Sediment Filters and Old Plumbing

I have a well update.  When I noted previously that I had sediment that was coming through despite a (nominal) one micron filter, I was wondering if I'd need to get even stronger filtration or a multistage filter system.  I started researching them online.

I think I just wasn't running the water enough after changing the filter.  I swapped out a couple of filters and finally let it run for a while as Benjamin Sahlstrom suggests.  The water may be a bit fouled at first after changing the filter, but it soon clears.  It seems that all is well, although there is definitely sediment getting through:

The red in the picture above is fine silt, which settles to the bottom of the toilet tank (several months' worth).  I have tested my filtered water and found that I have about 13 ppm of silica.  That's definitely higher than most public water systems would have, but not all--see, for example, the water quality report for Lenexa, KS: 10 ppm silica, range 2-17 ppm; recommended federal level 50 ppm or lower.  The main problem is that the silica will probably cause components in the dishwasher and washing machine to wear faster, and to some degree it may accumulate in the water heater--though the latter can be flushed.

Over time, the sediment does add up.  Below is what an Aquaboon one-micron wound string filter looked like after about 4 months (with a new one for comparison).

It looks worse than it actually is.  I was wondering if I had lost water pressure and so changed it; the new filter showed that it hadn't significantly impeded flow yet, even though it looked completely silted up when it was in the housing.  There was a fair amount of sediment in the bottom of the housing, but that doesn't really matter.

Even after the well was refurbished, water coming out of one of the outdoor taps--i.e., unfiltered--was dirty-looking. Much of that may have been attributable to some of the supply fixtures--galvanized steel and, for two outdoor hydrants, cast iron:

All of that is now replaced (with new galvanized in the case of the hydrants), and the water is looking much better.  There's still some cloudiness, but it is unfiltered, after all...

More on the Storage Life of Dehydrated Refried Beans

I noted a couple of years ago that I had some cans of dehydrated refried beans that were put up in February, 2009.  I am down to just one can left, but recently opened the next to last one.  It was fine.  If there has been any deterioration in quality, I can't detect it.  As I mentioned before and elsewhere, my house routinely hits 80 and higher in the summer (though usually not warmer than 83), so the storage conditions have definitely not been completely ideal.  Even so, they were okay.  Since I'm now about out, it's time for more.

The same things I noted previously still apply: they're a bit saltier than some brands of ready-to-use refried beans; also, I don't follow the process on the label above (1 1/2 cups of dry flakes with 1 cup of boiling water, stir and let sit for 10 minutes).  I make up smaller quantities for the microwave using an ad hoc amount of water, so I get inconsistent results.  Maybe the label directions would work better.  That notwithstanding, if they are a little too thin, letting them stand for a few minutes does thicken them up.  Continuing to heat them in a microwave does, too, but they start to crackle as they get heated further.

I generally use them for burritos, but even in a bowl eaten straight up they're fine.

Solid Surface Countertops

A few years ago I was doing some remodeling.  One of the things that needed replacing was the countertops.  The existing kitchen cabinets were taken out, and the base cabinet configuration was changing--even if it hadn't changed, the existing laminate counters were not in optimal shape.

The house I was living in at the time had plain white laminate counters in the kitchen, which actually worked pretty well.  In almost 20 years of use, they had very few scratches or other signs of wear.  However, I decided to go with a solid surface for the new ones.

Various places compare the myriad countertop options (marble, granite, engineered quartz, laminate, solid surface, concrete, tile, etc).  It looked like the solid surface ones would work well.  They're vulnerable to scratching--see below--but can also be repaired through sanding/buffing if there's an obvious scratch or other problem.  And they are a lot less heavy than granite or any other similar material.  They also aren't all that costly, although they can be depending on the design and where/when they are bought. Corian, Lotte (Staron), and LG (Hi-Macs) are three types.  Big-box stores like Lowes and Home Depot carry one or more of them, and they have periodic sales.

Scratches.  Solid surface countertops do scratch.  They're more susceptible to scratching than granite/quartz or laminate.  Mine, after a few months of use, do have scratches that are visible--but you have to look for them.

One thing I saw repeated frequently was the admonition to go with a lighter color, because scratches wouldn't show up as readily as with darker surfaces.  Some warned that darker colors would show lighter scratches and look bad in short order.  Some offer glossy finishes instead of matte.  These would also be more susceptible to revealing any scratching.  So, I ordered a bunch of 2"x2" samples and scratched them with a box cutter blade.  Scratches were easier to see in darker shades, so I went with a relatively light color (with some disappointment; some of the darker ones were very nice).

Below is a black countertop in an office building restroom--it was installed more than 10 years ago.  Scratches are evident, but it doesn't look too bad despite heavy daily traffic.

I think this is the Corian color Deep Anthracite; the Corian Web page notes, " May require additional maintenance."

Below is a closeup of my counter: LG Moon Haze.  The scratches--what ones there are--can't really be captured on camera at this point.

I have cool fluorescent-like LED lights in the kitchen; the surface looks less yellow than it does on the LG site--it's more off-white with crystals.  I like it (which is fortunate, because I'm stuck with it now).

Several months in, there are no evident problems with the installation. The picture above shows that the backsplash was not integral with the horizontal surface itself: it's just a separate piece that was caulked to the wall.  That was substantially less costly than doing a single casting.  Also, the edge is the basic one; additional options are available but they all cost more.  What I have looks fine to me.