 Water Filter Guide
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Water filters: this article describes different types water filters used for drinking water purification both as portable filters and where installed on building water supply systems, including both municipal water supplies and private well water systems. The filters described here are usually intended to improve aesthetic issues in home water supply such as removing debris particles, sediment or odors.
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Guide to Water Filters Used for Drinking Water Treatment
Readers concerned with water purity or water potability should also see Filters for Drinking Water Purification for a discussion of portable and emergency water filters that are designed to purify drinking water, including portable ceramic water filters, silver ceramic filters, magnetic (bogus) water purifiers, paper and polypropylene water filters, etc. See WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES for details on other water treatment options besides filters.
See DRINKING WATER PURIFICATION for a discussion of various methods used to purify emergency drinking water. A companion article, DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY SOURCES,describes possible sources of drinking water that may be useful in emergency conditions. For explanation of the different types of water treatment systems used on building water supplies, see WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES.
- A clogged water filter can block water flow between a pump and water tank or between a water tank and
the rest of the building.
It's a little tough to know for sure that a water filter cartridge has become clogged (photo at left) but as we explain next, a clogged filter might be detected by the problems it causes:
- reduced water pressure/flow at fixtures
- well pump short cycling on and off
Try changing the water filter by installing a new cartridge; temporary diagnosis can be
made by simply removing a suspect water filter cartridge from its canister entirely, or by placing the water filter system temporarily on "bypass".
- A clogged
water filter can cause water pump short cycling, with a rapid "on-off" pump cycle (which is bad for the pump and
pump relay switch.) See WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLING for details.
If this is your situation try first changing out the water filter for a clean one.
Technical note: the same clay, silt, or other debris that clogs a water filter
can clog up the pressure sensing opening in the bottom of a pump pressure control switch, as we discussed just above.
So if you are looking for a clogged filter, if changing
the water filter does not correct a problem with the water pump cycling operation, also consider a possibly-clogged pump pressure switch.
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The sketch at left shows the basic parts and functions of a typical cartridge-type water filter.
Detailed descriptions of other water system parts and controls, valves, switches, pumps, piping, etc. are provided in the
various sections of this article and are listed just below. [click the image at left to see an enlarged schematic of the water filter and its parts.] |
Types of Drinking Water Filters
Cartridge Type Water Filters
Water is passed through a filter cartridge that is usually contained in a plastic or metal canister. Both portable and permanently-installed water filters are widely available and form the most common water filter system found in residential installations where sediment, odors, or chlorine residue are a concern.
The sketch at left illustrates the water filter element and the path of water passing through it.
- Sediment water filters - remove dirt or debris. Very fine clay debris may pass through some sediment filters, requiring more sophisticated water treatment. A sediment filter or a granular or activated charcoal odor filter will improve the aesthetics of a water supply but it does not disinfect water contaminated with bacteria.
- Iron removing water filters - are intended to reduce the level of iron in a water supply. Many sediment filters are also capable of removing iron from drinking water. Details are at FILTERS - SEDIMENT & IRON.
- Odor water filters & charcoal water filters - typically constructed using activated charcoal, will remove odors, a limited amount of some chemicals, and may trap some bacteria but these are not water purifiers. Activated charcoal filters are a principal method used to remove general and specific organics from the drinking water supply.[1]
A typical residential water treatment system handling water that contains bacteria will combine a chlorinator with a charcoal filter. the chlorinator treats the bacterial contamination and the charcoal filter post-processes the water to remove objectionable levels of chlorine. See CHLORINATORS & CHARCOAL FILTERS and also see FILTERS - SULPHUR ODOR.
- Bacteriostatic water filters - constructed using activated charcoal combined with silver that is released in ion form to help control bacterial growth in the filter
- Ceramic water filters/purifiers - use a ceramic cartridge through which water is filtered. Ceramic filters can remove bacteria, sediment, and often odors and other contaminants.
Watch out: most conventional cartridge-type water "filters" such as the filter cartridges shown at left are not water purifiers. Only a filter that is certified to remove adequate levels of bacterial contamination are permitted to be sold as water "purifiers". Typically a filter that functions as a water purifier will be a ceramic device.
Ceramic water filter-purifiers, including hand-held portable units capable of removing bacteria, cysts, cryptosporidium, sediment, and other water contaminants are discussed in detail at CERAMIC FILTERS & Water Purification. We recommend that you review independent water filter performance or water purifier performance test reports before relying on a water filter/purifier for the production of safe drinking water.
