakdowns and keep your hot water flowing smoothly.

Common Water Heater Issues

Even the most reliable water heaters can experience problems over time. Some of the most common issues include leaking water, sediment buildup, and malfunctioning heating elements. Leaking water can quickly lead to water damage and costly repairs if not addressed promptly, while sediment buildup inside the tank can reduce efficiency and force your system to work harder, driving up energy bills. Faulty heating elements may leave you with only cold water, disrupting your daily routine. Our team of expert technicians is ready to diagnose and repair any water heater issue, ensuring you get back to enjoying hot water as soon as possible. We proudly serve Olympia, WA and Thurston County, offering top-quality plumbing services and installation services to keep your home running efficiently and your hot water needs met.

What Are the Most Common Water Heater Repair Issues?

  • No hot water or inconsistent temperature
  • Water leaks around the base or fittings
  • Strange noises like popping or rumbling
  • Discolored or rusty water from taps
  • Pilot light won’t stay lit (for gas units)
  • Tripped breaker or blown fuse (for electric units)

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are an increasingly popular choice for homeowners seeking energy efficiency, space savings, and a virtually endless supply of hot water. Unlike traditional models, these units heat water only when you need it, eliminating standby energy loss and helping you save money on utility bills. Tankless water heater installation requires careful planning to match your specific needs, including your household’s water usage patterns and available fuel sources. Our team of skilled technicians is equipped to handle every aspect of tankless water heater installation and repair, ensuring you receive a reliable and efficient hot water solution tailored to your home. We also offer ongoing maintenance services to keep your tankless water heater operating at peak efficiency, prevent potential issues, and protect your investment. With our expertise, you can enjoy the many benefits of a tankless water heater—efficient performance, lower energy costs, and peace of mind for years to come.

Introduction to Water Softeners

Water softeners are essential for maintaining the quality and efficiency of your home’s water supply, especially in regions like Olympia, WA and Thurston County where hard water is a common concern. Hard water can lead to sediment buildup in your water heater, which not only reduces its efficiency but can also cause it to malfunction over time. This buildup can impact your daily life, making tasks like washing dishes and taking showers less effective and more frustrating. By removing the minerals that cause water hardness, a water softener helps protect your plumbing system and ensures you always have access to clean, high-quality water. Whether you’re rinsing off after a long day or running your dishwasher, soft water keeps your appliances running smoothly and your home comfortable.

What a Water Softener Does During Installation

A water softener removes hard minerals from your home’s water by using ionically charged resin beads. These beads attract and trap minerals, which are then flushed out in a brine tank. This process results in soft, mineral-free water that’s better for plumbing, skin, and appliances.

Back in the day, there wasn’t a way to get rid of minerals in your water. People dealt with hard water all the time. This is the reason why a lot of old plumbing appliances have so much limescale and sediment deposits when newer ones might not be in such rough shape.

Now, we have access to powerful water softeners in Lacey which can simply and easily remove all of the minerals from your water supply. Installation services for both water softeners and water heaters are available in Olympia and surrounding areas, ensuring professional results for your home.

How does it work? Is it bad for your water or home? Are there any downsides to investing in a water softener? Is hard water really that bad?

If you are building a new home, it’s a great time to consider installing a water softener. There are various models of water softeners available to suit different household needs.

When investing in a water softener, keep in mind that regular maintenance may require you to replace the brine or certain parts to keep the system running efficiently.

For the installation job, it’s important to have a professional handle it to ensure everything is set up correctly and safely.

These are excellent questions that we’ll answer for you down below.

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Property Changes: What You Should Know About Your Water

January 15th, 2024

Many homeowners are blessed with having a lot of property. This land can be anything you want it to be, depending on the zoning and the landscape. For instance, many homeowners have decided to build guest houses, home additions, or even home offices on their property.

This kind of creative endeavor is entirely up to you, and we support whatever decision you make! However, you’ll want to ensure it has access to plenty of water, and that the water isn’t taking away from your home’s water supply.

You might need a new well pump installation in Shelton, or a new well might need to be dug entirely, depending on the situation. Our team can help walk you through your options and do a preliminary evaluation so that you don’t have to worry.

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3 Signs of a Broken Well Pump

January 1st, 2024
Red marker checking off boxes on a maintenance checklist related to sump pump repair.

A well pump might not be as complex as some homeowners think. Yes, the technology is impressive and they should never be installed or repaired by anyone other than a licensed professional–but what they actually do is quite clear. A well pump simply pumps the water from underground on your property, and brings it into your house. Since it’s fighting against gravity, this might take some electricity and a little bit of ingenuity as well.

How to Tell – Your Well Pump Needs Repair

  • Low or no water pressure in your home.
  • Inconsistent or uneven water flow.
  • Complete loss of water from faucets and appliances.

But if you turned on your faucet only to see a trickle of clean water come from your home’s plumbing system, then something isn’t working as it should be. Even an older well pump should still be able to provide you with a powerful stream of water when it’s needed. So, when it doesn’t, the sign should be clear that something is wrong and it needs repair.

