 
Over 698,000 strictly plumbing related posts
Plumbing education, information, advice, help and suggestions are provided by some of the most experienced plumbers who wish to "give back" to society. Since 1996 we have been the best online (strictly) PLUMBING advice site. If you have questions about plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, drains, sewers, water filters, venting, water heating, showers, pumps, and other strictly PLUMBING related issues then you've come to the right place. Please refrain from asking or discussing legal questions, or pricing, or where to purchase products, or any business issues, or for contractor referrals, or any other questions or issues not specifically related to plumbing. Keep all posts positive and absolutely no advertising. Our site is completely free, without ads or pop-ups and we don't tract you. We absolutely do not sell your personal information. We are made possible by: 
|
|
Author:
waterboy19 (NC)
For the last several months, I have been having issues with white(ish) particles or deposits showing up in my shower heads and sink aerators, causing the flow at the affected fixtures to drop off dramatically until I clean out the screens. Once clean I can go anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks before I have to do another cleaning.
The home is configured with a well, mostly PEX piping, a tankless water heater, and a Sterling Water Treatment Neutralizer system (downflow, I believe, as it has a regeneration function).
The home is 17 years old – we’ve been in it a little over a year now. The water heater is less than a year old and I don’t know the age of the water treatment system or well pump.
Since we’re on a well, I would think hard water is the most likely culprit (lime or calcium), but the odd thing is this problem didn’t start until very shortly after having new neutralizer media added to the water treatment system. As such, I thought somehow there might have been some carry-over of the media into the water lines and it would hopefully stop after a few weeks, but it hasn’t. Another thought was possible buildup of scale in the tankless water heater, so I did a thorough vinegar flush per manufacturer procedure (even though it was still pretty new). This seemed to help for a few weeks, but then the particles/deposits have started showing up again – now mostly in the shower heads.
I could use some guidance on how to figure this out once and for all.
Thanks!
|
|
Post Reply
|
|
|
Author:
srloren (CA)
I suspect the new filtering system is the culprit because it started when it was added. Calcium more than likely but check with neighbors and see if they experience the same problem.
|
|
Post Reply
|
|
|
Author:
waterboy19 (NC)
After further testing, it appears the issue is restricted to the hot water side only. If it was coming from the treatment system, I would think the particles would be getting caught in the inlet filter of the heater (not really seeing much there). I might do another flush of the tankless water heater, but don’t see how it could get that much buildup again in so short a time. Totally stumped…
|
|
Post Reply
|
Please note:
- Inappropriate messages or blatant advertising will be deleted. We cannot be held responsible for bad or inadequate advice.
- Plbg.com has no control over external content that may be linked to from messages posted here. Please follow external links with caution.
- Plbg.com is strictly for the exchange of plumbing related advice and NOT to ask about pricing/costs, nor where to find a product (try Google), nor how to operate or promote a business, nor for ethics (law) and the like questions.
- Plbg.com is also not a place to ask radiant heating (try HeatingHelp.com), electrical or even general construction type questions. We are exclusively for plumbing questions.
Search for plumbing parts on our sponsor's site:
Special thanks to our sponsor:
|