Watch out: the functions performed by any cartridge type water filter depend on the material from which the cartridge is made. And many home water filter canisters will accept a variety of filter cartridge types intended for varying purposes.
Be sure to read the properties of the filter cartridge you are buying and select a filter cartridge type that performs the functions required. For example a water filter designed to reduce sediment may work well for that purpose but may be ineffective at removing odors.
And unless it is protected by a pre-filter or other means, a charcoal based water filter, good at removing odors, may become quickly clogged if it is used on a water supply high in sediment, or it may become contaminated if it is used on a water supply high in harmful bacteria. For these reasons you may find a cascade of types of water filters on some home water supply systems. Typically water will be treated to kill or remove bacteria, filtered for sediment, and finally, filtered for odors or taste.
Hooking Up a Cartridge Type Home Water Filter - typical plumbing connections
As the water filter parts sketch at left shows, a cartridge type water filter is installed in-line in the main water supply pipe after the water pressure tank and before the cold water line branches off to hot water or other destinations. Shown in the schematic is a standard-sized whole house water filter from Aqua Pure (3M) type AP11T. [2]
You might want to install the water filter downstream of your piping that feeds outside faucets used to water the lawn or wash cars, as you probably don't need to filter that water stream.
The sketch shown at left is the simplest installation, showing a single shutoff ball-valve on the inlet side of the water filter.
Notice that most water filters are installed with the cartridge/canister pointing "down". The filter would work in other positions but only in this down-position can you unscrew and remove the filter base to change the cartridge while avoiding spilling an unnecessary dose of dirty water on your floor.
Most water filters including the water filter shown at left include a shutoff or bypass built into the filter head. The water filter shown at left was installed ahead of a UV light water treatment system. In that location the water filter helps keep the UV light bulb clean and improves the both the level of UV treatment (for bacteria) and reduces the frequency of the need to change-out or clean the UV bulb.
You can see the plastic water filter body wrench in our photo (yellow arrow). We hang this tool near the filter where it won't get lost.
With the filter "off" or on "bypass" you can unscrew the plastic filter base to change the filter cartridge without having to use other water shutoff valves. But we like to install the water filter with more options, as shown in our photo. Most plumbers will install two shutoff valves at the water filter:
- A stop valve or better a ball valve or gate valve (better through flow of water) on the water filter inlet side (right hand green arrow in this case. This valve is in the "closed" position.
- A second shutoff valve on the water filter outlet side (left hand green arrow). This valve is in the "open" position.
Shutting Off the Whole House Water Filter - by Valves or the built-in Bypass/Off Control
Closing both of these valves allows complete removal of the whole water filter assembly without spilling water from the building piping and water supply system should the filter assembly need to be changed out.
A third shutoff valve on a bypass loop that can, if this valve is opened, completely bypass the whole water filter installation. This plumbing bypass around the water filter is handy if the unit is damaged, leaky and needs complete replacement.
To make it easy to change the water filter cartridge most water filters include a built-in shutoff-valve in the plastic filter body top - the red arrow in our photo above and marked by the blue tape in our photo of a Sears whole house cartridge type water filter (photo at left).
This handle rotates to 90 degrees from the position shown in order to turn off water at the filter entry port. Now the cartridge base can be unscrewed, cleaned, and a new filter cartridge installed.
Watch out: Take care when installing the new water filter cartridge that you hold the canister and cartridge upright and that the cartridge is properly seated in the bottom of the canister and that it seats centered in the filter top to which the canister is screwed. If you let the filter flop over to one side during installation the assembly may not filter water and it may even leak.
We like to note the date that the filter cartridge was installed - in the photo we just stuck a piece of blue masking tape on the filter shutoff handle and wrote down the filter cartridge installation date. Then when your water pressure falls to nil and you go to change out the filter cartridge you can embarrass yourself by noting how ridiculously long you'd left the old filter cartridge in place.
Brands of Water Filters used for Drinking Water Treatment
Above at WATER FILTERS we discuss the installation and use of water filters on private water supply systems, a portion of our review of WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES. Also see WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE.
Just below we provide the most comprehensive list of water filter and replacement water filter cartridge brands we have been able to find. CONTACT us to add to this list. These water filter products are available from building suppliers, plumbing suppliers, hardware stores, and on-line.
