What is a Whole Home Water Filter?

Access to clean water is a fundamental necessity for a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to clean water in their homes. Contaminants such as heavy metals, sediment, and bacteria can compromise the quality of your water supply. Investing in a whole home water filter is an effective way to ensure that the water entering your home is clean and safe for all uses, including drinking, cooking, and bathing. Likewise, this post is dedicated to explaining what a whole home water filter is, how it works, and what you should know about it.

What is a Whole Home Water Filter?

A whole home water filter, also known as a house water filtration system, is designed to treat water at the point of entry into your home. This means that all the water used throughout your home from your kitchen to your bathrooms is filtered. These systems are installed on the main water line, ensuring that every drop of water you use is clean and free from contaminants.

Whole home water filters typically utilize multiple stages of filtration to remove contaminants from your water source. The process often begins with sediment filters that capture large particles such as sand, dirt, and rust. Following this, carbon filters or active carbon units are used to remove chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other chemicals that affect water taste and odor. Some systems also include specialized filters to remove heavy metals, bacteria, and other pathogens.

Benefits of Installing a Whole Home Water Filter

• Improved Water Quality: By filtering out contaminants, these systems significantly improve the overall water quality in your home.
• Healthier Water: Clean water reduces the risk of waterborne illnesses and skin irritations caused by chlorine and other chemicals.
• Protects Plumbing: Filtering out sediments and contaminants helps protect your plumbing system and extends the life of your appliances.
• Environmental Benefits: Reduces the need for bottled water, thereby lowering plastic waste.

Investing in a Quality Home Water Filtration System

When it comes to the water quality in your home, it’s essential to invest in a reliable and efficient house water filtration system. Whole home water filters like the Springwell, Aquasana Rhino, Pelican Water, and iSpring systems provide a comprehensive solution to treating your home’s water supply, ensuring that it is clean, safe, and free from harmful contaminants.

By incorporating a whole home water filter, you can elevate your home’s water quality, making it tastier and healthier for all your household needs. Keep in mind that the best system for your home depends on your specific water quality requirements and the unique challenges you face with your water supply.

Best Whole Home Water Filters

When considering a whole home water filter, it’s important to choose the right system that fits your home’s specific needs. Here are some of the best whole home water filters available, each with unique features and benefits.

Aquasana Rhino

This is a low maintenance whole house filter with a 500K, 600K or 1 million gallon water capacity depending on which model you choose. This system is very effective at purifying water and has been independently tested to NSF/ANSI Standard 42 to remove about 97% of the chlorine in water among other things. The Aquasana Rhino is a whole-house filter system that can also act as a natural, “salt-free” water softener.

This is because it can change the water composition so that hard minerals like calcium and magnesium are less likely to build-up in your internal pipelines. And this happens without the use of chemicals or salt. Getting a UV (ultra violet) light upgrade also means that this system eliminates 99.99% of bacteria and viruses in your water. It comes with an assembly kit for easier and more affordable installation. The kit includes everything needed to install the system on 3/4″ or 1″ main water lines.

Pros

• It has high-quality filters that remove 97% of chlorine, reduce limescale, and can filter up to 1 million gallons of water.
• There is the option to add on powerful UV filters that eliminate 99.99% of germs.
• Reduces wastewater as there is nothing to drain and no regeneration like there is with water softeners.
• Very easy water cartridge replacement.
• The recently improved divider valve allows for a fast flow rate with no noticeable drop in water pressure

Cons

• Expensive when compared to under sink filters or water filter pitchers.

SpringWell Whole House Filter

Many people seek out whole house filters not realizing that a filter can not treat hard water. Hard water is what causes white limescale deposits around your faucets and sinks. The only thing that can reliably treat hard water is a water softener. Most of the best selling softeners like Fleck SXT are ONLY softeners. This means they will perfectly treat your hard water and make it ‘soft’ but your soft water will still be full of contaminants.

Softener and filter combinations solves this problem. This means that your device won’t simply give you water that has that slippery soft water feel. It also means that you can directly drink the water that comes out of each faucet. Unlike a stand alone water softener that creates soft water that you shouldn’t drink. Apart from softening the multi-stage filter that is capable of removing contaminants from your water.

Pros:

• The multiple stages include a carbon filtration element that removes most impurities that can affect the taste of your water.
• Carbon filters are capable of eliminating many contaminants.
• Includes the best selling softener model on places like Amazon with excellent customer feedback.
• Both filters and softens water at the same time.
• Based on the most popular water softener model. This means that it is easy to find troubleshooting help, installation manuals and answers for free online.
• Designed to filter and soften the water in your home.
• The device package will include all the parts and accessories that you need for professional installation.
• Can supply enough treated water for a household with 1-3 bathrooms (or you can upgrade to a higher capacity model).

Cons:

• The installation can be difficult if you have no experience, so hire a professional plumber.

Aquasana OptimH20

The Aquasana OptimH2O whole house filter is by far one of the most powerful domestic filters on the market today. Unlike most filters, this unit can deal with serious contamination. This includes the removal of heavy metals like lead and contaminants like cysts. You can also expect it to deal with things like chloramines, bacteria, VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and chlorine.

