Why Is it Important to have Filtered Water for Ice Machine

Posted January 27, 2021 by Ken Christopher

If you haven’t been filtering your ice machine water, the benefits of doing so may surprise you. The quality of your water can impact the taste of your ice and the beverages it is placed in, as well as the longevity and efficiency of your ice machine, whether it be at your home, restaurant, or other business.

Protecting your investment comes down to passing the right water through your ice-making system through the use of an ice machine water filter .

Why Filter Your Ice Machine Water?

The main reason you want to filter the water going into your ice machine is because, with the right filtration system, you’ll be able to reduce the number of hard minerals passing into your ice machine. This can have a big impact on the longevity and efficiency of your ice maker system. Let’s take a closer look at why that is.

What are Hard Minerals?

The term hard minerals refers to mineral ions that are attached to water molecules. Water hardness can be caused by a variety of different mineral and metal ions, including:

Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminum
Barium
Iron
Zinc
Manganese

The level of hard minerals found in tap water supplies varies depending on where you live, the general environment around your water supply source. Calcium and magnesium compounds are the most common dissolved minerals that contribute to water hardness. The mineral content of the soil near your water source will play a big role in how hard your water is.

Why are Hard Minerals Problematic?

The main problem with hard minerals is that they can impact the efficiency and lifespan of your ice machine over time. Hard water leaves behind mineral deposits when it is heated or evaporated, which is often referred to as “scaling”.

Scaling can impact nearly any appliance or surface hard water comes into contact with in your home, but is especially problematic in appliances that heat water. This includes your ice maker, but also includes your water heater, washer, dishwasher and coffee pot.

If your water is only moderately hard, or rather contains only a relatively small number of dissolved minerals, the effect of this mineral buildup will be more gradual. You may notice your ice making system producing less ice over time, or having to work harder to produce the same amount of ice. However, if your water contains very high levels of dissolved minerals, the buildup will occur much faster. The rate at which water hardness affects your ice machine will be relative to how hard your water is.

The effects of mineral buildup in your ice making system can be mitigated through regular descaling. However, if you have very hard water you will need to descale your ice machine more frequently to ensure it continues running efficiently. A far better solution is to reduce the mineral content of the water before it passes into your system.

Get started today! We specialize in providing the purest water possible!

What’s the Best Way to Filter Your Ice Machine’s Water?

If you’re looking for the best way to filter your ice machine’s water, you may want to start with a water test. Testing the water in your home is an excellent way to determine how hard your water is, as well as what other contaminants are in your home’s water. This is a great starting point for determining an effective filtration solution for the water in your home.

Some ice machines have specific needs when it comes to water filtration . While dissolved minerals are bad because they cause buildup, you may also need to be sure that the water passing into your ice machine is appropriately conductive. Conductivity refers to the ability of water to pass an electrical current through it, and is measured in Siemens/cm (S/cm). Some water filtration methods remove so many salts and hard minerals that the water no longer has a conductivity level appropriate for the ice machine you’re using.

Your best bet is to consult your ice machine’s documentation to determine if a minimum conductivity level for your filtered water is required, and then ensure that you have an appropriate filtration system in place that produces water at those levels.

For the best tasting ice, you may also want to use a filtration system that captures a wide range of contaminants. This can ensure that substances which alter the flavor of your ice are removed, such as disinfectants like chlorine and chloramines.

Filtration systems that utilize reverse osmosis filtration, which can be installed under your kitchen sink, are often capable of this. Reverse osmosis systems can also be used to provide filtered water for cooking, making coffee, or filling your water bottle. If you’re looking for the best water filter for coffee , cooking or ice, a kitchen water filtration system is generally an excellent option. Reverse osmosis filtration can be used in addition to more common methods of removing hard minerals from water like an ion-exchange system. Ion-exchange systems are generally used to soften water for your entire home, which provides the benefits of soft water throughout your home.

Top Benefits From Filtering Your Ice Machine Water

Filtering the water passing into your ice machine offers these key benefits:

Longer Equipment Longevity – If you don’t effectively filter your water before it enters your system, the mineral buildup will eventually affect the longevity of your system. You may need to use descaler more often to clean out the existing mineral buildup, or replace your system sooner than you otherwise might have to. Additionally, some ice machines may be sensitive not only to mineral buildup, but also how corrosive or “aggressive” your water is. A variety of factors can influence how corrosive your water is, including the PH of your water, it’s electrical conductivity, oxygen concentration and more. Because of this, it can be a good idea to have your water tested and ensure that it is appropriately filtered for your specific ice machine.

Clear Ice – If you want clear ice like the kind you get at your favorite restaurant or coffee shop, you’ll need to use an ice machine filter . The hard minerals in your water are one of the reasons that ice can appear cloudy when frozen. Reducing the hardness of your water, as well as other impurities that may be in it, will result in clearer ice.

Better Taste – To produce the best-tasting ice, use only clean, filtered drinking water. The ice-making process doesn’t remove all of the impurities in the water even though some of the hard minerals are left behind in your ice-making components. Other contaminants will remain in your ice cubes and melt into your beverages, affecting the taste. Contaminants such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), organic compounds, and disinfectants used in water treatment facilities can negatively impact the taste of your ice cubes. Installing an effective filtration system in your kitchen will allow you to make great tasting ice, start cooking with filtered water , and have clean, filtered drinking water accessible at any time.

Finding the Right Solution for Your Needs

Searching for an appropriate water filtration system for your residence or commercial building can be challenging because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Different filtration methods remove different types of contaminants, making them appropriate for one situation and less ideal for another.

If you’re looking for the best filtration system for your particular needs, consider consulting with a Rayne Water specialist. The different capabilities and benefits of water filtration systems can be dizzying, but finding a solution to your water filtration needs doesn’t have to involve tens of hours of research. Instead, rely on the experts who have decades of experience with water filtration.

Our Rayne Water experts will listen to you to find out what you want out of your water filtration system, and help you find an appropriate solution that fits your needs and budget. Whether it’s a point-of-use kitchen water filtration system that provides water for drinking, cooking, and your ice-machine, or a point-of-entry ion-exchange system that removes hard minerals from all of the water flowing into your house, our team at Rayne Water can help you find the right solution for your needs.

Closing Thoughts

If you want to get the most out of your ice machine while producing the best-tasting ice possible, you’ll definitely want to look into filtering your ice machine’s water. Many ice machine manufacturers recommend filtration because using hard water will cause mineral buildup on the ice making components of the system. That mineral buildup will affect the longevity and efficiency of your system, and require more frequent maintenance to ensure your system is producing enough ice. At the same time, ice made with unfiltered water tends to taste worse and appear more cloudy, both of which are unappealing.

Finding the right water filtration system for your ice machine can seem a bit daunting due to the fact that some ice machines have certain requirements for the minimum electrical conductivity for water passing through the system. This means that you want to filter your water to reduce the number of hard minerals, while also ensuring that the water you are using is appropriately conductive for your specific machine.

Our team at Rayne Water can help you find the balance in your water filtration system. Whether you’re looking for a point-of-use system for your kitchen that provides clean, filtered drinking water and supplies water to your ice machine, or a water filtration system for your entire home, our experts can help! To learn more, contact us at Rayne Water today.

Sources:

“Water Conductivity” https://www.lenntech.com/applications/ultrapure/conductivity/water-conductivity.htm
“Drinking Water Problems: Corrosion” http://publications.tamu.edu/WATER/PUB_water_Drinking%20Water%20Problems%20Corrosion.pdf
“How Ice Makers Work” https://home.howstuffworks.com/icemaker.htm
“Commercial Ice Machine + Water Filter = Pleased Customer + Fewer Service Calls”
https://www.katom.com/cat/ice-makers/advantages-to-pure-water-filtration-for-your-commercial-ice-maker.html

4 Reasons to Install a Water Kitchen Filtration System

Posted January 20, 2021 by Ken Christopher

Have you been wondering whether a kitchen water filter is right for you? While a kitchen water filtration system is a great way to improve access to clean, filtered drinking water for everyone in your home, that’s not the only reason you should consider installing one.

Kitchen water filters offer a number of benefits that can transform the meals you cook and the beverages you drink. Here are our top reasons why you should consider installing a kitchen water filter system!

#1 Cost-Effective Protection Against Contaminants

Kitchen water filtration systems are one of the most cost-effective methods to protect your household against common contaminants in tap water supply. A point-of-use (POU) filtering system enables you to leverage the low cost of tap water to cost-effectively produce filtered drinking water on demand.

Though tap water in the United States goes through a series of treatments to ensure potability, millions are exposed each year to waterborne contaminants and diseases. Common contaminants in tap water include:

Microbes – (viruses, bacteria, and parasites)
Disinfectants
Disinfection By-Products (DBPs)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Radionuclides
Heavy metals
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Kitchen water filtration systems offer a drinking water solution that provides clean water and ongoing protection against these contaminants and many others. At the same time, they offer a more environmentally friendly option than bottled water, and provide access to a nearly unlimited supply of filtered water that can be used for cooking, beverages, and ice.

