Whole House Water Filter

A good addition to a home plumbing system is the installation
of whole house filters at the entrance of the water service. The
water service is defined as the supply line from the source to the
home. These filters are available from all of the big box home
improvement stores who also stock the replacement parts such
as gaskets and cartridges.
They are about as big as coffee cans, and there are
basically two types. One is for water borne particulates (“particles”)
and the other is filled with activated charcoal and is for
taste and odor. Some people say you can use just one, but the
best results come from using both. A piping bypass should also
be installed which allows you to clamp both without interrupting
your house fl ow.
The cartridges are easier to change than an oil filter
and last about six months depending on the turbidity of the water. A falling off of pressure indicates they have to be replaced
and the cost is between fifteen and twenty dollars for both.
Some people install local (individual) units on their
sinks or refrigerator ice maker lines, but these don’t prevent major
contamination from a water main break that can ruin clothes
in a washer and contaminate the whole system.
Again, the big box stores sell these units, filters, and
other replacement parts, and they are well worth the investment.