iron water filter systems

Hard and Rusty Water

How to Deal with Rusty and/or Hard Water

Most U.S. family homes have hard water. You notice this most when washing dishes, doing laundry, or showering.  There’s excessive lime and chalk buildup in your sinks and showers. And even your skin and hair feel dry and itchy after you’ve washed.

water softener working diagram

Water softeners remove unwanted minerals and improve the quality of your water.

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.  These are two common problems that can be addressed with different water conditioning solutions.

What is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that has collected a large amount of calcium, magnesium and other minerals in it. Hard water is not harmful to your health, but it is harmful to your home.  Living in a home with hard water can be a costly problem.  When dissolved minerals combine with heat, it leaves scale and buildup that damages pipes, appliances and fixtures.

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Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration

Don’t Want to Drink Smelly or Rusty Water

women smelling bad water

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

No one likes to drink smelly or rusty water.  Both of which are common problems in our area.  In many homes water smells like rotten eggs or has a metallic taste and also appearance.

Dealing With Smelly or Rusty Water

In most cases water that smells or looks rusty is not harmful to your health. That still doesn’t make it taste or smell any better … or very appealing to drink. For some the solution is to buy bottled water which can be costly and has a negative environmental impact.

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Brenneco plumping van

Brenneco Plumbing Services

Brenneco Plumbing is Ready to Handle Your Plumbing Problems

Brenneco Plumbing logoKnowing a good plumber can come in handy when you find water collecting on your floor, a drain plugged up, or you are tired of drinking rusty or smelly water.

Brenneco Plumbing has been taking care of our community’s plumbing needs for over 40 years.  It has the experienced and trained plumbers that can help you with any of your plumbing needs. Read more

Red Stains in Sinks and Drains

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

water faucet

Testing Your Home’s Water

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

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

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.