Home Warranties and Inspections - chemical pumps in home water system.

I’m not sure at all whether this is a proper question for this forum. If not please forgive!

I’m not buying or selling a house right now, but I need to correct my very acidic well water. (I have copper house piping). Looks like installing an acid-neutralizing filter may only be marginally effective and possibly may not entirely do the trick since the water is so acidic. But the alternative - a chemical injection pump injecting soda ash into the water - is guaranteed to work. Was planning to go that route. But one friend and one acquaintance of mine both just told me they wouldn’t install a chemical injection pump since in the future it could scare away prospective buyers. I said “but I’ll only be injecting soda ash (sodium carbonate) which is designated as a food additive. So no problem!”

I know this is technical, esoteric, and a long shot – but do any of you real estate savvy folks happen to know the story on chemical injection systems effecting home sales?

Many private wells around here utilize chemical injection pumps to inject a chlorine bleach mix into the water line for disinfection purposes. To me, this would be a plus to a buyer, as would the addition of any other approved chemical to improve the quality of the water. If the buyer didn't agree with the need for the chemical addition, all he has to do is shut off the pump. I certainly wouldn't let it deter me from neutralizing the high acidity level of your water. If I was buying your home, I'd rather know the copper lines have been protected by having the low pH well water neutralized.

PS, I'm not a real estate pro, I'm a professional engineer working in public water supply administration.

Thank you very much Beachboy.

Sorry I took so long to get back to you. I just saw your response. I thought I was taking care of all my business. Screwed up here. (I think I'm losing it!)

I'm very glad to hear what you are saying. It makes perfect sense to me. I was also thinking that maybe buyers would feel better knowing the copper lines had been protected. Good to hear you say that. Sounds like you think a chemical injection pump would be a plus since when you get down to it, it's really just improving the quality of the water. That makes sense.

I did know that other chemicals like a chlorine bleach mix could also be added. That sounded like a plus to me. I was thinking maybe I might need that later. Had some disinfection needs.

And I also was thinking that backing out the system is obviously easy and should be obvious to anyone nothing else would be affected except water quality. (Not that water quality isn't extremely important!). I don't know why I was thinking backing out meant removing things. Of course. You just simply shut off the pump if you don't agree with the chemical addition!

I didn't know whether the use of chemical injection pumps was extremely rare. It's very illuminating to hear that many private wells around your area use them. That too makes me feel a lot better.

I'm going to add the chemical injection pump. Thanks a lot for your response.

p.s. I was addressing my question to real estate savvy folks- but I feel I hit the jackpot with a response from a professional engineer working in public water supply administration.

The term chemical injection might be enough to scare away a buyer who does not know the area where water supplies are acid. If someone asks you what it is, then call it a water neutralizer and it works by injecting sodium carbonate (a food additive) to remove the acid taste of the water.

Thanks rjordan392 - if you're still there hopefully!

That's is excellent advice. Simple - but obviously I didn't think of it. Names and terms mean a whole lot. I'm going to erase the term chemical injection system from my vocabulary. Your term is much more descriptive anyway.

thanks again.