It's something I should have done years ago. Ever since the well system was changed from a jet pump to a submerged pump 10 years ago I've been getting some sand/dirt coming in. It's all new, installed 2 days ago so I don't know how often I'll need to attend to the filter. What I wonder is what do others do when they need attention... do you clean them or replace them each time? The system installed has a bypass, so I could run the filter under a hose outside or basement sink inside to clean it off.

 

I installed a sediment tank to catch anything heavier than water followed by a filter change approximately 2 x / year and drain the sediment tank bottom off about once / year. The filter change frequency will certainly vary from well system to system. The filters I use are not washable.
I can say with certainty any of that well debris must be kept from entering the washing machine water valve.

 

Would help immensely if you could tell us what type of filter you installed and what type of filter media your using!

 

It's a Viqua model AWP40C-V. The filter appears to be similar to a vehicle air cleaner, white corrugated material. And yes re: the washing machine water valve - once it was so bad the tub filled up with water since the valve couldn't shut completely due to the sediment. That reminds me I should clean the filter. Several years ago I installed shut off valves to the washing machine because of that. Probably a good idea not to have water in the hoses when it's not running anyway.

 

So it looks to be similar to my Big Blue whole hose filters. I have 2, one for the house and one for the GEO heat.

I get a little sediment, maybe a half a teaspoon every time I change my filters which I do every 3 months, mainly they help remove visible rust.

You are going to have to pick a time period and filter size and experiment.

If sediment is the main issue Id start with 20 micron filters, anything smaller will simply get plugged up fast and then your water flow will suffer.

They make washable filters, pleated filters, and polypropylene.

I use the polypropylene since they are the cheapest and I'm not going to waste my time cleaning those slimy used filter.

 

I have an AP102 whole house filter. It uses two 5 micron AP110 filters. The filters are not reusable. They are great at removing sand and grit from the well. We get very little debris in the faucet filters. I probably change them a couple of times a year.

I shocked my well two weeks ago and ran quite a bit of water through the house plumbing to flush the chlorine. When I finished I replaced the filters. They had a 1/4" coating of sand/mud and iron and we were still getting flow through the fixtures.

 

Then I should forget about considering washing the filters. I'll do some research what's available locally and online. Others have said 3 months is a common time period to change the filter - since this is all new to me time will tell.

 

It's just something your going to have to try, is the existing filter washable?

As noted I have never tried one, when my filters come out they are totally infused with dirt, rust, slime, crud. I just toss them into the fire pit!

 

I'll need to see if the existing filter is washable. It's already showing slight signs of filtration (dirty) after just a couple days.

Interesting you mention rust - maybe that's a fringe benefit I wasn't aware of. The bathtub caulking has discoloration due to rust, or what appears to be rust color.

 

If your filter is appearing dirty that means it's doing it's job. Mine turn completely brown within a couple of days.

Your filter housing will probably accept any 4"X10" filter. They are reasonably cheap and readily available on line so you might try a tighter filter next time to see if it has a noticeable effect on flow rate and longevity.

You might consider getting your well water tested. Iron in water can be removed but a whole house filter won't solve an iron problem.

 

[QUOTE] a whole house filter won't solve an iron problem.[/QUOTE

Partially true, there are 2 types soluble and un soluble. Filters will remove the un soluble but wont touch the soluble!

 

Yes the filter already appears quite affective - and reveals what was coming out of the faucets all these years. More than I thought. I should have asked the plumbing guys to bring back a water sample to their shop as they do testing there.

The same 'rust' - or slight rust color will appear around the bathroom sink within several days - but not to the extent around the bathtub. So there is something in the water, soluble or un soluble. I heard of those terms applying to consumable fiber, but never iron!

 

This replacement filter (the one for my model) claims to also be effective for rust - they mean iron?

 

I think that is a 5 micron filter but you'll notice the verbiage attached "effectively tackle rust, sediment, and dirt." I'm not sure what that means but it doesn't mention removing or filtering of iron. In fact it doesn't mention iron at all. As Marq said, it will intercept some iron chunks but it will have little if any impact on soluble iron. There are several types of iron found in well water - and there are several systems available to remove them.

I had my well tested in July. The pre filter iron level (hose bib closest to the well) was .07 mg/L. At the kitchen sink downstream from the filter it was .07 mg/L. Recommended level in our area is 0.3 mg/L. Our water is well within suggested (not mandated by the state/EPA) level yet my filter is brown just a couple of days after changing. If we are away for more than a few days we have to run the water until the brown goes away.

