Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Selecting a water softener system
• Method 2 of 3: Installing an oxidizing filter
• Method 3 of 3: Installing a reverse osmosis filter
• Tips

Besides hardness, high iron content in water is the most common problem faced by well owners. But with the right water filters, you can quickly and easily remove iron from well water. Some filters, such as water softeners, are ideal for removing minor traces of iron, while reverse osmosis filters are better suited for removing large amounts of minerals and pollutants. Choose the right filter for your well water to make it potable again.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Selecting a water softener system

1. 1 Check your well water to find the right filter. Before deciding how to purify the water, send the sample to a laboratory for analysis. This way you will find out what other harmful minerals are present in the water and can choose the most suitable cleaning system.
2. 2 Buy a water softener specifically designed to remove iron. Water softeners replace iron in water with other minerals, but leave more harmful substances like arsenic and sulfur as they are. If you have tested your well water and found other minerals in addition to iron, you may need to buy another filter.
3. 3 Avoid water softeners if you are on a low sodium diet. Water softeners replace iron minerals with sodium using salt. If a large amount of sodium is contraindicated for you at the moment, choose another cleaning method (for example, an oxidizing filter or a reverse osmosis system).
   • Because large amounts of sodium cannot be absorbed through the skin, water softeners can be safely used on a salt-free diet to purify water that is used in laundry or cleaning.
4. 4 Install water softener by yourself or call a professional for this. Each water softening system has its own characteristics. Some are simply attached to a pump or well valve and can therefore be installed without assistance. To install others, you will have to use the services of a professional. Read the instructions for your device model and, if you have any questions about how to install the system correctly, call a plumber or contact the specialists of the company from which you bought the filter for help.
5. 5 Use high purity salt in water softeners. When buying salt for a water softener, choose highly refined salts, such as evaporated and table salt. They leave less sediment in the tank of the device.
   • Some water softener salts are made specifically for water with a high iron content. Take a look at the label to find the right salt for your water.
6. 6 After installing the filtration system, check the water again. Once you have installed your water softener, send another sample to the laboratory for analysis. Check if there are any harmful minerals in the water that the filter could not remove.
   • If there are significant levels of harmful minerals in the water, you should choose a different filter.

Method 2 of 3: Installing an oxidizing filter

1. 1 Install an oxidizing filter to eliminate traces of iron and arsenic. Oxidizing filters are generally more efficient than water softeners and can remove harmful substances that are present in well water, including arsenic. If you want to remove traces of iron and arsenic from well water, install an oxidizing water filter.
   • Oxidizing filters can also remove the smell and taste of "rotten eggs" caused by hydrogen sulfide (sulfur).
   • If you have not tested well water for arsenic, we strongly recommend that you do so. High levels of arsenic are common in private wells.
2. 2 Call a plumber or water treatment company to install an oxidizing filter. Research local filter vendors and compare prices for well and home filters. Choose the most suitable price and contact the staff of the company to install a filter for you. If you would like to install the oxidation filter yourself, order it online or buy it from a hardware store. Make sure the filter is not difficult to install yourself.
   • If you bought an oxidation filter online, call a plumber to help with the installation.
3. 3 Be careful when handling the chlorine oxidizing filter. Some oxidizing filters require a harmful chemical such as chlorine to work. Carefully read the instructions for use of the filter to avoid adding too much chlorine to your drinking water. Never touch chlorine with bare hands and keep it away from children and pets.
   • Chlorine oxidizing filters disinfect water better than filters that do not use chlorine.
4. 4 After you install the oxidation filter, send a well water sample for analysis. After installing the oxidizing filter, send another water sample to the laboratory and compare the results of the analysis with the original. If the oxidizing filter fails to remove all harmful minerals, try a different cleaning system.
5. 5 Monitor the oxidizing filter regularly. Clean the oxidation filter according to the instructions for use to keep it in top condition. If at any point you start to doubt the filter's serviceability, send a sample of water to the nearest laboratory to make sure that the device is working properly.

Method 3 of 3: Installing a reverse osmosis filter

1. 1 Install a reverse osmosis filter to remove various minerals from the water. A reverse osmosis filter can remove traces of iron, manganese, salt, fluoride and lead. If many different minerals have been found in the water besides iron, install a reverse osmosis filter.
   • A reverse osmosis filter will also help remove traces of arsenic.
   • The disadvantage of such filters is that, in addition to harmful minerals, they also remove useful minerals from the water, such as calcium.
2. 2 Skip the reverse osmosis filter if you want an environmentally friendly filter. For every 3.8 liters of filtered water, 26–34 liters of water are discharged into the drain. If you care about the environment, it is better to install an oxidizing filter or water softener.
3. 3 Install a reverse osmosis filter or call a specialist for this. Like water softeners, reverse osmosis filters are also installed in different ways. Some of them you can install yourself. Carefully read the instructions for use and, if you still cannot figure it out, call a plumber or call the employees of the company from which you purchased the filter.
   • Reverse osmosis filters can be purchased at many home improvement stores or ordered online.
4. 4 Call a technician every one to two years for routine filter repairs. Of all types of filters, the reverse osmosis filter has to be repaired the least often. If it was installed correctly, then, in addition to a routine inspection every year or two, there is no need to repair it.Once a year, call the plumber or the employee of the company from which you purchased the filter to service the filter or if you notice a metallic or iron taste in the water.

Tips

• Before choosing an iron filter, check the well water for bacteria and minerals. This will allow you to select the most suitable filter and find out what harmful organisms or substances are present in the water.
• If the well water is also contaminated with bacteria in addition to iron, treat it with chlorine to make it drinkable again.