Short answer
Shea Plumbing installs and services water filtration systems for Kingston homes on city water and for rural homes on private wells in South Frontenac and Loyalist Township. On a well, test the water first: the right system depends on whether the problem is bacteria, hardness, iron or sediment.
City water or well water?
On Kingston city water, your water is treated and tested before it reaches you. People who add filtration usually want to deal with chlorine taste and smell, or with hardness scale on fixtures and appliances. A carbon filter handles taste; hardness needs a softener.
On a private well, water quality is the owner's responsibility. Public Health Ontario tests private well water for bacteria free of charge, and you can pick up sample bottles from KFL&A Public Health. Hardness, iron and sediment are common in rural wells, and each needs a different fix.
Common systems and what they do
Shea Plumbing installs and services all of these.
| System | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Sediment filter | Catches sand, grit and rust particles | Wells, older pipes |
| Carbon filter | Reduces chlorine taste and smell, and some chemicals | City water taste |
| Water softener | Removes the hardness minerals that cause scale | Hard water, city or well |
| Reverse osmosis (under sink) | Fine filtration for drinking water at one tap | Drinking and cooking water |
| UV system | Disinfects water against bacteria | Private wells |
Maintenance matters
A filter that never gets changed stops working and can make things worse. Sediment and carbon cartridges need replacing on a schedule, UV lamps usually once a year, and softeners need salt. We'll show you what your system needs and how often.
