How to Choose a Whole House Water Filter System
A whole house water filter system is installed on the main line that comes into your home. The sand, sediment, iron and other impurities in the water are removed before it travels through the lines to your faucets, toilets, washing machine and other appliances. That way, all the water in your home is filtered. Learn how to choose the right whole house water filter system by following the simple steps below. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Determine what type of impurities---sediments, minerals, and/or chemicals---are present in your household water. That is, does your water contain sand, iron, calcium or chloride? Sand in your water will plug the cold water screen in your washer. Telltale signs of iron are orange stains in your bathtub and toilet bowl. Calcium leaves hard white deposits. Water that smells like spoiled eggs often contains hydrogen sulfide.
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Determine exactly what's in your water by having it tested. If you have public/municipal water, contact your local water plant for an analysis. If you have private well water, you can have it tested by a laboratory. Contact your local cooperative extension service or the agriculture department at a college to find a water tester. Or, you can purchase a water testing kit at a home supply store and do it yourself.
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Check where the main water line comes into your house. Look to see how much space is available around the line. Some whole house water filter systems have filter housings that are quite large in diameter. You may want to measure the space to determine how large of a unit you can accommodate.
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Determine how much flow rate the whole house water filter system you choose needs to have. This rate, which is measured in gallons per minute (GPM), will determine how fast the water will flow into your household after it has been filtered or treated. The flow rate you need will depend on your household size. It will also be determined by the water flow that shower heads, toilets and your dishwasher needs.
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Visit the plumbing department in your local home improvement store. First, find the whole house water filter systems that remove the impurities you have in your water. Then, compare the size of the housings and the flow rate of each unit. Also, check the warranties on each system, as well as the price and availability of the replacement filters before you make your final decision.
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Tips & Warnings
Water flow rates range from 10 to 40 gallons per minute. The size of the main water line that comes into your house doesn't matter when choosing a whole house water filter system. If the diameter isn't 1 inch, the usual size of the inlet and outlet pipes on filter systems, you can use adapters to make the pipes fit.
