well water and fridge icemaker/water dispenser help needed

15 years ago

In our new build I am going to have well water for the first time ever. In choosing a fridge, I am trying to figure out if I want an icemaker and if I want through-the-door water/ice dispenser. Considering ONLY the well water issue, what are the pros/cons in having both the icemaker and the door dispenser? Is it any different than with municipal water in terms of filters I would need to get? Would the water/ice look and taste fine or would the well affect it?

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susanpn
Original Author

15 years ago

Thanks all -- this is immensely helpful! Live Wire thanks extra for the copper vs plastic pipe info. Really appreciate the advice and knowledge you are sharing. Hopefully our plumber will know that but we aren't quite there yet, although the well is in (400ft if that matters). Chefnewbie thanks too, i guess we will wait and see what the water quality is like. Mainecoonkitty I am in Vermont so we are practically neighbors -- nice to know you are so happy with your fridge and water!

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Comments (8)

chefnewbie
15 years ago
I have well water, a "whole house filter" and an Icon fridge with a filter. My previous house had well water and a GE fridge with no filter, but we had a Culligan reverse osmosis water filtration system.
As far as water/ice quality, I've noticed almost no difference from city water - except that well water tastes less "chemically" than my city water did.
It is really a water quality issue. Once your well is up and running, you will be able to have the water tested and go from there regarding filters and such.
Our new house happens to have a very deep well - over 600 feet down - and has excellent quality water - clear, no iron, low residue so we have great results from any tap.
The other issue is water pressure. You want to make sure you will have adequate water pressure for an ice maker/water dispenser (this should really be no problem).
Enjoy your well.
User
15 years ago
Some well water is great. Other well water isnt' so good. You need to testyour well water and decide if whole house filtration is needed. If you have hard water in your area, typically a whole home system will give you the best results. If you have marginally OK water and don't opt for the whole house system, then putting an inline filter that filters the water before it goes through the line to the fridge will give you better results than using the filter that comes with most fridges. It'll also help to keep the mineral buildup out of the water supply line to the fridge, which can become a problem.

One thing to consider is that with most well water, you do NOT want to use copper piping for your home's plumbing. CPVC or PEX will work better for the long run. Well water and copper piping tend towards having pinhole leaks somewhere down the road.
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mainecoonkitty
15 years ago
I LOVE my well water. We have a Kinetico whole house system with reverse osmosis for drinking water and an LG French door fridge with a second filter for the water/ice in the door. The water tastes so much better than municiple water that we had in the city. My friends actually fill up their jugs when they come to visit me.
mainecoonkitty
15 years ago
LOL! I'm actually in Ohio, susan. The "MaineCoonKitty" is in honor of my 30 lb Maine Coon cat, Rocky.
susanpn
Original Author
15 years ago
AHHHH!! That is hilarious! And 30lbs??!! WOW!! Well, I am originally from Illinois, so we are still "almost neighbors" :-) And thus the unfamiiarity with well water! And, I am a dog person, so if I knew about cats I would know a Maine Coon was a cat! Sorry to Rocky! (my friend has a rottweiler named Rocky -- big sweet teddy bear of a dog!) Thanks for your post!
chefnewbie
15 years ago
If you are doing PVC pipe be warned in advance that PVC pipe is LOUD! Our builder, plumber, architect, etc. failed to inform us of this. So ... we have an incredible house in which you can actually hear the water running - especially when the master toilet flushes.
Be sure they do your riser in cast iron and that there are no fixtures running straight into the riser - there should be some horizontal piping before the waste gets to the riser. Hope that makes sense. It's very hard to explain, but talk to your plumber about noise and how to minimize it.
susanpn
Original Author
15 years ago
Ah Chefnewbie, I am already on that one!! Our current house drives me crazy with the water running through the pipes so audibly, so we already have it in the building budget that we will be using metal in all the bathrooms upstairs. I WILL take your advice on the horizontal piping/riser issue though, so thanks! And also I think we may have copper in the budget as opposed to cast iron, so will bring that up as well. THANKS SO MUCH!