#2 Better Tasting Coffee and Tea

If you haven’t been using filtered water for your morning pot of coffee, you should definitely consider it. When brewing coffee, water acts as a solvent that picks up flavor molecules from your ground coffee. Water that is considered hard or very hard, meaning it has a relatively high number of dissolved minerals attached to the water molecule, is less capable of picking up the desired flavor molecules. While most coffee connoisseurs recommend using water with some dissolved minerals, water that is too hard will result in a cup of coffee with muted or altered flavor.

Alongside the mineral content of your water, the presence of disinfectants like chlorine will also have a big impact on the taste of your brew. Thankfully, the best kitchen water filtration systems are capable of removing both excessive minerals and flavor-altering disinfectants from your faucet water. If you’re curious about the best water filter for coffee , check out our article on the subject!

#3 Better Ice

Do you love ice in your drinks but hate the taste of ice you prepare at home? The trick to great tasting ice at home is an ice machine water filter . Not only does filtering your ice machine water for contaminants result in better tasting ice with no chlorine taste, but it will also reduce the maintenance required for your machine and extend the lifespan of your equipment.

Ice machines are particularly sensitive to the buildup of dissolved minerals in hard water. As the water is formed into ice, some of those minerals are left behind on the ice-making components as mineral deposits. Over time those mineral deposits will cause your ice maker to work harder to produce the same amount of ice. To maintain consistent ice production with hard water you’ll have to perform more frequent maintenance.

To remove hard minerals and other flavor altering contaminants from your ice, you’ll definitely want to use an ice machine water filter. The great news is that ice made from filtered water will be clearer and have a better taste. With a kitchen water filtration system, you’ll have great tasting ice alongside as much filtered water you need for drinking, cooking, or beverages.

#4 Consistent Cooking and Baking

The quality of the water you use in the kitchen can have a big impact on the taste of your food or the quality of your baked goods. Contaminants contained in your water supply, including heavy metals and disinfectants will end up in your food, altering the flavor profiles of your favorite meals while posing a potential health impact. Cooking with filtered water will eliminate the risks posed by those contaminants, while also resulting in more consistent flavors.

For baked goods, the quality of the water you use will have a big impact on the final product. This is especially true for baked goods that utilize yeast as a leavening agent. Water is crucial for leavened products like bread because it is necessary for the formation of gluten and fundamental for the leavening process. The presence of certain contaminants, like chlorine or hard minerals, can slow the fermentation process while also impacting the formation of gluten.

For more consistent baking and and cooking, use a kitchen water filtration system for easy access to filtered water. You may be surprised with how much of an impact it will make!

Closing Thoughts

The addition of a kitchen faucet water filter for your home offers a cost-effective solution for drinking water that also makes it easier to produce better tasting beverages, ice, and cooking. Integrating filtered water into your kitchen activities offers a great way to reduce your household’s exposure to waterborne contaminants, while also enhancing the meals and beverages your family consumes on a daily basis.

Aren’t sure what the best kitchen water filtration system is? Reach out to our team at Rayne Water today to learn more about our kitchen water filtration systems from under sink water filter options to countertop water filter options! Our systems are small enough to fit in tight spaces, yet powerful enough to produce a nearly limitless supply of clean, filtered drinking water at your kitchen sink tap. To learn more, contact us today!

Sources:

“Top 3 Benefits of Cooking with Filtered Water” https://www.thepeachkitchen.com/2019/07/top-3-benefits-of-cooking-with-filtered-water/
“Experimenting with the Effect of Water Quality on Coffee” https://www.fivesenses.com.au/blog/experimenting-with-the-effect-of-water-quality-on-coffee/
“Implications of Waterborne Disease Estimates”

3 Reasons You Should Be Cooking with Filtered Water

Posted January 20, 2021 by Ken Christopher

Ensuring the safety of our drinking water should be a top priority for everyone, but when it comes to cooking the benefits of filtered water may not be immediately clear. What you may not realize is that many of the samthe best water filter for coffee whe benefits you get from filtering your drinking water also carry over into your cooking. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top benefits that come with using filtered water for your cooking!

#1 Reduced Exposure to Contaminants

If you’re wondering, “ should i use filtered water for cooking ?”, the answer is yes! The key reason you should consider filtering the water you cook with is to reduce your exposure to any harmful contaminants that your water supply might contain. While tap water in the United States is generally considered safe because of treatment protocols, the water flowing from your tap may still contain contaminants that can cause concern .

How common is waterborne disease in the United States? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 7.2 million people in the United States contract a disease from their water. Diseases can be contracted through our water systems not only by drinking contaminated unfiltered tap water, but also simply by breathing it in. Additionally, relying on treatment methods isn’t enough, as many of the most serious waterborne illnesses result from biofilms growing inside aging water delivery systems.

Water purification before cooking is the best way to protect yourself and your family against any unexpected contaminants that your water may contain. A kitchen water filtration system can allow you to cook exclusively with filtered water. These point-of-use systems are small enough to be installed under your sink, yet powerful enough to be used for drinking water for your entire family, cooking water, and even as an ice machine water filter .

#2 Better Baking

Common contaminants found in tap water may be affecting your baking more than you realize. As any baker knows, baking is both an art and a science. Achieving consistently great results with your baking requires high-quality ingredients and precise measurements. Water is necessary for gluten to form, for dispersing salt, sugar, and yeast throughout your dough, for yeast fermentation and for the consistency of your dough.

The key culprits in unfiltered water that will impact your baking are dissolved hard minerals and disinfectants like chlorine. Water is considered hard if it contains certain hard minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, though heavy metals like lead and aluminum can also contribute to water hardness.

While some amount of hard minerals in water is fine for baking bread, excessively hard water will reduce the rate of fermentation and tighten the gluten in your dough, altering the texture. Additionally, the presence of chlorine will reduce fermentation rates and alter the taste of your final product.

Cooking with soft water or using it in your baking is a great way to improve your consistency with your favorite dishes and recipes. Look into water softeners here.

#3 Consistent Flavors

Have you ever made the same dish on multiple occasions and gotten a slightly different flavor profile? Or tried the same dish at a friend’s house and noticed a flavor you can’t quite place? The cause may be the water. The flavors in the water you cook with often carry over into the final dishes you create. Though the changes may be subtle depending on the dish, they can be quite noticeable.

Chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine and chloramine, are often very noticeable in the water flowing from your tap. That’s because water suppliers need to ensure your tap water is treated all the way to your home, which means using long-lasting disinfectants that provide protection against microbes throughout the journey through your water system.

Unless you leave your water sitting out for a long period of time to allow disinfectants like chlorine to evaporate, those flavors will enter the food you eat. Other common contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can also alter the flavor of your tap water, and consequently the flavor of the foods you prepare with that water.

Cooking with filtered water can eliminate the disinfectants, chemicals, and other contaminants that alter the flavor of your meals, resulting in more accuracy in your favorite recipes. Those contaminants won’t just affect your food, but also your favorite beverages. That’s why serious coffee drinkers ensure they use the best water filter for coffee when preparing their morning cup of coffee.

Closing Thoughts

Though discussions surrounding the benefits of water filtration tend to focus on drinking water systems , many people don’t realize that the contaminants contained in unfiltered water also end up in our food. Cooking with filtered water will reduce your exposure to contaminants, improve your baked goods, and result in more consistent flavors for your favorite dishes.

Using filtered water for your cooking doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Point-of-use filtration systems can be installed in small spaces, such as under your sink, and use filtration methods such as reverse osmosis and activated carbon filtration to remove a wide-range of contaminants. Though small, these systems are more than capable of providing enough filtered water for drinking, cooking, and all of your favorite beverages.

Have questions? Our team at Rayne Water are here to help! With decades of experience helping households and businesses install affordable water filtration systems, we’d love to help you find a solution that fits your needs. To learn more, contact us today!

Sources:

“Water” https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/pro/reference/water
“Cooking Pasta in Alkaline Tap Water” https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6708-cooking-pasta-in-alkaline-tap-water%20?j=16897&e=gmh711@verizon.net&l=26_HTML&u=5708065&mid=7211371&jb=221&sk=A5D7F533EE080F9DBF7A1FCE59B885B7&extcode=LQ16E5QAA&sourcekey=CQ16055AA&cds_response_key=IEQ16EEAM&cds_tracking_code=&tag=cionewsletter-20&atc=cionewsA&Survey_id=
“Top 3 Benefits of Cooking with Filtered Water” https://www.thepeachkitchen.com/2019/07/top-3-benefits-of-cooking-with-filtered-water/
“Implications of Waterborne Disease Estimates”

Filtered Water: Why it is Essential for the Perfect Cup of Coffee

Posted January 20, 2021 by Ken Christopher

If you’re a coffee lover, you know the joy that a freshly brewed cup brings. Whether you prefer a hot cup of coffee in the morning, or an artfully prepared cup of cold brew coffee on a hot afternoon, to get the best flavor profile out of your selected coffee you’ll want to use filtered water.

An expert brewer understands the importance of filtered water, but to the everyday coffee drinker the nuances of coffee preparation can be lost. How much of a difference can the water you use to brew your coffee really make? Quite a lot actually. Let’s take a closer look at why.

Isn’t the Bean More Important?

