Chemistry will tell you that water is neutral at 7.0 on the PH scale. Below 7.0 the water will become acidic. Water treatment isn’t an exact science. Sometimes even at 7.0 the water is aggressive and will attack the plumbing fixtures, piping and the water heater in your home. This is usually the result of not having enough Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in you water. Sometimes when there are not enough other elements, the water attacks the plumbing system and leaves you with green stains, pin holes in the copper piping and corrosion inside the pipes. These problems are not only costly to repair or replace, but can result in water damage to your home or property.
An automatic acid neutralizer, usually a 1.5 cubic foot unit filled with either calcite (crushed limestone) or a combination of calcite and magnesium oxide, which is a PH booster, will nicely treat your water. Keep in mind that you are adding limestone to your water. Adding limestone means you are raising your hardness a couple of grains per gallon (GPG) and you might want to consider a water softener. Although this is not mandatory, it is usually a good idea
To treat aggressive water we first usually install a relatively inexpensive polyphosphate in-line filter. This food base product melts into the water with no change in the taste of the water and coats the pipes and equipment. Actually it is also sometimes necessary to raise the PH higher than 7.0. By doing this the water will not attack the plumbing system but will attack the other elements in the water leaving the pipes unharmed.
