What To Do When Your Whole House Water Filter Has A Pressure Drop
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What are the risks when your whole house water filter has a pressure drop?
A higher number of people are expressing raising concerns about whether a whole house water filtration system can lead to a pressure drop.
Many factors can affect the flow rate of water. The size of the pipe or the quality of source water going through the filtration media are some examples of these factors.
Even the mains pressure contributes to impacting the pressure quality.
It’s essential to understand why having a whole house water filter has become increasingly important. This restriction helps the filter trap unwanted contaminants.
However, if you consider equipping your house with a whole house water filter, you may keep in mind that as more contaminants are trapped, the flow rate will be impacted.
In this article, we will address the point on how to adopt a proactive approach before reaching a situation of a pressure drop. The article also covers how to deal with it when this happens.
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Last update on 2023-12-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Contents
When Your Whole House Water Filter Pressure Drops
Understanding the water pressure mechanism
When turning on any available house faucet, we rarely think about how the water is coming out.
Water pressure reflects the measure of the force in which water flows through our pipes.
This pressure is crucial to push the water through the pipes within our homes and businesses. There will be disturbances about the adequate functioning of many appliances if the pressure is low.
Municipal water systems are responsible for distributing water to most households.
Through this method, we usually extract water from various groundwater sources and then treat it to remove impurities.
Pumping to water towers is generally the next step in this process, then comes the role of the gravity to provide the pressure that forces the water through pipes and finally to our homes.
A similar process can take place in closed systems, as well as in lakes and reservoirs. Old infrastructure issues with the city system can deeply impact on water pressure quality.
What can also impact the water flow rate
Also, homes with conventional private wells will often face inadequate or lower water pressure issues too.
The pressure of the water may vary based on the current position with the water source, as well as with the system that is delivering the water in.
Moreover, water pressure variation may change differently across the day when there is less demand for water, pressure quality increases, which are usually noticeable at night. Regardless of the cause, fluctuating water pressure and flow can lead to significant disorders within your house.
We explained the water pressure mechanism on a global scale in earlier. It’s important to highlight more specific factors as they play a crucial role in defining the flow rate quality for water.
The pipe length could be a determining factor in understanding how pressure can drop in a water system.
The ever-pressing need to remove contaminants from water
Removing contaminants from water has become essential to the wellbeing of households and humans in general. We came to know gradually that tap water is likely to contain harmful contaminants like toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
Consumers have become a generation of plastic users. People are increasingly noticing that plastic water bottles now clog our offices and homes.
In this regard, having a filtration system can be useful in removing contaminants from water.
However, an essential factor that plays against maintaining a steady water flow lies with the potential presence of various filtration mechanisms within house water systems.
Even the outbreak of the Coronavirus threat has put more pressure on local communities to pay more attention when working on reducing related contaminants from used water.
There is no clear evidence noticed yet about whether coronavirus infections could infiltrate in groundwater sources or could be transmitted through contaminated drinking water.
However, scientists are very cautious as they still ignore a lot about this mutating pandemic evolution.
The right decision before any engagement
As we came to know that equipping our homes with filtration systems has become genuinely essential, homeowners will need to ask the fundamental question: Are Whole House Water Filters worth It?
In other words, it’s important to consider whether you are filtering for the whole house or just for drinking water or cooking needs.
Any homeowner, who was blessed or cursed with a sensitive nose with the ability to detect the smell of metal or chlorine from 5 miles away, would love to have a decent whole house water filter.
The same is true for anyone who is slightly health-conscious and was exposed to the negative (still accurate) press communications around water quality in the US in recent years.
We can’t hide our intent not to be counted among a high number of the American population that is still drinking, cooking, and showering with unsafe water as recently communicated.
Making your choice for the water filter
Hence, going for the right decision to select a quality whole house water filtration system is needed.
Homeowners can enlighten their choices when they take into consideration various relevant criteria.
Initial steps will allow for most of the troublesome contaminants to be removed right before they reach your house pipeline.
