Well Water (Franklin: how much, house, live in)

[kitkatjmu]

Hello country friends! We are new to being on well water and I wanted to ask what anybody else has done about the orange-ish color / iron in the water.

The house has a basic in-line water filter that was there when we bought it but there is still color to the water...

I'm hoping I don't have to clean the toilets every day to prevent that orange stain! And what about drinking the water...and taking showers. Don't want to turn orange! haha. Okay I'm being sarcastic, but honestly, help a city girl out!

Thanks for any input, stories, info, anything!

Oh, in case location will help you at all, we are in Hardy, in Franklin County, about a mile from BayRoc Marina.

[vamtncat]

If you have a high concentration of iron in your water, here are a few suggestions:

1. Change your water filter often. If there is a very high concentration, consider one of the sand filter-type systems from companies like Culligan. They are pricey but reduce your iron headaches.

2. Add an additional filter at your kitchen sink. You will start to notice build-up on your cooking pots and coffee pot if you don't.

3. Be sure to get yourself a good clarifying shampoo to use at least once a week. The iron and other deposits will build-up on your hair.

4. Use one of the bleaching type tablets in the tank of your toilets. Be careful with this because it will also kill the beneficial bacteria in your septic tank. Don't use the typical septic treatments though. Use 3-4 packages of regular baking yeast mixed with warm water and flush down once a month.

MOST IMPORTANT - have your water checked by your local health department. If you have children especially have your water tested for natural floride. If none is present, get with a dentist for floride supplements. My family found out the hard way about the lack of floride in our water. It has also affected our adult teeth.

[tamitrail]

We get our flouride supplements from the doctor and you should automatically get them for your kids. Just tell him/her you are now on well water. Usually, there is no flouride in well water.

Well water conditions can change at any time so you should definitely have your water tested regularly to check for bacteria, etc.

We had the same issue with iron at a house we had in PA. We put a special filter on the tank in the basement and it solved the issues. Be careful about using bleach. It really depends on your septic system. We cannot use bleach with the type of system we have now. We do not use bleach in the washer or in the cleaners we use for the toilets.

Your clothes and washer will be ruined if you don't take care of this at the main water line. Forget about bleaching and shampoos, etc. Trust me, your problem will be resolved and you won't have to think about it again.

[PaperTrail]

My wife and I had problems with water harshness when we moved to the country for the first time. The previous owner left her washer/dryer, and the washer was completely stained orange on the inside. Lovely, I know.

We ended up having a Water-Right Sanitzer (Water-Right, Inc. - manufacturer of quality water softeners, conditioners and treatment systems, plus water testing services.) installed. A company based at Smith Mountain Lake did the work. Not at all cheap, but worth it for us because this is the house we have chosen to stay in for the long haul. The system fixes the water at the main line into the house, so everything from the sinks and showers to the washing maching and dishwashers use much much better water.

We're also extra cautious with the water we drink and have an additional filter at our kitchen sink for the water we drink. And we flush the sediment filter on the main line fairly often to avoid any buildup.

[seanpecor]

I wonder if well depth is a factor in how much iron oxide sediment is present in well water? We live in Franklin County as well and while red clay is the dominant soil type on our land, our well water is devoid of iron oxide sediment. However, our well is very deep (> 400') and we get about a constant 15gpm even under full-out continuous use (farm irrigation etc).

Sean

[kitkatjmu]

I hate that I am now asking this question, but do any of you know how much it costs to have a new well dug? A deep one......know any good company to do it? THANKS!

[seanpecor]

Tommy Kelley Well Drilling
241 Old Hollow Ln
Hardy, VA 24101
(540) 721-1118

Hope this helps!

Sean

[boonesmill]

Originally Posted by kitkatjmu

I hate that I am now asking this question, but do any of you know how much it costs to have a new well dug? A deep one......know any good company to do it? THANKS!

I just put one in, we went 400 ft deep. By the time it is capped off I'll have about $5000 invested in it which is in line with others I've done over the years. I usually budget $10K for well and septic, your actual cost will vary based on overall depth, how much casing is required, pump quality, etc.