| In thousands of homes on well water, acidic | | | | and fixtures. |
| water causes thinning of copper pipes, | | | | |
| pinhole leaks, and numerous copper pipe leaks | | | | The size of the system is directly |
| over time. Acidic water filtration systems | | | | proportional to the flow rate of the water, |
| can easily correct and neutralize a low pH in | | | | in gallons or liters per minute. The higher |
| well water. | | | | the flow rate, and the more gallons per |
| | | | minute flows through the pipes, the larger |
| The pH scale is a scale from 1 to 14. A | | | | the system required. Generally for most |
| neutral pH is 7. A ph of less than 7 is | | | | homes with 1 bathroom, a 1 cubic foot size |
| considered acidic. A pH greater than 7 is | | | | system containing 100 lbs of calcite will |
| considered alkaline and is less corrosive to | | | | work well. For homes with 1 to 2 bathrooms, |
| copper pipes than waters with a pH of less | | | | a 1.5 cubic foot filter is recommended. For |
| than 7. | | | | higher flow demands and in homes with 3 to 4 |
| | | | bathrooms and larger families, a 2.5 cubic |
| Signs of acid water are corrosion of | | | | foot neutralizer containing 250 lbs of |
| fixtures, blue staining (from copper pipes) | | | | calcite is recommended. |
| or rust staining (from iron pipes). Acidic | | | | |
| water can also cause pinhole leaks and pipe | | | | Neutralizer filter tanks contain a small |
| failure over time. By raising the pH to the | | | | amount of filter gravel in the bottom of the |
| range of 7.0 to 7.5 the water can be made | | | | tank and are filled to two-thirds full with a |
| alkaline which will then reduce or eliminate | | | | blend of calcium and magnesium carbonates |
| pipe corrosion. | | | | made from naturally occurring minerals. These |
| | | | minerals dissolve into the water, making it |
| Common causes for acidic water are acid | | | | less corrosive. More mineral can quickly and |
| rainfall due to atmospheric carbon dioxide | | | | easily be added to the filter tank, typically |
| and other airborne pollutants, runoff from | | | | once per year for most residential |
| mining spoils, and decomposition of plant | | | | applications. No special tools are required. |
| materials. Acidic waters can be of good | | | | |
| quality and are typically low in buffering | | | | The neutralizer filter should be installed |
| calcium minerals, but are high in dissolved | | | | after the pressure tank but before any copper |
| carbon-dioxide gas, which can cause the low | | | | piping in the house. If the pressure tank, |
| pH or acidity. | | | | check valve and pressure switch are installed |
| | | | with copper piping the copper piping should |
| Calcite Neutralizer Filters | | | | be replaced with PVC or stainless steel pipes |
| | | | up to the inlet of neutralizer filter. It is |
| An acidic water filtration system is also | | | | OK to have copper pipes installed on the |
| known as a calcite neutralizer filter. One of | | | | outlet of neutralizer filter since the water |
| the most convenient methods to raise pH, and | | | | is neutralized at this point and the pipe |
| add a little hardness and alkalinity is to | | | | will be protected. |
| use a calcite neutralizer filter. These | | | | |
| filters will typically raise the pH of the | | | | This type of neutralizer also acts as a |
| water to 7.0 to 8.0 and add 30 to 100 ppm of | | | | filter removing sediment and small amounts of |
| hardness depending on the alkalinity and | | | | rust from the water, and then backwashing it |
| water hardness. The water will taste better | | | | out once every week or so. The most common |
| and in most applications no water softener | | | | type of acid neutralizer filter has an |
| will be required after the calcite | | | | automatic backwash control valve. The |
| neutralizer filter. | | | | frequency and length of the backwash cycle |
| | | | can be easily adjusted on the control valve. |
| In neutralizer filters, the acidic water | | | | Most backwashing acid neutralizer filters are |
| slowly dissolves the calcium and magnesium | | | | set to backwash once a week for eight to ten |
| media on contact as the water flows through | | | | minutes. This backwashing cleans the calcite |
| the filter, raising the pH of the water and | | | | filter media and allows the mineral media to |
| increasing the alkalinity. This eliminates | | | | more easily dissolve into the water over |
| the effects of corrosive water chemistries | | | | time. |
| and can help to prevent corrosion of piping | | | | |