Bought first home with well. In over my head. Please help explain how my system works!!

[Kundec]

So me and my wife bought our first home and it has a well. I know very little about plumbing and wells. Today our water came out yellow in bathtub. I went down to look at our system and realized I have no idea what I’m looking at. The old owner left no manuals. Can someone with experience PLEASE just give me a basic rundown of how my system works so I can have an idea of what I’m looking at!

Here’s what I know: The well line looks like it comes in from the side of the foundation. There is a big tank with a pressure gauge that says 40psi and a Stenner pump with a toggle switch set to “off”. I turned switch to “on” and nothing happened. Attached to Stenner pump is a hose that goes to a jug of 35% hydrogen peroxide. Water line then runs across basement to kinetico water system with two tall tanks, two small tanks. And a tank for salt.

Questions- how does this system all work in simple terms? What’s the hydrogen peroxide for? Why is the Stenner pump turned off? Why did nothing happen when I turned it on? And what is a possible reason my water is yellow all the sudden? I’m worried I’m not taking the right steps to maintain this system

 

[Reach4]

I don't know all of the answers by any means, but I can help start.

Yellow would tend to mean a lot of iron. That should go with a strong taste. The peroxide (H2O2) would react with iron to turn into the ferric (rust) that can be filtered out.

Stenner pumps have a tube for the peristaltic pump that is typically replaced annually as preventive maintenance. It would be nice if that was the only reason.

The H2O2 is often followed by GAC, which can filter out the residual H2O2 and do mechanical filtering of the ferric iron.

The two big tanks are probably a softener. The small tanks could both be GAC maybe. Kintetico units are very expensive to buy and they don't encourage home repairs.

 

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[Valveman]

You have two systems. One is a pump system, the other is a water treatment system. If the water comes out yellow or bad in any way, the treatment system needs to be checked. If the water fails to come out, pulses, or hammers, the pump system needs help. Here is a video that explains how the pump system controlled by a pressure tank/pressure switch works.