The coffee bean you use to brew your coffee is very important for the flavor you end up with, but the mistake most people make is focusing only on which type of coffee you purchase. At least equally as important is the water you use to brew your coffee. Here’s why:

Water is the solvent that extracts the flavor profile from the coffee beans. What’s in your water affects what gets extracted.
Water is the largest ingredient, by weight, in each cup of coffee you drink.
Impurities and contaminants in your water will affect the taste.
Harmful contaminants in your water not only affect the flavor of your cup of coffee, but your coffee-maker itself.

Is the water more important than the coffee bean you use to brew with? Maybe not, but it’s close. Both the coffee bean and water you use work together to create the perfect cup of coffee. To get the richest, most accurate flavor profile from your favorite coffee bean, you’ll need to use an appropriate coffee water filter .

Viewing Water as a Solvent

If a chemist is interested in making the perfect cup of coffee, they are going to look at the water used in the process not as the vehicle for carrying flavors extracted from the coffee bean, but as the solvent that does the extraction in the first place.

Water is sometimes known as the “universal solvent”, but what exactly does that mean? It simply means that water is capable of dissolving many substances.

Water is able to dissolve substances it comes into contact with because of its chemical composition and physical attributes. A water molecule consists of a positively charged hydrogen atom and a negatively charged oxygen atom. These charges enable the water molecule to become so strongly attracted to other molecules that it can actually break up, or dissolve, the bonds that hold the other molecule together.

This is important for coffee brewing because water acts as a solvent as it passes over the ground coffee, breaking apart the bonds that hold certain flavor molecules to the coffee bean and carrying them into the final brew.

There are two significant factors that can affect which flavor compounds get carried into your final cup of brewed coffee:

Water Temperature – The temperature of the water will affect which compounds get dissolved. This is why cold brewed coffee has a different flavor profile than coffee brewed with hot water.
Contaminants – The contaminants in your water can affect what flavor compounds end up in your final cup of coffee. This is because certain contaminants, such as hard minerals like calcium and magnesium, actually bond to the water molecule. These minerals can actually increase the number of flavor molecules extracted from the coffee bean, which can significantly alter the flavor profile of your finished cup.

Water temperature and the presence of certain hard minerals can have a big impact on how your water supply acts as a solvent as it passes over your ground coffee beans. However, the contaminants contained in your water can affect the flavor profile in other ways as well. It’s worth spending some time to understand the impact that contaminants in your water have on your favorite beverage. Be mindful that these contaminants will also end up in the food you prepare, which is why cooking with filtered water is such a great idea.

Contaminants are Mostly, but not Always, Bad for Coffee

If you are a coffee aficionado, you’ve almost certainly been told to never brew your coffee using a tap water supply from your faucet. The reason for that is because of the contaminants That may be in your tap water. That advice stems not from the fact that contaminants in tap water can negatively impact your health, though they certainly can, but rather that contaminants commonly found in tap water will alter the flavor of your coffee.

Disinfectants

One example of this that is easy to test is the presence of disinfectants. Disinfectants, primarily in the form of chlorine and chloramine, are used by municipal water suppliers to treat water for microbes that can cause waterborne illnesses. Microbes such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa are the leading cause of waterborne illness in the United States, leading to the infection of around 7.2 million Americans every year. Chlorine and chloramine provide an important safeguard against these illnesses, and are a crucial aspect of water treatment in the United States.

Unfortunately, for disinfectants to be effective they need to persist in the water long enough for it to get to your house, due to the risk from waterborne diseases in biofilms in your water delivery system. That means that when water flows out of your tap, you should expect that disinfectants may be present. If you aren’t sure, pour a glass of tap water and smell it. You will almost certainly smell the sharp, chemical scent of a disinfectant.

Those disinfectants will alter the taste of your coffee. To remove them, you’ll need to use a filtration system in your home that is capable of removing disinfectants and their by-products. Most commonly this is accomplished through granulated activated carbon (GAC) filtration, which traps disinfectants and their by-products. A kitchen water filtration system is a great option for filtering water for coffee, since it is easily accessible for making your morning cup of coffee.

Hard Minerals

The presence of minerals in your water is a more contentious topic when it comes to coffee brewing. As we’ve mentioned, hard minerals such as calcium and magnesium can actually increase the extraction of flavor compounds from your favorite coffee, resulting in a more robust flavor profile. However, the presence of too many hard minerals can also muddy the flavors of your favorite brew, obscuring and distorting it.

Not everywhere has hard water, so this isn’t a problem for everyone. Water in the Southwestern United States is generally quite hard, meaning that the content of dissolved minerals is relatively high compared to soft water, or water containing little or no hard dissolved minerals.

Those hard minerals can cause lots of problems around your home. Hard minerals are left behind on surfaces water is heated or evaporated on, such as fixtures around your bathroom or appliances like your water heater, ice machine, and coffee pot. Using hard water to brew coffee will result in mineral buildup in your coffee pot, which will require you to perform more frequent maintenance to keep it operating efficiently. This is also true for the other appliances that we mentioned, such as your ice machine, which is why you should also use an ice machine water filter to help with water hardness.

The lesson for your cup of coffee is that, though you want some mineral content in your water for the perfect cup of coffee, you don’t want too high of mineral content. Not only will it dull or muddy the flavor profile of your coffee, but it will also impact the longevity of your favorite coffee maker.

What’s the Best Water for a Cup of Coffee?

At Rayne Water we’re experts on water filtration , not coffee brewing. But we know expertise when we see it, which is why we’ll rely on the guidance provided by the Specialty Coffee Association of American (SCAA) for the ideal water to use for brewing your coffee.

The SCAA breaks down both a “Target” and “Acceptable Range” for water quality, both of which share requirements for odor, color, and chlorine content. According to the SCAA, water you use to brew coffee should be clean and odor free, clear in color, and contain no chlorine. If you’re looking for the best water filter for coffee , you’ll want to use a filtration system that gets you as close to the following thresholds:

Target

For the ideal cup of coffee, according to the SCAA, you’ll want to use water that meets these thresholds:

150 mg/L of total dissolved solids (TDS)
4 grains or 68 mg/L of calcium hardness
40 mg/L total alkalinity
PH of 7.0
10 mg/L of sodium.

Acceptable Range

What if you’re not a perfectionist? Good news! The SCAA has guidelines for you as well. They are:

TDS ranging from 75 – 250 mg/L
1-5 grains or 17 – 85 mg/L of calcium hardness
Total alkalinity as close to 40 mg/L as possible
PH between 6.5 – 7.5
Sodium as close to 10 mg/L as possible

Closing Thoughts

If you’re passionate about your coffee, you’ll definitely want to use water filtration for coffee you brew. The ideal water used for coffee should be free of disinfectants like chlorine, clear and odorless, have a neutral PH, and some, but not too many, dissolved solids. Striking the right balance is key for drawing out and showcasing the flavor profile of your favorite coffee bean.

While water filtration is important for creating the best cup of coffee, it is also important for protecting the health of yourself and those you live with. Installing an effective water filtration system in your home is the best way to ensure your family is protected against any unexpected rise in contaminants in your tap water. At the same time, home water filtration offers many benefits, including saving you money over time!

If you’re curious about home water filtration systems and want to learn more, reach out to us at Rayne Water today! We’ve spent decades helping households and businesses improve access to clean, filtered drinking water systems , and we’d love to help you find the ideal water treatment solution for your needs.

Whether you’re simply looking to produce the best cup of coffee possible, or you’re looking for a whole-house filtration system for comprehensive protection, our expert team at Rayne Water has got you covered. To learn more, contact us today!

Sources:

“SCAA Standard | Water for Brewing Specialty CoffeePublished by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)”
“Experimenting with the Effect of Water Quality on Coffee” https://www.fivesenses.com.au/blog/experimenting-with-the-effect-of-water-quality-on-coffee/
“What Is The Best Water For Coffee?” https://www.craftcoffeeguru.com/coffee-and-water/
“You should never brew coffee with tap water. Here’s why” https://www.mashed.com/206767/you-should-never-brew-coffee-with-tap-water-heres-why/?utm_campaign=clip

6 Simple Ways to Reduce Plastic Use

Posted December 21, 2020 by Ken Christopher

Reducing your plastic use is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint and live a more sustainable life. While it may seem difficult to find ways to reduce plastic use , it can actually be quite easy! There are also some surprising benefits that come with cutting your plastic use, including saving money and becoming more intentional about the products you buy.

Let’s dive into our top ways to reduce plastic waste and start giving back to the environment!

#1. Ditch the Plastic Straw

Plastic straws are everywhere, including in the environment. Single-use plastics like straws are a massive source of pollution, and an easy way you can quickly limit your environmental impact. If you don’t need to use a straw, don’t use one. Let your restaurant server know that you don’t need a straw, and consider bringing your own cup for coffee or beverages while on-the-go. If you do need one, use a reusable straw constructed from sustainable materials such as bamboo or stainless steel.

#2. Use Reusable Bags

An easy way to reduce your plastic use is to use reusable bags for grocery shopping rather than a single-use plastic bag. Reusable bags are affordable, easy to store, and versatile. Be sure to keep them in your car so you’ll always have them handy for groceries or other items you need to transport. Those reusable bags are perfect for holiday shopping trips as well. Looking for more tips on how to be sustainable on holiday ? Check out our guide on the subject!

