WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Home - Garden - Auto - Carpooling => Topic started by: eastcanyongirl on Nov 01, 02, 09:16:02 AM
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This started as a thread on the main forum but quickly disintegrated into rants about water co, mountain high, et al. My question is . . . has anyone found a solution for dealing with the red stuff in the water? I don't mean the politics of water, I mean living in Wrightwood with this stuff on our dishes and clothes.
I've tried white vinegar - which delightfully removes the amazing bulk of lime deposits but seems to have no affect on the red stuff.
The bottom of my dishwasher is now stained (sort of a rust color red), and my washing machine is beginning to get the same thing.
On the topic of lime and clothes, I have been running an empty load in my washing machine once a month with vinegar and that takes care of it in the machine - but how do you handle what it does to your clothes?
Some of my husbands dress and polo shirts are getting ruined by spots all over them that I think must be related to the water. (We have the same machine and use the same products we used for the past two years before moving to WW.) We've taken to having to take almost all his work clothes to the dry cleaner - because the cost of that is less than the cost of replacing several shirts a week that are getting ruined! I'm not going to run vinegar through the rinse cycle like I do with my dishes. Does anyone have a workable solution for this?
I'd appreciate it if we could address the practicalities of handling this, rather than the politics of the situation causing it. It isn't that I don't think those conversations are valid - it is just that they have been covered already.
Thanks.
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Well, from the sounds of the "Red Stuff" I would say it's a rust problem somewhere in your plumbing. I had the same problem a couple weeks back when I noticed a red tinge to my water and kind of a rusty smell. Turned out that it was our water going bad. We have since replaced it and no more rusty color coming out in the water.
As to the lime build up there are a few way to address this problem but the best solution is to have a water filter installed. Either an individual one like on you kitchen sink or a whole house model that you could have installed under you house. If your interested in checking out filters I can see what I can do about getting some information for you (via my hubby who works for a plumbing wholesaler) or you can probably get someone at the Hardware store to supply you with info. In the meantime, isn't Wrightwood water wonderful?
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What I have seen a lot lately in Wrightwood since they have been hauling water in, the water pressure in the lines change when they are changing wells or to different lines, rust and build up breaks loose from the pipes and stops up aerators and washing machine hose screens. I have seen a lot more lately that aerators need cleaned and the screens in washing machine hoses need cleaned. Also while the aerators are off, open the faucets all the way and shut them on & off to flush out the dirt & rust. :)
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Naughty Pines Wrote:
run vinegar through my dishwasher once a month and this prevents hard deposits from getting a head start. -- Good Luck, Patti kpm1@wt.net Seizetheday
I fo'got who (whom) and where I saw it and if it was a dish washer or clothes washer. This should work the same on either one.
N P
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Thanks Plumberford, I forgot all about those dern aerators. ;)
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For rust stains on hard surfaces like in your sink, there is "Barkeeper's Friend" which is a powdered cleanser that works really well. I think it's oxalic acid, same stuff that's in spinach and Oxalis (sour grass--anyone else grow up eating that stuff?) I know there is a product called CLR for Calcium, Lime and Rust, which is a liquid, but I've never used it. I'm not getting the red stains, but I have had rust build up in my faucets in the past and the flushing thing helps a lot. Good luck!
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The red stuff is not rust. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. It is simply rust colored. A few people in one of the other sections of the forum had mentioned that they were having the same experience of suddenly having this red stuff in their dishwasher/laundry. It is not clogging the aerator on my faucets.
We are looking into getting a water filter on the entire house for the lime, as well as a softener - but I'm not sure about how much damage that might cause to my septic system. We've been here since April and my skin is still not used to the dryness caused by the HARD WW water. Can't wait until winter comes! Do you suppose there is a form of spontaneous combustion that comes from your skin drying out and falling off in one swoop?
East Canyon Girl < -- who can see (and hear) the new well being drilled day and night!
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While we're talking about water problems . . . . in the last few months our water heater (which is really really new) hasn't been keeping our water warm. We can have twenty minutes of hot water in about a 5 hour period. I too have had some of those brownish red stains on my sinks from where the water drips. It's not rust - we've checked it out - I still don't know what it is. I've heard it could be manganese buildup - it has the same effect but I haven't had it inspected for that. Anyway, my point is - could this stuff or whatever else that's in our water be clogging the water heater or something. My family, who doesn't live around here, told me to drain the water heater and let it fill up again but I have been weary of wasting that much water. Does anyone have any ideas?
oh - i don't know about the dishwasher but to get that rust colored stuff off a sink or toilet - use efferedent or other denture cleaner and soak it - it will take it off. and if you need to scrub it off - use a pumice stone. this of course doesnt prevent it, it only cleans it off.