Purchases: With the exception of links to recommended books at Amazon.com who pays us a microscopic commission on book sales, we do not sell anything. Please do not call or write asking to buy something.
American Plumber Replacement Filters American Plumber Filters
AmeriFlow Replacement Filters AmeriFlow Water Filters
Ametek Replacement Filters Ametek Water Filters
Amtrol RO Tank Amtrol RO Tanks
Amway Replacement Filters Amway Water Filters
APEC Replacement Filters APEC Water Filters
AQA Total Replacement Filters AQA Total Filters
Aqua Cleer Good Water Machine Replacement Filters Aqua Cleer Water Filters
Aqua Flo Replacement Filters Aqua Flo Water Filters
Aqua Fresh Replacement Filters Aqua Fresh Water Filters
Aqua FX Replacement Filters Aqua FX Water Filters
Aqua Guard Replacement Filters Aqua Guard Water Filters
Aqua Pure water filter assembly & filters - 3M [2] AP11T, AP101T, AP14T, AP102T whole house water filter
AquaSoft Replacement Filters Aqua Soft Water Filters
Aqua Sun International Replacement Filters Aqua Sun Int'l Filters
AquaSystems Replacement Filters Aqua Systems Water Filters
Aquacheck Replacement Filters Aquacheck Water Filters
Aquafine UltraViolet Sterilizer Systems Aquafine UV Sterilizers
Aquagenic Replacement Filters Aquagenics Water Filters
Aquamaster Replacement Filters Aquamaster Water Filters
Aqua Pure Replacement Filters AquaPure Water Filters
Aquasana Replacement Filters Aquasana Water Filters
AquaSky RO Tank AquaSky RO Tanks
Aquatec RO Pumps Aquatec Pumps
Aquathin Replacement Filters Aquathin Water Filters
AquaWizard Replacement Filters AquaWizard Water Filters
Aries Replacement Filters Aries Water Filters
Arrowhead Replacement Filters Arrowhead Water Filters
Atlantic Filters Atlantic Filters
Avantapure Replacement Filters Avantapure Water Filters
Avian Replacement Filters Avian Water Filters
Barnstead Replacement Filters Barnstead Lab Filters
BestWater by Shaklee Replacement Filters BestWater by Shaklee
BioMaster Replacement Filters BioMaster Water Filters
Bosch Replacement Filters Bosch Water Filters
Brita Replacement Filters Brita Water Filters
Bruner Replacement Filters Bruner Water Filters
Bunn Replacement Filters Bunn Water Filters
Calgon Carbon GAC Calgon Carbon
Campbell Replacement Filters Campbell Water Filters
Challenger Replacement Filters Challenger Water Filters
Clack Replacement Filters Clack Water Filters
Clean World Waters (CWW) Replacement Filters Clean World Waters Filters
Coleman Replacement Filters Coleman Water Filters
Coralife Replacement Filters Coralife Filters
Cornelius Replacement Filters Cornelius Water Filters
Everpure Costguard Replacement Filters Costguard by Everpure
Crane Environmental Replacement Filters Crane Environmental Filters
Crystal Quest Replacement Filters Crystal Quest Water Filters
Culligan Replacement Filters Culligan Water Filters
CUNO Replacement Filters CUNO Water Filters
CUNO Food Service Replacement Filters CUNO Food Service
CUNO Water Factory Systems CUNO Water Factory
Everpure Replacement Filters Everpure Water Filters
Filterite Replacement Filters Filterite Water Filters
Flotec Replacement Filters Flotec Water Filters
Frigidaire Replacement Filters Frigidaire Water Filters
Fulflo Replacement Filters Fulflo Water Filters
GE Replacement Filters GE Water Filters
Honeywell Replacement Filters Honeywell Water Filters
Hytrex Replacement Filters Hytrex Water Filters
Innova Replacement Filters Innova Water Filters
InstaPure Replacement Filters Instapure Water Filters
JennAir Replacement Filters Jenn-Air Water Filters
Katadyn Replacement Filters Katadyn Water Filters
Kenmore Replacement Filters Kenmore Water Filters
Keystone Replacement Filters Keystone Water Filters
KitchenAid Replacement Filters KitchenAid Water Filters
KleenPlus Replacement Filters KleenPlus Water Filters
KX Matrix Replacement Filters KX Matrikx Water Filters
LG Replacement Filters LG Water Filters
Master Plumber Replacement Filters MasterPlumber Filters
Maytag Replacement Filters Maytag Water Filters
Omni Replacement Filters Omni Water Filters
Omnipure Replacement Filters Omnipure Water Filters
Parker Hannifin Replacement Filters Parker Hannifin Filters
Pentek Replacement Filters Pentek Water Filters
Plymouth Products Replacement Filters Plymouth Products Filters
Pollenex Replacement Filters Pollenex Water Filters
PUR Replacement Filters PUR Water Filters
Samsung Replacement Filters Samsung Water Filters
Sears Replacement Filters Sears Water Filters
Sta-Rite Replacement Filters Sta-Rite Water Filters
