Well Water

Den034071 · Post by **Den034071** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 11:03 am

Question does hard lm lime well water a problem for a E F M install .Just asking jack in Pa.

franpipeman · Post by **franpipeman** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 2:55 pm

Fix any leaks , one should never have to add fresh water in a properly tight hydronic system if you have leaks to the degree of having to add fresh water , that could lead to problems. I don't have the expertise to make a opinion on various water chemical content and lifespan of the efm .

jimg · Post by **jimg** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 3:08 pm

When Steve Wilhelm replaced the hot water coil in my EFM 520 highboy he said "gotta love well water" as the inside of the boiler had some sediment, nothing that terrible however. This unit has been in continuous operation since 1952 and is still working fine. It is a steam system so I infrequently need to add water, maybe a gallon or two every 6 to 8 weeks in the heating season and never in the summer. Our water has some hardness but not limestone.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 3:10 pm

Far from an expert here Jack--I do know with my wood beast stove in the back, I kept a cast pot constantly filled with HARD water & over time it took it's toll--rust, scaley, etc. What do you have up your sleeve here ya old mason

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 4:51 pm

My $0.02. Assuming this is a hot water system, using hard water for the initial fill won't hurt anything. The minerals will settle out over time, and won't bother the huge water passages in the EFM boiler.

As mentioned above, the most important thing is to make sure the system is leak free and doesn't require (oxygen and mineral rich) make up water.

Stop by your local plumbing supply house, and see what they have for corrosion inhibitor. Another forum member recently posted some good info about boiler treatment: First Time in 4 Years, Running on Backup System

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 8:32 pm

Rob R. wrote:My $0.02. Assuming this is a hot water system, using hard water for the initial fill won't hurt anything. The minerals will settle out over time, and won't bother the huge water passages in the EFM boiler.

As mentioned above, the most important thing is to make sure the system is leak free and doesn't require (oxygen and mineral rich) make up water.

Stop by your local plumbing supply house, and see what they have for corrosion inhibitor. Another forum member recently posted some good info about boiler treatment: First Time in 4 Years, Running on Backup System

The well water is not a problem for the boiler as Rob said. The domestic water coil however that sees fresh well water all the time is a different story. Get your well water tested and then install whatever softening and neutralizing equipment is needed. It will not only prolong the average life of your domestic water coil but also your distribution piping, faucets, and plumbing related fixtures and appliances.

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Fri. Jan. 09, 2015 10:20 pm

Good advise. We put in a softener back in '03 when we first moved in. All our faucets were well used by then ... and ALL of them are still UNTOUCHED as of right this minute. Haven't done a single repair to our toilet either.

Den034071 · Post by **Den034071** » Sat. Jan. 10, 2015 9:40 am

Gents thank you jack

hophead · Post by **hophead** » Sat. Jan. 10, 2015 5:21 pm

Funny no one picked up on this yet but if a unit is steam you better treat your makeup water. I've replaced many boiler sections throughout the state that calcified due to hard water. It seemed to have a penchant for building up where the heat was hottest. Of course that led stress of the steel or cast and it would then crack. If you got a steamer better treat er.

jimg · Post by **jimg** » Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 3:24 pm

I put a can of SQUICK in each year as a preventative measure.

SQUICK

Absorbs grease oil, rust, dissolved and suspended solids
Prevents formation of insulating scale and crystallizing solids
Prevents corrosion - protects metal surfaces
Neutralizes free oxygen
Prevents foaming, surging or priming
Maximizes heat transfer
Safe to use in all boilers contains no petroleum or hazardous components
No draining, no blow down required (precipitated sludge may be drawn off)

gaw · Post by **gaw** » Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 3:39 pm

coalkirk wrote:The well water is not a problem for the boiler as Rob said. The domestic water coil however that sees fresh well water all the time is a different story. Get your well water tested and then install whatever softening and neutralizing equipment is needed. It will not only prolong the average life of your domestic water coil but also your distribution piping, faucets, and plumbing related fixtures and appliances.

Been there done that. Had a domestic coil block solid on the old oil boiler. Get a water softener and you will wonder how you did without. All ion exchanging softeners work (the kind that use salt or a salt substitute) even the cheap ones, the expensive ones just last longer and may be cheaper to use, depending. Stay away from smoke and mirror softeners.

gaw · Post by **gaw** » Wed. Jan. 14, 2015 3:40 pm

SMITTY wrote:Good advise. We put in a softener back in '03 when we first moved in. All our faucets were well used by then ... and ALL of them are still UNTOUCHED as of right this minute. Haven't done a single repair to our toilet either.

Now that you said that it's all about to change!

Post by **stoker-man** » Fri. Jan. 16, 2015 5:47 pm

The hard water won't hurt the boiler unless you have leaks and always add fresh water. The coil is affected. Some coils in this area lime up every few years. It's probably cheaper in the long run to install a softener for all your plumbing.

franpipeman · Post by **franpipeman** » Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 8:28 am

Do tubed efm have a different hazard to water than a newer configuration efm, there are differences Yes? I have rolled tubes in boiler

Post by **Rob R.** » Sun. Jan. 18, 2015 8:44 am

What's bad for a tube boiler is also bad for a plate boiler.