Serving Yakima and Kittitas Counties and parts of Benton County. Book a free water test or call (509) 457-3631.
“Can you test my water?”
We get that question more than any other, and the honest answer is: it depends what you’re worried about. There are really two kinds of water tests. One is quick and free and happens at your kitchen sink. The other goes to a certified lab. They answer different questions, and a lot of people end up paying for the wrong one first, or skipping the one that actually matters.
So here’s how we’d sort it out if you called us.
What our free in-home water test is good for
Our free test is built for the problems you can see, taste, smell or feel. In the Yakima Valley that’s usually hard water. But it’s also mineral buildup, cloudy water and low pH (acidic water that slowly eats at copper pipes and fixtures).
It’s the right place to start if you’re dealing with any of these:
- White crust on faucets, spots on dishes, soap that won’t lather. Classic hard water. We see it in most of the homes we visit around here. If that’s you, the test tells us how hard your water is and what size softener would actually make sense. It won’t just be the biggest one on the truck.
- Orange, brown or blue-green stains. Iron leaves rusty stains. Blue-green usually points to acidic water pulling copper out of your pipes. Both are worth catching early.
- Water that tastes metallic, smells off or looks cloudy. Sometimes it’s harmless. Sometimes it isn’t. The test is how we find out which.
- Dry, itchy skin or dull hair since you moved in. Hard water is often part of the story.
- More clogs, leaks or a water heater that died young. Mineral buildup is hard on plumbing, and it’s a lot cheaper to fix the water than to keep replacing parts.
It’s free, and there’s no pressure attached. If your water’s fine, we’ll tell you it’s fine.
What our water analysis isn’t
Our in-home test is not a certified lab report.
That matters in a few situations. The biggest one is bacteria. You can’t see, taste or smell coliform bacteria. The only way to know is a certified lab test. Same goes for nitrates, and for anything a bank or a health official needs in writing.
If you need that kind of report, a kitchen-sink test won’t cover it. It doesn’t matter who does it.
When you should get a certified lab test
Get a lab test if any of these sound like you:
- You’re buying or selling a home on a well. Many lenders ask for a bacteria and nitrate test before closing, and even when they don’t, you’d want to know. We wrote more about testing well water before you close on a Yakima Valley home.
- There’s a baby, a pregnancy or someone with a weak immune system in the house. Nitrates are a real concern for infants, and bacteria hits vulnerable people hardest.
- Your well is new, was just worked on, or got flooded. Any time the well is opened up or surface water gets in, test for bacteria.
- You’re in the Lower Valley and have never tested for nitrates. Nitrate in groundwater is a known issue in parts of the Lower Yakima Valley. If you’re on a private well out there and don’t know your number, find out. The EPA’s drinking water limit for nitrate is 10 mg/L. A lab tells you where you are against that.
- You got sick and you’re wondering about the water. Talk to your doctor, and get a lab test. Don’t guess.
The lab gives you the sample bottle and the instructions. Follow them exactly. That means cold water, not run through a filter or softener, and delivered to the lab in the time they tell you, usually within a day. Most bad bacteria results we hear about start with a sample that sat in a warm car.
Which test do you need?
| What’s going on | Start with |
|---|---|
| Stains, spots, scale, hard water | Free in-home test |
| Bad taste, smell or cloudy water | Free in-home test (we’ll tell you if it needs a lab) |
| Softener or filter not working right | Free in-home test |
| Buying or selling a home on a well | Certified lab test |
| Baby or pregnancy in the house | Certified lab test (nitrates and bacteria) |
| New well, well repair or flooding | Certified lab test (bacteria) |
| Never tested your well | Both. Lab for safety, in-home for everything else. |
A lot of people need both
Here’s the thing. A lab report tells you what’s in your water. It doesn’t tell you what to do about it.
That’s where we come in. If a lab test comes back with a problem, bring us the results. We’ll go through them with you in plain English and tell you what treatment makes sense and what doesn’t. Sometimes that’s a reverse osmosis system for drinking water. Sometimes it’s nothing at all. And if our free test turns up something that needs a lab, we’ll tell you and help you through the next step.
How often should you test?
If you’re on a private well, nobody tests it for you. The city tests city water. Your well is on you.
Our rule of thumb:
- A lab test for bacteria and nitrates once a year.
- An in-home test any time something changes: taste, smell, stains, pressure, or a new treatment system that doesn’t seem to be doing its job.
There’s more on that in why Yakima area homeowners should test private well water every year.
Common questions
Is the free water test really free? Yes. We come out, test your water and tell you what we find. There’s no charge and no obligation. If your water doesn’t need treatment, we’ll say so. If it does, we’ll explain your options and you decide.
Does the free test check for bacteria? No. Bacteria needs a certified lab test with a sterile sample bottle. If you’re worried about bacteria, or a lender needs results, get a lab test. We’re happy to help you understand the report and figure out what to do next.
How often should I test my well water? Test a private well at a certified lab for bacteria and nitrates once a year. Test sooner after flooding, well repairs or a change in taste, smell or color. An in-home test is a good check any time something seems off or a treatment system isn’t keeping up.
Not sure where to start?
Call us. Seriously. We’ve been doing this in the Yakima Valley since 1986, and we’d rather spend five minutes on the phone pointing you to the right test than sell you something you don’t need.
Book your free water test or call (509) 457-3631. We serve Yakima and Kittitas Counties and parts of Benton County, Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.