Diagnostics
How to read a water analysis report
A plain-English guide to the lab terms, units, and cutoff numbers that tell you whether a well water result is urgent, cosmetic, or mostly a plumbing problem.
9 min readDiagnostics & Troubleshooting
No water, low pressure, discoloration, strange sounds -- start here when something goes wrong with your well.
Diagnostics
How to test well water yourself (step by step)
Use home strips for trend checks. Use your own hands to collect a clean sample for the lab when the result affects health or treatment decisions.
8 min read
Diagnostics
Where to get well water tested: local labs vs. mail-in kits
Use a local certified lab for bacteria samples, real estate deadlines, and local guidance. Use a mail-in kit for convenience and broad baseline screening.
8 min read
Diagnostics
Common well water contaminants and solutions
A homeowner's guide to the contaminants private wells pick up most often, what each lab result means, and which treatment actually fits.
11 min read
Diagnostics
Hardness and drought: managing Texas well water
Texas wells often run hard year-round, then get saltier and touchier in drought. Here's what to test and when a softener is not enough.
10 min read
Diagnostics
Arsenic and radon: the New England well water guide
If your private well is in New England, arsenic and radon belong on your testing list. Here's what to test, how state guidance differs, and what to do with the results.
10 min read
Diagnostics
How to remove manganese (black slime) from your well
Black stains and black slime in well water usually point to manganese. Here's how to confirm it, when health guidance matters, and which treatment systems actually work.
10 min read
Diagnostics
Nitrates in well water: sources, risks, and real fixes
Nitrates in well water are invisible and common in farm country. Here's how to read the lab result, protect infants, and choose treatment that actually removes nitrate.
9 min read
Diagnostics
Arsenic in well water: health risks and removal methods
Arsenic in well water is invisible and tasteless. Here's what 10 micrograms per liter means, why arsenic III vs. V matters, and which treatment methods actually work.
9 min read
Diagnostics
Radon in well water: aeration vs. charcoal filtration
Radon in well water is an invisible cancer risk that standard filters miss. Here's how aeration and GAC filtration compare on removal rates, costs, and the radioactive waste problem most installers won't mention.
10 min read
Diagnostics
The ultimate guide to testing your well water
What to test for, how often, which labs and kits to use, and how to read the results. The private well owner's complete testing playbook.
14 min read
Diagnostics
Coliform bacteria in well water: what it means and immediate steps
A positive coliform test means a contamination pathway exists, not that your water is toxic. Here's how to read the results, when to worry, and a step-by-step action plan.
10 min read
Diagnostics
Is well water ruining your hair? Signs of mineral buildup
Hard well water deposits calcium, magnesium, and iron onto your hair, causing dryness, breakage, and discoloration. Here's how to identify mineral buildup and what actually fixes it.
8 min read
Diagnostics
Why does my well water smell like rotten eggs? (and how to fix it)
Hydrogen sulfide causes that rotten egg smell in well water. Here's how to diagnose whether it's sulfur bacteria, your water heater anode rod, or your well itself -- and the treatment that actually fixes each one.
10 min read
Diagnostics
Testing well water for PFAS: what you need to know before you order a kit
Standard well water tests don't detect PFAS. Here's how to test for forever chemicals, which lab kits actually work, what the results mean, and when you should be concerned.
11 min read
Diagnostics
Well water problems: troubleshooting no water, low pressure, rotten egg smell, and more
A diagnostic flowchart for every common well water symptom -- no water, low pressure, sputtering, brown water, sulfur smell (rotten eggs), and cycling pumps -- with step-by-step triage to identify whether it's the pump, tank, switch, or well itself.
12 min read