The best part is that all of these have been independently tested and verified. For instance, the IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) performs independent tests and produces certifications. This unit also comes with numerous NSF (a public health and safety organization) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) certifications. The OptimH2O is able to reduce lead, cysts, chloramines, and chlorine by over 90%. Upgrading to the UV filter option will mean the machine will eliminate 99.99% of viruses, germs and bacteria.

Pros:

• Naturally and safely reduces hard mineral deposits and limescale in inner pipes without the use of salt or aggressive chemicals.
• Reduces corrosion with SCM (Salt Free Softening Technology). Especially if hard minerals accumulate in water installations, appliances and equipment.
• Protects every water source in your home from bacteria and viruses that may be present in your water.
• You can also upgrade to get the powerful UV filter. The UV filter removes 99.99% of viruses, bacteria and chlorine-resistant cysts such as E. coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium.
• Filter cartridges are easy to replace — no plumber required — in just three simple steps.
• The huge block of extremely dense carbon provides superior filtration when compared to granular media. Catalytic coal and activated carbon undergo ion exchange and microfiltration to achieve remarkable efficiency.
• A filtration of up to 0.5 microns reduces lead, cysts, chloramines and chlorine.
• The flow rate of up to 8 gallons per minute means you will get filtered water on-demand without having to wait.
• With the easy-to-read LED flowmeter, consisting of color-coded lights, you know exactly when you need to change your filter cartridge.

Cons:

• This is the most expensive machine on this list and the price increases further when you include all of the optional upgrades.

iSpring WGB32BM Whole House Water Filter System

The iSpring whole house water filter is a water filtration system that can filter impurities at home by various different means. However, the basic principle they use remains the same as standard whole house water filters.Generally, the iSpring whole house water filter is connected to the main water line so that all the water entering the house is filtered.

When water enters the filter system it will first encounter a sediment pre-filter. This filter has been specially designed to remove the largest particles of water such as sand, debris, mud, rust, dirt and other large contaminants. However, this is not its only role. This filter also plays an important role in maintaining other filters you have in the home. And it will do this over a longer period of time. Without this filter, the other filters in your home (e.g. a faucet filter) would have to be changed more frequently.

Pros:

• Effectively reduces iron, manganese, sediment, chlorine, and other contaminants.
• Easy to install and maintain, making it user-friendly.
• Affordable price point compared to other systems.
• The replacement filters are cheap
• You can use different branded filters if necessary.
• Great option for municipal water.

Cons:

• Lower flow rate (up to 15 GPM) might not be sufficient for very large households.
• Requires frequent monitoring of iron and manganese levels to ensure optimal performance.
• You still need a water softener if your water is hard.
• You definitely need DIY skills for installation.
• Not as powerful as other whole house filters like Aquasana Rhino.

Installation and Maintenance Tips

Installation

1. Professional Installation Recommended: While some homeowners with plumbing experience might be able to install the iSpring WGB32BM system themselves, it is generally recommended to hire a professional. This ensures that the system is installed correctly and operates at optimal performance.

2. Location: Choose a location that is easily accessible for maintenance. It should be installed where the main water line enters your home, ensuring that all the water you use is filtered.

3. Mounting: Securely mount the system on a wall or stand to prevent any strain on your plumbing.

4. Bypass Valve: Consider installing a bypass valve. This allows you to easily bypass the filter system if maintenance is needed.

Maintenance

1. Regular Filter Changes: The filters should be replaced every 6-12 months, depending on your water usage and quality. Check the filters periodically and replace them when they appear dirty or when you notice a drop in water pressure.

2. System Flush: After installing new filters, flush the system to remove any loose carbon particles or debris.

3. Monitor Water Quality: Regularly test your water quality to ensure the system is functioning correctly and effectively removing contaminants.

4. Inspect for Leaks: Periodically inspect the system for any leaks or issues. Tighten connections as needed and replace any parts that show signs of wear.

Questions about whole home water filters? Drop them below!

Investing in whole house water filter systems is a smart choice for ensuring your home’s water supply is clean, safe, and free from harmful contaminants. Systems like the iSpring WGB32BM provide a reliable and efficient solution for improving your water quality. By considering factors such as filtration stages, filter life, flow rate, and installation requirements, you can select the best system to meet your needs.

For further reading and resources, check out the links provided earlier. Remember, always consult with a certified water treatment expert before making any decisions regarding water treatment systems for your home.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filtration, consider checking out my review of the Kube Water Filter or the Pur Water Filter Review. These resources will help you better understand the various water filter options and their unique features and problems, enabling you to make an informed decision about your home’s water quality needs.

Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions; I am always happy to recommend the best whole-home filtration products to improve your wellness through optimal hydration. You can also check out some of my other reviews like Softpro vs Springwell Whole Home Softeners and Water Conditioner vs Water Softener. 

Please reach out if you need any other advice in selecting the ideal system or products for your needs!

Stay hydrated,

Shashank Varma (Mr. Water Geek)