#3. Buy in Bulk

A major culprit in the amount of plastic Americans throw away is food packaging. But cutting down on food packaging can be a difficult challenge. While there are advanced strategies you can employ to really cut down on your food packaging, a simple step you can do is to buy in bulk where possible. Buying staples like rice, flour, and beans in bulk is both a great way to cut down on plastic and save money.

Be sure to invest in a suitable glass storage solution for the items you are buying in bulk. Proper storage will ensure your staples stay good for longer periods of time, cutting down on the amount of food you waste.

Also consider shopping at your local farmer’s market for weekly groceries. Locally produced goods will typically lack the excessive packaging of items found at a major grocery store chain, and you’ll be supporting a local community member!

#4. Filter Your Own Water

Ditch the bottled water and start filtering your own water to really make a dent in your plastic usage! Filtering your own water in your home or office will give you access to great-tasting drinking water that costs hundreds of times less than the average bottle of water.

In addition to saving you money, filtering your own water gives you greater control over what’s in your water. That’s because you’re filtering tap water, which is more closely regulated than what’s in the bottled water you buy at the store. By filtering your own water you’ll have access to a nearly unlimited supply of consistently clean, filtered drinking water on demand.

Encourage your office to make the swap to on-site filtration as well. Office water filtration systems offer a more sustainable drinking water solution that also saves money in the long-run. Looking for more green office environment tips ? Check out our handy guide on the subject.

#5. Get a Reusable Water Bottle

Once you start filtering your own water, you’ll need some way to transport it. Ditch the single-use plastic bottles and get a reusable water bottle. Reusable bottles are a great way to stay hydrated on-the-go without negatively impacting the environment. Love cold water? Get an insulated reusable bottle so your water stays cold and fresh all day long.

Making the swap to a reusable bottle can benefit your health as well. Plastics can leach chemicals into the products they hold. While bisphenol A (BPA) isn’t seen as often anymore in single-use plastic bottles, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles can also leech a potentially toxic substance known as antimony.

Your best bet for avoiding chemicals leaching from plastic bottles is to avoid them entirely. If you do have to use a plastic bottle for your drinking water, always store it in a cool location out of direct sunlight. Want to learn more about the potential health impacts of a plastic water bottle? Head over to our guide on the dangers of plastic water bottles !

#6. Mindfully Shop

Sadly, much of the plastic that we use doesn’t end up recycled. Addressing that problem is one way that you can reduce your impact on the environment. While avoiding plastic-laden food packaging and using a reusable bag will help you make progress, it can be very difficult to entirely avoid plastic packaging.

If you’re wondering how to reduce plastic use for the long-term, practice mindfully shopping for the products you use. Buying in bulk, avoiding individually packaged items, and seeking out items that have been packaged sustainably can all help you reduce your plastic use.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re just starting out with reducing your plastic use, the process can seem a bit overwhelming! Don’t try to do everything at once, but rather focus on an area you can improve and work to improve it. Once you’ve addressed one aspect of your lifestyle that’s generating plastic packaging waste, such as single-use plastic drinking bottles, turn your attention to the next. Approaching the process of reducing your plastic usage methodically will help set the stage for life-long results!

If you’re looking for a more sustainable drinking water solution, Rayne Water can help! We have decades of experience helping residential and business customers produce great-tasting, filtered water in their own home or office, and we’d love to help you find a solution that fits your needs! To learn more, contract us today!

Sources:

“8 simple ways to reduce your plastic use” https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/8-simple-ways-reduce-your-plastic-use-ncna984396
“Reducing Plastic as a Family Is Easy. Here’s How.” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/06/reduce-plastic-use-families-kids-environment-culture/
“4 Ways To Reduce Plastics And Other Single-Use Disposables In Your Kitchen” https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/03/10/701684123/commentary-4-ways-to-reduce-plastics-and-other-single-use-disposables-in-your-ki
“Eight Easy Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste” https://www.audubon.org/news/eight-easy-ways-reduce-your-plastic-waste
“9 Ways to Cut Down on Plastic” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/16/style/plastic-how-to-use-less.html

Dangers of Drinking Water from Plastic Water Bottles

Posted December 22, 2020 by Ken Christopher

*Reviewed by Ken Christopher, Senior Vice President at Rayne Dealership Corporation

Health-conscious consumers have been shying away from single-use plastic water bottles for years, both due to their environmental impact and potential health impacts. But are plastic bottles bad , and if so, what are the dangers of drinking from plastic water bottles? The answers to these questions are complex.

Though nearly every authority agrees that the dramatic turn towards single-use plastic water bottles over the last few decades has resulted in a massive rise in plastic waste, the potential health impacts of drinking bottled water are more ambiguous. While proponents within the plastic water bottle industry argue that drinking water from plastic bottles is safe to consume, advocates outside of the industry tell a different story.

Let’s take a closer look to discern whether drinking water from plastic bottles is safe, and if it isn’t what you can do to protect your health and the health of your family.

BPA-Free?

The primary criticism you’ll see leveraged at plastic water bottles circles around the compound bisphenol A, otherwise known by its acronym ‘BPA’. BPA was first developed in the 1890’s as a synthetic estrogen, but it wasn’t until the 1950’s that it began to see use in early epoxy resins. Shortly thereafter, major manufacturers discovered that, when used in specific ways, BPA could produce a type of plastic known as polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate was attractive due to the fact that it was both hard and shiny, which made it great for use in a variety of products including drinking cups. Within a short period of time, BPA was being used in a large number of products, many of which were outside of the beverage industry.

Uses of BPA included:

The liners in canned goods
Sippy cups, baby bottles and pacifiers
Thermal receipts like those you get at a cash register
Food storage containers
Compact discs
Dental sealants
Water supply pipes
Safety equipment

Many of these products still contain BPA today, unless they are specifically noted to be “BPA-free”. In the United States, the use of BPA in food products is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is notable that currently, BPA is only banned in specific products for babies like sippy cups and formula packaging.

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How Common is BPA?

It’s difficult to assess how widespread BPA is in both the products we use and the environment in general. A 2003-2004 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, of around 2,500 people tested, around 93% had detectable levels of BPA in their system.

Detectable levels of BPA have been found in the urine of nearly all adults and children tested in the United States. These include individuals living in both rural and urban environments, in the tissue of pregnant women, their breast milk, amniotic fluid, and in developing fetuses. BPA exposure isn’t limited to one geographic area, but exposure can be greater in certain regions or countries. For example,higher BPA levels were found in women who had lived their entire lives within the United States versus women who had immigrated from Mexico.

Despite consumer-led pressure to move towards a “BPA-free” world, the use of BPA in a variety of products remains widespread. In 2002 around 2.8 metric tons of BPA was produced for use in a variety of industries. By 2011 nearly 5.5 metric tons were produced.

What are the Health Impacts of BPA Exposure?

BPA is considered an endocrine disrupting compound, which means that it can disrupt how hormones normally function in your body. This can have profound, and lasting effects. While little was known about the health effects of BPA 20 years ago, many studies have since been released that point towards potential health impacts in humans.

Many studies in animals have demonstrated the BPA can result in negative effects on reproduction, development, and metabolic function. More recently, a slew of studies focusing on human health impacts have linked BPA exposure to negative human health outcomes. A meta-analysis of these studies conducted in 2013 found that BPA may be associated with the following negative health impacts:

Miscarriage
Premature birth
Cardiovascular disease
Reduced male sexual function
Reduced sperm quality
Altered liver function
Obesity
Oxidative stress
Reduced fertilization success
Implantation failure
Altered thyroid hormone concentrations.

Exposure during gestation and the early development stages of children is particularly concerning. Potential impacts include:

Spontaneous abortion
Altered gestation times
Higher risk of male genital abnormalities
Lower birth weight
Childhood obesity
Behavioral issues
Altered neurodevelopment
Higher rates of asthma and wheezing

The more profound and lasting effects of BPA exposure seem to stem from exposure occurring during key developmental windows in children, with effects resulting throughout or later in life.

What About “BPA-Free” Plastics?

The fundamental challenge in understanding whether chemical exposure can lead to negative health impacts lies in the delay between exposure and the health effects from that exposure, as well as the length of time it takes to conduct studies on the chemical and possible impacts. Consider that BPA has been widely used in packaging since the 1950’s, yet only in the last few years have a number of studies come out that draw a clear link between BPA exposure and health impacts in humans.

That same challenge lies at the heart of whether “BPA-free” plastics pose a health risk. In the face of public pressure to move away from BPA-plastics, manufacturers began exploring alternatives. Nearly all of these alternatives contain bisphenol, the “BP” in “BPA”. BPAF, BPS, BPZ, and BPP are just a few examples of BPA-alternatives that are now being used in some “BPA-free” plastics.

While little is known about whether these BPA-alternatives result in negative health outcomes in humans, early evidence suggests that this may be the case. A meta-analysis of BPA and BPA-alternatives conducted in 2018 suggests that BPA-analogs may similarly result in disruptions to reproductive functions as BPA.

In response to the cry for BPA-free plastics, many bottled water producers turned to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. These plastic bottles can also leach a toxic substance, antimony, into the water they hold. Like BPA, the rate that the chemical leaches into the water is dependent on the temperature it is stored at. However, unlike BPA, PET bottles must be stored in very hot conditions for long periods of time, up to 38 days , until levels of antimony exceed safety thresholds.

