Do you have excessive amounts of iron in your water supply? Schedule a service appointment with Iron Mountain Plumbing.
Does a water softener remove iron? Discover the answer and more in this helpful guide. We’ll discuss the importance of keeping iron out of your water, how effective water softeners are at removing iron, and the best ways to take iron out for the cleanest, healthiest water supply.
After reading about water softeners and iron, contact our professionals at Iron Mountain Plumbing to install a water softener in St. George, Utah. You’ll love our simple installation process, personable staff, and excellent customer service!
Why You Should Remove Iron From Your Water
Although we need iron in our bodies, it isn’t good to have iron in your water supply (even in small amounts). First, iron significantly affects your water’s taste, making cooking, drinking, and brushing your teeth unenjoyable with its noticeably bad taste. It also will turn your water an unappealing brown color, decreasing its appeal.
Any amount of iron can also start the unhealthy breeding of bacteria in your water, impacting its odor and potentially leading to gross growth behind your toilet. Finally, your plumbing and pipes may start to decline as the iron sticks and cause major clogs. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to invest in a solution that will effectively remove your water’s iron, helping you have better-tasting, healthier water and save money in the long run.
The Two Main Types of Iron
You’ll find two primary types of water in your supply:
- Ferric Iron: Ferric, or red water iron, is an iron that you can see but doesn’t dissolve.
- Ferrous Iron: Ferrous, or clear water iron, does dissolve, and you can’t see it.
Removing both types of iron is essential for having water that’s better to drink and use and protecting your property, pipes, and plumbing.
Are Water Softeners Good for Removing Iron?
Some homes contain hard water and large amounts of iron, giving the water softener an impossible job of filtering out iron effectively and preserving the lifespan of the resin bed. The resin bed frequently collects iron, resulting in a degraded system and the need for frequent replacements. You may also need iron cleaner solutions.
Does a water softener remove iron? Yes, but it doesn’t remove all of it, leading to obvious staining and taste concerns. While water softeners use an ion exchange process to remove minerals like calcium and magnesium, you’ll need additional support to address and take out iron.
You still can use a water softener but should consider a water softener and iron removal combo, such as a softener with an iron filter. You also could invest in a water filtration system that can remove even the smallest amounts of iron, improving your water quality, taste, and smell.
Methods for Removing Iron From Your Water
Two excellent tips for removing iron from water are adding iron filters to your water softener and bringing your water’s pH slightly above or at neutral conditions. You can take it a step further and pair your water softener with a water filtration system for the most effective results.
Iron Filters
Iron filters are especially essential for water treatment systems, including softeners. A high-quality iron filter can supplement your softener system and could end up removing other bacteria in the process. They could use reverse osmosis, aeration, or a combination of various techniques to keep iron out of the supply and help you preserve your water softener system.
Treating Low pH
Water with a low pH (less than 7) is acidic, while 7 is neutral, and 8+ is alkaline. When water has too high of a pH, dissolvable iron will become ferric iron, making it much harder to filter out. However, low-pH water allows iron to dissolve easily, also creating an issue for effective removal.
Ideally, a pH of 7 to 8.5 is best for removing iron from a water supply. You’ll need to make some changes to your water’s pH before you can employ iron removal methods. One of the best ways to address low pH is to add sodium carbonate, which increases sodium and pH.
Working with a water treatment professional can help you tackle any pH issues and then move on to getting rid of iron, bacteria, and other contaminants. If you’re not sure where to begin or what products to purchase, it’s best to give them a call. Not only will they make recommendations based on your current situation, but they could also offer water treatment installation services and budget-friendly prices.
Water Filtration Systems and Softeners: The Best Solutions
Two of the top solutions for removing iron from your water is a combination of the following:
- Water filtration systems: Some plumbers will install whole-home filtration systems that filter out various contaminants and create better-tasting and smelling water with fewer bacteria and chemicals. Using this with a softener is a wise choice.
- Water softeners: Softeners address hard water by removing minerals like magnesium and calcium. If hard water is your only issue, this is the product for you. However, it’s simply not enough to address iron problems or remove it properly.
Although you might know about purchasing and maintaining a water softener, you may feel unfamiliar with water filtration systems. Fortunately, you can obtain a filtration system to support your softener, getting the best of both worlds and the most effective results from quality systems.
Schedule a consultation appointment to have a professional examine and test your water supply is an excellent place to start.
Let Iron Mountain Plumbing Improve Your Property's Water Quality
Now that we’ve covered “Does a water softener remove iron?” you can work with our trusted professionals and increase the water quality of your property in Cedar Valley, UT, or the surrounding areas. We can recommend filtration and softener systems for your needs.
If your water softener isn’t working properly or you’re tired of gross-tasting or brown water, contact Iron Mountain Plumbing for a water softener consultation appointment. Water softeners save you money, create cleaner water, and protect your plumbing. Call us today at (435) 422-4667 or book services online!
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