Dear Gerry,
I read on your blog about blue staining and well water, and this is just what we are going through. I used to notice a small amount of blue around the drain in the bath tub, but after we put in a water softener, we really started to notice it.
Now we are seeing blue stains on the laundry, and my daughter’s blonde hair has blue streaks in it! I tested our water with a hot tub pH tester and I think the pH is around 6.5. My husband had to recently fix a pinhole leak in our copper pipes as well. Help!
Jennifer T,
Texas
Hello Jennifer,
This is a common problem in well water. Often the calcium hardness in the water acts as a buffer against the acid well water, and when a softener is installed, the water can become more corrosive.
Softeners by themselves do not cause corrosion problems, but if the pH is acidic, once the calcium is removed, the water can start to attack copper pipes, which give the blue stain.
This is very easy to fix by using a Calcite Acid Neutralizer. This would be installed prior to your existing Water Softener.
This Neutralizer system will raise the pH to a Neutral level, around 7 – 7.5, will stop and prevent pin-hole leaks from occurring and also reduce/remove any copper residuals in the water as well.
For a pH of between 6.0 – 6.9 we would recommend a standard Calcite (Calcium Carbonate) system, however if the pH is below 6.0 we’ll need to include Corosex (Magnesium Oxide) which speeds up the catalyst of neutralizing the water for usage.
Many customers with this type of water used to have blue-green stains from copper pipe corrosion and after installing a Neutralizer see their blue stains disappear within a few weeks.
The Neutralizer filter comes with everything you need including necessary Calcite media along with simple installation instructions. Any plumber or person familiar with basic plumbing can install them.
See the neutralizer system below, sized to treat a home with up to 3 bathrooms however we do offer smaller and larger sizes as well.
Neutralizer Filter 5900e Series - 1.5 Cubic Foot Size
Raises pH and prevents copper corrosion, uses standard tank with gravel. Includes Free pH test kit to insure of proper operation. Rugged heavy-duty Digital NSF-Certified backwash control valve features fully adjustable backwash and rinse cycles saving water and allowing maximized performance. Much longer life than cartridges or Upflow Neutralizers.
Raises pH and prevents copper corrosion, uses standard tank with gravel. Includes Free pH test kit to insure of proper operation. Rugged heavy-duty Digital NSF-Certified backwash control valve features fully adjustable backwash and rinse cycles saving water and allowing maximized performance. Much longer life than cartridges or Upflow Neutralizers.
Dimensions: 10" diameter x 61" height ¾" or 1” pipe connectors and bypass is included. Will ship in several boxes, all installation instructions will be emailed to you for review. We also offer professional tech-support should you need it.
Shipping weight: 176 lbs. Will arrive in several boxes, including pipe connectors, bypass valve, filter medium, etc. along with a funnel and Manual. Professional Tech-Support is available should you need it either during your installation or down the line as well.
Excellent warranty: 10 years on the filter tank; 7 years on the control valve.
For more information about this product, click here.
I hope this information helps!
