6 Home Water Testing Kits You Can Do Yourself [Reviews & Benefits]
It is normal to be concerned about the safety of the drinking water that you and your family consume daily. It is not uncommon for certain contaminants to be plaguing your glass of water, and knowledge is power when it comes to finding a solution.
It is important to test your water quality often, and there are several kits available that allow you to do that from the comfort of your own home.
With 80 years of experience providing water to Jackson, Mississippi, and the surrounding area, we at Exell believe that everyone deserves a safe glass of water.
We want to be sure that you are aware of all of the resources available to help you gather the information you need to make an informed decision on whether your water is safe for consumption for you and your family.
Ultimate Drinking Water Test Kit
This kit from Safe Home is a great option for a comprehensive water testing kit. It tests for 200 different contaminants using certified lab testing, and the results are sent directly to your home. Included in these contaminants are 6 inorganic substances, 10 pesticides, 32 metals, and 130 volatile organic compounds.
While this option is quite pricey, included in the price are lab fees and return shipping. When you mail in your sample, you can rest assured that your results will be accurate. The parent company for Safe Home is Environmental Laboratories, which is one of the largest EPA-certified labs for drinking water.
Tap Score Home Testing
Tap Score Home Testing is a professional water test by SimpleLab, which is the largest digital marketplace in North America for water quality testing labs. SimpleLab utilizes a network of EPA, ISO, and ELAP laboratories.
This kit tests for over 100 chemicals, including lead, arsenic, VOCs, E. coli, and nitrates, and results are emailed to you within 10 days. Included in the price are sterilized water sampling vials, return shipping labels, and insulated packaging. In addition to an explanation of results, Tap Score also provides treatment advice from their team of expert water engineers.
Heavy Metals Test
Heavy Metals Test is a home water kit from Health Metric. This kit makes testing for metals in your water quick and easy, with the results for lead, iron, mercury, and copper taking less than 15 minutes.
The results are less quantifiable than other at-home tests, with the results being either pass or fail. For example, the threshold set by the EPA for lead in municipal water supplies is 15 ppb, and this testing strip will indicate whether it is above or below that threshold. You also will not have any information regarding bacteria when using this kit.
Included in this kit are individual testing strips, so instead of a comprehensive overview of the quality of your water, you can test for the specific metals that concern you.
Drinking Water Test
The Drinking Water Test is another home water kit from Health Metric designed for testing your drinking water supply. The test comes with strips designed to individually test for the following: pH, total alkalinity, copper, total harness, total chlorine, nitrites, nitrates, lead, and bacteria. Like the heavy metals test, you can use them all for a comprehensive overview, or test only for specific concerns.
Health Metric designs their products to be affordable and require no follow-up to encourage more frequent testing.
Best Well Water Test Kit
The Best Well Water Test Kit is a kit made by Quality Water Treatment. This mail-in test comes in three different packages: Lite, Basic, and Standard. The standard kit offers the most comprehensive overview of your water’s quality, and checks for bacteria, 22 metals and minerals, 7 inorganic chemicals, 5 physical factors, and 47 VOCs.
Included in all three levels are instructions on how to use, as well as a 100% money-back guarantee. Return shipping of the sample is not included in the price however. Results are sent by email with the option for consultation from one of their water therapy consultants.
Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit
Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit is another easy to use option with quick test results. This test includes strips that allow you to screen your water for the following harmful contaminants: lead, pesticides, bacteria, nitrates, nitrites, and chlorine. Similar to the heavy metal strips mentioned above, these strips only provide a range and not a specific level.
An added benefit is that Watersafe makes these tests more affordable when you buy in bulk because they recommend testing your water monthly for peace of mind.
A few things to consider about home water testing
Whether you call your local water service company or decide to complete testing at home, you will need to consider a few things.
The first step is to know the type of water you are testing, as it may influence the type of test that you need. Well water and municipal water often have different concerns, and tests are formulated for one or the other.
Once you realize which water source is being tested, you will need to figure out what contaminants you are testing for. While some tests are comprehensive and test for hundreds of different contaminants, they are also significantly more expensive and can take several days to weeks for results.
The strip tests are great if you know exactly what you are looking for, but if you have time and want to generally know the health of your water, a mail-in kit to a testing facility is probably your best bet.
After the water test results arrive
So, you’ve tested your water, and the results are concerning, and now you want to know your options. At Exell, the first step in providing you with service is to have one of our experts perform a complimentary site survey.
We have been in the water business for more than 80 years, and we have a team of experts who will help you to understand the physical layout of your house in respect to where the water solution is needed.
Included in the site survey is testing with a TDS meter to give you a reading of the total dissolved solids in your water.
Now is the time to start researching alternatives for drinking water. At Exell, we specialize in both water filtration and purification systems, as well as bottled water dispensers, and we have a solution for all situations. Each of these services has their benefits, and come in a wide price range.
We are here to answer any questions that you may have.