Well Water Treatment in Lafayette, LA
Orange stains and rotten-egg smell, handled
Private wells around Acadiana often come with orange or rust-colored staining from iron, or a rotten-egg smell from sulfur. Well water treatment is the equipment that deals with both. The free in-home water test gives us a starting point, and the way your well behaves fills in the rest.
You might notice
- Orange or rust-colored stains on sinks, tubs, toilets and laundry
- A rotten-egg smell when the water runs, often stronger from the hot side
- A metallic taste in the water
- Staining on a driveway or siding where sprinklers land
- Scale and spots on fixtures and dishes
Two problems that look alike on a bad day
Iron and sulfur are different. Iron shows up as orange or rust-colored staining on sinks, tubs, toilets and light-colored laundry. Sulfur shows up as a rotten-egg smell, and it is often stronger when you run hot water. Plenty of wells have one or the other, and some have both. Telling them apart matters because the equipment is not the same.
Starting with the water test
The in-home water test checks hardness, chlorine, iron and pH, and the iron and pH readings in particular shape what treatment fits a well. Tell us about the smell and the staining when you call, too. What you see in the house is part of the picture, and we use it alongside the test.
Equipment for the well you have
Treatment for iron and sulfur is built around your well, not around a catalog. We size it to the test result and to your household's flow rate, since a system that cannot keep up with the house during a busy morning is a system that gets bypassed. Wells often need a softener as well, and we will say so if the water test points that way. If it does not, we leave it off. Treating the water addresses new staining from that point on. Stains already set in tubs and fixtures are a cleaning job.
When you call, it helps to tell us a few things. Which fixtures stain, and what color. Whether the smell is on hot water, cold, or both. Whether it is worse after the house has sat unused for a few days. And whether you already have a softener or a filter on the well.
Installation and upkeep
Licensed plumbers from Hargrave's Plumbing tie the equipment into the water line with a bypass valve so water can be routed around it for service. Upkeep depends on what you have: filter media gets replaced, and a system that regenerates uses salt or other supplies, all on a schedule that depends on your water and how much you use. A well can change over time, so if the staining or the smell comes back, call and ask us to take another look.
Questions
Well Water Treatment: common questions
What causes orange stains on my sinks and laundry?
Iron in the water is the usual cause. It leaves orange or rust-colored staining on fixtures and light-colored fabrics. The water test shows how much iron is present.
Why does my water smell like rotten eggs?
That smell is typically sulfur, and it is more noticeable on some wells than others. Tell us when you notice it, hot water or cold, since that helps us choose the equipment.
Do I need a softener if I have a well?
Not always. It depends on your water, which is why we test first. Some wells need iron or sulfur treatment only, and others need a softener on top of it.
Will treatment equipment lower my well pressure?
Sizing the equipment to your household's flow rate is how that is avoided. We ask how your house uses water before choosing anything.
Book a free in-home water test first
The result tells us what your water needs, and what it does not. If it tests fine, we will tell you so.