Whole House

The appropriate system depends on your water source, water-test results, household size, number of bathrooms, plumbing size, required flow rate, and the specific water-quality concerns you want to address.

Information to collect before purchasing

• Municipal water or private well water
• Current laboratory water-test results
• Number of residents and bathrooms
• Incoming plumbing size
• Normal and peak water-flow requirements
• Incoming water pressure
• Any existing filtration or treatment equipment
• Specific concerns such as sediment, chlorine, hardness, scale, iron, manganese, tannins, taste, odour, or colour

Yes. Water testing is one of the most important steps in selecting the correct treatment system. Different contaminants can produce similar colours, tastes, odours, or stains but may require different treatment methods.

Municipal water

Review your local water-quality report and consider additional testing for concerns specific to your building, plumbing, or intended use.

Private well water

Use an accredited laboratory to test for applicable microbiological, chemical, mineral, and physical water-quality parameters.

• Sediment filtration: Helps capture suspended particles such as sand, dirt, rust, and silt.
• Carbon filtration: Commonly used to reduce chlorine and improve certain taste and odour concerns. Performance depends on the carbon type, contact time, flow rate, and contaminant.
• Water softening: Uses ion exchange to reduce hardness minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
• Anti-scale treatment: Helps manage scale formation but does not necessarily remove hardness minerals or produce softened water.
• Specialty media: May be designed for specific tested contaminants such as iron, manganese, tannins, or other water-quality concerns.

The system must support the building's peak water demand without creating excessive pressure loss. A system that is too small may restrict showers, faucets, appliances, and other fixtures when several are used at the same time.

Sizing considerations

• Number of residents and bathrooms
• Fixtures and appliances that may operate simultaneously
• Incoming and peak flow rate
• Plumbing connection size
• Incoming water pressure
• Cartridge type and condition
• Required media contact time
• Acceptable pressure drop

Larger-diameter housings generally provide greater cartridge capacity and support higher flow than smaller standard housings, but the final selection should be based on the specifications of the complete system.

A whole-house system is normally installed on the main water line after the main shutoff and before the water branches to the fixtures being treated.

The installation area should provide:

• A dry, accessible, and protected location
• Enough clearance to remove the housings and cartridges
• A secure mounting surface or suitable support
• Protection from freezing, heat, sunlight, and physical impact
• A nearby drain when the equipment requires backwashing or flushing
• A bypass arrangement for convenient servicing

Installation involves the main water line, pressure, flow direction, pipe support, sealing, flushing, and compliance with applicable plumbing requirements. Professional installation is recommended when you are not experienced with this type of work.

Important installation requirements

• Observe the marked inlet and outlet flow direction.
• Support the plumbing so its weight is not carried by the housings.
• Do not cross-thread or overtighten plastic connections.
• Use compatible fittings and appropriate thread sealant.
• Install pressure protection when required.
• Provide enough service clearance below each housing.
• Flush new cartridges according to their instructions.
• Check every connection for leakage before normal operation.

A reduction in flow or pressure is commonly caused by cartridge loading, excessive sediment, an undersized system, a partially closed valve, inadequate incoming pressure, excessive flow demand, or blocked plumbing.

Recommended checks

1. Confirm that all required valves are fully open.
2. Compare the pressure before and after the filtration system.
3. Inspect the sediment prefilter for loading or blockage.
4. Check whether the cartridges have reached the end of their service life.
5. Confirm that the cartridges are installed in the correct direction.
6. Inspect the plumbing for restrictions, kinks, or undersized connections.
7. Confirm that household demand does not exceed the system flow rating.

A growing pressure difference across the system usually indicates increasing restriction through the cartridges or media.

Leakage between the housing head and sump is commonly caused by an incorrectly seated O-ring, debris on the sealing surfaces, cross-threading, insufficient or excessive tightening, component damage, or excessive system pressure.

Corrective steps

1. Turn off the main water supply.
2. Open a nearby faucet to relieve system pressure.
3. Use the pressure-release button if the housing has one.
4. Carefully remove the housing sump.
5. Inspect the O-ring for dirt, cuts, flattening, stretching, or twisting.
6. Clean the O-ring groove and sealing surfaces.
7. Replace the O-ring if it is damaged or deformed.
8. Seat the O-ring flat and evenly in its groove.
9. Reinstall the sump without cross-threading.
10. Slowly restore the water supply and inspect for leakage.

There is no single replacement interval that applies to every home. Cartridge life depends on incoming water quality, contaminant levels, daily consumption, cartridge size, flow rate, and the required output quality.

Replace or inspect a cartridge when:

• Water pressure or flow has noticeably decreased.
• The pressure difference across the system has increased.
• Visible sediment has accumulated in the cartridge.
• Taste, odour, colour, staining, hardness, or scale begins to return.
• Water-test results no longer meet the intended treatment goal.
• The cartridge reaches its rated capacity or recommended service interval.

1. Turn off the incoming water supply.
2. Turn off connected pumps or equipment when applicable.
3. Open a nearby faucet to relieve trapped pressure.
4. Press the housing pressure-release button if provided.
5. Place a container below the housing to collect water.
6. Remove the sump using the correct housing wrench.
7. Remove the used cartridge and clean the inside of the sump.
8. Inspect and correctly seat the O-ring.
9. Insert the correct replacement cartridge.
10. Reinstall the sump without cross-threading.
11. Slowly restore the water supply.
12. Flush the cartridge according to its instructions.
13. Inspect all components and connections for leakage.

Temporary cloudiness may be caused by trapped air. Dark or grey water can occur when fine carbon particles are released from a new carbon cartridge. Other media may also require an initial flush before use.

What to do

• Confirm that the cartridge is installed correctly.
• Flush the system according to the cartridge instructions.
• Use a suitable outlet during flushing.
• Continue flushing until the water runs clear and air is removed.
• Check for bypassing, damaged media, or an incorrect cartridge if the issue continues.

Filter sumps should be inspected and cleaned during cartridge replacement. The required sanitation procedure depends on the system, water source, materials, and equipment instructions.

General maintenance

• Turn off the water and fully depressurize the system.
• Remove the cartridges before cleaning the housings.
• Clean the sumps using products compatible with the equipment.
• Inspect the heads, sumps, O-rings, gauges, valves, and connections.
• Rinse all cleaned components thoroughly.
• Reassemble, flush, and inspect for leakage.

Filter housings, cartridges, valves, gauges, fittings, and other components can crack or fail if water freezes inside them.

Cold-weather protection

• Install the system in a heated or properly protected location.
• Protect exposed plumbing and housings from freezing temperatures.
• Drain the system completely if it will not be used.
• Do not leave water trapped inside housings, gauges, or valves.
• Inspect the equipment for damage before returning it to service.

• Inspect the complete system regularly for leakage.
• Monitor and record inlet and outlet pressure.
• Observe changes in water flow, colour, taste, odour, or staining.
• Replace cartridges before severe restriction occurs.
• Clean the filter sumps during cartridge replacement.
• Inspect O-rings and replace damaged seals.
• Service backwashing equipment according to its schedule.
• Check softener salt and regeneration settings when applicable.
• Retest the water when treatment performance changes.
• Protect the complete system from freezing and excessive pressure.
• Maintain a written service and cartridge-replacement record.