
Understanding Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in Your Home’s Water Supply
We’ve all heard of “hard water.” Most homeowners consider it a mild annoyance. But your home’s water hardness can make a huge difference, from the taste of your tap water to the longevity of your plumbing system and appliances. That’s why it’s so important to understand the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in your home’s water system.
As part of every plumbing visit, our Goettl technicians measure your water’s total dissolved solids level to gain a better picture of your plumbing’s overall health. Understanding the problems associated with hard water, what TDS levels are, how and why we test for them, and what average and ideal TDS levels are for your household.
What are Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)?
Total dissolved solids (TDS) is the measure of how many minerals, metals, and salts are present in your household’s tap water. In other words, it’s a measure of how “hard” your water is. The higher the concentration of TDS, the harder your water is.
As water moves through soil and rock, it can pick up certain minerals, salts, and metals along the way. Naturally occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium are easily dissolved by flowing water. Other sources like agricultural run-off, industrial or petrochemical pollutants, or salt used to de-ice roads are also absorbed into the water as it passes.
All these particulates are carried through into the groundwater supply, which is then drawn from to provide tap water for households. When enough of these minerals are dissolved into your water supply, leading to a high concentration of TDS, you’ll start to notice that you have “hard water” due to certain problems that will arise.
Hard Water Problems
Even without measuring the total dissolved solid levels in your household water supply, there are certain signs that will tell you if you have hard water. Some signs that you have hard water include:
- A mineral or metallic taste in your tap water.
- Stubborn stains in laundry.
- Crusty, white mineral buildup around you faucets and drains.
- A thick film of soap scum on the walls of your shower or tub.
- Spotting or a film on your glassware coming out of the dishwasher.
- A residue left on your skin or hair when you wash that causes dryness.
While these are all annoying issues to deal with, hard water problems don’t stop at extra clean up and extra moisturizing.

High TDS levels can also cause significant issues with your pipes and home appliances that can shorten the lifespan of both and lead to serious plumbing issues. High TDS levels cause mineral build up and corrosion, which over time can:
- Clog water supply and drain lines.
- Damage pipes, electrical components, fixtures, and gaskets.
- Build up on internal components, like heating coils or dishwasher arms.
In other words, any household appliance that uses water, such as your dishwasher, washing machine, or water heater, will need repair or replacement sooner in a house with a high concentration of total dissolved solids.
The same goes for your household plumbing system, including your sewer lines. This leads to more frequent plumbing repair calls, which can really add up in terms of time, hassle, and expense.
Ensuring water quality is an essential part of providing the best service for Goettl’s customers, which is why we always are a carry a Total Dissolved Solids meter, and measure TDS levels as part of any plumbing visit. Knowing the concentration of total dissolved solids in your household water gives Goettl’s technicians a better idea of what issues to look for on a plumbing call so that we can serve you better. We’ll also get some insight into what plumbing problems may arise on future calls and how to prevent them.
How TDS Levels Are Measured
Measuring the levels of total dissolved solids in your household tap water is done with a device known as a TDS meter.
A handheld TDS meter like the ones we use at Goettl on every plumbing call measures the electrical conductivity of your household tap water in order to determine the concentration of total dissolved solids.
Unlike pure water, which is a poor conductor, dissolved solids carry a certain electrical charge. Thus, a higher electrical charge in the tap water means a higher TDS level. Besides measuring your tap water’s TDS level as part of every plumbing call we go on, we also test your water’s purity to ensure there are no harmful contaminants in your drinking water that may affect your health.
What are Average TDS Levels?
The concentration of total dissolved solids in your tap water plays a crucial role in both your water’s taste, and its quality. The higher the concentration of TDS, the greater the water hardness issues mentioned previously.
The average TDS level in the United States’ drinking water supply is about 350 ppm (parts per million.) In general, the EPA recommends that you stay below 500 ppm in your tap water. However, a higher TDS level isn’t necessarily dangerous for your health. Las Vegas, for example, has a TDS level of 642 ppm.
Anything above 500 ppm will have an effect on the water’s taste, and will shorten the lifespan of your pipes and appliances.
If we find that you have higher-than-average TDS levels, we may recommend scheduling a routine plumbing maintenance visit. Our technicians will perform a thorough inspection to check the health of your plumbing, sewer, and appliances.
We’ll make sure that mineral buildup from hard water isn’t blocking your water lines or causing damage to delicate internal components in your water heater, dishwasher, or washing machine. If they are, we can clear those out so that your pipes and appliances don’t have to be repaired or replaced prematurely. We’re also happy to answer any questions you have. Ensuring water quality is an essential part of providing the best service for Goettl’s customers. That’s why we incorporate TDS measurements and water purity test kits on every plumbing call.
How to Solve Hard Water Problems
If your household tap water has high TDS levels, the best way to lower them is to install a Reverse Osmosis system. A reverse osmosis system is one of the most effective water filtration systems. It significantly reduces your TDS levels by using pressure to filter minerals, salts, and other contaminants out of your tap water through a micron filter. This leaves only pure water flowing through your household pipes and faucets.
A reverse osmosis system installed in your house can lower your TDS levels to under 50 ppm, and sometimes even as low as 20 ppm. That means cleaner glassware, better tasting tap water, and increased longevity and functionality for your household pipes and appliances. If you’re considering installing a reverse osmosis system for your home, call Goettl for a free consultation. We offer upfront, flexible pricing and a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our work.
Whether you need help with a household plumbing issue, routine plumbing maintenance on your pipes and fixtures, or 24/7 emergency plumbing repair, we’re always a phone call away. When it comes to your household plumbing, don’t settle. Call Goettl.
Testimonials
What Our Customers Say About Us

