Whole House Water Filters
A whole house water filter treats every tap, shower and appliance at the point where water enters your home. Size it by flow rate, typically 10 to 15 gallons per minute for a family home, and by your pipe size, usually 3/4 inch or 1 inch, so water pressure does not drop when several taps run at once.
How to choose
- Water source: city water usually needs sediment plus carbon for chlorine or catalytic carbon for chloramine. Well water may need iron, sulfur or UV treatment as well.
- Flow rate (GPM): add up fixtures that run at the same time.
- Capacity: tank systems are rated in gallons or years, while cartridge systems need changes every 3 to 12 months.
- Pressure drop: check the rated drop at your flow rate.
- Install: requires shut-off and bypass valves. Many homeowners use a plumber.
- Certification: few whole house systems are certified for lead. Use a point-of-use filter for drinking water if lead is a concern.
Choose Whole House Water Filters for Well Water or Whole House Water Filters for City Water, add UV Water Sterilizers, or compare Aquasana Whole House Filters.
FAQs
Is a whole house water filter worth it?
It is worth it if you want filtered water at every tap, for example to reduce chlorine or chloramine taste and odor in showers and laundry, sediment that clogs fixtures, or well water problems such as iron and sulfur. For drinking water only, an under-sink or reverse osmosis filter costs far less.
What size whole house water filter do I need?
Match the filter's flow rate to your household's peak use, usually 10 to 15 GPM for a typical family home, and its connections to your main line, commonly 3/4 or 1 inch. Larger homes with several bathrooms often need 1-inch ports and higher flow ratings to avoid pressure loss.
How often do you change a whole house water filter?
Cartridge systems typically need sediment filters changed every 3 to 6 months and carbon cartridges every 6 to 12 months, depending on water quality and use. Large tank systems are rated by gallons, often 600,000 to 1,000,000, and can last 6 to 10 years. Pressure loss signals a clogged filter.
Can I install a whole house water filter myself?
Confident DIYers often can, but it involves cutting into the main water line, adding shut-off and bypass valves and, in some cases, bonding the electrical ground across the new section. Local codes may require a licensed plumber. Brands such as Aquasana sell installation kits with fittings and a pre-filter.