If you decide to get your water tested get it done at a certified lab. There may be a conflict of interest if you get it down by the same guy that's going to want to sell you a fix for your problem. The plumber that installed my well tank wanted to get the water tested by a company that sells water softeners and filters. I went elsewhere.

 

For reference the filters i just purchased were $4 each, filters are not the total solution and many other options exist to provide clean water, it's not voodoo but there are ways to do it cheap or do it expensive!

s as many will attest, just simple step by step solutions.

 

Right - I wish they could elaborate on 'effectively tackle'. That would be nice if there was some kind of DIY or home water testing kit. As mentioned... the response from a particular service could be biased toward their own products. Right now I'm not in a position to add anything else to the cost of the filter system. At some point I would like to get the water tested. This (good/informative) thread now has me wondering about the results. I had the water tested 35 years ago when I bought the house. If I recall nothing alarming or any requirement for any treatment. But could things change?

Wow what an elaborate setup in the photo! Just a bit (yeah right!) more complicated than mine. And before last week - mine was just a pump in the well, pressure switch and holding tank. In new houses do they now use PVC for a well water system?

 

I am providing this link as a alternate idea for particles/dirt/sand in the water.
These filters are easy to clean, you do not have to replace the filter, just open the drain and flush the sediment away. I installed one of these ahead of the paper filter for my new house.
Spin filters are high volume and high pressure compared to paper/media which can lower pressure.
Most you can order with different size filters.

https://www.amazon.com/Rusco-Vu-Flow.../dp/B018HFRYXA

 

You can buy test kits on line for various water contaminants. Google water quality test strips. You can get them for most of the common things found in wells including iron and bacteria. They are DIY and results are available almost instantly.

I'm using a 5 in 1 from Aqua Tech that cost $20. The kit (litmus strips) tests for chlorines, hardness, PH and alkalinity. I shocked my well a couple of weeks ago and have been using them to monitor chlorine levels. After the chlorine was gone I had my well tested again.

However, if you have never had your well water tested you might consider having it done by a lab. In my area a standard spectrum test including radon runs about $150.

 

The alternate system in the link looks like that would have been what I needed. I'll just have to observe how this does and have filters on hand. The reason I considered cleaning the filter was because it appears to be similar to the pool filter I used to have. The procedure was to take it out and clean it with a hose. After a few years it should then be replaced. I know we're talking an entirely different system here.

I'll check online for test kits. I'll also see if I saved the well water report from 35 years ago - probably not.

 

You might want to look at that spin down filter, it's for irrigation systems, the micron screen is equivalent a 100 micron, it's not the same as a whole house filer set up.

 

Your copper pipes and well water are a possible disaster in the making, The Ph of the well water eats away over time at the copper and causes leaks. If you do not have a acid neutralizing filter, you should check the Ph of the water and consider adding such a device. They are expensive and can save a much greater expense.

 

From personal experience I can say the spin down filters are not effective at removing fine sediment. Wast of money for this purpose.

 

Some wells are acidic and some are alkaline. My well is slightly alkaline and about half the house supply plumbing is copper. We have no issues with corrosion.

 

COPIED: Sediment - matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

My home made definition is, matter that has a specific gravity greater than, in this instance , water.

A repurposed electric water heater tank has all the connections to make a sediment tank for well water. The whole house filters will take care of the remainder of the non-sedimentary matter to the point of the micron you choose.

In my opinion, better than a re- cycled electric water tank is a gas hot water tank because of the taller height. Those also have all the necessary connections to make a sediment tank. The one I made has been in service for about 35 years.

 

As far as I know the copper pipes in my house are also holding up after 66 years. The situation I see at times is with the galvanized drain pipes for the bathtub. I believe they're getting some buildup inside. Every so often I'll need to snake out the drain. Over the last few years I've replaced the original caps with plastic. The original galvanized caps were very hard to remove.

Most of my town has city water, but it's not available on my street. Sometimes I wish it was. But on the occasions I do drink city water I can tell that it's not like my well water, which I prefer.

 

I too prefer my well water. We just spent a year in temporary housing and the house we were renting had city water. Neither of us could drink it. Even my wife's cats refused to drink it. I think they didn't care for the chlorine in the water.

 

Congratulations on getting 66 years, and counting, out of your copper piping. A few years back when I was concerned about the average life of my copper pipes, most sites suggested 35 years as a maximum.

The photo you attached showing your new filter also showed rather shiny pipes. Are those part of the original piping?

 

Maybe I'm lucky with my water quality. I should get it tested at some point. Those pipes in the photo are quite new, installed less than 2 weeks ago. The rest of the well system piping is 10 years old. I replaced the silcock outside a few weeks ago - so not all the piping is original.

