Iron filtration systems are the best solution to remove excess iron in well water. While the right system for you ultimately depends on the level of iron contamination, the SpringWell WS1 Iron Filter is the best chose for most homes due to its ability to remove up to 7 ppm of iron. It can also remove 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide and 1 ppm of Manganese.
Here are the 5 most important factors to consider in a whole-house iron filter system:
- The level of iron concentration in your water
- Your water source (tap or well water).
- The system’s filtration technology (i.e air oxidation, ion exchange, e.t.c)
- NSF certifications
- The product warranty
- Flow Rate: 12 GPM
- Contaminants Removed: 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, 7 ppm of iron, 1 ppm of manganese
- NSF Certification: Not specified
- Warranty: Lifetime on both the tank and valves
- Flow Rate: 15-20 GPM
- Contaminants Removed: 3 ppm of iron, manganese and sulfur
- NSF Certification: Not specified
- Warranty: 2 years
1. Springwell WS1 Whole House Iron Filter for Well Water
- Flow Rate: 12 gpm
- Contaminants Removed: 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, 7 ppm of iron, 1 ppm of manganese
- NSF Certification: Not specified
- Warranty: Lifetime on both the tank and valves
We stand by almost every water treatment product the SpringWell brand has on offer simply because they’re high-quality, and the SpringWell WS1 iron filter model is no exception. It’s the most effective whole-house water filter system for a standard American private well that typically has a mild excess of iron, hydrogen sulfide, and manganese in its water source.
Even better, SpringWell’s 12 gallons per minute (GPM) flow rate is more than capable of providing water for houses with one to four bathrooms without causing any drops in water pressure.
Superb Filtration
Thanks to its effective use of Air Injection Oxidation technology, the SpringWell WS1 can remove up to 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide, 7 ppm of iron, and 1 ppm of manganese from water. This means that if the water testing shows that the contaminants are within those ranges, you’ll have crystal-clear water that bears no extra taste or odor.
The SpringWell WS1 AIO system is a single-tank design that maintains a fresh air pocket on top of the tank. When the water passes through this pocket, the air inside it oxidizes the minute particles of hydrogen sulfide, iron, and manganese. Thanks to this feature, the SpringWell can remove both ferrous and ferric iron from water.
As we already mentioned, small molecules get bigger and clump together when oxidized. That way, when the oxidation process ends and the water makes its way through the filter media of the device, the problematic molecules are big enough to be filtered out.
In the case of the SpringWell WS1, the filtration media is a bed of green sand fusion that traps oxidized molecules.
Regenerating Filter Media
Before you start worrying that the filtration media might wear off with time, we should also tell you that green sand fusion is very easy to maintain and regenerate. Plus, the SpringWell WS1 has a pre-programmed daily backwash cycle that doesn’t require you to do anything to clean the filter, either.
To optimize the backwash and regeneration properties of the filtration system, SpringWell engineers developed a technology called Empress Vortech. Not only does this tech ensure that the whole operation takes place within a single-tank design, but it also guarantees that the bed of green sand is cleansed thoroughly and regenerated efficiently during the backwash cycle.
Bluetooth System Head
The device is pre-programmed but this doesn’t mean you can’t customize the settings to suit your home. Like all other SpringWell water treatment devices, the SpringWell WS1 has a system head that can be easily monitored and controlled through a BlueTooth app.
This way, on days when you need to use or have used excessive amounts of water, you can run a manual backwash to keep the system as efficient as possible.
2. Home Master Whole House Three Stage Water Filtration System
- Flow Rate: 15-20 GPM
- Contaminants Removed: 3 ppm of iron, manganese and sulfur
- NSF Certification: Not specified
- Warranty: 2 years
The Home Master Whole House Three Stage Water Filtration System is a great option for any home with moderate levels of iron in its well water supply. Plus, it has higher water flow rate than the Springwell WS1, which makes it a good option for larger homes with multiple bathrooms.