Had Andrew come out to remove garbage disposal and repipe sink. He also swapped out 13 emergency water shut off valves in 3 bathrooms.
Andrew was professional, courteous and expedient. He did have to run out to get some supplies. He stayed until 7pm to complete the job on one trip.
May 2023 update. Technician Steve came today to do the summer rejuvenation. Friendly and professional tech. Explained the process and findings. Both systems are new, so everything checked out good. Did a god cleaning of coils and now all set for the summer season. Had them out for fall prevention service and to review the systems that are here. I just bought the house and needed to understand what was in place.
The service tech, Kevin was very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. He explained and provided photos and video of all components. He ensured keeping house clean and wore booties.
My second unit is not in the best shape, and Kevin explained each of the issues. I will follow up with service managér to determine next steps (repair or replacement).
I signed up for there service plan and am very pleased with the service and communication to date
12/21 Luis C came today to do routine maintenance on hot water heater. Professional and courteous. He did a through job and explained everything.
10/15. Juan came today and did a great job. He was professional, courteous and friendly. Was here for exterior water bid but also did a hot water heater. Took his time and explained everything.
10/22 update. Timothy was here to due furnace rejuvenation. Very professional, courteous and friendly. He did a very thorough inspection. Everything looked good, but did comment on lack of insulation as has been noted before. Did not have current code. But was ok. Explained the benefit of higher level/depth of insulation. Scheduled so as to get current rebates.
11/12/25. Calob came to install a whole house filter, purifier, water softener. Along with reverse osmosis in kitchen. Calob was was professional courteous and friendly. Very knowledgeable about the system and needs. He took his time and did not rush. He did run into a problem with the softener and worked it with the assistance of the home office. Calob left the place clean And all picked up. Great service and cheers the Goetrl!



Greg Sanches


He was prompt and very professional. As patt of my monthly maintenance agreement. He installed sensors for my furnace and hot water heater. He also suggested we use 20x25x3 filters in our return vent instead of the 20x25x1 filters that we used in the past.








Matthew came out very promptly, was very nice and did a great job. Will be using them again
Matthew came back out and did awesome!

Zack and his crew who did the tile work, made it look easy! We can't wait to try it out after the caulking and other stuff set up and dry out!

Thank you Jef, for helping me keep my home cozy and safe.





Update: 26 Aug 2025, Joel Jr. did an outstanding job explaining the plumbing systems and future recommendations. Thx Goettl!
Update: 6 April 2025. Ask for William, Aiden for plumbing and Juan for QC. If that doesn't work their managers , especially Jason , will offer a fair solution. All provided outstanding, experienced and expert services.
Update: 31 Mar 2025. Thanks Will Bloodworth for taking my call and ensuring that we received service...even on your day off!
Update: 20 Mar 2025. Thanks again Tyler L. for the great service!
Update: 21 Dec 224. Outstanding work performed by Richard.
Joseph provided us with excellent service and took the time to answer all of our questions!
UPDATE: Another big shout out to Andrew Arizola. Once again, with expertise and efficiency, Goettl showed up as promised. Andrew diagnosed the repair and resolved all of my sink/faucet/plumbing issues at a reasonable cost. It is always a breath of fresh air to work with fair and honest Plumbers/technicians. Thanks again, we appreciate it.


I especially want to give a shout out to Connor, who did the replacement, he was awesome. He was respectful and cleaned up afterwards. I even commented on how impressed I was that he was able to fit everything needed in a small space.
Overall I would recommend Goettl services especially in an inconvenient situation like mine. They will make you a priority.