Other Pump Issues to Watch For

What Are the Signs You Need Sump Pump Repair?

  • Strange or loud noises during operation
  • Water collecting in the basement or crawl space
  • Pump not turning on or running continuously
  • Musty smells or mold near the sump basin
  • Electrical issues like tripped breakers
  • Visible rust or sediment buildup

Whether the source of the issue is your well or the pump itself, you need to call in well repair in Olympia so a trained professional can take a look at it. And here are some warning signs your pump needs help

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The Best Water Treatment for Pregnancy

December 18th, 2023

Family planning can be one of the most rewarding but difficult tasks to take on. First off, we’d just like to congratulate you on your new addition to the family and tell you that you’re on the right track to being more aware of your physical health.

Pregnancy is a time when women can be most in tune with their bodies and when health becomes a primary concern. While we’d argue that proper water filtration or purification is important at every stage of life, A newborn or pregnant woman requires an additional layer of protection to ensure a good outcome in the future.

It turns out that a lot of conventional cleaning methods, like chlorine and other chemicals that municipalities use to keep water safe, can actually be detrimental to pregnant women and newborns. But you’ve come to the right place after searching online for “water filtration system service near me.” Let’s discuss why these are considered contaminants and what you can do to prevent them from entering your home.

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Why Professional Well Drilling Is Required

December 4th, 2023

Drilling under the ground is a very complex task. There’s a lot to consider, it requires some pretty expensive equipment, and depending on how deep you need to drill, things can get exceptionally difficult. That’s why in some states, not only is well drilling nearly impossible to do on your own, but it can be illegal for someone who is unlicensed to try and do this work.

But the question we’re asking today is why is well drilling so difficult and why might a professional be required for this kind of work. They may be simple questions, but their answers are a lot more complicated, which we’ll get into down below.

If you’re a homeowner who’s looking to gain access to water on your property, the good news is that you’re already halfway there! Our experienced, professional team can get this done for you, just choose us as your next well drilling contractor in Tumwater.

What’s Under the Ground?

The first thing that we need to talk about whenever well drilling is brought up–is the ground. The contents of what lies below each property are going to differ greatly. Some homes are built upon tons of rock and clay that formed through ancient geological processes. Other houses are built on soft, loamy soil that’s quite easy to dig through (and exceptionally good for gardening). These are only two examples, but they can differ drastically since they both might have a large amount of water hidden underneath.

In order to properly and efficiently drill on your property for a well, we need to evaluate what might be below the dirt that lies at your feet. Also, we need the right equipment that can handle this kind of work, which is why it’s imperative to work with a team of professionals.

Expensive Equipment

Digging for a well isn’t like it was in the old days. It’s not just a bunch of contractors with shovels taking shifts, we use extremely effective digging equipment that can remove lots of dirt. We even use powerful drills that can break apart rock and remove it when it’s in the way of groundwater.

However, this equipment isn’t easy to purchase for yourself to use and you have to hold a license from the Department of Ecology in order to do so.. for your well.

Experience and Efficiency

There’s a lot of experience required for digging a well properly, and even just a small deviation from the process could lead to some huge problems. Not to mention the fact that professional well diggers are educated and licensed to do the work properly, which means you’ll have a professional to complete the project.

You can always count on American Pump and Drilling for a job well done. Contact us today!

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Purification, Filtration, and Water Softening

November 20th, 2023

There are many different ways to treat your home’s water, but only a few of them might apply to your specific situation. For instance, if your water makes you sick due to some kind of biological contaminant, a water softener or water filter might not give you the same results as a UV light water purifier that eliminates viruses and bacteria.

This process can get very complicated, which is why we advise all of our customers to get a second opinion from a licensed contractor. Our team of water treatment specialists can not only test your water before we perform any service, but then we can use our experience and high-tech equipment to install the right water filter or purifier to make your water usable.

Whole house water filtration might sound intimidating, but we promise that our team will walk you through this process with ease!

UV Water Purification

First, let’s talk about purification. Many people use the terms “purification” and “filtration” interchangeably, but there is a difference!

Purification usually means the elimination of biological contaminants through UV light radiation or other methods. Purified water has no viruses, bacteria, mold, or mildew in it because it has been subjected to treatment that kills single-celled organisms. Don’t worry, when you install a UV water purifier, it doesn’t impact your own personal health. Think of it like the same amount of radiation as direct sunlight!

Try our new VIQUA ArrosTM which will purify your water with a high-powered UV light, but only when your home demands water! This cuts back on 35% of the system’s energy usage over time. This unit is perfect for residential homes that are ready to have purified, clean water.

Water Filtration

Next, we have water filtration, which is any method of filtering your water so that particles over a given size are taken out. This is important because there are some harmful particles that can exist in your water source that you’ll be better off without!

These kinds of contaminants can be dirt, debris, volatile organic compounds like paint, and even plastics. No amount of UV light would make these particles any less harmful for your body or plumbing system, but a filter can simply siphon them out while the rest of your clean water travels into your home.