It is highly effective at removing common well water contaminants such as sediment, turbidity, sulfur, manganese, pesticides, herbicides, and of course, iron. If you’re looking for a system that features efficient filtration but doesn’t compromise on flow rate or water pressure, we’re positive you’ll like this Home Master unit.
Key Features:
- 3-stage filtration: Sometimes, the well water passed through a system comes out tasting and smelling pretty similar to the way it went in—this wasn’t the case with the Home Master unit. Its 3-stage process includes a sediment filter, a radial flow filter, and a radial flow granular activated coconut shell carbon filter. This means it can remove up to 95% of the contaminants in well water that create nasty smells and tastes.
- Fast flow rate: One of the things that impressed us most about this system is the fact it can achieve a flow rate of 15 GPM. When we inspected the system closely, we realized this is down to its filter housings with 1-inch ports, which improve the flow rate by allowing for high water pressure.
- Long-lasting filters: Its filters only need to be replaced after they’ve filtered around 100,000 gallons of water. On average, this means they need replacing around once every 12 months. Of course, this depends on usage and the level of contaminants in your water supply.
What To Know About Iron Filtration Systems
A whole-house well water filtration system shouldn’t only be evaluated by its capacity to remove certain contaminants from water. There should also be other considerations, like how affordable it is and what it takes to maintain it.
That’s why we evaluated products based on the following criteria:
- Contaminants Removed
- NSF Certification
- Filtration Technology
- Ease of Installation
- Maintenance Requirements
- Warranty
- Price
Contaminants Removed
The contaminant an iron filter can and should remove is pretty self-evident: iron. Still, iron filters remove more than just iron.
Most of these systems are quite effective against other aesthetic contaminants that can change the color, taste, and smell of the water, like hydrogen sulfide and manganese. While hydrogen sulfide can make water smell and taste like rotten eggs, manganese can appear in the shape of black sediment in well water.
NSF Certification
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) is a non-profit organization that holds any product with potential health implications up to certain standards. To this end, independent labs test and evaluate products varying from automotive parts to food items and certify them if they’re within the NSF regulations.
Of course, it’s also important to test, certify, and confirm the health claims of any water-related technology, including softeners and filtration systems. In this sense, the NSF certifies whether water filtration devices are capable of removing what the manufacturer claims they do and whether the materials used in the making of the devices are safe.
The certifications the NSF gives to iron filters are:
- NSF/ANSI 42: The NSF 42 certification pertains to the aesthetic claims of a device. If a filtration unit holds this particular certification, it means that it can produce tasteless, colorless, and odorless water, as water should be. As producing aesthetically pleasing water is the main purpose of an iron filter, it’s the certification that’s most significant for our list.
- NSF/ANSI 44: Mostly applied to water softeners, the NSF 44 certification guarantees that the resin media is capable of ion exchange and that the tanks and valves possess structural integrity. The tanks, valves, and filtration media of some iron filters also have this certification.
- NSF/ANSI 61: Unfortunately, not all water filtration systems are made of materials that are safe for drinking water. Some of them might leach microplastics into the water, and some of them may have a coating that wears off over time, contaminating the water further instead of purifying it. The NSF 61 certification assures customers that the components of a product carry no such risks.
- NSF/ANSI 372: The NSF 372 is proof that the product’s parts are all lead-free and there’s no risk of lead contamination by the product itself.
Filtration Technology
There are two types of iron found in water: ferric iron, also referred to as oxidized iron, has big, reddish particles and is insoluble; and ferrous iron, which is invisible and totally dissolved. The ion exchange media of water softeners can trap ferric iron as long as it’s within the unit’s capacity, but removing dissolved ferrous iron requires more than the ion exchange technology.
To remove the dissolved particles of ferrous iron from water, iron filters employ a specific technology called Air Injection Oxidation (AIO). In this process, the water passes through an air pocket where dissolved oxygen or some other oxidizing agent is introduced to it.
