Right up front, and to put your mind at ease, even high levels of iron in water are not harmful to your health. You simply couldn’t drink enough water for damage to occur.
On the other hand, iron is a corrosive element and, at high levels, can cause damage to your plumbing that can lead to these and other problems:
- Laundry stains
- Yellow or brown stains in sinks and tubs that can be difficult to remove
- Can prevent water from flowing in dishwashers, washing machines, water pumps, and more, and can require expensive repairs
- Can cause unpleasant tastes in your coffee, tea, food, or straight from the faucet
How Iron Gets in Your Water Supply
Iron is the most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust, making it a pervasive nuisance for well owners across the globe. Heavy rainfall percolating through the soil will dissolve iron, ushering iron deposits into the underground aquifers. As snow melts and seeps through the earth into groundwater supplies, it introduces iron into well water sources.
Iron can also enter your well water supply from exposure to rusty, corroded plumbing. Aged iron pipes and corroded iron fixtures will leave brown-colored flecks in your water and orange stains on your drains. Iron casings inside your well will begin to rust over time. When iron is exposed to oxygen and water, the iron begins to oxidize and deteriorate. This is because prolonged exposure to the elements causes iron to break down and convert into rust. This can be remedied by replacing the pipes running from your well. If your well is old and in disrepair, drilling a new well altogether can alleviate your iron woes.
How to Remove Iron from Well Water
Iron removal is often a complex process involving two or more methods applied simultaneously, and all depending on the type of iron that’s polluting your well water. Suffice it to say that our water treatment specialist will know exactly the best methods to apply once we’ve tested your water supply – a process that can reveal other common water pollutants, as well.
Are you noticing any of the symptoms of iron-polluted water that are mentioned above? Then contact Messmer Mechanical today for the solution, perfectly applied. We guarantee it.