Particles in water

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Candlestick

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Jamul, CA
This is a bit of a puzzle. I have a manufactured home which was installed in Dec 08. It uses PEX tubing and has a demand water heater. About once a month I have to remove the diffusers from the bathroom and kitchen sinks and showers and remove the particles which have nearly blocked all water flow. These particles appear to be of two types. One looks like very small stones and the other looks like very small pieces of wood. The house is fed from a well through a feed off a 3200 gallon tank, then through a pressure pump and then to the house. My first thought was that the particles were from the well, so I installed a whole house filter downstream of the pressure pump about a year ago. No effect and none of the particles I've found could have made it through that filter. I've already changed the filter once and there were no similar particles embedded in it.

My next thought was construction debris left in the lines. There was some of that, perhaps, but after two years you'd think it'd be cleared out. All faucets are mixed faucets so have no way to tell if problem is related to only hot or cold.

My current theories are: this is a Pex by-product (glue?) or something is coming out of solution when the water is heated. Any ideas?
 
There are no pex byproducts such as glue, it is simply plastic with crimp fittings which means that there is gunk in your pipes somewhere.

Based on your description and since you have a tankless heater I would also lean towards construction debris, when can hang around for a surprisingly long time if it is heavy. Heavy debris will move with the water but sink back into the line the moment there is no pressure.
 
It is more likely hardness, iron, manganese or possibly some other minerals that are naturally found in Well Water. They coat the pipes then break off in little pieces later. Those so called Whole House Filters are junk and useless, so do yourself a favor and remove the cartridge.

If you want to get rid of them, have your water tested and get the right equipment to remove those minerals. Usually a softener.
 
Meh, the whole house filters are great if you have certain issues directly from your water source. I use a chlorine whole house filter because i am very close to a purification subsystem that makes all my water feel and taste like a new swimming pool.
 
I use a chlorine whole house filter

You must be referring to a carbon filter. If it's a 9 X 48" tank or so, it would work great for that application. If it's a 10" cartridge, it's good for about a week.

I don't know how my post got ahead of yours, I was answering the one below this one. Magnet devices are a scam. Don't waste your money. Siliphos is not a filter. You add this sequestering agent to the cuno filter cartridge and it slowly dissolves into the water and sequesters the mineral so it won't stick. I wouldn't put a lot of faith in it.
 
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I called Takagi, manufacturer of the water heater. They said the particles are scale breaking off inside the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger needs to be descaled. To prevent further issues I should install either a siliphos filter on the cold water line leading to the heater, or add a water softener. Questions:
1. Any experience with siliphos filters?
2. Any experience with the electro-magnet water softeners?
 

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