Red Stains in Sinks and Drains

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How Do I Get Rid of the Red Stains in My Sinks and Drains?

Red stains in your sinks, tubs, showers, toilets and drains are a result of iron in your water supply.

If you have red or brown deposits in your sinks or drains, then you most likely have a high concentration of iron in your water. An excessive level of iron is a common problem and one that an iron filter is designed to remedy.

Will a Water Softener Remove Iron?

A common question we hear is “Will my water softener remove iron from my water?” The answer to this is, “Yes, but very little.” Water softeners are designed to treat hard water by removing minerals, including small quantities of iron. In most cases a water softener alone is not an effective solution for removing iron from water. Read more →

women smelling bad water

Home Water Filtration System

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Why Does My Water Taste, Smell and Look Bad?

In previous blog posts we’ve talked about how to make sure your family’s water supply is safe.  Now we’ll address that age old question, “Why does my water taste, smell or look so bad.”

women smelling bad water

Although O.K. to drink, water with nasty smells and discoloration can be hard to swallow.

Common Complaints

Two common complaints in our area are that my water smells like rotten eggs or has a metallic taste and also appearance. Although drinking this water may not be so appealing, it is generally not harmful to your health.

Tap water that tastes or smells like rotten eggs or sulfur likely contains hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is released when a certain kind of bacteria is present in the water or somewhere in your water system. Drains, water heaters, wells, and the inside of pipes can harbor bacteria.

Water that has a choline taste or smell is not usually a cause for concern. Tap water is disinfected with chlorine to make it clean and safe to drink, so the smell is likely left from the treatment process.

Water with heavy iron content can also give off a metallic taste and leave a red stain in your sinks and toilets. Water that contains iron is not harmful to drink. Read more →

water faucet

Testing Your Home’s Water

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How Often and When Should You Test Your Home’s Water?

water faucetThe United States enjoys one of the world’s most reliable and safest supplies of drinking water.  Approximately 150,000 public water systems provide drinking water to most Americans.  Those on public water systems have their water monitored regularly to prevent any contamination of the water supply. 

If You Get Your Water from a Well

For the 10 percent of people in the United States who get their water from private wells, many of them in rural areas in Indiana, they need to take precautions to ensure their drinking water is safe.  Private wells are not regulated, so the responsibility for checking the quality of the water falls on the homeowner. Read more →

Iron Filters for Outdoor Water Supply

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How to Keep Rust Stains Off Your Home, Driveway and Sidewalks

Eliminate unsightly rust stains on your driveway by installing an inline iron filter.

There is nothing worse than having the curb appeal of your home ruined by the unsightly iron stains on your driveway, home, sidewalk and patio caused by your sprinklers or irrigation system.  These stains are the result of using water directly from your well to water your lawn and plants.

The red discoloration caused by your unfiltered water is common where the iron content is high in the water supply.  Adding an iron filter between your water supply and your irrigation pump and outdoor faucets will help mitigate this problem.

Filters are Very Effective

Filters are extremely effective in removing high levels of sulfur and iron commonly found in well water. The systems use air-injection to oxidize sulfur or iron into precipitates that can be readily filtered and removed.

Filters use different media to remove various contaminants.

The filter’s media bed works in combination with an air charge chamber within the tank to oxidize and filter the elements that cause sulfur and iron. At the programmed time, the system will regenerate using ordinary water to backwash the system clean of sulfur, iron and other well water contaminants.

A control valve handles high flow rates without dropping household water pressures — like when showers, toilets and faucets are all in use at the same time.

Air filtration is environmentally safe — no toxic chemicals are used. The result is water that will not discolor any surfaces that it comes in contact with.  To learn more about filtration process go to How Iron Filters Work.

Adding an Iron Filter

Installing an iron filter between your water supply and irrigation system may require some additional plumbing to get it set up correctly.  Let Brenneco Plumbing walk you through the process and answer your questions.  In the long run your home’s appearance will improve greatly and those unsightly iron stains will be a thing of the past.

testing water bottle

Well Water Testing

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Does Your Well Water Need Testing?

clear-water-being-poured-into-a-glass

Test Your Water to Ensure Its Quality

Many of us who reside outside the city limits depend on private wells for our water supply. Well water can sometimes not taste or smell the best, and if it has high sulfur or iron content, it can be a problem down the road with our plumbing.

Even with these conditions well water is normally very safe to drink. But there are times when we have had a great deal of rain and flooding that we need to be aware of potential contamination of our well water supply.  Also if you live near an industrial area or large farm, the odds are higher that your water supply may be suspect.

Test Your Water Supply

Having your water tested periodically can identify if any harmful bacteria or pollutants are present.  It is recommended that you test your private well annually for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. If you suspect the presence of other contaminants in your ground water, you should test for those also.

water testing

Water Testing is Easy and Quick

You may want to test more frequently if small children or elderly adults live in your house, or if someone in your house is pregnant or nursing. These individuals are often more vulnerable to pollutants than others.

You should also test your private well immediately if:

  • There are known problems with ground water or drinking water in your area
  • Conditions near your well have changed significantly i.e. flooding, land disturbances, and new construction or industrial activity
  • You replace or repair any part of your well system.
  • You notice a change in your water quality i.e. odor, color, taste.
  • Members of your family have recurring gastro-intestinal illness
  • Live near areas of intensive agriculture
  • Smell odor of gasoline or fuel oil near buried fuel tanks

Brenneco Plumbing Can Help

If you suspect problems with your water supply, Brenneco Plumbing will test your water at no charge for a number of compounds and other substances.  If a major issue is uncovered Brenneco Plumbing will direct you to your local health department. Additional information can be found at https://www.in.gov/health/eph/water-supply-information/.

Brenneco Plumbing can be reached at 765-448-6190.