Advanced total Home Water Filtration Buying Guide
What is a
Whole House Water Filter?
A whole house
filter connects to the main water line entering your house so that all of the
water dispensers in your house – faucets, toilets, showers, baths, kitchen,
laundry – dispense treated water. Typically the whole house water filter is
connected to the main water line before it splits into the hot water heater.
Customers wishing to purify the water to their garden and sprinkler systems may
find this to be a bit more challenging as the main water line coming off the
city system often splits off into a “house” water line and a “yard” water line
in the house’s foundation slab or at the street level before the house. Consult your
home’s blueprint or city water utility for further details.
What type
of Whole House Water Filter do I need?
This will
depend on what types of contaminants are in your water. Determine what you
need to remove from the water. If you are on a municipal city water supply
the typical contaminants of concern are chlorine and chemicals, sediment and hardness
minerals. The types of contaminants typically found in a private well water
supply are sediment, iron and hardness minerals, but can vary from nusance contaminants to toxic or damaging. If you have a private well, please send us a copy of your most recent water analysis or get your well water tested so we can make a recommendation based upon the contaminants that are actually in your well water. Upon request most
municipal water utilities will provide you with a water analysis. For more information on Well water and water testing please read our free Water Testing Guide and Well Water Information Supplemental.
Water Softening vs. Water Filtration
Water Softeners remove hardness minerals specifically, whereas water filters are designed to remove a broader range of contaminents. However they can be combined in one unit refered to as a water conditioner. Learn more about Water Softeners and Water Conditioners here.
Types of
Common Contaminants
Sediment – typically refers to visible particles in the water, which need to be
mechanically strained out such as dirt, dust, rust and sand. Water supplies with
high amounts of sediment should consider multiple stages of sediment filtration,
with the stages gradually becoming finer. Reusable filters should also be
strongly considered. Water supplies with less sediment can use disposable, finer
filters. Chart showing different contaminants and their size.
Chemicals – most chemical contaminants can be removed using carbon filtration. The most
common chemical disinfectant found in municipal city water supplies is chlorine,
which can be removed with a carbon filter. List of chemicals carbon can remove.
Iron – there are 2 types of iron found in water supplies, ferrous (aka dissolved or
clear water iron) and ferric (aka rust or red water iron). Red water iron and
rust particles can be removed with a sediment filter, whereas clear water iron
can be removed via oxidation or ion exchange. Factors affecting the life of an
oxidizing filter are pH and the presence of Hydrogen Sulfide.
More information on contaminants and water treatment methods.
Selecting a Whole House Water Filter -- What to
look for:
· Flow rate – measured in gallons per minute (GPM), flow rate determines the
amount of water available to run your shower, toilet, hot water heater,
dishwasher, etc. When calculating your requirements look at the demand ratings
printed on your appliances and toilet. Typical showerheads flow 2.5 to 5 gpm,
toilet 5 gpm, dishwasher 3 gpm. Depending on the size of your house and family
your water flow rate requirements may range from 15 - 40 gpm. A whole house
filter system with a flow rate less than 10gpm is unacceptable for maintaining
uninterrupted, comfortable water pressure during peak use.
· Filter size – the larger the filter the longer the service interval, and the
more water it will flow and with greater pressure. However port size has a
greater impact on GPM and pressure. The ideal filter size for most homes is 4.5”
x 20”, however large homes may require the 50 gpm flow rate with a 2.5 cubic foot carbon bed and 1 1/2" ports found in the EWS-1354-112 Total Conditioner.
· Filter life – sediment filter life will vary depending on the sediment quantity
and quality. Good quality whole house 4.5” x 20” carbon filter cartridges will
last 100,000 – 150,000 gallons in normal municipal water supplies. Stand-alone
carbon filters with carbon beds, as opposed to carbon filter cartridges, will
last much longer ONLY if they have a backwashing valve and a regular back wash
cycle.
· Port size – the ideal port size on a whole house water filter is 1”. Even if the
home uses ¾” piping, using a 1” ported system will not create any bottlenecks
when fitted onto the ¾” pipe. Whole house water filter systems with 1” ports and
4.5” x 20” filter carry more than enough water so that pressure drops are
virtually non-existent.
Shop for your Whole House Water Filter
More information on water filtration and treatment
Read our Water Testing Guide here.
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