I'm at my wits end. I have a house that's about 20 years old with copper pipes. I had black deposits and occasional rusty water. Had my well pump checked out, at which time the pump died. I had it replaced with a new pump. At that time, the well water (straight out of the well) was crystal clear, but I continued to have black deposits and occasional rust. It was determined that the old water tank (probably as old as the house) had a build up and was still flushing the stuff through my pipes. Had IT replaced. Water was clear for a while - no deposits, a little rust here and there, which I thought might have been still more residual in the pipes. However, I now have seriously rusty water (staining clothes bigtime and making bathwater seem like orange juice). I thought it was just the hot water at first (my hot water is heated thru my furnace), and was thinking of having my furnace checked. However, I have an Omni house filter, which has gotten rust colored very quickly and is before the furnace, just after the water tank. HELP!!! I don't know where this rust is coming from, and don't want to spend any more money on something that is not going to fix the problem!

 

Obviously, if you have rust in the water, it is due to some part of the system that is iron. Is the water at the well still clear? If so, the problem is downstream from that. How about the line from the well to the house? Is it copper or iron? Check the water right where it enters the house. Another thought -- do you have a sprinkler system in the yard? Any iron pipe in it? Does it have anti-siphon valves? If the filter is getting rust particles, the problem lies someplace upstream from that. Might also try flushing the furnace unit and see if that helps. Keep us posted.

 

I was trying to avoid having someone come back to open the well up again, but I'm thinking that's the only way to check if the well water is still clear. I thought of the pipe to the house - I have no idea what it is, and again, I was trying to avoid having to dig it up. I'll see if I can check it at the house end. No sprinkler system. Will flush the furnace this weekend. Thanks for the tips - I'll let you know.

[This message has been edited by PurpleDragon (edited April 07, 2000).]

 

Wouldn't have to dig up the entire supply line to the house, just enough of it, either at the well end or the house end to seewhat kind of pipe you're dealing with. How far is it from the well to the house? If you determine the supply line is the problem, trench in a new one and abandon the old one in place. There should be either a union or a bibb at the well you can open to check the water there, and another at the house to check the water there. Hope this helps.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by PurpleDragon:
I was trying to avoid having someone come back to open the well up again, but I'm thinking that's the only way to check if the well water is still clear. I thought of the pipe to the house - I have no idea what it is, and again, I was trying to avoid having to dig it up. I'll see if I can check it at the house end. No sprinkler system. Will flush the furnace this weekend. Thanks for the tips - I'll let you know.

[This message has been edited by PurpleDragon (edited April 07, 2000).]<HR>

 

I took a look at the pipe coming into my baswement to the water tank, and it's black plastic, which I was told was what the line from the well to the tank is. I've flushed the furnace, and it helped a little, but the house filter of course is still orange. I think I'll upcap the well again, and recheck the water quality. I'll keep you posted.

 

I would seriously consider installing a hose bibb at the well if there isn't already one there just so you can test the water there easily. There should be at least a union there so you don't have to uncap the well to check the water.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by PurpleDragon:
I took a look at the pipe coming into my baswement to the water tank, and it's black plastic, which I was told was what the line from the well to the tank is. I've flushed the furnace, and it helped a little, but the house filter of course is still orange. I think I'll upcap the well again, and recheck the water quality. I'll keep you posted. <HR>

 

Well, it looks like the water from my well is the source of the orange water. I opened the spigot at the base of my water tank, which should be raw well water. This means I need to install a water softener I think. Why my well water went from being crystal clear in January to very orange/rusty in March is beyond me. However, when I first purchased the house last year, the water was pretty orange at first, which I attributed to the old tank and lack of use. Apparently, it isn't - it's just the way my well water is. Arggghhh!