Hard Water / Galvanized Piping...

[NorPlan]

We draw from a Well and have been in our present home going on 7 yrs now..The Quality of the Water has always been an issue from day one.. Hard Water & Rust Stains if not treated....But each and everytime with Preventive Systems in place I've taken Samples to the local Health Office and I do that quarterly, the results comeback 0/0 each time..Let me give some History from move in day..There was a Potasium Water Treatment system (Rental) that came with the House, was always on the phone having a different tech come out to analyze and attempt to set unit to run correctly...Never happened, had Culligan remove their equipment...We now have a UV Light installed and a Water Softener, we use the Windsor Rust Remover Salt...Plus a Reverse Osmosis system tied into the kitchen Sink @ the Cold Water.....Things were moving along fine then we had issues with the Hot Water tank...Had it replaced but now if we go away for a week or more , once were back and turn on the Hot Water to run a bath ..A black charcoal kinda film comes out, we pretty much have to run the hot water until the tank is drained and it's only cold water coming before it clears out..Why is That ?? With previous tank we never had this issue after being away for a few days and things sitting idle...

Sorry for the long winded drivel, my last Query...Galvanized Piping...The Well goes down approximately 17ft. Starting from a Sandpoint connected to a Galvanized Pipe running vertically to the elbow and from there it's the 2" PVC or Rubber Hose to the House...The House was originally built back in 1973 I'm not sure just how old the Sandpoint is or the Galvanized Pipe..My question is , How long is the Pipe good For ?? The Water Table is very high around here, never any shortage either......Thanks

 

[speedbump]

The only thing I could think of that would be black is sulphur. "Hydrogen Sulfide". It coats pipes (especially galvanized) and breaks off now and them. It also smells like rotten eggs if it's very concentrated.

Why the UV light? Do you have harmful bacteria?

Does the softener take care of the iron?

 

[NorPlan]

Why the UV light? Do you have harmful bacteria?

Does the softener take care of the iron?

. Above the 49th, the usual 1st line of Defense is a UV Light when Pumping from a Well, which is setup before the Pump...

The Softener is the Plus Model designed to take care of the Iron and remove the Rust ie: Ring around the Toilet Bowl & Bathtub..lol..

 

[speedbump]

Above the 49th, the usual 1st line of Defense is a UV Light when Pumping from a Well, which is setup before the Pump...

The Softener is the Plus Model designed to take care of the Iron and remove the Rust ie: Ring around the Toilet Bowl & Bathtub..lol.

You said you have the water tested and it's 0/0. I'm not sure what that means, but health departments generally test for lead, bacteria, nitrates and nitrites. If your tests come back zero, I see no need for spending money on a UV light.

Softeners do take out some iron. Not all and even with the iron out salt, the media will plug much sooner than if you had a good iron filter in front of the softener.

You asked how long the galvanized pipe will last. Here in Florida where I am, wells 20' and less have very acidic water. The PH is around 5.5. It will eat through galvanized pipe in approximately 35 years. Since you have hardness, iron and sulfur, your PH should be in the 7 range, so your pipe should last a long time. It's the screen I would be worried about. They do plug up.

 

[NorPlan]

You said you have the water tested and it's 0/0. I'm not sure what that means, but health departments generally test for lead, bacteria, nitrates and nitrites. If your tests come back zero, I see no need for spending money on a UV light.
.

The water quality is wide spread throughout the area...The UV Light seems to be accepted as an added precaution if you will to kill off bacteria whether you use a Water Treatment system or Water Softener..Kinda like guaranteed back up...As for the Black charcoal like build up in the Hot Water Tank , I guess just draining from the tank till it runs clear about every 2 months or so should do it..

0 Coli / 0 E. coli ....

Cheers

 

[SHR]

now if we go away for a week or more , once were back and turn on the Hot Water to run a bath ..A black charcoal kinda film comes out, we pretty much have to run the hot water until the tank is drained and it's only cold water coming before it clears out..Why is That ?? With previous tank we never had this issue after being away for a few days and things sitting idle...

The black film is a common result of flexible braided stainless steel hoses being used to connect the water heater. The material inside often disintegrates and a gross black film is the result. The "SharkBite" brand water heater hoses Home Depot sells are known for this problem. If you have them, disconnect them and return them to the store for a refund. If you have the water heater connected with metal pipe some of the other posters suggestions may help. Good luck!

 

[speedbump]

The black film is a common result of flexible braided stainless steel hoses being used to connect the water heater. The material inside often disintegrates and a gross black film is the result. The "SharkBite" brand water heater hoses Home Depot sells are known for this problem.

That's good to know. Thanks...

 

[NorPlan]

The black film is a common result of flexible braided stainless steel hoses being used to connect the water heater. The material inside often disintegrates and a gross black film is the result. The "SharkBite" brand water heater hoses Home Depot sells are known for this problem. If you have them, disconnect them and return them to the store for a refund. If you have the water heater connected with metal pipe some of the other posters suggestions may help. Good luck!

The HW Tank is connected with copper pipe..Changing from a Water Treatment System to a HD+Softener with the same HW Tank..Then with new HW Tank, coming home after being out week or more ...Issues with the Black Charcoal like film, I was wondering if somehow the design of the new tank internally was reason why ??