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How To Remove Rust From Water
Imagine seeing that flow of yellowish or brownish rusty water coming from your faucet. Or maybe you’re starting to see brownish and reddish rings in your sinks or toilet bowls. It doesn’t make a pleasing sight and also doesn’t provide a pleasant odor. It’s a major problem for plumbing fixtures and if you are faced with this inconvenience, this is the article for you.
Rusty water, more than just being an eyesore and a source of unpleasant smell, also doesn’t taste good. Although of course, by just the sight and smell, you wouldn’t even bother to give it a taste.
The trouble here is when the water coming from your tap is rusty, it’s still an inconvenience even when you don’t use the water for drinking. Although it’s common practice not to use tap water for drinking, it is used for everything else that requires water such as bathing and doing the laundry.
However, there is, of course, a way to make your tap water just as good as bottled water. By the end of this article, you will know just how to achieve this.
Why Is There Rust In My Water?
Before we even get to know how to remove rust (iron oxide) from your water supply, it is essential to understand how rust gets into the water in the first place. You can better solve the issue by first identifying where the rust origin is.
Otherwise, you could have done expensive plumbing work only to have rusty water coming out of your tap. Rusty water may come from two sources: water mains or residential plumbing.
How To Know Where Rust Is Coming From
You can identify where rust is coming from by running an outside tap to fill a clear container. If the water has rust or is discolored, then the problem comes from the water mains. However, if the water is free of rust, the problem is coming from your residential plumbing.
For that reason, it is necessary to know the source of rust as you could have your residential plumbing treated, replaced, flushed, or repaired when the rust comes from the water mains.
Knowing the source allows you to save yourself from unnecessary expenses. Moreover, it narrows down your options to ideal solutions.
Types of Iron In Water
Another thing you have to know before knowing how to remove rust from water are the two types of iron in the water: Ferric Iron and Ferrous Iron.
Ferric Iron
The difference between the two is that ferric iron is insoluble in water, and ferrous iron is soluble. Ferric iron, because of its nature, can be removed by mechanical water filters. Meanwhile, ferrous iron is a whole different story.
Ferrous Iron
Dissolved ferrous iron makes the water have a metallic taste. Because ferrous iron is not oxidized, it still has to be oxidized for it to be removed. It means that it can pass through many of the water filters that are on the market. Ferrous iron is not a common occurrence but it helps to know that if your water does have ferrous iron, you need a special type of water filter to remove iron.
How to Remove Rust from Your Water Supply
There are a couple of ways on how you can remove rust from your drinking water. With this article, we will share with you the best method on how to do it. As you have already learned, rust can either come from the water mains, water plumbing system, or both.
Residential Plumbing Issue
If the problem is with your residential plumbing, you can contact a certified plumber to help you out with the issue. Look for a company with a good business record so you can be sure of quality work.
Water Mains Issue
If the problem stems from the water mains, this is beyond your control. You can’t fix the problem by changing, treating, or flushing your residential plumbing. As the rusty water comes from the water mains, your water will remain to have rust no matter what you do with your plumbing.
If this is the case, here are solutions to removing rust coming from water mains:
Eliminate Rust from Your Drinking Water with Filtration System
Whole house water filters are ideal solutions to getting rid of rust and other harmful contaminants from the city or well water. As the name suggests, these are whole-home solutions to ensure that the water that comes into your home is clean and safe. It’s not necessary to use a hydrogen peroxide system if you use a whole house water filtration system.
If you have an issue with rust (or iron) as well as hydrogen sulfide gas, a whole house water filtration system can remove both of these, just as a hydrogen peroxide system does. However, a whole house filtration system may be more cost effective.
The great thing about a whole house water filtration system is that it brings convenience to the highest level. The filter will act as a safeguard for your home so that water coming from every water outlet inside the house goes through the filtration process.
It means that water coming from every faucet, shower, and all other outlets is safe and clean. You will be free from any adverse health impacts of rusty water from drinking and bathing with it.
Is Rusty Water Dangerous to Drink?
According to Berkeley Wellness, rusty water is not a health concern. However, this is only true if there are only small amounts of rust and the water pipes are clean. According to Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa, consuming large quantities of rusty water can result in:
- Diarrhea
- Stomach ache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Liver Failure
- Major cardiovascular complications
- Increased heart rate and weak, erratic pulse
While it is unlikely for someone to ingest too much iron from tap water, people with hemochromatosis are vulnerable even to small amounts of rust in water. Hemochromatosis, also called “iron overload,” is a rare disorder wherein there is a build-up of too much iron in the body.
Moreover, rusty water is also not good for your hair as it causes it to become dry and have brittle, split ends. It can also affect the color of your hair as the rust can cause it to become brassy.
So, as you can see, there’s more to rusty water than just the dangers of ingesting it.
How To Remove The Brownish and Reddish Rings From My Fixtures
The safest way is also one of the least expensive:
- empty the sink or toilet or bathtub you need to clean
- fill it with white vinegar
- leave it for several hours
- get rid of rust stains
If the vinegar method doesn’t work, you may need to go to a chemical rust remover product.
Water Filters That Remove Rust From Water
For water filters, remember that specific water filters or iron filters are required for removing iron particles from the water. You can narrow down your search by also looking for products from reputable companies.
Look for companies that specialize in whole house water filters and have filters able to remove ferrous iron along with other hard to remove contaminants. AquaOx Water Filters also work with water softeners. Using a water softener can also help remove iron from water, particularly if you have a well water plumbing system.
You never again have to see rusty water in your home. Equip your abode with a whole house water filter. It’s all you need for clean, safe, and rust-free water. Find the best one for your house today. See more here https://www.aquaoxwaterfilters.com/product/aquaox/.
