If you have a water system, you can easily find it by looking for a concrete pad directly outside your home. This pad typically contains a large holding tank, or aerator, two pressure tanks with pressure switches, a water softener with timer and a salt tank. Properly maintained, this system will provide quality water and consistent water pressure to meet all of your household needs.
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Once Weekly
- Add a cup of bleach to the large holding tank once each week.
- Add ½ a cup of bleach or 4 ounces of granulated citric acid to the salt tank once each week.
To do this, you may remove the plastic pipe plugged into the top of the holding tank and use it as a measuring cup. Some homeowners elect to do this on the same day that they take out garbage for pick-up. Note that you should never mix citric acid and bleach. Citric acid is available at hardware stores and some companies recommend it over bleach for the Lehigh Acres area. This maintenance helps to prevent algae build-up and odor and to keep the system running smoothly.
Every Three to Six Months
To drain and clean the holding tank, take the screws out of the lid at the top of the tank and lift it off. Pour in half a gallon of household bleach and begin to scrub the tank out with a broom. Unscrew the cap on the bottom of the tank to let water out and continue to scrub with a broom as the holding tank empties. When finished, put the drain plug back into the bottom of the tank. Put the lid back on the top and replace the screws.
- Check air pressure on pressure tanks
Most systems include two pressure tanks, which should be maintained at a pressure of approximately 28-30 pounds of air pressure when emptied of water. One of the tanks is for the well pump to provide pressure into your aerator and the other is for the house pump for pressure for the faucets and spigots.
- Check for debris under pressure switch cover
Other information
The tall cylinder is the water softener. It is a very important feature because it removes the minerals that make the water hard. Hard water can keep soaps and detergents from dissolving completely so insoluble soap deposits are left behind on everything you wash. Calcium and magnesium deposits can also build up in pipes and reduce the flow to water taps and appliances.
The salt tank is usually blue-this is where the water backwashes to prepare the water for use in the water softener. The salt tank should remain 1/2 to 2/3 full .
