Proper Placement of Your Iron Filter and Pressure Tank

What is an Iron Filter?

An iron filter is a water filtration system designed to remove iron, hydrogen sulfide, and other contaminants from your water supply. Often part of a whole home system, these filters use oxidation and filtration to improve water quality, eliminate metallic tastes, and prevent reddish-brown staining. Advanced models offer smart features for monitoring, app-based alerts, and easier maintenance. They effectively treat both ferric and ferrous iron, delivering cleaner, safer water throughout your home.

Importance of Iron Filtration

Iron filtration is essential for protecting your home’s water quality. Iron in water can cause stains on sinks, toilets, and laundry, as well as buildup in pipes and faucets that reduces performance. It also affects taste and odor, making water unpleasant to drink or cook with. Installing an iron filter helps prevent damage to plumbing and appliances while improving the overall quality, taste, and smell of your water.

Whole House Iron Filtration

Whole-house iron filtration provides a complete solution for homes with iron contamination in their water supply. Iron in water can cause stains on sinks, toilets, and dishes. It can also create unpleasant odors and damage appliances and plumbing over time.

A whole-house iron filter removes iron and other contaminants from the water, ensuring clean and safe water throughout the home. This type of system treats the problem at the source, providing a consistent supply of filtered water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing.

Benefits of Whole Home Iron Filters

Whole home iron filters offer several significant benefits, making them an essential addition to any household dealing with iron contamination:

• Removal of Contaminants: These filters effectively remove iron, hydrogen sulfide, manganese, and chlorine from the water, ensuring it is free from harmful substances.
• Prevention of Staining and Damage: These filters prevent staining on fixtures, appliances, and plumbing by eliminating iron and other contaminants, preserving their appearance and functionality.
• Improved Taste and Odor: Filtering out impurities enhances the taste and smell of your water, making it more enjoyable to drink and use for cooking.
• Protection of Appliances: Iron buildup can damage water heaters and other appliances. Whole-home iron filters protect these devices, extending their lifespan and reducing maintenance costs.
• Health Benefits: Clean, contaminant-free water is crucial for your health and well-being. These filters ensure that the water you drink and use daily is safe and healthy.
• Reduced Maintenance Costs: These filters reduce the need for frequent cleaning and maintenance of appliances and plumbing by preventing iron buildup and staining.

Pressure Tanks and Iron Filter Placement

Relationship Between Pressure Tanks and Iron Filters

Pressure tanks and iron filters are key components of a whole-home water filtration system. The pressure tank stores water and maintains a constant flow throughout the home.

The iron filter is usually installed after the pressure tank. This placement allows the filter to remove iron and other contaminants before the water reaches your appliances, water heater, or faucets.

Proper placement is important for the iron filter to work effectively. A professional can help determine the best setup to ensure optimal performance and protect your plumbing system.

Proper Placement of Whole Home Iron Filter

The proper placement of a whole-home iron filter is crucial for effective filtration and to prevent damage to the system. The filter should be installed at the point of entry for the home’s water supply, typically near the water meter or where the water line enters the house.

This strategic placement ensures that all water entering the home is filtered, providing clean water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Installing the filter at this point also protects the entire plumbing system and all connected appliances from iron buildup and other contaminants, ensuring optimal performance and longevity.

Water Testing and Analysis

Water testing and analysis are essential for determining the quality of your home’s water supply. Testing can identify potential contaminants, including iron.
Regular water testing helps you understand the specific issues affecting your water. It also allows you to choose the most effective filtration solutions.

Importance of Water Testing

• Identifies Contaminants: Testing your water can reveal the presence of iron, hydrogen sulfide, manganese, and other contaminants that can affect its taste, odor, and safety.
• Determines Treatment Needs: Testing helps determine the best course of action for treatment and filtration by identifying the specific contaminants in your water.
• Monitors Water Quality: Regular testing provides a baseline for monitoring water quality over time, ensuring that your filtration system continues to work effectively.
• Ensures Compliance: Water testing ensures that your water meets local and national water quality standards, providing peace of mind.
• Peace of Mind: Knowing that your water is safe and clean gives you confidence in the quality of the water you and your family use daily.

Proper Placement of a Whole-Home Iron Filter

Component placement is critical to a water treatment system’s performance. At Clean Water Systems, we frequently receive inquiries about the correct installation order, particularly for treating iron-rich, hard water.

The iron filter must be installed after the pressure tank. If installed before, the filter won’t get enough flow or pressure to backwash properly. The pressure switch is located after the check valve. If the filter is placed too early, the well pump may not turn on automatically. You will also need a nearby drain for backwashing and maintenance purposes.

Installing the filter before the pressure tank can cause water to flow backward into the control valve. This can damage the valve, which is a key part of the system's performance and reliability.

Captive air pressure tanks fill from the bottom, which helps prevent the buildup of iron sludge. Placing the iron filter after the pressure tank keeps the system working efficiently and extends its lifespan.

Make sure there’s a 110V outlet close to the installation site. Always test your water first. Customizing your system based on your specific iron, odor, or taste issues will give the best results. Access to technical support during installation can also make the setup much easier.

For example, a system installed to treat iron-rich water that is high in hardness should be set up according to the schematic diagram below:

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to email us at support@cleanwaterstore.com or call us.