A Better Alternative

To limit exposure to BPA and BPA alternatives in drinking water and reduce plastic use , consider using a glass or steel container for drinking water on-the-go. Though avoiding BPA specifically in drinking water containers is possible thanks to the rise of BPA-free plastics, tracking which chemicals those plastics do contain can be challenging. Experts recommend avoiding plastics with the recycling numbers 3, 6, and 7 to start. But the best alternative is to simply abandon plastic containers for drinking water entirely.

If you’re like many people who source their drinking water exclusively from single-use or 5-gallon plastic water bottles, you’ll need to address the root of the problem. Here are a couple of ways that you can easily make the swap away from plastic water bottles:

Home Filtration – Consider filtering your own water at home and using a glass or steel water bottle for on-the-go. Home water filtration using reverse-osmosis or granulated activated carbon is highly effective at removing contaminants and turning your tap water into great-tasting filtered water.
Bottleless Water Coolers – Bottleless water coolers for your home or office are a great alternative to bottled water delivery services. Not only do bottleless water coolers take up less space since there’s no need to store 5-gallon bottles, but you’ll have access to a nearly unlimited supply of filtered drinking water on-demand. If you’re looking for green office environment tips to reduce your environmental impact, swapping to a bottleless water cooler is a great option.

Transitioning away from bottled water also carries with it some great benefits, including:

Lower Environmental Impact – A key to addressing sustainability is the waste associated with single-use plastics like drinking water bottles. Limiting your use of single-use plastics is crucial for reducing your carbon footprint. It is estimated that between now and 2050, plastic production and incineration will result in nearly 56 billion tons of carbon emissions , which is roughly 50 times that of all of the coal power plants in the United States. Looking for other tips that you can use to lower your environmental impact? Check out our guide for how to be sustainable on holiday , which includes strategies for reducing plastic use and creating a more sustainable workplace.

Lower Cost – Bottled water can certainly be convenient, but that convenience comes at a price. Even moderately priced bottled water can cost hundreds of times the equivalent amount of tap water. Filtering your own tap water allows you to produce great-tasting, filtered drinking water for pennies a gallon.

Greater Control Over Contaminants – What you may not realize about bottled water is that bottled water is regulated differently from tap water. While your municipal water supplier is required to do regular testing and notify authorities in case of a rise of contaminants, your bottled water supplier is responsible for testing their own water and information about their test results can be difficult to come by. Filtering your own water gives you greater control over the level of contaminants that ultimately end up in your glass.

Closing Thoughts

The dangers of plastic water bottles stem from the chemicals used to manufacture the bottles. As plastic bottles heat up, the molecules in the bottle move around more rapidly and can leach into the products they hold. While the focus has mostly remained on the dangers of BPA-containing plastics, a new movement towards plastics containing BPA-analogs has given rise to additional ongoing risks associated with plastic containers.

Though eliminating bottled drinking water won’t eliminate your exposure to BPA and BPA-analogs given their widespread use in food packaging and other industries, it will lessen your exposure to any chemicals that may leach from your bottles into your water. Whether it’s BPA, BPS or other BPA alternatives, or antimony found in PET bottles, transitioning to glass or steel containers for your water is an easy way to reduce your exposure.

Transitioning away from plastic water bottles also carries other benefits, such as lower-cost drinking water, reduced environmental impact, and greater control over contaminants. If you’re curious about cost-effective water treatment options for your home or business, contact us at Rayne Water today. With decades of experience working in water treatment, we’d love to help you find a safer, cost-effective alternative to bottled water.

Sources:

“Exposed to extreme heat, plastic bottles may ultimately become unsafe” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/07/exposed-to-extreme-heat-plastic-bottles-may-become-unsafe-over-time/
“Why ‘BPA Free’ May Not Mean a Plastic Product Is Safe” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/09/news-BPA-free-plastic-safety-chemicals-health/
“Antimony leaching from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used for bottled drinking water” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2007.07.048
“Effects of bisphenol A and its analogs on reproductive health: A mini review” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2018.06.005
“Bisphenol A and human health: A review of the literature” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2013.08.008
“Exposure of the U.S. population to bisphenol A and 4-tertiary-octylphenol: 2003-2004” https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10753
“Left your bottled water in a hot car? Drink it with caution, some experts say” https://www.today.com/health/bottled-water-hot-plastic-may-leach-chemicals-some-experts-say-t132687

8 Green Office Environment Tips

Posted December 22, 2020 by Ken Christopher

If you’re looking for ways to go green in the office , it can be daunting to know where to start. From sustainably built office furniture to green energy and everything in between, going green can be a big task!

That’s why we’ve assembled our top green office environment tips that you can use to create a more sustainable, ecologically-minded workplace.

#1. Go Paperless

Cutting paper usage is a great way for businesses of all sizes to immediately reduce their carbon footprint. Paper makes up nearly 90% of office waste in the United States, so even reductions to your printing will produce results.

With cloud-based collaborative application suites like Office 365 and Google Suite, transitioning to a paperless office environment has never been easier. Seek out creative solutions leveraging technology when you run into a roadblock. Members of your team having difficulty without a paper meeting agenda? Use a tablet for agenda items, or allow employees to pull up their agenda on their phone.

To truly go paperless, your office will need to strongly embrace digital spaces and tools. Encouraging employees to store, share, and work on files digitally can bring additional benefits, such as increased productivity and visibility into ongoing projects. You’ll also save money on printing consumables like paper and toner, as well as reduce your overall energy consumption.

#2. Consider Green Power

If you haven’t yet, you may want to consider investing into a green energy solution for your office. While it isn’t always feasible for small or medium businesses to generate their own sustainable energy, many electricity producers offer sustainable energy plans.

Sustainable energy plans source a portion or all of your energy from renewable resources like wind and solar energy, allowing you to easily and conveniently reduce your environmental impact. Alternatively, if you live in a deregulated electricity market you may simply be able to shop around for a power provider that offers renewably sourced power.

While energy from sustainable sources such as wind and solar may come at a higher rate, sourcing all of your energy from a green source offers businesses that aren’t able to invest in physical infrastructure, such as on-site solar panels, the ability to reduce their carbon footprint. At the same time, sustainable energy plans help encourage investment into renewable energy infrastructure, which makes them a great way to invest in long-term sustainability.

#3. Power Down

If you’re looking for environmentally friendly ideas for offices , one easy-to-implement tip is to completely power down your computers and office equipment at the end of every workday and weekends. While some critical equipment must be kept running at all times, most office equipment and desktop computers should be shut down each evening.

In addition to creating a strict powering-down policy in your office, it’s a good idea to make sure that your computers and office equipment have the correct energy-saving settings. Configuring and managing energy-savings settings at the institution-level will result in the most consistent results.

Tuning your thermostat settings can also offer energy savings. Many offices have their thermostat set very low during the summer, and very high during the winter. Consider installing a programmable thermostat and changing to 78°F during the summer, and 68°F during the winter when your office is occupied.

#4. Go Bottleless

Bottled water solutions for office environments may be increasing your carbon footprint more than you realize. Bottled water delivery services result in greenhouse gas emissions at each stage of the process, from manufacturing the bottle to transporting it to your office. Though bottled water delivery services are far more expensive than tap water, easy access to drinking water is a perk all employees love.

The solution is to go bottleless with a bottleless water cooler! Bottleless water coolers have roughly the same form factor as your familiar office cooler, but eliminate the heavy and unwieldy bottles entirely. Bottleless water coolers filter tap water on-demand to produce as many gallons of clean, filtered drinking water as your office needs each day. Plus, if you’re trying to create a green office, you’ll want to encourage your employees to reduce plastic use and bring their reusable bottles to work.

Bottleless coolers filter out a wide range of contaminants that may be in your tap water by using two different filtration methods; reverse osmosis and activated carbon. The combination of these filtration methods produces a nearly unlimited supply of crisp tasting, filtered drinking water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water.

Whether you’re looking to reduce your office’s environmental impact, minimize the dangers of plastic water bottles , or simply save money on your drinking water, a Rayne Water bottleless water cooler is a great option.

#5. Create a Green Team

Want to maximize the reach and impact of your quest for a green office? One of the best ways to do so is to create a team of employees to manage and implement the project. Known as sustainability or green teams, these teams of employees engage with peers in an organization to build awareness about sustainability initiatives, provide mentoring and training, and encourage awareness and engagement.

Creating a green team is an easy way your business can begin working toward a green office. Employee-led sustainability teams are an unbeatable way to encourage employee buy-in for green office programs. Empowering members of the group to design and implement new programs, such as company-wide training on how to be sustainable on holiday or how to cut plastic usage, ensures that the program is tackling office sustainability issues that your employees want to see first.

#6. Reduce Indoor Pollution

To create a more environmentally-friendly office environment, get a couple of large indoor plants and encourage your employees to keep a plant on their desk. Indoor plants are great for creating healthier indoor air quality. That can be important in stuffy offices, or offices without environmentally friendly furniture.

The extra oxygen indoor plants produce can help counter the off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from office furniture. As part of your effort to go green, you’ll want to look at how your office furniture is made and what the potential health impact of it is. Understanding that your office furniture, as well as your carpet and paint, is probably polluting your indoor air is an important first step towards mitigating the effects of that pollution.