At the end of the AIO process, the ferrous iron molecules are oxidized, meaning that they have become ferric iron. The process shows the same effects on hydrogen sulfide and manganese, thus enabling the filter media of the devices to handle big amounts of these substances.
| Iron filters | Filtration technology |
| SpringWell WS1 | Air Injection Oxidation |
| Home Master Whole House Three Stage Water Filtration System | Sediment Filter + Radial Flow Filter + Radial Flow Granular Activated Coconut Shell Carbon Filter |
Ease of Installation
Despite the technical similarities between the systems on our list, their installation requirements vary quite a bit. Additionally, even though some of these units come with proper instruction manuals that lead you through the process step-by-step, some are just the opposite of helpful.
SpringWell WS1 has an amazing PowerPoint presentation that lists all the necessary equipment you need to carry out its installation accompanied by visuals that show you exactly what to do. But if you don’t have any experience in plumbing, it’s still better to seek the assistance of a professional plumber, since it’s a complicated device to install.
| Iron filters | Ease of installation |
| SpringWell WS1 | Plumber required |
| Home Master Whole House Three Stage Water Filtration System | DIY-friendly |
Maintenance Requirements
Many whole-house water filters and reverse osmosis systems currently on the market require you to replace the filters once every six to twelve months. But there are no such worries with any of the whole-house iron filters on our list.
This is mainly because all the systems we reviewed in this article have state-of-the-art automatic backwash and regeneration cycles that clean their filter media regularly.
Essentially, they’re all low-maintenance products. However, the Home Master system’s filters need to be replaced around once every 12 months, so it’s a bit more complicated to maintain than the other two units on our list.
| Iron filters | Maintenance requirements |
| SpringWell WS1 | Low |
| Home Master Whole House Three Stage Water Filtration System | Low |
Warranty
Warranty is a testament to how much the manufacturer trusts their product. It also gives you an idea about the life expectancy of the product you just purchased.
The SpringWell WS1 comes with a lifetime warranty on both thetanks and valves, while the Home Master unit only comes with a 2-year warranty.
| Iron filters | Warranty |
| SpringWell WS1 | Lifetime on the tank and valves |
| Home Master Whole House Three Stage Water Filtration System | 2 years on the tank and valves |
How Does Water Get Contaminated by Iron?
Iron is found everywhere on Earth. If a private well draws water from an underground water reservoir that’s surrounded by iron-rich soil and rocks, iron is inevitably going to end up in the water.
But that’s not the only way iron can end up in the water supply. These underground water reservoirs (also referred to as aquifers) aren’t exempt from what’s going on above the ground. On the contrary, they’re mostly formed and fed by surface water that soaks into the ground.
Especially in times of rain and flood, the moving bodies of water can absorb elements (including iron) from their surroundings and carry them to the groundwater your well is built upon.
In addition, the presence of iron in well water can sometimes be the work of studious iron bacteria that produce iron hydroxide deposits in and around the water source. These bacteria are capable of oxidizing and immobilizing iron inside the water, giving the water its reddish hue and giving well-owners a new headache.
Lastly, iron can get into water due to corrosion in the piping system of your house or inside a water tank. Since a whole house filtration system can’t prevent or stop rust inside the piping system, it’s best to call a plumber to inspect the pipes before settling on a water treatment unit.
What Are The Effects of Iron in Water?
EPA has established that iron in water is not a health hazard. On the contrary, our bodies need iron as a nutrient, and iron deficiency is pretty common.
Although too much iron can cause damage to the heart, liver, and endocrine organs, it’s almost impossible to consume too much iron from water alone, even when there are high levels in it. However, the presence of iron in water is definitely an aesthetic nuisance, and, as such, it’s regulated under the National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs).
According to NSDWRs, the iron levels in drinking water should be no more than 0.3 mg/L. Otherwise, it’ll affect the color, taste, and smell of the water. The color of the water that comes out of your faucets might turn red and start tasting and smelling like metal.