Update-9/26/2025-Angel Zamora, Jose Torres, and Jonathan Saucedo are great assets to your team. You couldn't ask for better representatives for your brand. They were efficient and got the job done right. I really appreciate them.
Alex Nelson is the BEST! When I say I thought I was going to die from this extreme heat and Alex came along and saved the day, he did! Im so thankful he is honest and trustworthy! Thanks Goettl!!






This appointment was to check that my heater is working properly before winter arrives.





Today the HVAC team came with a coil cleaning and suggested maintenance. Steven and Jonathon were top notch. Courteous, professional and informative. If you want it done right, get Goettl.

Maintenance, I have 3 (three) units, Brandon
Completed the work in a reasonable amount of time, and gave a comprehensive overview
Of conditions , He was very courteous, with good appearance , and was careful of surrounding furniture.
I would rate him, Excellent.




















Given the extent of the work I need to get multiple quotes and some companies insist on expensive trip charges (one up to $500) to have a “specialist” assess before providing a quote for the work.
These guys were timely, transparent and uncomplicated. I appreciate Shane for quickly putting together an estimate before even leaving the house, providing multiple options at various price point and without pressure of upfront commitment.
I would feel confident moving forward with these guys. Thank you Shane!

Edit 07/10/2025: Matthew Lopez was super friendly and did an amazing job checking out our AC system and cleaning it.
Edit 03/15/2025: Dareen Guerra was super friendly and helped us identify what was leaking water super fast
Edit 12/17/2024: Frank McBride was great and fast
Edit 11/11/2024: Jeremy was great and helped us understand what was going on with our HVAC
Miguel was extremely helpful and quick to fix. 10/10 recommend Miguel and goettl

Rudy and Chris came by to check the water heater and they evaluated everything in great details, they were very professional and friendly.
Definitely recommend Goettl for home service.

8/18 update! We appreciate the ability of Goettl to come out ASAP which went from scheduled 9am next day to just 90 min after the call in. We have 2 AC units and the second one lasted 29 years, but it finally needed to go as of yesterday. We had Hunter this time and of course he was prompt, professional, thorough & informative.
6/2025 update: water filter installed - Max is fantastic! We needed some routine maintenance and he most certainly went above and beyond. Will ask for him again - don’t hesitate to ask for Max, or any of these professional, knowledgeable service providers!
Aaron was great. Kind, professional, thorough with work. We trust this company, and they provide quality. Appreciate their approach to service, and their respect for the clients. Recommend Goettl if you want quality work - quality isn’t cheap but it is affordable!

Frank was wonderful and he allowed us the opportunity to evaluate several aspects of our current circumstances with our water heater. Frank was friendly and professional and we look forward to working with him in the future. Thank you, Frank!


I have used Goettl for years. They are not the cheapest, but the work is always quality and the service and technicians top notch.




Kristian was super professional, explained all steps and fixed shower facet in a short time! My call was on Saturday, and wait time was within 1-2 hours; plus, company did not charge ‘emergency’ fees as many other companies do.
Highly recommend!!


I was so impressed I joined the maintenance program, so an additional shout out to Ryan Angle who completed my water heater service and plumbing inspection, same as the others Great Job… Thanks
Had my AC serviced yesterday, another 5⭐️ for Goettl, Brandon Moreno got everything squared away, Happy Summer 😎👍🏼🆒
Just had my winter service completed by Brandon Moreno, as always with Goettl 5⭐️ again, always courteous, friendly and professional. Happy Winter ❄️⛄️😎
Had a valve issue come up and ended up handling the situation myself, however the visit to initially assess and troubleshoot the problem with technician Ryan Angle was another quite pleasant interaction with the Goettl team. Thanks and Happy Holidays ⛄️❄️😎



Lupe was friendly, respectful, and really interested in what I had to say. He worked efficiently and told us of problems when they arose. Really glad he came!
1/2025
Dusty was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and committed to doing the job right. He was training a new tech and even with that added responsibility, his attention to detail was impeccable. I cant believe how great this company is to do business with. Hopefully we get Dusty again next time! Thank you!!
2024 John was absolutely amazing. From introducing the company and its history to walking through every unit. He was friendly and warm and extremely honest. I wish he could be my technician on everything in my house. Thank you John!!












Nov 22 2024: Seasonal maintanence check and I once again was fortunate to get Jacobi again. He is a well thorough service tech. Everything went smooth and he explained what he saw and did. A+++++
Mar 25 2024: My service tech's name is Jacobi. He is a very knowledable individual. He mentioned he does maintenance and installation. I was due a routine maintenance but for this call my furance wasn't turning on. He diagnosed and explained it was the blower. Very pleased with his work.
Aug 27 2020: Jeremy did a great job.Called when he was heading over. Cleaned out the dripping pan and cleaned out the drain pipe. Wore his mask while he was inside my house.
Great, fast service even on July 4 2018. Tony was my service tech. He diagnosed and got me up and running ASAP.

