Pros and Cons of a Whole House Water Filter

Whole House Water Filter:

Pros and Cons of a Whole House Water Filter

by Josh Day

Whole house water filter filters your tap water before it hits the faucet. A whole house water filter is a filtration system that connects to your main water line right as it enters your house from the street or your own well.

A whole house system filters every drop of water that you use in and outside of your house.

Most whole house water filters are cylindrical towers that connect to piping and force water through high micron fibers, sediment-reducing membranes, and houses activated carbon and resins which pull away:

Microscopic sediments
Chlorine
Pesticides and herbicides
Volatile organic compounds
Odors
Cloudy or unsightly tint

When looking for a whole house filter, be sure to find one that offers a "multi media" venue of carbon. This includes high quality activated carbon alongside resins and other compounds which attract undesirable elements in your water. Also -- this goes for all varieties of water filters -- only buy filtration systems that are California certified. This is the seal of quality for water filters as California has the most stringent water regulations.

Now let's discuss the pros and cons of a whole house water filter:

Pros

Has a larger treatment area with multiple stages of mechanical (floss, membranes, fibers, etc) and chemical (carbon, resins) filtration
Treats water from your faucets to your shower to the water coming from your outdoor hose for your trees and gardens
Acts as a mini treatment plant in your home and is ideal as a first stage of filtration if you use secondary countertop or faucet adapter filter units

Cons

Difficult to install (requires plumbing tools and a fair amount of plumbing skill)
May be hard to reach to service and install replacement cartridges
May waste filtration on outdoor water usage (though plants do benefit from dechlorinated water)

Note from Chet: Click here because you'll want to read our detailed review of a water purifying unit that produces crystal clear healthy water for less than 10 cents a gallon.

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