| Iron is one of the most common elements
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| | backwashing iron filters used, depending
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| in the Earth's crust, so it is no
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| | on the type and quantity of iron, and the
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| surprise it finds it way into many home
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| | application. Some iron filters, such as
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| well waters. The maximum contaminant
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| | the greensand, pyrolox, and Birm filters
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| level (MCL) for iron set by the United
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| | use a type of manganese oxide media where
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| States Environmental Protection Agency is
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| | oxidation takes place right on the filter
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| 0.3 ppm. This can also be expressed as
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| | media as the water passes through it.
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| 0.3 milligrams per liter of water. In
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| | Some iron filters use air injection.
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| concentrations above 0.3 ppm, iron in
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| | Often these systems are used after the
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| water can cause staining of fixtures and
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| | water has been pretreated with aeration,
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| porcelain, ruin laundry, and make the
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| | chlorine or ozone. Birm iron filters work
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| water taste terrible.
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| | great for iron, but work less well on
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| Manganese is often found with iron in
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| | manganese, and cannot be used where the
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| well water. A bittersweet astringent
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| | water contains sulfur odors, chlorine or
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| taste is detectable at concentrations
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| | low pH.
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| above 0.5 ppm by many people. Manganese
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| | The role of pH is very important in iron
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| causes brown, black and/or tea-color
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| | treatment. Generally, if the pH of the
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| staining, and can impart an asphalt-like
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| | water is acidic (or less than 7.0), it
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| or oily taste, above .05 ppm. Some of the
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| | must be corrected with a special type of
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| same filters used for iron, are used for
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| | neutralizer filter ahead of the iron
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| manganese removal.
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| | filtration system. It is usually best to
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| If the right sets of conditions are
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| | test for pH right at the water source,
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| present, a whole house iron filter
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| | and not depend on laboratory analysis for
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| cartridge can be used in place of the
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| | pH, since in some cases the pH can raise
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| standard backwashing iron filters. These
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| | after sampling, giving false results.
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| iron filter cartridges cost less than a
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| | Water softening is sometimes used to
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| standard iron filter, but may cost more
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| | remove dissolved iron in low levels (less
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| over a period of a few years, because the
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| | than 2.0 ppm) although more commonly, we
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| cartridges need to be changed frequently.
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| | use iron filters in conjunction with
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| Since they do not require backwashing,
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| | water softening if the water is both
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| they are often used in situations where
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| | hard, and high in iron or manganese. Iron
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| there is a shortage of well water. They
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| | is generally not thought of as toxic,
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| are easier to install than backwashing
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| | although there are some studies that show
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| iron filters and do not require
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| | liver toxicity to men.
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| electricity to operate.
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| | A whole house iron filter cartridge
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| Iron and manganese are often found in a
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| | contains the same media found in
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| dissolved state in well waters, and so
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| | backwashing iron filters (such as Birm,
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| your well water may appear clear when
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| | greensand, pyrolox etc). Instead of
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| first drawn. Upon exposure to air, or
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| | backwashing and being regnerated, and
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| after the addition of oxidants (such as
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| | used over many years, the cartridge is
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| air, chlorine bleach or ozone), this
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| | used for a few months and disposed of.
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| clear ferrous iron is oxidized (rusted)
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| | These cartridges work best when the iron
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| to the ferric state to form insoluble
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| | in the water is less than 3.0 ppm and the
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| particles. A properly designed whole
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| | flow rate is less than 10 gallons per
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| house iron filter will remove both types
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| | minute. For best results, the water
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| of iron.
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| | should be chlorinated or aerated prior to
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| After oxidation or exposure to air, the
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| | the whole house filter. If the water
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| water then looks orange or yellow. If
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| | comes from a storage tank or cistern then
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| manganese is present, the water may turn
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| | no further aeration is required. While
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| brown or black. This can happen in toilet
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| | the filters do remove low levels of
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| flush tanks and in the washing machine or
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| | hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten egg odor)
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| dishwasher.
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| | generally it is not a good idea to use
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| Iron is usually treated with automatic
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| | these cartridges filters if sulfur odor
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| backwashing (self-cleaning) iron filters,
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| | is present.
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| which can remove both dissolved and
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| | While whole house iron filter cartridges
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| oxidized iron compounds. If sulfur odor
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| | are a good choice for many on low flow
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| is present along with iron, typically
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| | applications such as summer homes,
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| chlorine or ozone is fed ahead of an iron
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| | cottages or mobile homes, they do not
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| filter. In some cases, a backwashing
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| | replace a well-designed backwashing iron
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| self-cleaning sediment filter can be used
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| | filter. Over a five year period for
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| in place of an iron filter, if all the
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| | instance, a backwashing iron filter,
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| iron and manganese has been oxidized to a
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| | which may cost $800 up front, will
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| solid state after the chlorination, ozone
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| | usually cost less than purchasing a
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| injection or air injection process.
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| | replacement iron filter cartridge every
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| There are several different types of
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| | few months for $80 to $100.
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