Frequently Asked Water Questions
Yes, our standard profile tests for over 24 analytes. It includes bacteria, non-metals, metals, and radon.
We are certified in both CT and RI for environmental testing.
Results are generally available in 2-3 business days. We send most reports to customers by email. Postal service and fax are also available.
Customers can stop by any of our three locations in CT. Trained staff can determine your testing needs and provide you with the right bottles and paperwork. You can then collect the water and return it to any of our three locations for analysis.
The E.P.A. recommends that home owners have their well water tested annually. Testing is also recommended for water that develops a noticeable change in color, odor, or taste.
No! Aquatek Labs is solely an analytical laboratory. In order to maintain our independence and objectivity we do not sell any type of treatment or mitigation systems.
No. Our bottles are sterilized and come in different sizes depending on the tests being performed.
Common Water Problems
Chemicals to test for include arsenic, nitrates-nitrites and pesticides.
Indicates petroleum seeping from a tank into the water supply. Test for volatile organic compounds(VOC’s).
These odors generally result from decaying organic matter in the water.
Usually caused by high iron content as the result of acidic water.
High sodium content in your ground water could be the result of heavily salted roadways or improperly maintained water treatment equipment.
Water containing hydrogen sulfide usually does not pose a health risk, but does give water a nuisance “rotten egg” smell and taste. Sulfur bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide as a metabolic by-product are generally the cause. Less commonly, a magnesium rod placed in water heaters to prevent corrosion may react with sulfates dissolved in the water to produce hydrogen sulfide. Since extremely small amounts of hydrogen sulfide can be detected in water by smell and taste, laboratory testing is not needed to detect its presence.
Dissolved iron or manganese may oxidize and be deposited onto sinks and other exposed items.
Acidic water can leach copper from household plumbing and deposit it onto fixtures.
Suspended dirt, clay, silt or rust will lend a cloudy appearance to water.
Hardness caused by calcium and magnesium salts dissolved in the water is generally the cause of this problem.
The standard water profile should be used any time that there is a noticeable change in your drinking water.
Frequently Asked Radon Questions
Radon measurement devices should be placed in the lowest lived-in area of the house. Closed house conditions should be in place 12 hours prior to the radon test.
Radon in air levels for housing transactions are considered acceptable when the radon concentration is below 4.0 pCi/L. However, there is no safe level of radon and a concentrations less than 2.0 pCi/L is desirable.
Aquatek is certified by both the National Radon Safety Board (N.R.S.B.) and the National Radon Proficiency Program (N.R.P.P.).
Results are generally available in 1-3 business days. We send all reports to customers by email. Postal service and fax are also available.
Radon tests are required for most property sales and transactions. Buildings that are slightly over or under the radon cutoff level of 4 pCi/L should be tested annually to check for changes in the buildings radon level. Buildings with radon mitigation systems should also be screened annually to make sure that the system is working properly.
We sell kits for testing both radon in air and radon in water. Radon testing is as simple as stopping by one of our three locations to pick up a radon testing kit or calling for a kit by mail. You can then expose the kit in your house and return it for analysis.
No! Aquatek Labs is solely a testing company. We give test results that are independent of companies that sell and install mitigation systems?
Yes, radon levels can change due to seasonal temperatures, low pressure storms, changes in the geology below buildings and open house conditions?
Radon is a gas that you cannot smell, see or taste. The only way to determine if a building has high radon levels is through the use of a radon measurement device?
Common Radon Myths
FACT: A short-term test, followed by a second short-term test can be used to decide whether to fix your home. However, the closer the average of your two short-term tests is to 4 pCi/L, the less certain you can be about whether your year-round average is above or below that level. Keep in mind that radon levels below 4 pCi/L still pose some risk. Radon levels can be reduced in most homes to 2 pCi/L or below.
FACT: You will reduce your risk of lung cancer when you reduce radon levels, even if you’ve lived with a radon problem for a long time.
FACT: It’s not. Radon levels can vary greatly from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it.
FACT: House construction can affect radon levels. However, radon can be a problem in homes of all types: old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements, homes without basements. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes.
FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers.