Looking for advice on a well system. Our current set up is the well with a pump fed into the house by a 3/4 line to a 5 gallon bladder tank to a water softener then throughout the house.
My goal is to have it go from the bladder tank to a water filtration system (wfs) then to the softener and so on..
Or does it have to go through the wfs before the bladder tank? Also, picking a wfs is like finding tires for your car, there are so many out there. What is a good system?
Help..
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Replies
I would get a water test first to determine what you want to filter if other than sediment.
Excllent point on the water test.
We built our home 26 years ago and at that time, the state only tested wells for chemical (solvents, etc.) and bacterial (eColi) contamination. Our 550-ft well tested very clean at the time.
But a couple of years ago we got a letter from the County stating that we should probably test the well for other contaminants. We did. Guess what? Water has 40% too much uranium. The only cost-effective solution was a point of use (POU) reverse osmosis setup that requires a dedicated faucet in the kitchen and a filter change every year. All drinking and cooking water now has to come through that dedicated faucet, which is tiny. The good news? It lowers the uranium level to next to nothing.
As condoman suggested -- get the water tested and decide upon a filter based on the results.
I hope you meant 50 gallon bladder tank?
Had a water test.. came back clean for bateria. That is all they tested for. It was an independent lab that tests for that. Did not mention any thing else. I have seen the diy tests that you send in from the big box stores. Would that test minerals? And yes, 50 gal.
Minerals are always present and likely not of concern. Bacteria testing is important, but only a small part of the analysis of your well water. Test for solvents (usually from industrial pollution) and metals (lead, uranium, etc.). Some states and local government will run the additional tests, but most will not. Find a private water testing lab in your area.,
Minerals are not likely to be health issues, but hard water can lead to mineral clogging, acidic water corrodes copper pipes, and iron and manganese stain fixtures and clothes. Definitely worth having the water tested for minerals.
If it's really well water (not "cistern" rainwater) then there are minerals in it. Depending on the geology where you live it could vary from "slightly" hard to very hard. (Of course, this is why you have the softener.) A filter would not help this much.
(But you probably should have the water tested for arsenic, if that is at all common in your area.)
You don't want to place the filter ahead of the tank, since the rate of flow from the pump would be badly affected and the increased pressure might actually damage the pump.
Beyond that, any garden-variety filter should be fine. Just be sure to get one that's "whole-house" and not just intended to be under-sink for a single tap.
When we purchased our home we had the water tested and found it had 5 times more lead than allowed. An RO system was part of the sale. The former HO that was raised in the home got tested to make sure levels were OK since they had no idea. Now we have RO taps at 2 sinks and a new coffee station. Also added a sediment whole house to keep the big pieces out of everything else.
Yep. RO is the only practical solution I've found, given the state of water analysis technology.
There are more exotic filters, such as charcoal/whey (that's right -- the dairy product) that can remove all metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, uranium, gold...), but they are the intellectual property of a European outfit that only sells it to industrial users like mining operators.
Here's a link to a forum that is dedicated to wells and water quality:
https://wellowner.org/water-quality/uranium-what-you-need-to-know/
ok.. might be a stupid question .. are there RO systems for the entire house or only point of use?
Not stupid at all.
The short answer is yes, but it would be wasteful to filter all household water through a system that wastes 3 gallons for every 1 gallon of filtered water it produces.
A whole-house solution seems like it might be a good approach, but RO systems are not very efficient. By limiting filtering to only water that is to be used for drinking and cooking, you are wasting the minimum amount of water (and cost).
Someday the charcoal/whey fiber filters will be made available to the retail market -- and at that time it may become practical to filter ALL your water. But the Swiss company that developed that technology hasn't shown any intention of doing that.
I can't see any reason to have RO water except for cooking or consumption. If it was whole house you would need a storage tank that would store a days use of water since it takes so long to push the water molecules through the membrane.
As I said above we have 3 spigots and the ice maker. The only extra thing we do is draw off a gallon or so the night before a party to cover any over use on party day.
Thank you for that clarification on RO systems.
Have a plumber come out and do a thorough test of your water. No reason to try and filter what you don't have. One point to keep in mind with RO is it takes a lot of water to make a gallon of usable water, so be sure your well can produce enough and recover enough for the RO.
We’ve had the Aquasana EQ-1000 installed for six months now without any problems. I had to remove it this week while our garage was getting an epoxy coating and all I can say is “wow”. As soon as I removed the filter, our water had an earthy, mossy smell, even our dog was hesitant to drink it. Taking a shower the next morning, after the water heaters had emptied the previously filtered water, wasn’t a pleasant experience. Be aware that your water pressure may drop. However, the only time I’ve noticed it is when I’ve had to open all the taps, for example after putting the unit back in place to clear out the “bad” water.
I use iSpring WGB21B whole house water filtration. We have a well that makes fine water but the water is cloudy and tastes mostly iron. After we connect the iSpring system, which works great, our water is now free of strange odors and flavors.
Hi 4thedogs, what did you end up installing in the end? I hope it's working out for ya!
Just throwing my two cents in here as I'm a bit late on this thread, but a whole house ultrafiltration system is a great shout for well water. Ultrafiltration has much finer filtration than a traditional whole house filter, and no inefficiency like RO (plus, echoing what other folks have said, RO's are just a no-go for whole house). No need for a storage tank with ultrafiltration either because it produces a lot of water on demand - they're pretty high flow. Great for bacteria and other gnarly stuff that may be in well water. Check out the Premiere PS-1000.
I recommend DuraWater black series. Our well water has a lot of iron, has a horrible smell and you can stand to drink it! Our bathroom and kitchen were stained with rust. Since installing and using this device we have been able to see the difference of water, clear water, no smell and can comfortably drink it.
Thanks for this clarification. But in my way you should contact your local area purifier suppliers, they will definitely find the perfect solution for you.
I install a water purifier for my entire house to filter well water - Express Water WH300SCKS. In the past, my well water had a strong iron smell and sometimes other strange smells and tastes. Since installing this filter, our water tastes so much better.
I use a carbon block water filter at home and the lab test said that the water is good for drinking.
Yeah, testing the water first and understanding what it needs to be cleaned from is a very good idea. I don't live in a separate house, I live in an apartment, therefore, I do not have a well system and a pump so no problems as a well. I only have a carbon block water filter pitcher that cleans about 23 contaminants and keeps your kidneys and whole body healthy.
The AFWFilters Iron Pro 2 might be the least expensive method of iron removal from well water. To more effectively manage groundwater ferrous and water hardness, this whole house filter combines a high-performance water softener and iron filter.
https://www.usawaterquality.org/best-iron-filters-for-well-water/
I found the ultimate solution for this well system setup question, and it’s all thanks to the incredible information I discovered on https://bestironfilterforwellwater.com/! If you’re trying to figure out the best sequence for your water filtration system (WFS) and softener, I’ve got the answer—and it’s a game-changer.
The site recommends that the ideal setup is to have the water go from the bladder tank to the WFS first, and then to the softener. This sequence ensures that the water is filtered before it hits the softener, protecting your equipment and giving you the cleanest, softest water possible throughout your home.
And when it comes to picking the right WFS, I totally get the struggle—it’s like trying to choose the perfect set of tires, right? But don’t worry, the website has got you covered! They offer an expert guide on selecting the best WFS for your specific needs, taking into account factors like flow rate, filter type, and water quality.
And I suppose you jumped the link when Best Water hired you to be a shill for the company……
Their system may work but spamming an old post is frowned upon.