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I spoke with Plumberford lately and he said he has replaced a large number of water heaters in the past few months. He's never seen this many go out at once.
I can't believe more people don't get soft water units put in.
It would solve many of your problems your describing and save you big $$$'s over just a few years. You wouldn't be wasting all the water trying to clean calcium buildup on showers, faucets, toilets & etc. Soap does a much better job of cleaning in soft water and also will help save money! Lots less soap needed for laundry.
Soft water units will not effect your septic system due to the amount of liquid that septic systems hold. 750 gallons or more septic tanks dilute the small amount of salt used every 3 or 4 days. And if you're really worried about it, there is an alternative to salt available at a higher cost.
At Costco they are less than $400.
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mtman,
I couldn't agree with you more. A properly working septic system would not have problems with a soft water system.
Our soft water system has paid for itself many times over with savings on soap, water, cleaning solutions and the amount of work it takes to clean up the hard water calcium deposits.
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I haven't a clue as to what that brown stuff could be, maybe it's something they stirred up in the well or could be from all the different water sources they are pouring into them having an effect on the lining of the well in your area. I haven't seen anymore brown water since we replaced our water heater and haven't seen any brown staining on any other surfaces so it could be that we are running off a different well than you are.
Another problem might be do to the fact that the water company has had to make so many repairs on so many sections of their water line that has broken, do largely to the fact that when they laid new water lines a few years back (I think it was almost 4yrs ago), they only made it as far down the mountain as just past the post office. The well level drops then picks back up, putting added pressure to the old lines the farther down the mountain it goes. I would say that there are probably still a lot of small leaks going on that haven't even sprung up to the surface yet do to the stress that the old lines are under. Other than that, if it were me, I would call someone out to test the water to find out exactly what the red stuff is.
As for dry skin problems besides having hard water, being at a higher elevation with low humidity levels doesn't help much either. And sometimes winter weather can be just as drying to our skin as a hot summer. My skin actually dries out more in the winter than in the summer months. Speaking of which, I really miss having that lotion place uptown because I was probably one of their best customers during the fall and winter.
Snwbnny, if your concerned about wasting any water while draining your water heater, a good idea is to hook a garden hose up to it when you drain it so you can use the water for watering trees or plants. Once you drain it, you might consider hooking up a water filter to help keep anything from building up in it again. I know our neighbor drains his every year into a bucket. When everything settles you can look at the bottom of the bucket and see about an inch to two inches of muck. He's lived up here for 20 something years and said it seems like the normal life span on his water heaters has been 3 years (4yrs max), even before all this commotion with the wells this year.
As for the use of pumice stones, I only use those as a last resort. I have had problems in the past were the pumice actually seemed to scratch the porcelain, creating a more rough and porous surface for stains to adhere to more easily. It could have been because the porcelain was old but I don't take chances on using one anymore.
I like the idea of using denture cleaner though, I never tried that before and it sounds like a great idea that I will certainly have to try out.
Water softeners are great as long as you don't make the water so soft that it actually feels slimy. We have some friends that do this and it makes it so darn hard to tell if you have all the soap rinsed off or not. Great points Mtman and Wrightwood, I couldn't agree with you two any more.
And yet another point of view, from the Witchy Poo
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We've been here since April and my skin is still not used to the dryness caused by the HARD WW water. Can't wait until winter comes! Do you suppose there is a form of spontaneous combustion that comes from your skin drying out and falling off in one swoop?
I have bad news for you--it's not just the hard water that makes your skin dry here! We are on the desert side of the mountains, in the rain shadow, and at a high elevation, all of which combine to make this one of the driest climates I've ever lived in! The relative humidity here is often below 20%. Lotion up! Eucerin or other heavy duty lotions are great here, where elsewhere they would just make me feel greasy, here they make me feel normal! And drink more water, too--moisturize from the inside. Which brings us back to softeners and filters, which will make it easier to drink more water as without so many minerals the water will quench your thirst more easily and be more palatable.
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How are those Free ULFT toilets holding up?
I've heard one plumber say they seem to be holding up and people are pleased with them.
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I believe the rusty red color is Manganese. The water company has stated in their letters that the wells they are trying to re develop have to be filtred because of high Manganese content. At my home the problem with the rusty red color only started since the water problem. I have a whole house filter and whatever the particulate is, it is so small that it passes right through the filter.
