At-home water testing vs laboratory testing
Which one is right for you?
Water quality is a serious talking point in the UK at the moment. A recent report by the Environmental Audit Committee found that only 14% of English rivers met the standards for good ecological status; while a joint statement from Professor Chris Whitty, Ofwat chair Jonson Cox and Environment Agency chair Emma Howard Boyd recently warned of the growing risk of sewage to public health in the UK.
If you’re worried about the quality of the water in your building – whether it’s the drinking water supply, or the non-potable water in your plumbing, HVAC systems, washing machines and toilet facilities – it’s always best to get it tested.
DIY water testing strip kits offer a low-tech testing solution; while laboratory testing provides a more thorough analytical overview of your water quality.
But which one is right for you? Let’s compare…
Advantages of at-home water testing kits
Lower cost
With laboratory water testing, you’re effectively paying for the time and expertise of highly-qualified scientists, as well as the upkeep of specialised testing equipment. Do-it-yourself water testing doesn’t have the same overheads; which is one of the reasons why home testing kits are far cheaper. You can pick them up at most pharmacies and DIY stores, or on Amazon and other online stores.
Fast results
Professional water testing can take several days or even weeks for the results to arrive. In contrast, many home water testing strips will show you the results in a matter of minutes (or sometimes just mere seconds).
Having faster access to results is also more important for ensuring the accuracy of certain testing parameters. For example, the pH balance of a water system can change rapidly in the time between taking a test sample and getting the test results back.
Advantages of professional laboratory water testing
More comprehensive testing
Even the most advanced DIY water testing kits on the market can only test for a dozen or so contaminants and conditions; which means the results you get will never tell the whole picture.
Professional water laboratory tests, on the other hand, will check hundreds of parameters to provide a complete, all-encompassing view of your water quality.
Better accuracy
It’s not just the comprehensiveness of professional lab water testing that’s better; it’s also the quality of the results.
The accuracy of at-home testing kits often leaves a lot to be desired, for a variety of reasons:
- DIY testing kits generally have a much higher margin of error than professional testing equipment.
- With testing strips, it’s up to the consumer to interpret the results of the test based on the colour of the strip; leaving the door open for misreadings and mistakes.
- DIY kits only provide one-size-fits-all results; whereas a certified laboratory scientist can measure water quality in the context of the particular water source and the level of risk. For example, a property with a private water supply may require more thorough testing than a mains-supplied building.
Better HSE compliance
Laboratory water testing isn’t just handy for keeping your building’s occupants safe; it’s also important for keeping the authorities happy, too.
When it comes to legionella control for businesses and landlords, the Health and Safety Executive specifically recommends that all water samples ‘should be tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory that takes part in a water microbiology proficiency testing scheme such as that run by Public Health England’.
The bottom line
If you’re testing the water quality of your own home water supply, DIY testing strips offer the fastest and most affordable solution; but their accuracy isn’t always the best.
For business premises and rental properties, laboratory water quality testing offers much better accuracy and more stringent health and safety compliance.
Dynamika offers professional water testing with our own UKAS-accredited water quality laboratory. For a quote, call Dynamika on 03333 22 0800 or get in touch online today.