Lastly, invest in non-toxic cleaning supplies for your office. While it may be tempting to purchase the most powerful degreaser possible, the chemicals in that cleaner may be doing more harm than good. Thankfully, there are excellent non-toxic cleaning products out there that are more than capable of keeping your office space clean and smelling fresh, with an added benefit of improving your office’s indoor air quality.

#7. Lighting

To effectively transition towards a green office, you’ll want to maximize your use of natural lighting and minimize your use of artificial light. Artificial light accounts for a significant amount of energy usage in a typical office, and there are some quick and easy solutions you can implement to see real results.

Try these tips to reduce office energy consumption:

Replacing standard bulbs with LED bulbs or Energy Star rated fixtures.
Usedimmers where possible.
Install occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
Use daylight sensors for outdoor lighting systems.
Use natural lighting where possible.

#8. HVAC

We’ve already mentioned that you should consider installing a programmable thermostat, but you’ll also need to maintain your HVAC system to maximize your energy efficiency. You probably don’t realize it, but most HVAC ducting passes through unconditioned spaces of your office building. Leaky ducting can lose a significant amount of heat through those cracks, which is simply wasted. Because of this, be sure to have your HVAC ducting inspected on a regular basis to ensure any leaks are identified and fixed so you’re not just wasting money.

Also be sure to have your HVAC system tuned up and calibrated each year by a qualified technician. A yearly tuneup of your system can improve efficiency and ensure it’s more effectively heating or cooling your office. Make changing your air filter a regular part of your HVAC maintenance routine as well. If you live in fire-prone areas like Southern California, you’ll need to replace your air filters more frequently.

Closing Thoughts

Transitioning to a green office is a great way to encourage employee engagement by working together to create a better environment. We’ve outlined some of our top tips for creating a green office, including transitioning to a sustainable energy plan, creating a green team to design and implement sustainability initiatives, and ensuring taking steps to ensure your lighting, HVAC, and furniture are encouraging a healthy working environment.

One of the best ways to go green in an office and give back to your employees is with a bottleless water cooler. Bottleless coolers are more environmentally friendly than bottled water delivery services, yet are capable of producing a nearly endless amount of filtered drinking water each day. With a bottleless water cooler your office will save money and reduce your environmental impact, all while offering your employees the benefit of clean water on demand.

If you’re looking to reduce your office’s environmental footprint, start with a Rayne Water bottleless water cooler. To learn more, contact us today!

Sources:

“Going green: 10 ways to make your office more eco-friendly and efficient” https://www.techrepublic.com/article/going-green-10-ways-to-make-your-office-more-eco-friendly-and-efficient/
“Green Tips for the Office” https://www.thebalancesmb.com/going-green-ideas-for-the-office-2948097
“Energy Savings Tips for Small Businesses: Offices — Owners and Tenants”

How to Be Sustainable on Holiday

Posted December 22, 2020 by Ken Christopher

The holidays are a time for us to celebrate, reflect, and spend time with those closest to us. However, the gift giving and decorating that accompany the holiday season lead to increased waste in the United States.

For the many people searching for ways to live more sustainably throughout the year, the holiday season presents unique challenges. How do you honor traditions while still living sustainably? The good news is that it’s not as challenging as you may think. To help, we’ve outlined some easy-to-use tips you can implement in your life to reduce your waste and energy consumption, while still celebrating the holidays in a way that aligns with your traditions.

#1. Ditch Single-Use Plastics for Hosting

If you’re hosting a holiday party, the easiest solution is often to use single-use plastic cutlery, plates, and cups. While those offer quick cleanup, they aren’t recyclable which makes them a bad choice for the environment.

If it’s your turn to host, consider using reusable silverware, plates, and to-go containers for leftovers. You may have to spend a bit more time doing dishes, but you’ll help reduce plastic use .

A huge source for single-use plastic waste in the United States are water bottles. If you’re searching for ways to create a more sustainable home during the holidays, ditch those plastic water bottles and encourage visitors to bring a reusable bottle. Even better, fill their reusable bottles with water you filter in your home!

Not only is home filtered water more cost-effective than bottled water, but it’s also a more sustainable choice. If you run into resistant relatives, talk to them about the dangers of plastic water bottles and consider giving the gift of a reusable water bottle.

#2. Give Sustainable Gifts

If you’re searching for how to be sustainable on holiday , minimize the amount of waste that ends up in landfills by giving gifts that are more sustainable. Here are some things to look for in the gifts and toys you give this year:

Look for gifts that will last, or can be passed down from older to younger children.
Regifting is a great sustainability practice! Consider organizing a regifting gift exchange to expand this beyond yourself.
Seek out gifts manufactured from sustainable materials such as bamboo or recycled plastics.
Create your own gifts with upcycled or repurposed materials.
Where possible give gifts that don’t require batteries. If your gifts will require batteries, consider including rechargeable batteries and an appropriate charger with them. Not only will that keep batteries out of landfills, but it will also allow those gifts to be used right away!
Stay local and shop local when possible. This will reduce your shopping carbon footprint and give money back to your local vendors and community.

#3. Reuse and Recycle Gift Wrap

The best practice for a sustainable holiday is skip the gift wrapping altogether. That doesn’t mean you have to eliminate the element of surprise! The keys to sustainable holidays are creativity and flexibility. Creative solutions can yield a fun holiday experience without impacting the landfill, such as hiding your gift somewhere and using clues to lead the recipient.

If you’re a traditionalist and love to wrap your gifts, use these sustainable tips:

Avoid metallic wrapping paper or bags, as these can’t be recycled.
Reuse or regift wrapping paper and gift bags.
Recycle any paper products you don’t reuse, such as non-metallic wrapping paper or paper. Reuse metallic tins or containers you receive gifts in.
Send paper cards that can be recycled, rather than plastic cards.

#4. Swap to LED

While we produce more waste during the holiday seasons, we also use more electricity. All of those lights and decorations can quickly add up and substantially increase your home’s electricity usage.

If you’re looking to create a more sustainable home this holiday season, swap out your old lights with fresh LED lighting. A strand of LED Christmas lights only uses around 4 watts of power, while a traditional string of lights uses around 34 watts per strand. Not only will making the swap to LED help the environment, you’ll quickly realize the savings on your holiday utilities bills! Also be sure to set your Christmas lights on timers so that they’re visible at night, but not wasting energy throughout the day.

If you’re looking for green office environment tips , be sure to make the swap to LED lighting and set timers on any office holiday decorations as well. But don’t stop there! Take a moment to read through our handy guide on how to create a more sustainable office environment through the holidays and beyond.

Closing Thoughts

Implementing more sustainable practices through the holiday season is a great way to reduce your home’s environmental impact. For a more sustainable holiday, give gifts that are long-lasting, made from sustainable materials, produced locally, or are regifted. Upgrade your traditional Christmas lights to more environmentally-friendly LED lighting, which will not only reduce your environmental impact but also lower your utility bills.

Gift wrapping can sometimes be avoided altogether using creative methods, but if it can’t, be sure to reuse gift wrapping and avoid any metallic wrapping paper or bags that can’t be recycled. That goes for cards as well. Use paper cards that can be recycled where possible, and avoid plastic cards that can’t be recycled. If you’re hosting a party, avoid using single-use plastics like plastic silverware, plates, or water bottles. Instead use reusable silverware, plates, and drink containers.

Looking for even more ways to create a more sustainable home during the holidays and beyond? Ditch the plastic altogether and filter your own water! Filtering your own water can save you money while helping the environment. To find a water filtration solution that’s right for your needs, contact Rayne Water today!

Sources:

“The Most Common Holiday Recycling Mistakes” https://www.wsaw.com/2020/12/01/the-most-common-holiday-recycling-mistakes/
“Sustainable Holidays” https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8829.html
“Green Your Holiday Season” https://green.harvard.edu/tools-resources/green-tip/green-your-holiday-season

Pros & Cons of Bottleless Water Dispensers for Office Breakrooms

Posted September 22, 2020 by Ken Christopher

A hand in a beige sleeve holding a glass under a fridge water dispenser, filling it with water.

It usually starts with a quick Google search: water delivery service near me or maybe water service near me. You’re just trying to keep the office stocked and everyone hydrated. But the more you scroll, the more you realize there has to be a better way than juggling bottle orders and wrestling with 5-gallon jugs.

That’s where the shift to bottleless water coolers begins. These systems hook up directly to your building’s water line, filtering water on the spot. No deliveries and less plastic waste. Just clean, cold water whenever your team needs it.

In this guide, Rayne Water will walk you through the pros and cons of going bottleless so you can decide if it’s time to stop searching and start simplifying.

Key Takeaways

Bottleless water coolers offer a long-term alternative to constantly searching for office water delivery options.
They reduce reliance on traditional delivery services by connecting directly to your building’s water line.
No more managing heavy bottles or running out of water during busy workdays.
Cut down on plastic waste while providing clean, filtered water on demand.
Bottleless water coolers are ideal for teams looking to simplify hydration without regularly searching for “water delivery service near me” or “water service near me.”
Consider the pros and cons before switching from standard water delivery services to a bottleless solution.

What Is a Bottleless Water Dispenser?

A hand holding a paper cup under a water cooler dispenser with hot and cold water options.

