Summary
Let's save you money and also show you how to remove iron from your well water. Check out this blog to learn the proper methods to remove iron from your well water starting today.
Save Money and Remove Iron from Your Well Water
Does your well water stain your fixtures, tile and grout? Awful, isn’t it? That brown
staining might not bother you if your toilets and bathtub are a color but if they’re white they won’t be for long! Did you know that iron from your water clogs your pipes? In this blog I’m going to explain to you the cheapest and best way to get rid of iron from your well water for good, starting right now!
Use a Sediment Filter for Iron Removal
A simple sediment filter does remove some ferric iron, you can tell as it turns that rusty color after use but not very much comes out as you need to fully oxidize it first to bring it out of the water to trap it. Usually less than $50 for the housing and filter plus installation. Typically the sediment filters needs to be 1 micron or less to work and those filters will clog very quickly if you have sediment in your water.
Opt for a Water Softener to Remove Iron
Water softeners will remove ferrous or clear water iron but only up to about .5 ppm before you need to add iron out or use a salt with rust remover in it to keep the media from becoming fouled. You will also need to adjust the softener settings to compensate for the iron and set it up to regenerate more often. If you already have the softener for your hard water the extra cost of salt and rust remover salt could cost an extra $50 per year.
Try Iron Filter Cartridges and Remove that Iron
Iron filter cartridgeslook like an attractive alternative as they work on both ferric and ferrous iron but not on iron bacteria. If you have a seasonal home where few people use the water and you have very little water from your well they might make sense but their relatively high cost and with about 1.5 ppm of iron if used in a home occupied by 4 or more people you can easily go through several of these per year. They also recommend a sediment pre and carbon post filters.
Air Over Media Systems combat Iron Removal
Air over media systems like the FOC, FOB and FOK use no chemicals and have no replacement filters, like a water softener they clean themselves. These work best for most permanent homes for ferrous or ferric iron. Not recommended for bacterial iron. This video here explains how they work and how to determine which model is best for your family.
The Ozone Method for Iron Removal in Well Water
The Ozone method involves injecting ozone into the water and then capturing the stuff oxidized out and then back washing it out. Problem with these systems are that they are expensive, the ozone generator does not last long and are expensive to replace and the ozone is not compatible with the plastic parts in the valve so long term the valve will need replacement much sooner. This system will work on iron bacteria, although the chemical procedure is recommended.
Chemical Procedure to Remove Iron in Water
The chemical procedure involves injecting an oxidizing chemical like chlorine into the water, giving it some contact time by having it accumulate in a holding tank, usually of about 100 gallons and then removing the stuff that was oxidized out of the water and then removing most of the chlorine. I don’t like this process because these systems are expensive, take up a lot of space and are high maintenance but if you have iron bacteria this is the way to go.
The Best Solution for Removing Iron from Well Water
The best solution for most families, although definitely not the cheapest is one of these FOB’s They are chemical free, use air to oxidize out the iron and there’s virtually no maintenance. If you have iron and sulphur in your water an FOK might be a better choice. To see how the FOB or FOK work see this video here.
Enjoy Well Water with No Iron by Implementing one of the Options
To view the full explanation of removing iron from your well water view the video below. As always, share with friends and family and spread the word of these recommended solutions for removing iron from your well water.