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All I know is that stuff is really bad on everything, specially the water heaters and pressure regulators. I have a feeling I'm going to have to call C. Ford soon to replace the regulator on our main line as our water pressure has been acting really strange lately. It's a new water heater and we've replaced the relief valve on it three times already and it still keeps popping.
:-/
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We had to replace our water heater just a month ago cuz it had gotten so bad - it wasn't that old. The buildup had gotten to be too much and it was very sudden when the water situation got bad. And our water still leaves stains on things - I can't do any handwash here cuz it will ruin my clothes. I take all my clothes down to my parents house in Rancho and don't drink the water here either. The effects of just a little manganese is extremely dangerous and we're not risking it. I was wondering if everyone was still having problems with the water as it hasn't been mentioned in a while.
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Hi! In our old house, we had horrible problems with the manganese, lime and other hard water deposits. When we moved into a new (well, new to us) house in July, we were thrilled to find it had a whole house water softener and filter. We haven't had any problems whatsoever since then. I definately suggest calling the Culligan man or whoever it is and getting one. It has saved my sanity. I do still run our drinking water through a filtered pitcher system, mostly for taste.
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In reference to Reply #16 about the relief valve popping on a new water heater.
FWIW, I installed an expansion tank (~$40, installed myself) and the problem went away. It also solved the problem of a rush of pressurized water coming out after the water heater has been heating the water for awhile. I believe the technical explanation for this is "thermal expansion". In normal situations where there is not a pressure valve installed, the buildup of pressure will be forced back to the street, out of the house. The regulator and the fact that the incoming pressure is so much greater than what the house can accommodate causes the pressure caused from thermal expansion to build up in the house rather than be forced back to the street. An expansion tank is also good in preventing damage to faucets and valves caused by excessive pressure and the constant increases and decreases the thermal expansion causes.
It worked for me. Now I have constant pressure even after the water heater has been firing (heating) and I turn on a fixture.
Good luck...
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Good advice there Moose, Thanks.
I'll be sure to tell Mr. Witch to bring home one of those expansion tanks from work so we can get it installed ASAP.
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where do u get an expansion tank and how does it attach? if we have a closet around the water heater, will this be a possibility.
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Mike at Mountain Hardware should be able to order one with no problem, if you are interesting in purchasing one. As for the installation and how it attaches, I'm sure Moose or PlumberFord could explain that far better than I could.
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I will let the real experts talk more about the details of the installation. But in general, you should not have any problem putting a tank in a closet. It connects between the cold water shutoff valve and the cold water inlet of the water heater using the copper flex tubing and a T connector on top of the expansion tank. I think you will be pleased with the results. I was.
Enough from the weekend do-it-yourselfer. Let's here from the experts! ;D
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Thanks for the expert advice, Plumberford. We've had our pressure regulator changed twice in the last 3 years and I'm thinking it needs done again. It's been grumbling, rattling, and shaking me in my bed. This was making me nuts but about a week ago that all stopped and I haven't a clue why.
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The noise could be caused by dirt on the diaphragm of the pressure regulator which will make it vibrate. If it quit, the dirt probably washed off if there is no difference in the water pressure in the house. A bad faucet washer will also make your pipes vibrate. Mineral deposits in the water heater will cause rumbling and groaning but those noises usually don't quit. If you have noticed any difference in your water pressure in the house, you should have the water pressure checked. The water pressure can drop low or go high depending on how the regulator goes out.
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Thank You Very Much Plumberford, I'll be calling you real soon.
;)
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Question: What would cause the water pressure in only one shower go down? When we moved into this house in May, the water pressure in the upstairs bathroom was great. Over the months, the water pressure has been getting lower and lower. Even if the water is turned up all the way, it is practically worthless as a shower. The sink in that bathroom is perfectly fine, as is the toilet. The kitchen, right next to this bathroom is also just fine. The water heater is down in the basement. The shower down there is great. So what happened to the pressure in the upstairs shower? And what parts do I need to be looking at? The fixtures in there are not that old, most of that bathroom was re-done a couple years ago.
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Question: What would cause the water pressure in only one shower go down?
Is this a tub/shower, or just a shower? Can you remove the spray head, and see how much flow you have? This would at least eliminate the spray head as the problem (maybe its clogged).
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its a tub and shower. the water pressure is low to both. and something else i didn't think to mention - the handle only goes up or down (controls pressure and temp at the same time). the heat is lower than it used to be. i can have the handle turned all the way up, in order to get the water pressure at its highest and its still only warm water - nevr hot.
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You might have grit or debris in the manifold of your mixing valve or one of the valve seats. It needs to be taken apart and inspected.