I moved into a brand new house 5 months ago. The shower heads are getting a severe bulid-up of white corrosion and my blond hair is turning green. The plumbers and water softener guys say it is an electrical problem. The electrician has tested the copper pipes for voltage and doesn't see any. I don't know what to do. Any opinions?

I don't know where you live but in some areas some water softeners will not work. I am not sure of the reason but I do know that the mineral used in the softener will cause the chlorine in the water to react the same way that chlorine in a swimming pool does on a persons hair.

The white deposit on the shower head could be salt from the water plus the salt added to the brine tank of the softener, or it could be alkali particals that was not removed by the softener, and are deposited on the shower head as the water evaporates.

I'm in San Diego. Water softeners are quite popular here.

The white corrosive build-up on the shower heads does not taste salty.

I was told that pool water turns hair green because of the algeacides being used that contain copper, not because of the chlorine. The copper is the culprit in the house's water pipes according to the water softener guys and is being released into the pipes by electrolysis caused by an electrical current.

The electrician finds no electrical current on the pipes or in the water with eveything in the house turned on including the hot water.

Mystery remains unsolved.

Interesting post...
Do you have water conditioning system installed ? However, I would take a water sample and take it to local Sears for free analysis. Based on the result, I would proceed with solution, like installing correct water treatment system, filter, conditioning system, etc. . If you pool chemicals present in your house plumbing, then, chances are that you either do not have anti-siphon valve installed at your pool fill line or it is faulty. Also, do not leave garden house dipped in the pool.

The water sample done by the water softener guys was normal. However they did not test for copper.

I'm going to get a meter and take my own measurements to see if I have voltage causing electrolysis. Can anyone tell me how much voltage is required to create electrolysis in my copper plumbing?

Reason for question: The meter that measures microvolts is over $400, the one that measures millivolts is under $200.