I tried a sediment filter and it caught a ton at first, but after a while, not much changed. Makes me think the buildup is deeper than I can reach.
That lines up with what I’ve seen—sediment filters help at first, but if the inside of the galvanized pipe is already corroded or layered with mineral deposits, it’s like putting a band-aid on a bigger problem. I’ve heard some folks have luck with whole-house filtration systems, but honestly, if the source is old pipe walls flaking off, there’s only so much you can do without replacing more of the line.
Curious if you ever tried running hot water through for an extended flush? Sometimes that can loosen up some of the gunk, though it’s hit or miss. Also, when you switched to UF membranes, did you notice any difference in flow rate or maintenance compared to RO? I’ve been considering UF for rainwater harvesting setups, but I’m not sure how they handle older plumbing crud.
Had a client once who thought swapping out filters would magically fix their rusty water. Spoiler: it didn’t. The inside of those old galvanized pipes looked like a science fair volcano—layers of crusty mineral buildup, and no filter was gonna save that mess.
I’ve seen UF membranes handle the gunk better than RO, especially with older plumbing. RO systems always seemed to clog up or slow down way faster in those situations. UF’s a bit more forgiving, but you still end up cleaning them more than you’d like if your pipes are shedding flakes like a sunburn. Flow rate’s usually better with UF, though—less of that trickle you get with RO.
Hot water flushes? Sometimes they help, sometimes you just end up with a hot mess and a bunch of new leaks. If the pipes are really far gone, I usually tell folks to start budgeting for replacement... or at least get used to cleaning aerators every other week.
Curious if you’ve ever tried adding a sediment pre-filter before the UF membrane? I’ve seen some folks have luck with that, especially when the pipes are flaking a lot. Wondering if it actually cuts down on cleaning or just adds another thing to babysit.
Tried that route once, thinking it’d save me some hassle with all the pipe debris. Honestly, I felt like I was just trading one headache for another—ended up checking the pre-filter more often than I ever cleaned the membrane. Maybe it’s just my setup, but I didn’t notice a big drop in maintenance overall.
Had a similar experience when I swapped to UF membranes last year. Thought it’d cut down on the gunk clogging things up, but I found myself babysitting the pre-filter way more than before. Maybe it’s just the way my lines run—lots of old galvanized pipe, so debris is a constant. If anything, I felt like I was just shifting where the maintenance happened, not really reducing it. Anyone else notice that with older plumbing?