Even worse, water that’s contaminated by ferric iron will also have an impact on the quality of food and beverages. You may like your tea dark and your coffee black, but iron will make these beverages blacker than you’d expect, and it can have the same effect on essential food items like potatoes.
Appliances and clothes washed with iron-rich water aren’t exempt from its consequences either. Depending on the iron levels, they might have yellow, red, or even brown stains.
Insoluble ferric iron might also lead to clogging in the piping system and appliances that work with water, like laundry machines and dishwashers.
In short, if your water supply has more than 0.3 mg/l of iron, then you need to find a solution. This way, you’ll prolong the lifespan of appliances and clothes, ensure that the taste of beverages and food is up to a standard, and protect the piping system of your house.
Types of Iron in Water
There are four types of iron that can be present in water:
- Ferrous iron: Ferrous iron is a type of iron that’s totally dissolved in water, and it has tiny particles, so it’s difficult to detect its presence with the naked eye. Because of this, it’s also often referred to as clear iron. Typically, it’s either rain or snowmelt that picks it up from natural deposits, dissolves it, and carries it to underground water sources. However, surface water sources like rivers and lakes hardly have any ferrous iron because when it comes into contact with oxygen, it oxidizes and turns into ferric iron.
- Ferric iron: You’ve probably already seen ferric iron since it’s basically rust. When other forms of iron are exposed to oxygen, they oxidize. Any iron deposit in appliances, piping, tanks, or even well components that come in contact with air and your well water has the potential to contaminate your water with ferric iron. However, this is easy to identify, since it’s insoluble and red.
- Organic iron: As you may deduce from its name, organic iron is the work of iron bacteria. More precisely, it’s ferrous iron that’s been metabolized by iron bacteria. Water with organic iron in it will have a slimy feel and you’ll likely see iron deposits that look like tiny jellyfish in the water. The bacteria will also form iron scum inside the water. Sometimes, the water might even have a glossy layer on its surface, as if some oil was poured over it. If you have organic iron in your water supply, you might have seen that glossy layer in toilet tanks.
- Colloidal iron: Colloidal iron has even tinier particles than those of ferrous iron, but unlike ferrous iron, it also has a reddish color that might be visible in the water. Moreover, these particles are electrically charged, so they stay in suspension inside the water and present quite a challenge for water treatment units. Luckily, though, the presence of colloidal iron in water is quite rare.
Popular Questions About Iron Filtration
What is the best way to remove iron from water?
The best way to remove iron from water is by installing an iron filter.
If your well water supply has a reasonable amount of iron (up to 7 ppm), then the SpringWell WS1 iron removal system, will do the job effectively and for years on end.
What is the average price of an iron water filter?
The price of iron filters ranges between $1,200-$3,000. The average price for a high-quality iron water filter is around $2,000.
What does installing an iron filter require?
The tools and services required to install an iron filter depends on the manufacturers’ specifications, but here's a list of the most common tools for a water filtration system installation:
- Water connectors
- PVC nipples
- Plumbers’ tape
- Zip ties
- Threaded elbows
- Wrench
- Hose clamps
- Drain lines
- Batteries
It’s always best to consult with the manufacturer before the installation to make sure you have all the necessary items.
What is the average lifespan of the system?
The average lifespan of an iron filtration system depends on a number of variables:
- The manufacturer
- Whether the system has a circuit board or complicated/fragile electronic parts
- The levels of contaminants it has to deal with
- The materials it’s made of
- How well you take care of it
That said, a whole-house iron filtration system should typically serve you 15 to 20 years. Units that are made with high-quality materials, like the SpringWell WS1, can exceed these expectations as long as you properly maintain them.
Families may enjoy better-tasting, safer water from their outdoor wells by using the best iron filter for well water. It reduces rust buildup and obstructions in water pipelines and fixtures. In addition to protecting water appliances, a good iron filter also ensures long-term optimal performance, especially when used in conjunction with a water softener.