One technique I learned here was to apply teflon tape AND pipe dope on the threads. I know the Sharkbite (actually a different brand) isn't good to have - but at least I was able to de-couple the threaded adapter assembly I soldered so I could remove the original silcock. Not with the Sharkbite removal 'tool' which was a waste of money IMO, I found using an adjustable wrench easier.

 

There is nothing wrong with using a SharkBite fitting. I have probably a dozen in my basement in both copper and PEX and I have never had one leak. They got a bad rap (undeserved) early on mostly because they failed not because of a design flaw but because they were not being installed correctly. Ten or fifteen years ago there was a lot of anti SharkBite posting here. Not so much anymore. I think cost is the only real negative to using SharkBites.

 

I've also had good luck with Sharkbite or other brands with the similar product. For 10 years they held out ok on the well system when it was changed from a jet pump to a submerged pump. I honestly thought nothing of it since they were new to me then. I didn't realize they've been around 15 or so years.

They almost seem too good to be true. That one in the photo showing the silcock connection was disconnected and reconnected 3 times in the last 4 years. It took a bit to disconnect it, partly because it just wasn't that easy to get to. If you've got 12 or so years with no trouble, that's encouraging.

One area I do see copper deterioration is with 2 shut off valves. I don't dare touch them - I doubt they'd move anyway. I do wish I mastered soldering. I've soldered electronics since I was a kid. I'll admit my first attempt at soldering that threaded adapter in 2016 on the pipe shown wasn't successful. The second one was - then go figure it leaked at the easy part - the threads. That's where the Sharkbite was great - disconnected it and put more layers of teflon tape. Still had one of those annoying slow leaks - where you see a drip after 20 minutes. Third disconnect of the assembly and applied pipe dope which stopped the leak. It appears they used pipe dope on the new filter system fittings.

 

Well, to each their own, but I would never use them primarily because they are expensive, it's a mechanical joint and anything mechanical can fail.

Soldered fittings are the holy grail, and you probably anticipate, I would never put PEX in my house, it's not better, it's cheaper, just like the Polybutylene piping was the rage back in the 90's!

 

I researched Polybutylene piping. Wow, someone buying a house needs to check if that was installed! I see it was actually banned in the mid 90s. Soldered copper pipes are certainly ideal. I wish I had more experience with plumbing soldering techniques. Maybe there is a way to practice - not too expensively.

An unrelated topic question - I did look in the forum before asking this: How do you quote another post?

 

Steve - Soldering copper pipe is really easy. When I did our addition I did all the plumbing myself (2 bathrooms). I went to the local hardware store, bought a torch, a bunch of fittings, solder and a couple of tools along with a DIY book on plumbing.

I used the cheap (then) fittings and pieces of pipe to practice soldering. I made a couple of mockups with many joints and then hydro tested them. After that it was easy. I'm not a plumber, but I have more than 30 years of static O ring experience in high pressure systems and I know how reliable a properly designed and assembled O ring joint can be.

That said, I don't think I will ever use copper again for a number of reasons. It's more expensive than PEX, is more prone to freezing and joint failure and more difficult to install. Just a guess but I think a correctly assembled SharkBite fitting might be as reliable and have more longevity than sweated copper.

In the end though it's probably another Ford vs Chevy argument.

 

Again, to each their own. but remember those O-rings in that fitting were sourced to the cheapest China supplier and I have replaced a lot of O-rings on less critical parts that were less than 70-80 years (google estimate, not mine) copper systems can last!

I like to sleep worry free at night!

 

I got lots of worries that keep me up at night. Plumbing leaks is not one of them.

However, in the last couple of months I have had 5-6 plumbing leaks. All of them mechanical joints assembled by the same contracted plumber. Prior to that I can only remember two leaks in the 35+ years we've owned this house.

 

CW - (sorry I don't know your name, but we're in the same state!) Soldering all the connections in the bathroom projects yourself I'll bet saved you considerable money. I respect plumbers and those that can do a plumber's work as you and Marq1 have. Practicing probably won't break the bank, I don't anticipate many new projects but as mentioned repairs could be needed. When my late father in law installed the dishwasher in 1993 I wish I watched him solder. A part of that leaked a couple years ago and it was big bucks to have a plumber repair it. At least I got a shut off valve specifically for the dishwasher out of the deal. I did learn basic framing carpentry from my father in and benefitted from that.

Sorry to hear about your leaks. I've also been in my house 35+ years.

And Marq1 - please tell me how to quote!