cheapest way to reduce iron in well water? (tank, tanks, appliance)
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We recently moved to a home with well water. There is a huge amount of iron in the water. So much so that my blonde highlighted hair is now orange! Eventually we would like to spend the couple thousand needed for a water treatment system, however right now every cent we can save needs to go towards a new septic system and then a new roof. The septic need is the most pressing, and we just don't have that much to spare right now.
We tried a $30 shower head filter that got excellent reviews on Amazon but didn't do squat. Does anyone know of any relatively affordable ($500 or less) solutions that can at least reduce the amount of iron in the shower (laundry would be good, too - drinking water we aren't worried about as we use a 5 gallon bottled water dispenser) until we can spring for professional treatments?
Do you have a water softener system? That, and using rust buster salt, can help. But the only thing I've found to reliably work all the time is a dedicated iron removal unit. I don't think you are going to get one of those for less than 1,000, unfortunately.
The only thing that will work for a large amount of iron in well water is a dedicated iron filter. Water softeners and definitely any small point-of-use filters will be completely useless.
Like TWG1572 said, a good iron filter will run you $1K or more, but they are relatively maintenance-free - you just have to change the media about every 10 years or so.
Well water iron is a tough one. A softener system, the right salt/additive, calibrated to your specific well is pretty much your only "solution". The iron doesn't act alone...it is also affected by the pH, other mineral content, and organics. I've lived on well water for decades. Every well was different. One was minimally handled by a $500 off-the-shelf softener, the other took a $3200 multi stage softener/filtration system. Get the water analyzed to know what the concentration of iron is and what else is present. Be careful....lots of "miracle" additives and systems people would love to sell you as you've already found out.
We recently moved to a home with well water.
There is a huge amount of iron in the water.
Didn't you have this tested before you bought?
Maybe had the SELLER pony up for the "water treatment system" ?
Quote:
right now every cent we can save needs to go towards a new septic system and then a new roof.
The septic need is the most pressing, and we just don't have that much to spare right now.
Do you have a water softener system? That, and using rust buster salt, can help. But the only thing I've found to reliably work all the time is a dedicated iron removal unit. I don't think you are going to get one of those for less than 1,000, unfortunately.
We don’t have anything yet except the shower filter, thanks. Guess I’ll have to live with orange hair for at least a little while lol. We did get the water tested, I’ll have to look to see what the concentration was.
My dad has that problem with his water. He has a pre-softener iron filter. He said it did not cost much at all, (is actual words was it was "peanuts" compared to the cost of the softener, but I am not sure how old it is, maybe costs have changed.
You will eventually likely want a softener because your skin hair dishes and appliances will suffer the effect of very hard water even if yo get the iron out. That can wait a while, but not a long time. You do not need a fancy one. Any of them with two tanks should be fine. Even a single tank will work but it uses more salt.
My dad has that problem with his water. He has a pre-softener iron filter. He said it did not cost much at all, (is actual words was it was "peanuts" compared to the cost of the softener, but I am not sure how old it is, maybe costs have changed.
You will eventually likely want a softener because your skin hair dishes and appliances will suffer the effect of very hard water even if yo get the iron out. That can wait a while, but not a long time. You do not need a fancy one. Any of them with two tanks should be fine. Even a single tank will work but it uses more salt.
It doesn't come with a bracket, but if you were to get one, I would suggest a multi-filter bracket so you could expand it at a later date if it works out for you. Downside could be cost of filters depending on iron concentration.
Another option would be to check with a local water supply company (Culligan, etc.) to see about a rental unit.
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