Our Well Water Odor Drives My Wife Crazy

Sometimes our well water smells bad, like rotten-eggs. I can only barely notice it, but it drives my wife crazy.  I would not call the problem severe, and I definitely do not want to mess around with chlorine or chemicals. I am looking for an aeration system, or maybe just a simple whole house filter. What can you tell me?

Bill T
Springfield, MO


Dear Bill,

I understand, my wife has a much better sense of smell than me as well.

For this type of situation a single tank Air-Charger Sulfur filter is a good fit.   This iron filter uses air injection and does not require any chemicals.   Besides removing well water odor, it also filters sediment and rust.

This type of sulfur filter maintains an “air pocket” in the top of the tank while the system is in service. As the water passes thru the air pocket, iron and sulfur are oxidized. Additionally, dissolved oxygen is added to the water. The filter media bed is comprised of a type of high quality catalytic activated carbon and KDF media. As the water passes through the media, all odors are removed.

 

The one draw-back to the air-charger type iron and sulfur filters is that they must backwash every night for 5 to 10 minutes. The backwash cleans the media, but most importantly it allows air to be drawn in to the filter, which

maintains the head of air in the top of the tank.

Another way, which is for more serious situations with higher levels of hydrogen sulfide rotten-egg odor, is the Maxi-Vent Air Tank system with air compressor.  These don’t have to backwash each night, and use an air compressor instead to aerate the water.  They are typically used with a Catalytic Carbon Backwash filter.