Sediment Filter for well water.

[Steve7878]

Need some advice please. Cant make up my mind what micron filter I need .

Getting ready to install a Pentex water filter that has a 4.5" x 20" filter.

This is a small 2 bed rental property I own. Have owned 15 years and seems to be a very good well. Never runs dry even in drought conditions. Water very clear to the eye and taste good. No trace of any smell or iron stains on fixtures.

No problems for 15 years. Except I do notice faucet aerators clog and I can or replace about every 2 years.
Pex with brass fittings installed 15 years ago. Have had just two pex fitting corrode 2 years ago. These also were a off brand fitting. I was going to replace all of the brass pex fitting with the poloy ones. But inspected a few others and they seem to look fine. Of course will use the poloy ones on any new fittings I need.

My question is what micron size filter should I use. 20, 30, or 50 microns?
For less maintenance I am looking to only have to change the filter every 1 or 2 years.

Has been fine with no complaints for 15 years. But I consider this a cheap upgrade. And assume it will take care of aerators clogging. I maybe might help the brass pex fittings.

Appreciate any advice.
Thanks

 

[LLigetfa]

Many aerators have a screen to trap anything coarse and those can easily be cleaned. That should give you a clue as to how fine the sediment is. Maybe your aerators are clogging from hard water mineral deposits? That would not be mitigated by any filter.

As for what micron filter, that will have to be trial and error. There is no magic (Carnac the Magnificent is fiction) that will tell us what is in your water and how quickly it will clog the filter.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Pentex water filter

I presume you mean Pentair.

I expect that 50, or even 100, micron filter would stop sediment that might clog an aerator.

I suggest that adding a pressure gauge after the cartridge filter would let you gauge how clogged the filter element became. When you change filters, have a spare o-ring handy, or have a 3-valve bypass around the filter. Otherwise, an o-ring that will not go back into service during a cartridge change could leave you without water. Always lightly lube the o-ring with silicone grease. I use Molykote 111, but there are smaller packages available that should be good for several changes. https://www.danco.com/product/0-5-oz-silicone-faucet-grease/

 

[LLigetfa]

BTW, I have recently had to clean out all of my aerators of hard water deposits using an acid descaler. Disintegrating softener beads were also ending up in the aerators. I have both an iron filter and a water softener so there is no sediment from the well clogging the aerators. A back washing iron filter does a good job of removing sediment that may be present in the water. The softener was 20 years old and unable to supply consistent soft water, hence the mineral deposits.

Both the iron filter and the water softener were recently replaced so I don't expect to have clogged aerators anymore.

 

[Druid]

If something is corroding brass fittings and clogging aerators where they would need to be replaced, I don't think you're going to fix it with a filter.

 

[Steve7878]

Thanks everyone.
Think I will start with a 20 micron and do the trail and error. i do realize there is a possibility that the filter will not accomplish much. Just seems like a good idea for a well. Even if it seems like I am lucky to have a good one compared to most in my area.
The other thing I should have mentioned. Is I seem to get a normal amount of time out of a shower head. About 10 years without replacing. So leads me to believe it is not to bad.

 

[Reach4]

A sediment filter is a good idea on a well. I think a sediment filter is a good idea on city water.

I do think sanitizing on a well is a good idea.

 

[ditttohead]

https://www.bigclassaction.com/articles/zurn-pex-plumbing/zurn-pex-time-bomb-behind-walls-10673.html

An old article on the brass pex fittings that were a problem years ago.

As to a sediment filter, a simple Hydra may be the ticket.