Changing the big blue cartridge
1. Close valves going to and from filter
2. Press red button on top of sediment filter to relieve pressure
3. With wrench provided, turn blue cartridge sump from right to left
4. Exchange old cartridge with new one
5. While filter is apart smear food grade silicone over black o ring on sump, if o ring isn't visible it is probably inside black housing
6. Replace sump hand tighten only! wrench is used for loosening the housing.
7. Slowly turn supply valve on until water stops running
8. Turn second valve on and run water at kitchen sink until the air in the water clears up
Skillings & Sons, Inc sells and ships big blue filter cartridges. please e-mail us or call us at 1-800-441-6281 for more information.
Note:
Filters should be changed every 30-90 days or when you see a significant drop in pressure. We can ship filter by UPS or you can purchase them at our office located at 9 Columbia Drive Amherst, NH.

Reasons for chlorinating:
The most common reason for this procedure is a bacteria problem, typically coliform bacteria. Another reason is to temporarily diminish an odor that may occur from time to time. Before beginning the process below make sure you do the follow prep work:

• Catch up on house hold laundry*
• Catch up on showers and bathing*
• Determine how much bleach* will be needed using this formula:
  • If you have a drilled well - 1-gallon for every 500'.
  • If you have a shallow well - 1-gallon for every 18" of standing water

• Sediment filter in basement may be clogged.
• Screens on faucets may be clogged with sediment
• If the water pressure on the gauge reads below 20 psi, shut off hose and let it sit for 30 minutes. If pressure does not come up, please call our office. If it reads above 25 psi and you have low pressure, check the first two options again, then call our office.

• Is the well cover cracked?
• Can surface water enter the well?
• Is the well cap a sanitary style?

In most cases it takes one day to drill a well and the pump is usually installed the next day.

There are four important considerations for sighting home water well:
1. Meets state and town regulations for set backs
2. Away from sources of contamination
3. Convenient for power supply and close to the home
4. Accessible for drilling and equipment for pump installation

NOTE: It may be to your advantage if you have a large property lot to obtain advice from a hydro-geologist. In most cases, the driller's local experience will enable a site to be chosen. If possible always locate the well at a higher elevation than any wastewater septic system or other drainage systems. Local rules will specify minimum acceptable distances between wells and other structures. County health officers, sanitarians and ground water contractors can give you advice on well location.
Correct water well design and casing installation is important to protect against contamination risks. Old and abandoned wells can pose particular risks and such wells must always be decommissioned and sealed by a well driller.

For the well only: The total depth of the well is charged by the foot, starting from ground surface to the bottom of the well. The casing is charged from approximately one foot above ground surface to an average depth of 60 feet. This varies depending on the depth to bedrock. The drive shoe is a seal which is attached to the bottom of the casing. The drive shoe is a one-time charge. The permit, if needed, and Massachusetts tax if applicable is charged at the time of billing.

There is no scientific way to determine exactly how deep into the ground we will need to got to reach the proper amount of water. The first 300' has the best odds for water, but depending on where you live we may not hit water until we pass this depth.

After the well is drilled and there is no water, the driller's information is reviewed to determine if hydrofracking is an option.

Submersible pumps, which are located in the well generally last 8-10 years before they need to be replaced, however they can last a lot longer.

In most cases you will not receive a warning that the pump is failing. The pump will just stop running and you will loose all water pressure. Should your water stop and then start again is a sign of possible pump failure, therefore should be looked at by a service technician.

Just pick up the phone and call Skillings & Sons, Inc. We provide service 365 days a year.

Within a half hour of arriving on site, we will diagnose the problem and give you an estimate. The average service time is 2-4 hours from start to finish.

Your pump may be running non-stop, thus consuming more electricity. There may be a broken water pipe or you may have a worn pump. A service crew can determine the problem and make the proper repairs.

Most likely there is a problem with your water storage tank. The air charge in the tank has decreased, causing the pump to cycle rapidly. This problem can cause your pump to burn out prematurely. This situation should be addressed immediately.

A water tank will generally last 10-15 years. It will begin to short cycle as a sign that it is failing.

Stains found in the dishwasher are usually from high levels of manganese. Manganese that is dissolved in water can stain when the level is above .05mg/l. The dishwasher is a perfect mechanism to oxidize it because it heats it, agitates it and mixes the water with air. To clean a stained dishwasher run it through a cycle with Tang or iron out. Manganese can also stain clothes in the washing machine, due to the same reasons. If bleach is added staining is worse. The best method of treatment to reduce levels of manganese from well is water softening.

One of the most common water treatment problems found in well water is iron. Iron can be found in 3 different forms.

  Ferrous iron (dissolved) - Although not visible it is the most common type of iron. Later when oxygen is mixed with ferrous iron it stains sinks, toilets and laundry especially when bleach is added. To reduce levels of ferrous iron, softening, aeration or a combination of both is performed. Aeration involves injecting air into the water to oxidize the iron into a particle.

   Ferric Iron (suspended) - Ferric iron or brown water iron is oxidized and forms floating particles. Once settled down, the particles can be seen in a glass of water. Treatment methods include cartridge filters or a back-washing filter.

   Iron bacteria and organic iron - Iron bacteria and organic iron leaves a slimy growth or build up in toilet tanks and sometimes clogs filters, softeners and pipes. Treatment methods include shocking the well with chlorine or a feed pellet dropper followed by mechanical filtration and chlorine removal.

In most cases the added salt from drinking softened water is a small fraction of the salt that is consumed in the foods we eat. The amount of salt added to soften water is directly proportional to the level of hardness in the raw water. Water softeners work on the ion exchange principal. What goes into a softener as hardness goes out of it as sodium. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, all possible sources of sodium should be evaluated in relation to the limit set by your physician. As an alternative to sodium, potassium chloride or K-life can be used to regenerate your water softener. Your water softener will then exchange potassium instead of sodium.

This is a very controversial question and evidence can be supported that it does and does not damage them. Skillings & Sons, Inc. would rather backwash the water under a deck, in a gutter drain or into a dry well. In Massachusetts, under title 5, water filtration devices are prohibited from back-washing into septic systems. If your system does backwash into your septic system, call us and we can re-route the water elsewhere.

Most municipalities disinfect their water with chlorine. This can leave an undesirable taste in the water. Granular activated carbon (GAC) is very efficient in removing chlorine and its harmful by-products. Treatment devices come in all sizes and forms cartridge filters for point of use, cartridge filters for whole house and back-washing filters for whole house.

Hydrogen sulfide gas is a naturally occurring contaminant which gives water a disagreeable rotten egg odor or taste. This usually indicates the presence of some form of non-harmful mineral reducing bacteria in the well. Testing is very difficult because it is a gas and it comes out of solution very quickly. There are no known health effects; however hydrogen sulfide can also make the water somewhat corrosive. Treatment methods may include aeration, filtration or and chlorination.

This indicates that the water is corrosive and usually acidic. Acidic water can leach metals from pumps, piping and fixtures. If left alone without treatment it can cause leaks in copper pipes and fixtures. Acidity is measured on a scale of 0-14 with 7 being neutral; less than 7 is acidic and above 7 is basic. Treatment methods are pH-neutralizing filters or chemical feed systems that add alkalinity to the water.

Hardness is the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in water. These minerals create numerous household-cleaning problems like soap curd, bath rings, hard water stains and spots. They also create problems with hot water tanks and heating systems by creating a ceramic calcium coating over heating coils. This can destroy hot water heaters or greatly increase operating costs. The treatment method of choice would be water softeners.