I highly recommend Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing! Shane Smith, their plumbing service technician, provided outstanding service when we needed a new water heater. He arrived promptly, explained all options clearly, and guided us through the process with professionalism and friendliness. Shane's knowledge and patience made our decision-making easy. We're grateful for his help and impressed by Goettl’s efficient, customer-focused approach. Five stars for Shane and Goettl.
Zach Carlisle from Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing did an incredible job installing our new water heater. His exceptional professionalism, courtesy, and expertise made the entire process seamless. Zach kept us well-informed, worked efficiently, and left our home spotless. He even took the time to educate us on water shut-off procedures. Zach truly embodies the values of excellent customer service and craftsmanship. Kudos to Goettl for having such a talented and dedicated installer!


Stacy arrived today. He was super knowledgeable and interested in answering our questions (which were abundant). Very friendly and not in any hurry to leave. He took his time to explain what he was doing. He pointed out a dangerous situation with our surge protectors. We had fried wires! We ended up having them replaced right on the spot. We were so impressed with him that we will be requesting him next time we're due for our routine check up. Thank you,
Stacy!
James Jacobson was outstanding with his knowledge and took his time explaining every detail.
Julian and Devin arrived to do the Water Jetting and they were outstanding! I was impressed and I Highly Recommend them.



Thank you,
Greg Sanches









Addendum: Furnace inspection on hold until vents can be don; but new Furnace/AC coming in soon.
Round two: Plumbing with Skip Yonker!!
Thank you Skip for making the whole process more understandable! Very informative and got right to work!! He explained and confirmed what Pablo had pointed out originally. New Water heater coming soon.
Round three: Furnace/AC in!!! Thank You Marco and Rafael for coming in extra early to get started! Had work today but they stayed and got everything installed. I honestly felt very comfortable leaving them here to get the job done!
I have recommended you to two friends already!! They will be calling you soon ☺️
Round four: New water heater pending. To be completed Friday!! Super excited!!



She showed up even late in the evening completely focused and energized. Completely knowledgeable and able to provide complete assessments of my system. I want her back every single visit now 🙏🙏🙏.
I highly recommend the Sadie watchdog program!!! 👍👍👍

































This past week our service technician was Andrew Morgan and he is such a friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled technician. He spent time making sure the job was done correctly and he explained it in terms that I could understand. Not only is our unit functioning even better than before, I also gained knowledge of how the system works.













I highly recommend Goettl as this is the second time l've used them in less than a year. (2 seperate issues)... and I highly recommend them..anytime and anyday.
They have exceeded to top any expectations I could have ever had with any company.


Jerry also noticed our water pressure was low after flushing toilet then trying to wash hands in bathroom sink which were so he suggested a new pressure regulator as we have had a new better water conditioning system installed. We now have the best water pressure even when using a shower and kitchen sink faucet at the same time. Also Jerry is a master plumber and we appreciate his knowledge and experience. Will definitely call Goettl again when a plumber is needed.
Ralph & Kathy Lesmeister



Darean Guerra today. He arrived on time and took the time to explain what he was going to do. He was very knowledgeable which helped me trust what he was doing. He left his work area clean. I am very pleased with his work.




Now we have a new flange, installed correctly, and ready for the new toilet!







The company is installing a tankless heater and the customer service is outstanding.
I recommend Geottl to all!


They made sure my carpet was covered and when they were all through they cleaned up perfectly
I would recommend your company to anyone looking to put in a new air conditioner.
Thank you so much for all you did for me.
Sincerely, June Jones

And I would highly recommend the company and the quality technicians like Jarod.
Jarod is the go to if you want excellent
Customer service and communication for any AC related issues. He is very knowledgeable, personable and trustworthy. I am grateful and satisfied.







They listened to my issue, were very through, checked for leaks, etc. I’ve lived in Lakeway for 30 years, used MANY local plumbers - but Goettl will definitely get all my business moving forward. HIGHLY recommend!
Ty, Wil & Adrian!

Everyone from the Goettl sales representative Christian, Tech / Advisor Josias recommended a HVAC A/C and Heating system replacement. Technicians team Veronica and her partner.


Jeremy Canchola serviced our mini-split today with the usual Goettl efficiency and professionalism.
Highly recommended!


Hopefully, we will get Jack for our next service call.






