Clean water in the house is very important, both for human consumption and for other needs. Nevertheless, if you have a water well, then you should take care of water purification, including iron removal.
The cheapest way to remove iron from water is to install a sediment filter. Its cost will be up to $100 if you install it yourself. The filter will protect from ferric iron, and in the case of other types of iron, the amount of $600 – $2000 may be required, depending on the complexity of the contamination.
To clean well water efficiently, you need to understand what problem you are facing. Next, we will analyze all types of iron that can be in well water for you to determine the cheapest way to remove iron from well water in your home.
How to Know if there is Iron in Water?
If you notice a change in the color of the water in your well, then you need to find out what caused this. This can be caused by excess iron or other types of contamination.
The easiest way to check the amount of iron in your water is to use an iron test kit. You can buy this test kit online or at any home improvement store. With the help of it, in a couple of minutes, you can find out about the amount of iron in your water.
For a more detailed diagnosis, it is better to use the services of a professional laboratory. In most cases, company employees will come to your home and collect samples for analysis themselves.
This method will be more expensive, but you will not have to perform any actions. Plus, laboratory tests will give you a clear understanding of the composition of your well water. In addition to the amount of iron in the water, you will also know its form and the presence of other impurities in the water.
Cheapest Way to Remove Iron from Well Water
To find the cheapest way to remove iron from well water, you need to understand what kind of iron is in it. When you test the water, you should be able to detect at least one of three options for iron.
Types of Iron in Water:
- Ferric Iron
- Ferrous Iron
- Bacterial Iron
Each of these forms of iron has its characteristics, because of this, the methods of how to purify water from them are different. Let’s take a closer look at each hardware option and options that will help get rid of them.
Ferric Iron
Ferric iron has its characteristic differences from other types of iron. Such iron is not dissolved in water and you can notice pieces of it by pouring water into a transparent glass. This type of iron can also be identified by the characteristic orange and reddish color of the water.
Since it is a solid type of iron, sediment filters are the simplest way to remove it from water. These filters block all solid particles in the water. Therefore, this method is an excellent solution both for purifying water from ferric iron and other solid pollutants.
Sediment filters are the cheapest way to remove iron from well water and their average price is $10 – $40 per filter. The price difference often depends on the micron size of the filter. The more expensive the filter is, the greater the chance that it will catch all the ferric iron particles from the water.
It should also be noted that these filters only help with solid particles. Therefore, if other types of iron are present in the water from your well, then you will need additional purification equipment.
Ferrous Iron
Ferrous iron is much more difficult to detect in water. If you fill a glass with water, it will be crystal clear. However, over time, due to exposure to sunlight, part of the iron will oxidize and precipitate, thereby you can understand that ferrous iron is present in the water.
To rid water of ferrous iron, ion-exchange water softeners are used. The cost of these devices is much more expensive than that of sediment filters and is $600 – $900. You can choose the size of water softener you need to provide the required amount of purified water.
Since, in addition to ferrous iron, ferric iron can also be contained in water, this system is usually used in conjunction with a sediment filter. Initially, the water passes through the filter, removing all sedimentary elements, and after that it is ionized.
This system copes well with ferrous iron even in softened water. However, it should be noted that due to the softer water, a layer of resin may form in the apparatus over time. Therefore, from time to time it is recommended to rinse the water softeners using rust out. High-quality care of the equipment will allow it to serve you much longer.
Bacterial Iron
The last option for iron in water is bacterial iron. This is the most annoying iron option that can be found in well water. The bacteria bind to iron molecules to form a red or orange mucous mass.
If you need to get rid of bacterial iron, then strong water shocking is used for this. Chlorine is the cheapest shocking material. Nevertheless, the process itself can be very costly, as it will be necessary to shock the entire well, including all associated equipment.
If you have a problem with bacterial iron, it is recommended that you seek professional water treatment. This is a complex process and only they will be able to determine the degree of contamination and all the necessary measures that should be taken to purify the water from bacterial iron.
How does Iron in Water Harm?
The presence of many different types of iron in the water can lead to serious problems. It is very unlikely that it will harm your health, however, it can cause some inconveniences.
Excessive Iron is Harmful to Health
Iron is a natural element and enters the body in a certain amount with food and water. This is natural and therefore it is very unlikely that water with an excess of iron can harm your body.
However, too much iron in the water can have unpleasant health consequences. It should also be understood that for this to happen, there must be a huge amount of ferric and bacterial iron in the water.
For safety reasons, do not use water if it is reddish or orange, especially if you see sediment in it. Otherwise, it is unlikely that water will harm your health.
Influence on the Taste of Water
Iron water can change its taste. If you drink this water, you can taste a metallic taste that will be quite unpleasant. Most often this happens when the water is saturated with ferrous iron since this iron does not change the color of the water.
Such water can cause a lot of inconveniences because it will spoil the taste of the food prepared on it and even coffee. If you experience a metallic taste in your water then you should test it. After that, the best solution is to find the cheapest way to remove iron from well water.
Clogged Pipes and Water Supply Systems
Water with a high iron content can also harm your plumbing. Ferric and bacterial iron are common causes of blockages in pipes. Bacterial iron can build up on the walls of the tubes, slowly picking up all the debris around it, leading to blockages over time.
An example of such debris can be solid granules of ferric iron and other elements. To secure your plumbing, it is recommended to use sediment filters and control the possibility of bacterial iron formation.