A bottleless water dispenser is a modern alternative to the classic bottled water cooler.

Instead of using heavy plastic jugs delivered by a water service, these units connect right to your office tap. The dispenser filters water on demand, so you always have fresh, clean hydration without waiting for deliveries or lifting bottles.

Maintenance is simple. Just swap out the filters as needed and you are good to go.

Key Advantages of Bottleless Water Dispensers

Bottleless water dispensers are becoming a staple in modern breakrooms, especially in workplaces that care about reducing plastic waste. They make staying hydrated easy, sustainable, and convenient for everyone at the office.

Let’s explore the major benefits, each offering unique value for the workplace.

Lower Long-Term Cost

Switching to a bottleless water dispenser means saying goodbye to recurring delivery fees and the hidden costs that come with managing heavy bottles.

Tap water is extremely affordable, costing just pennies per gallon compared to even the cheapest bottled alternatives. Over months and years, the cost savings really start to show. With fewer bills to manage and less money spent on restocking, your office budget stretches further, and the investment pays for itself in no time.

More Environmentally Friendly

Every bottleless dispenser removes a significant source of plastic waste from your breakroom.

There’s no need to store empty bottles or worry about their environmental impact. You’ll also cut down on carbon emissions from delivery trucks that travel back and forth each week.

For companies focused on corporate sustainability, going bottleless sends a clear message that you care about reducing waste and protecting the environment. Employees notice these choices, too.

Saves Space

How much space do you lose to bottle storage? With traditional water coolers, there’s often a corner filled with empty and full jugs, making the office look cluttered. Bottleless water coolers are compact and designed to blend seamlessly into any office environment.

With fewer storage hassles, your breakroom stays neat and open. Suddenly, you have more room for seating, supplies, or simply a cleaner look.

No Heavy Lifting

Swapping heavy water bottles takes effort and can be challenging in a busy office. Each jug weighs around 42 pounds, which can put strain on employees during routine changes.

Bottleless dispensers simplify the process. They eliminate heavy lifting and only require light, occasional filter changes. The setup is easier to manage and supports a safer, more comfortable workplace for everyone.

Constant Supply of Filtered Water

Nothing disrupts the workday like running out of drinking water, especially during a busy afternoon. Bottleless water dispensers keep the flow going with a continuous supply of clean, filtered water, so you never have to worry about an empty jug or calling for an emergency delivery.

Many models even offer hot and cold water on demand, making it easy for employees to enjoy coffee, tea, or a refreshing glass of water whenever they need it.

Potential Disadvantages of Bottleless Water Coolers

While bottleless water coolers bring many benefits to the office, it is helpful to understand the potential tradeoffs. Considering these factors up front will help you make the best decision for your space and your team.

Requires a Water Line

Bottleless water coolers connect directly to your building’s water supply, filtering tap water on demand. This means you need an accessible water line wherever you want to place your unit.

Placement flexibility can be limited if plumbing is not already nearby. Sometimes, installing a bottleless system means running a new water line, which could involve minor plumbing work or added installation steps. If you are unsure whether a water line is available, Rayne Water specialists can help.

Our technicians handle installation from start to finish, making the process easy and answering any questions you may have about setting up in your office.

Requires Maintenance

All filtration systems need regular upkeep to perform their best, and bottleless water coolers are no exception. Most units require filter changes every six to twelve months, depending on water quality and how much your office uses the dispenser. Routine cleaning is also important.

Keeping the unit clean prevents bacterial buildup and ensures water tastes fresh. If you do not have time to manage these tasks, Rayne offers maintenance services.

Our team can handle filter replacements and system checks for you, keeping your dispenser running smoothly with minimal effort on your part.

Higher Upfront Cost

One of the first things you may notice is the higher initial cost compared to traditional bottled water coolers.

A bottleless cooler is more expensive to purchase or lease at first. However, this cost is usually offset by lower ongoing expenses since you no longer pay for bottled water deliveries or worry about managing empty jugs.

Over time, each glass of water costs just pennies, and you will see savings add up with regular use.

For businesses concerned about the upfront price, ask about financing or service plans that can spread out payments or include maintenance, making it easier to fit a bottleless system into your office budget.

Bottleless Water vs. Bottled Water Delivery Service

Feature	Bottleless Water Dispenser	Bottled Water Delivery Service
Upfront Cost	Higher	Lower
Ongoing Cost	Low (just tap water & filter changes)	Higher (delivery, rental, per-gallon fees)
Water Cost/Gallon	Pennies	Often over $1 per gallon
Convenience	Water always available	Delivery needed, risk of running out
Storage Needed	Minimal	High (empty and full bottles)
Safety	No heavy lifting, fewer touch points	Lifting bottles, more frequent handling
Sustainability	No plastic waste, low carbon output	High plastic waste, truck deliveries
Source Quality	Filtered tap water	Often municipal water, sometimes filtered

Is a Bottleless Water Dispenser Right for Your Office?

A man in a blue suit holding a glass of water from a fridge dispenser in a modern kitchen.

Crowded breakrooms and empty bottles piling up can make staying hydrated a hassle. With a bottleless water dispenser, offices reclaim valuable space and eliminate the need for constant deliveries.

If your office has easy access to a water line and supports 10 to 50 employees, a bottleless system is often a smart fit. The higher upfront cost is balanced by long-term savings, cleaner workspaces, and a more sustainable routine.

For businesses focused on efficiency, convenience, and lowering their environmental impact, switching to a bottleless dispenser can make everyday life simpler and more enjoyable.

Cost Breakdown: Bottleless vs. Bottled Over 1 Year

Let’s compare what a typical office might spend in a year on water, using a 20-person team as the example.

Bottled Water Delivery Service

A standard bottled delivery service usually includes a monthly rental fee for the cooler, the cost per bottle, and delivery charges. For a 20-person office, you might go through 20 five-gallon bottles each month.

Cooler rental: $15/month
Bottle cost: $7 per bottle × 20 = $140/month
Delivery fee: $10/month
Total monthly: $165
Annual cost: $1,980

Bottleless Water Dispenser

A bottleless system has a higher upfront cost but lower ongoing expenses. Assume you purchase the dispenser and pay for one filter change during the year.

Unit purchase: $700 (one-time)
Filter change: $120/year
No monthly rental or delivery fees
Annual cost (Year 1): $820

Yearly Cost Comparison for a 20-Person Office

System	Year 1 Total Cost
Bottled Delivery Service	$1,980
Bottleless Dispenser	$820

Bottleless and Your Office Sustainability Goals

A bottleless water dispenser does more than keep your team hydrated. It helps your office cut down on single-use plastic waste, reducing the need for bottles that pile up in landfills.

Eliminating truck deliveries further shrinks your environmental impact. With no routine delivery schedule, your office uses less fuel and lowers its carbon footprint.

Choosing a bottleless system also supports broader sustainability initiatives. Businesses with green goals can benefit from easier environmental reporting or even earn credits toward certifications like LEED. One simple change in your breakroom can help move the entire office closer to its sustainability targets.

What Installation Looks Like With Rayne Water

A woman in a plaid shirt holding two glasses of water from a fridge dispenser in a home kitchen.

Rayne Water makes upgrading to a bottleless water dispenser straightforward for any office. Here’s what to expect:

Fast, professional installation: A certified technician schedules a convenient time to set up your unit. Most installations are finished within a couple of hours.
Site review and setup: The technician checks your chosen location for easy access to a tap and electrical outlet. You just need to provide clear access to the spot where you want the dispenser.
Expert connection: Rayne Water handles all plumbing work, connecting your dispenser directly to the water line and making sure everything works perfectly.
Optional add-ons: Choose service plans for regular maintenance or subscribe to filter replacement services for ongoing peace of mind.
Final walkthrough: Our technician explains how to use the system and answers any questions before leaving. You’re ready to enjoy clean, filtered water right away.

With Rayne Water, installation is simple and hassle-free, giving your team an instant upgrade without disrupting the workday.

Installation and Service with Rayne Water

Rayne Water brings decades of experience to office water systems, ensuring each installation goes smoothly from start to finish. Offices benefit from local, professional support, with technicians who understand the unique needs of your workspace.

Ongoing service is easy to arrange. Rayne offers maintenance options and filter replacement plans, so your system stays reliable and employees always have access to fresh water.

Coverage is extensive, with service areas throughout California and Arizona. If you have ever searched for “water service near me,” Rayne Water is here to deliver the expertise and support your office needs, right where you are.

Is a Bottleless Water Dispenser the Upgrade Your Office Needs?

A hand holding a glass of clear water, set against a blurred background of a water softener system

Choosing between bottleless and bottled water coolers means weighing up convenience, cost, and environmental impact.

Bottleless systems offer lower long-term costs, more space, and a greener breakroom.

They do require access to a water line and some basic maintenance. Bottled delivery is familiar, but brings higher ongoing costs, storage headaches, and extra plastic waste.

For many offices, the long-term value of bottleless water is clear. Is it the right fit for your team?

If you are curious about costs, installation, or want a custom quote, reach out to Rayne Water for expert guidance. Our team can walk you through the options and help you upgrade your office hydration with no hassle.

FAQs

How do bottleless water dispensers compare to a water delivery service near me in terms of convenience?

