Whether you use municipal tap water or private well water, your water can contain contaminants that are harmful to your health. Even if your water is free of contaminants, mineral deposits can damage plumbing and appliances and cause dry and irritated skin over time. Installing a water filtration system provides a safe, easy and affordable solution to ensure your home has pure water for all your needs. This guide covers the installation method and the maintenance guide for the whole house water filter system.
What is a Whole House Water Filtration System?
A whole house water filter, also known as a point-of-entry tap, is a system that is installed where the water main line enters the home. This filtration system helps reduce water contaminants such as chlorine, iron, and sulfur. Whole house water filters bring clean water to every faucet in your home. This means you have access to filtered water throughout your home.
A whole house filtration system can remove many harmful contaminants from your water, including chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals like lead and iron, and bacteria. These contaminants pose a serious threat to you and your family’s health and can be deadly if left untreated.
How to Install Whole House Water Filtration System?
Whole house filtration is the best option if you want to get quality water throughout the house. Installation of water filters is the same for all filter types as they differ only in the way they filter the water and the contaminants they remove. You must follow the given steps to install your whole house water filter.
1. Turn off Water Supply and Use Buckets to Catch Leaks
The water should be turned off at the main shutoff and drained out of the system before installation. Use the lowest faucet in your home to let the water and pressure escape. But even after that, you can still have small leaks when you go through the setup and make sure everything is in place. Protect the floor and place a bucket or bowl under where major connections and filter components are bolted to ensure a safe working environment.
2. Leave Space for a Sediment Filter and Conditioner
Most people with a whole house filter in their well also need a sediment filter to remove small particles before the water reaches the more delicate filter elements. The sediment filter improves purity and extends the life of whole house filter. Because groundwater is naturally harder than surface water, many well owners add well water softeners or conditioners to their filtration systems.
So if your system doesn’t already have these things, make sure to leave room for them if you decide to add them later. Remember that you need space to access your filters regularly to check for leaks and replace filter cartridges. You can also find a spot with plenty of space along the main water line and mount the system to walls and floor joists before attaching together the various appliances in your home.
3. Install Bypass Valve
You should install a bypass valve if you want to disconnect your filter without turning off the water supply. Installing an extra line that can bypass the filter or fabric softener with a valve allows the filter to be removed without shutting off the water supply to the rest of the house. Bypass valves ease the process of replacing filter cartridges, especially when shutoffs are installed between each filter stage to isolate individual parts of the system. Sediment filter screens often need to be cleaned or replaced every few months, while carbon filters must be replaced annually or semi-annually.
4. Flush And Check For Leaks
After connecting the new filtration system, put the water back in to flush the system and check for leaks. Compression fittings that can drip slightly from the filter housing can be easily fixed with careful tightening. If the leak is large, it may be necessary to disassemble and reconnect the components very precisely. Wrapping the threads with Teflon tape, greasing them, and using extra o-rings are common ways to fix leaks.
Flushing the filtration system removes dust and debris from manufacturing and installation and helps prime filter cartridges. Carbon filters, in particular, can require extensive flushing, producing small pieces of black carbon over hours or days as water displaces the air within the carbon block. The system should run at maximum efficiency when the water is clean and free of air bubbles.
5. If You Have Any Doubts, Call a Professional
You should call a professional if you still don’t know how to install your whole house water filter. Many people choose to hire a professional to install a new filter system rather than installing it themselves. Some manufacturers and suppliers offer installation services by purchasing the system, and many plumbing companies offer filter installation services. Always use a qualified professional when installing filters, drilling wells, maintaining heaters, or hiring other house plumbing workers.
How Often Should You Change A Whole House Water Filter?
Typically, most filters have a lifespan of 1-6 months. The life of the sediment pre-filter will be shortened. The carbon filter lasts the longest, 14-15 months. There are many ways to confirm that the filter needs a replacement. One of them is the unpleasant smell and taste of water. The water flow rate and pressure also change. Older cartridges also say a lot about the condition of your water purifier. If it is worn out or old, please replace it as soon as possible next time. But if it’s still clean and new, use it for a little more time.
However, the following factors also determine how often you need to replace water filters throughout your home.
- Size, capacity, type (specified in months or gallons)
- Quality of feed water (high levels of impurities reduce filter life and increase the likelihood of replacement)
- Sediment, iron, and other impurities
- Water hardness
Maintenance Tips for Whole House Filters
Proper maintenance of your whole house water filter can extend the life of this essential system that keeps your home water clean. Here are some tips to ensure your whole house water filter delivers cleaner, tastier, healthier water daily.
Schedule Regular Inspections
A water filter expert’s inspection keeps your system running at peak performance. Water experts inspect filter components and fix problems that may occur before they become problems.
Install New Filters if Needed
Installing a new filter if needed can help keep your water filtration system from clogging. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and your water professional’s recommendations for filter replacement. A water professional can help determine how often your filter needs to be changed based on your home’s usage.
Test the Water Regularly
The effectiveness of the whole house water filters should be verified through regular testing to ensure the system is still working optimally. You can use water testing kits to test your drinking water by yourself.
Final Thoughts
Using water filters for your home water supply ensures clean and contamination-free water for drinking and other household purposes. Installation of whole house water filter isn’t difficult as I have described every step in detail in this guide. I hope you find it helpful and can install your whole house water filter on your own.
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