Water Softening

What about minerals? Not every water source is devoid of minerals. For hard water that might be impacting your personal life or plumbing system, a water softener is a great tool to remedy this.

This system can easily remove minerals like magnesium or calcium from your water so that it’s more usable for laundry and cleaning. With a water softener, you can avoid mineral buildups in your pipes and also you’ll have more vibrant skin and hair too.

More!

As water specialists, we wouldn’t be very good at our jobs if we didn’t have great workarounds for most household water issues. Perhaps you’ve got a plumbing issue instead of a potable water problem? We can take care of it!

The first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with us so we can take a closer look. Then, we’ll give you some suggestions as to what could better make your water more usable for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and more.

It’s time to contact the water treatment experts at American Pump and Drilling for your next water solution.

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How Water Treatment Systems Work

November 6th, 2023
Happy family relaxing at home, enjoying comfort from recent water heater repair.

Have you ever wondered whether a water filter would be right for your home? Perhaps you’ve seen products advertised on TV or the internet, showing a cool attachment for your sink or refrigerator. These can be cost-effective but are likely not the correct product for treating your home’s water long-term.

The issue of impure water is a problem that goes back centuries. Ever since people have had homes, they’ve had to work hard making systems that clean water or at least make it usable for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and other work. But without the right well drilling expert, even clean water sources can fall short.Dirty water can not only spoil meals and make things uncomfortable in your home, but it’s just not as usable as clean, crisp water.

Our team specializes in whole home water filtration units that are designed to clean all of the water that gets drawn into or around your house. Whether it comes from a well or from your local municipality, whole house water filtration can be a powerful ally when trying to achieve clean, potable water.

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The Benefits of a Water Softener

October 23rd, 2023

Hard water can be a serious problem for any home. It brings with it many challenges, both having to do with personal health and the well-being of your plumbing system, which means you’re better off removing the minerals from your water.

Don’t worry, this isn’t a post that’s meant to scare anyone. Hard water is safe to drink and use for bathing, but just because it’s safe doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its own side effects and problems that you’ll end up dealing with long term.

Today, we’re going to highlight one of the most important tools when dealing with hard water, and that’s a water softener. These systems are powerful enough to remove the mineral content of any incoming water while also being efficient to use minimal resources while performing this job. If you feel like a new water softener in Lacey is the right choice for your home, then don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with our team.

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What to Do Before a Well Pump Installation

October 9th, 2023

So, you’ve settled on the fact that you want to get a new well pump installed on your property. That’s great! In Olympia and the surrounding areas, wells are a fantastic way to get clean, potable water from right beneath your property.

However, this can only be achieved with the help of an electronic pump that can push that water against gravity and into your home. And, the process can get a bit more complicated if you don’t have a well drilled either.

Don’t worry, we keep things simple. Most of the work we can handle, but there are still a few things you’ll need to do before you call us and schedule an Olympia well pump installation. Or, you could call us and we can walk you through this process personally–we’re happy to help! Just make sure you do things by the book so we can reduce the amount of hiccups on your well pump journey.

Find Your Right Budget

Well work can be expensive, there’s no way around this. Especially if the well you think you should use had dried up years ago and we need to start from scratch. The good news is that there are plenty of professionals from our team willing to give you an accurate estimate.

The real important thing that you can do on your end is to look through your finances for the next year and budget accurately. We don’t want to charge anyone an amount of money that they’re not comfortable paying. So, the more you can prepare to spend money on an installation, the more smoothly this process will go.

Look for Data on Your Property

Here’s an interesting tip–does your home have any property data locked away in a cabinet somewhere? Perhaps it’s a topographical map of your home’s area. Or maybe it’s even a map of the well that was drilled 50 years ago that might still be an option for well pump installation.

This data can be helpful. Sure, our team will do our own research no matter what, but it’s always helpful to know what’s on your property and what can be done to make things take less time.

Even if you can tell us the type of soil on your property, and where some of the boundary markers are, that can go a long way in making things take less time for everyone.

Make Your Preferences Clear

Our last tip is to talk with your family about your preferences. What do you want? Do you need a state of the art well pump that can give you more water than you’re used to having? Or do you just need water for your home at an affordable price? These preferences are important, and they’ll guide you toward a better solution for your home and family.

Contact American Pump and Drilling to have your Olympia well pump installed by experts.

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3 Must-Do Well Pump Techniques

September 25th, 2023

Well pumps are vital for many homes in our area. People require freshwater for their lifestyles, whether it’s for bathing, drinking, cleaning, or swimming. For many of our customers that lie off the grid, a well pump is going to provide all of that water that’s required at a pretty affordable rate of electricity.

But before you go deep onto your property and start digging, and before you call a family friend to help you repair your broken well pump, we’d like to talk about a few things. There are some dangers with trying to service your well pump on your own or with an amateur plumber. And those dangers are what this blog is going to focus on today.

Don’t worry, we’re not trying to scare anyone. In fact, if you’d rather skip this topic in its entirety, you can just call us and schedule well pump service in Olympia with a team of licensed professionals. We do everything safely and up to current standards so there’s no risk to your health or property.

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