Bottleless water dispensers provide filtered water on demand, eliminating the need to schedule or wait for regular water delivery services. You also avoid the hassle of storing or swapping heavy bottles, making hydration easier for your team every day.

Will I still need a “water service near me” if I install a bottleless water cooler?

Once you install a bottleless system, you no longer need to rely on a local water service near me for deliveries. The unit connects directly to your tap and filters water as needed, streamlining your office hydration setup.

Are there any hidden costs with bottleless coolers compared to traditional water delivery services?

The main upfront cost is for the bottleless unit and installation. After that, ongoing costs are typically limited to filter changes. In contrast, water delivery services often include rental, delivery, and per-gallon fees that add up over time.

Is a bottleless cooler a better environmental choice than bottled water delivery services?

Bottleless systems greatly reduce plastic waste and eliminate the need for delivery trucks. This means fewer bottles in landfills and a smaller carbon footprint compared to standard water delivery services.

Can Rayne Water help if I’m searching for a “water delivery service near me” or looking to switch to bottleless?

Absolutely. Rayne Water offers expert installation and support for bottleless water coolers. If you currently use water delivery services and want to upgrade, or if you’re just exploring new solutions, our team is ready to guide you through your options and provide ongoing service.

What is the Best Ph Level for Drinking Water?

Posted June 29, 2020 by Ken Christopher

*Reviewed by Ken Christopher, Senior Vice President at Rayne Dealership Corporation

Drinking water is a critical component of our ongoing health which makes it important to seek out the best sources for your drinking water. In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in figuring out what is the pH of water that we drink. Many health claims have been linked to drinking highly alkaline water, though to date a lack of conclusive research has cast doubt on many of those claims. A reverse osmosis water system can be helpful in maintaining the cleanliness and purity of your water. Let’s take a look at whether the pH balance of water is important, and what steps you can take to have the cleanest water possible. We will also explore the existing ph range of tap water in most city water supply systems.

What is pH Balance?

We use pH balance to describe how acidity or alkaline level a substance is. The concentration of hydrogen ion concentration present in a solution determines the acidity or how basic a substance is. Acidic substances have a high hydrogen ion concentration and a low pH, while alkaline substances have low concentrations of hydrogen ions and a higher pH level.

The pH scale runs from 0 – 14, with 0 being strongly acid. For example, the acids in your stomach have a pH of 1, indicating they are strongly acidic. At the other end of the scale are basic or alkaline substances. Examples of alkaline substances are bleach, which has a pH of 13 and is strongly alkaline, and baking soda which has a pH of 9 and is weakly alkaline. A pH-balanced substance will have a pH reading of 7 and is considered neither acidic nor alkaline.

The pH level of the water supply can also determine water hardness. Hard water and soft water is related to the pH scale. When the pH level is above 8.5, the water sample is considered hard. When the pH level is below 6.5, the water sample is considered soft. Anything betw

What is the pH level of water?

The pH of pure water is 7, meaning water is neutral. The ph of tap water may vary depending on the mineral content of the water, but it will generally be slightly alkaline rather than neutral. The average pH of san diego tap water is around 8. Community water suppliers must alter the pH of water in their systems to reduce corrosion of their distribution network, so the best ph for drinking water may not always be reflected in the water coming out of your tap.

What is Alkaline Water?

Alkaline water is simply water that has a higher than normal pH. Typically alkaline water has a pH of 8-9, giving it alkalinity similar to baking soda. Alkaline water can be either naturally occurring or manufactured in a variety of ways. Naturally occurring alkaline water has a higher mineral content, and those minerals are what alter the pH of the water. The most common way to manufacture alkaline water is through a process known as electrolysis, which ionizes the hydrogen ions in the water allowing you to remove some and create alkaline water. Often ionized alkaline water is supplemented with additional minerals to ensure it has a palatable taste while also further influencing its alkalinity.

Is Alkaline Water Good for You ?

There are many positive health benefits ascribed to alkaline water, but to date, many of these claims are backed up solely by anecdotal evidence. So is alkaline water good for you? Alkaline water is touted as offering better hydration and better-looking skin, that it can help with gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux or support better bone health, and even that it can help minimize the risk of certain cancers. Unfortunately, these claims have not been supported by scientific research. The most important step for homeowners is to eliminate disinfectant byproducts and heavy metals present in their water source. Whether you have regular tap water from a city water supply or well water from a personal well, removing contaminants such as chlorine and fluoride is important for optimal health.

The health claims for alkaline water centers on the belief that consuming alkaline water will alter the pH of your blood. However, our bodies are very good at internally regulating our pH through our lungs and kidneys. The pH of our blood has a very stable pH of around 7.4. When we consume acidic or alkaline foods or beverages, our bodies seek to balance the pH of those substances before they are digested. Because of this process, consuming alkaline water does not actually result in a significantly altered internal pH.

What is the Best pH Level for Drinking Water ?

The best pH level for drinking water is a neutral 7. However, keep in mind that focusing on the ph balance water is less productive than addressing other issues that might exist with your drinking water such as the presence of contaminants. Though your tap water has been treated with multiple purification processes, including the addition of disinfectants like chlorine to protect against microbes, there are a variety of contaminants that you may not want in your body. Even the chlorine in water can produce potentially carcinogenic disinfection byproducts.

One of the best ways to prioritize your health is by ensuring you and your family are drinking clean, filtered drinking water every day. Installing a water filtration system in your home is one of the most effective ways to do this. In-home filtration offers ongoing protection against the contaminants currently in your water, as well as protection should any unexpected rise in contaminants occur. When a water filter is installed in your home, you can choose to select a pH range as well and the alkalinity level of your water.

Closing Thoughts

The pH scale is used to communicate how acidic or alkaline a substance is. While pure water is pH neutral with a pH of 7, most of the water flowing from your tap is slightly alkaline to help avoid corrosion of distribution systems. Some people believe that highly alkaline water offers additional health benefits. Unfortunately, many of those health benefits have not been conclusively proven through rigorous scientific research.

Rather than paying a premium for highly alkaline water, it is more productive to focus on creating an affordable and clean source of drinking water for your household. This can be done through the installation of a water filtration system, which can remove contaminants, disinfectants and their byproducts from the water you are drinking or bathing with.

Finding the right water treatment system for you may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Reach out to our experts at Rayne Water for guidance. Our water quality experts will help assess what your water treatment needs are and help guide you towards the best treatment system for your household. Are you looking for water softener in Santa Barbara all the way down to Los Angeles and surrounding areas in California? We can provide water softener in San Diego, Sacramento, Bay Area, and more. We also provide services in parts of Arizona and Nevada! Give us a call today!

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Archive for the ‘Older’ Category

Why Filter Your Ice Machine Water?

What are Hard Minerals?

Why are Hard Minerals Problematic?

What’s the Best Way to Filter Your Ice Machine’s Water?

Top Benefits From Filtering Your Ice Machine Water

Finding the Right Solution for Your Needs

Closing Thoughts

#1 Cost-Effective Protection Against Contaminants

#2 Better Tasting Coffee and Tea

#3 Better Ice

#4 Consistent Cooking and Baking

Closing Thoughts

#1 Reduced Exposure to Contaminants

#2 Better Baking

#3 Consistent Flavors

Closing Thoughts

Isn’t the Bean More Important?

Viewing Water as a Solvent

Contaminants are Mostly, but not Always, Bad for Coffee

Disinfectants

Hard Minerals

What’s the Best Water for a Cup of Coffee?

Target

Acceptable Range

Closing Thoughts

#1. Ditch the Plastic Straw

#2. Use Reusable Bags

#3. Buy in Bulk

#4. Filter Your Own Water

#5. Get a Reusable Water Bottle

#6. Mindfully Shop

Closing Thoughts

*Reviewed by Ken Christopher, Senior Vice President at Rayne Dealership Corporation

BPA-Free?

How Common is BPA?

What are the Health Impacts of BPA Exposure?

What About “BPA-Free” Plastics?

A Better Alternative

Closing Thoughts

#1. Go Paperless

#2. Consider Green Power

#3. Power Down

#4. Go Bottleless

#5. Create a Green Team

#6. Reduce Indoor Pollution

#7. Lighting

#8. HVAC

Closing Thoughts

#1. Ditch Single-Use Plastics for Hosting

#2. Give Sustainable Gifts

#3. Reuse and Recycle Gift Wrap

#4. Swap to LED

Closing Thoughts

Key Takeaways

What Is a Bottleless Water Dispenser?

Key Advantages of Bottleless Water Dispensers

Lower Long-Term Cost

More Environmentally Friendly

Saves Space

No Heavy Lifting

Constant Supply of Filtered Water

Potential Disadvantages of Bottleless Water Coolers

Requires a Water Line

Requires Maintenance

Higher Upfront Cost

Bottleless Water vs. Bottled Water Delivery Service

Is a Bottleless Water Dispenser Right for Your Office?

Cost Breakdown: Bottleless vs. Bottled Over 1 Year

Bottled Water Delivery Service

Bottleless Water Dispenser

Yearly Cost Comparison for a 20-Person Office

Bottleless and Your Office Sustainability Goals

What Installation Looks Like With Rayne Water

Installation and Service with Rayne Water

Is a Bottleless Water Dispenser the Upgrade Your Office Needs?

FAQs