Dear Kaile,
I am so frustrated, and I hardly know where to start. I recently noticed that my well water has less pressure, has taken on an odor, I have stains in my drains, but most importantly, my laundry is coming out of the washer with subtle (but noticeable) spots. Where is this problem originating? Please help!
Signed, Frustrated
A:
Dear Frustrated,
Let’s start with your water pressure issue. Not knowing the age of your well, I would suspect that your pump is the cause of your pressure issue. The life of most pumps is 10 to 20 years, but may vary. A good working system will typically maintain 40 to 60 psi.
Before I address your other issues, let me give you a little information about well locations. A well should be located as close to the house as possible, but as far away from any septic disposal system as practical (preferably uphill from it — municipalities will have minimum requirements for said separation). Make sure your well remains securely covered at all times.
Now, please have your water analyzed immediately by a reputable testing laboratory. Cloudy water, strong tastes and/or odors or hard-to-clean stains on sinks, bathtubs and laundry require immediate action. Your health department can provide you with the names of qualified testing labs. And it is important to note that well water once tested safe, may not always remain so.
Once you receive the findings from your lab testing, you may, in all likelihood, need to consider a water purification system. There are more than 500 manufacturers of purification systems. However, the majority of these filtration devices fall into one of the following three categories:
• Activated carbon treatment systems — these work by trapping certain contaminants (including many volatile organic chemicals and industrial solvents, as well as lead and certain pesticides) in charcoal filters.
• Distillation systems — these devices operate by heating water into steam and then cooling the steam until it condenses back to water, leaving volatile and non-volatile chemical contaminants behind. These systems also remove heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, iron and lead, as well as arsenic, nitrates and sulfates. Used with a charcoal filter, distillation systems produce the purest water possible.
• Reverse-osmosis (R-O) — these devices force water through a membrane that filters out impurities. They are used in removing arsenic, chlorine, cadmium, chromium, iron, lead, nitrates, radium and sulfates, as well as certain parasites.
I highly recommend that all the systems mentioned above be professionally installed. Always remember that any system installed must be maintained. The issue of well water quality is one that requires consistent monitoring by all homeowners. In general, well water quality is on the decline, but it can be managed.
Kaile Warren of Windham is CEO/Founder of the national handyman franchise Rent-A-Husband. Kaile is also a national home improvement expert for the CBS Early Show, HGTV and Parade Magazine. When not on the road or working he spends his time teaching his newly adopted white shepherd, Maintenance, how-to ... Send your questions for Kaile to editor@themaineswitch.com.