How to Remove Fluoride from Your Tap Water at Home

I remember when I had to go to the dentist as a little kid. My favorite part of every trip was the end, when after all the cleaning—plus hopefully good news that I didn’t have any cavities—the dentist would let me pick a flavor for my fluoride treatment. I’d always go with bubblegum myself, but if I remember correctly they also used to have root beer, mint, and even cinnamon. Back then, I never thought much about it, but the dentist always stressed that the point of fluoride was to keep your teeth healthy.
These days, many cities in Northern California and across the country put fluoride into drinking water. In fact, we’ve talked about this before, but Sacramento actually adds fluoride to water that comes from the area’s rivers. As a plumber in this region, I can tell you that there are also quite a few folks who for various reasons don’t want that flouride in the water that they drink. And that’s what we’re here to discuss today: how to remove fluoride from your tap water at home. We’ll talk about your options for removing it, whether Sacramento tap water is safe to drink, and other reasons, beyond fluoride, for filtering your home’s water.
Whether you do or do not want fluoride in your drinking water is entirely up to you. I just hope that when we’re done here today, you have a better understanding of what your options are in terms of how to remove fluoride from your tap water at home.
How to Remove Fluoride from Your Tap Water at Home
Simply put, the most effective way to remove fluoride from your tap water at home is to invest in a filter. As we’ve discussed in the past, installing a water filter is a great choice for your home. I know a good number of homeowners already have filters, and if that’s the case, I urge you to check to make sure it’s not just filtering your water for taste. To remove fluoride, you’ll need a filter that accounts for safety and health too.

The question next becomes: what kind of water filtration system should you get? I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I recommend having a water conditioning and filtration system installed by a pro. These are the single most effective choice for effectively removing fluoride and other contaminants from your water while softening it at the same time (more on that later). A professional plumbing company will be able to help you select a model that’s best for your home and your family.
Is Sacramento Water Safe to Drink If I Don’t Filter the Fluoride, and Other Things, Out?
Now, let’s talk a bit about whether or not Sacramento’s water is overall safe to drink. I generally recommend to everyone I know that they should test their tap water if they are at all concerned about how safe it is to drink. Home test kits are easily available to check on the safety of your drinking water—and they aren’t even all that expensive. It is worth noting, though, that they don’t produce as accurate of results as lab testing does.
That’s why, for any who is really concerned about their drinking water, I suggest working with a professional company that installs filtration systems. Expert plumbing companies have all the know-how and equipment a homeowner needs to really determine what level of filtration is needed for the tap water in their home, from upgrading the taste, to removing fluoride and other elements. There’s nothing like the peace of mind that comes with a test like that.
What About Hard Water? Do I Need to Filter That, Too?
Another question I hear in addition to how to remove fluoride from your tap water at home is about hard water. Specifically, there are a fair amount of homeowners in our area who want to know whether they have hard water, or how to read a water hardness scale. These are great questions because, as we’ve discussed in the past, hard water can be an irritant, especially to hair and skin.
Rest easy though; in addition to water filtration systems, many professional plumbers can help you with a water softener installation project. For those who don’t know, hard water tends to leave little spots on your glasses and plates, which makes it pretty easy for you to tell if you have it in your home—unlike fluoride, which doesn’t have a visible effect or even a taste, most of the time. If that was all hard water did, though, it really wouldn’t matter much because those little spots are basically harmless. Over a long enough period of time, though, hard water can also damage pipes, damage appliances, and even damage your skin or hair. A water softener can remove this problem from your house.
So there you have it, the 411 on how to remove fluoride from your tap water at home. You also got a little primer today on whether Sacramento’s water is drinkable before learning more about hard water and what you can do to fix it at your house. It might sound a little cliche, but in many ways, water is the lifeblood of a home, and I more than understand anyone who wants to make sure their water is as pure as can be.
If that’s you, I highly recommend working with Bell Brothers to have a water filter installed now. Give us a call today, and we’ll be happy to come out and give you an estimate on that project for your home, as well as for a water softener. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
At Bell Brothers, our trained plumbing professionals can help you learn and understand what your options are for removing fluoride from your tap water at home. Contact us today to schedule a free in-home consultation.
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