Others are better qualified to interpret your water test results. But my take is that most of your copper piping is nearing having pinholes.

The pressing problem is low pH. Your water is acidic. More than likely that is what is causing your pinhole problem. I agree with bus driver and suspect you are in for more pinhole leaks.

You need an acid neutralizer to raise the pH and that will increase the hardness and a correctly sized softener will treat your (increased) hardness, iron, and manganese.

In order to correctly size a softener we need to know the # of bathrooms, # of people, SFR of the well/plumbing, and are there any water hogging appliances like a jet tub or uber shower? Also need to see a more comprehensive water test. At minimum hardness, iron (ferrous and ferric), manganese, TDS sodium bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, copper

How old are the test results you posted and were the tests done by a certified lab or a water treatment dealer?

Living on a well have you been routinely (at least annually) testing your water for nitrates and bacteria?

Thanks for your responses. The tests results are very recent and done by plumbing and heating company. Did not see full report but will ask as was just given summary I posted above.

There are three bathrooms and four people. No water hogging appliances. We have not been checking water annually but have done it every few years or so. A few years ago we installed a radon bubbler (not sure if that is what it is called) to reduce radon level.

Thanks again!

Need to know the SFR of the well/plumbing.

I'd want a comprehensive water test from a certified independent lab and add radon to be tested. With those results we can recommend what you need. I can tell you now that you DON'T want a Vortech tank.

Living on a well is more complicated than living on a water system and I'd be testing annually for nitrates and bacteria to keep the water safe.

Replace your copper with PEX. You are past the point of no return on that issue. Then deal with the water quality issues after you've replaced your pipes. It's what the PO had to do to our house prior to sale 20 years ago. Leaks would have kept appearing otherwise, even if the water quality was addressed. The pipes are shot. We were lucky in that shortly after the pipe replacement was done a connection to a municipal water supply (with stellar water quality) became available.

Anyone contemplating re-plumbing a home should investigate ALL their options. Seems every decade or so there's a new fantastic, plastic, magic plumbing revelation that results in class action lawsuits a decade or so later and the winners are the lawyers and the plumbers. Options come and go but copper remains a great choice.

Pinhole leaks in copper are not the fault of the material and can be avoided if the homeowner takes the steps to understand the quality (or lack of) of the water they are living with and consuming. These problems are not uncommon for first time well owners. Living on a well is more complicated and requires some maintenance than living on a water system because the owner has the responsibility of making the water nice and making the water safe. There are more serious consequences from not understanding your well water than pinholes... like health problems.

This post was edited by justalurker on Thu, Dec 5, 13 at 15:44

Thanks again for advice. What is best way to order a comprehensive water test from a certified independent lab? I thought we had ordered exactly that but guess it was incomplete as per your feedback. And what exactly should I be sure they include in their test? Also, what is best way to determine what my SFR is?

BTW, I live in CT.

Appreciate all the responses!

Thanks again for advice. What is best way to order a comprehensive water test from a certified independent lab? I thought we had ordered exactly that but guess it was incomplete as per your feedback. And what exactly should I be sure they include in their test? Also, what is best way to determine what my SFR is?

BTW, I live in CT.

Appreciate all the responses!

...forgot to ask:

why so negative on Vortech tank?

Thanks

There have been problems with Vortech tanks.

SFR with well water....
You will need a watch with a second hand and a 1 or 5 gallon container to measure your flow rate with the instructions below.

1. Using the bathtub as the measuring point, open BOTH the hot and cold water faucets completely open. If your tub has a single faucet then find a hose bib near the water service entrance to the home. If on a well a hose bib after your pressure tank and before any water treatment hardware.

2. If you have a well water supply, wait until the pump kicks on before continuing.

3. Place either a 1 or 5 gallon container under the faucet and measure the amount of time it takes to fill the container in seconds.