Teledyne Replacement Filters Teledyne Water Filters
Town and Country Replacement Filters Town and Country Filters
True Value Replacement Filters TrueValue Water Filters
US Filter Replacement Filters US Filter Water Filters
Waterpik Replacement Filters Waterpik Water Filters
Waterway Replacement Filters Waterway Water Filters
Whirlpool Replacement Filters Whirlpool Water Filters
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Questions & answers or comments about choosing and using all types of portable or installed water filters
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- [1] Preliminary Assessment of Suspected Carcinogens in Drinking Water, Interim Report to Congress, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1975, web search 10/06/2011, original source: U.S. EPA http://nepis.epa.gov
- [2] Aqua Pure water filters, 3M Company, 3M Corporate Headquarters
3M Center
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000, website: http://www.aquapure.com/, Tel: 800-222-7880
- Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
- Water pressure tank failures & water pump short cycling diagnosis and repair
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
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- Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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Crystal Clear Supply provides portable ceramic water filter purifiers and portable reverse osmosis water treatment equipment - see http://www.crystalclearsupply.com/category_s/7.htm
- Handbook of Disinfectants and Antiseptics, Joseph M. Ascenzi (Editor), CRC, 1995, ISBN-10: 0824795245 ISBN-13: 978-0824795245 "The evaluation of chemical germicides predates the golden age of microbiology..." -
This well-focused, up-to-date reference details the current medical uses of antiseptics and disinfectants -- particularly in the control of hospital-acquired infections -- presenting methods for evaluating products to obtain regulatory approval and examining chemical, physical, and microbiological properties as well as the toxicology of the most widely used commercial chemicals.
- Principles and Practice of Disinfection, Preservation and Sterilization (Hardcover)
by A. D. Russell (Editor), W. B. Hugo (Editor), G. A. J. Ayliffe (Editor), Blackwell Science, 2004. ISBN-10: 1405101997, ISBN-13: 978-1405101998.
"This superb book is the best of its kind available and one that will undoubtedly be useful, if not essential, to workers in a variety of industries. Thirty-one distinguished specialists deal comprehensively with the subject matter indicated by the title ... The book is produced with care, is very readable with useful selected references at the end of each chapter and an excellent index. It is an essential source book for everyone interested in this field. For pharmacy undergraduates, it will complement the excellent text on pharmaceutical microbiology by two of the present editors."
The Pharmaceutical Journal: "This is an excellent book. It deals comprehensively and authoritatively with its subject with contributions from 31 distinguished specialists. There is a great deal to interest all those involved in hospital infection ... This book is exceptionally well laid out. There are well chosen references for each chapter and an excellent index. It is highly recommended." The Journal of Hospital Infection.: "The editors and authors must be congratulated for this excellent treatise on nonantibiotic antimicrobial measures in hospitals and industry ... The publication is highly recommended to hospital and research personnel, especially to clinical microbiologists, infection-control and environmental-safety specialists, pharmacists, and dieticians."
New England Journal of Medicine: City Hospital, Birmingham, UK. Covers the many methods of the elimination or prevention of microbial growth. Provides an historical overview, descriptions of the types of antimicrobial agents, factors affecting efficacy, evaluation methods, and types of resistance. Features sterilization methods, and more. Previous edition: c1999. DNLM: Sterilization--methods.
- When Technology Fails, Matthew Stein, Chelsea Green Publisher, 2008,493 pages. ISBN-10: 1933392452 ISBN-13: 978-1933392455, "... how to find and sterilize water in the face of utility failure, as well as practical information for dealing with water-quality issues even when the public tap water is still flowing". Mr. Stein's website is www.whentechfails.com/
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