Choosing a good water filter for the home involves asking a few questions before getting one.
What does it filter out?
Most manufacturers design whole house filters to filter out sediments with sizes of up to 0.35 micron.
Removing chlorine, iron, and heavy metals are among the tasks for these systems.
Some of them can even include a water softener, UV light purifier, and other particular gadgets to make sure the water is completely purified.
We don’t always need a fancy system that filters out everything.
We need to keep in mind that conducting water tests to see what’s in it first would be an excellent approach to embrace.
If your water is already safe and all you want is for it not to smell like a public pool, a single GAV cartridge is most likely more than sufficient.
Does it meet NSF standards?
It will be great if your filter is certified by the NSF, the National Sanitation Foundation. This will reinforce the assurance about quality for the target products to consider.
Moreover, you can check if it has a WQA (Water Quality Association) seal on it.
These certifications mean the filter has proved its quality through vigorous testings conducted by the most prestigious organizations in America.
A product that is not NSF certified doesn’t necessarily mean that’s of poor quality. The cost to get the certifications could be extremely high in some instances.
Manufacturers will then need to include the cost in the product price for more accurate profitability calculations.
Smaller enterprises, however, may not be able to afford it. Some firms are finding alternative ways by doing the testings in independent labs against NSF/ANSI standards.
These types of certifications can be meaningful when conducted by trusted labs.
Paying attention to the filter life is essential
Installing a whole house filtration system is not as simple as we can think.
This could be time-consuming and truly complex in certain situations than merely having to install countertop filters.
Even replacing a cartridge can require some techniques, and you may have to resort to calling a plumber if you’re not familiar with this work.
Let’s be clear about it, and nobody wants a whole house filter that requires changing every couple of weeks or even months.
As these kinds of tasks are usually quite complicated, this involves turning the water on and off for a few times. These actions can cause inconvenience for the family.
In this regard, some filters can be useful for years or even a decade, depending on the quality of your water and the amount you use.
We’d recommend going for those systems that can do the job for at least six months straight in one sitting.
Are we paying for what we need?
It’s important to objectively assess your real needs before going for the right price to spend.
You can’t play with your health and select the cheapest alternative as this won’t be that wise from your side.
As an example, if you already have soft water available, it will be a waste of money to consider having a water softener on the system.
Setting your expectations in advance is always important to reduce bad surprises on filtering systems.
This includes the tasks of testing your water to find out what you need to filter out.
This could be done on various occasions or during different times of the day to optimize your decision. That’s the only way to make sure your money is well spent, and it’s highly likely to lead to the right choice.
Homeowners need to follow the same approach to choosing to get the filtering system for the whole house or just for drinking water or cooking needs.
A/B testing-based approaches can have tremendous benefits in lowering the risks for potential pressure drop.
Homeowners need to embrace a practical testing methodology to install an adequate filtering system.
When you install a system that’s really based on your actual needs, you will have higher chances for this system to last longer with fewer maintenance costs.
Answering the right questions
You can assess your needs on the subject by simply asking the question: What issues am I trying to resolve when installing a whole house water filter?
Can simply installing a filtering system for cooking or drinking water is a better fit?
To better answer these types of questions, you need to reflect on your previous experiences as a homeowner.
Besides, you may also ask your neighbors about the current living conditions in certain areas if you have recently relocated.
If Homeowners are new in the area, they can undertake the right benchmark research by asking their neighbors about current water conditions.
They can also ask about whether their filtering systems have expressed some issues recently and what the related causes were.
We advise you to approach your neighbors with that transparency level and openness mindset.
This can pay off for you to combine building new connections while receiving invaluable advice about similar installation experiences.
Once you assessed all the necessary needs for the matter, you can move to the implementation phase.
Choosing the right whole House Water Filter
You need to keep in mind that knowing the adequate technique of installing a whole house water filter plays a vital role in troubleshooting any potential issues later, particularly with pressure drop.
We highly recommend asking for an expert’s service or advising if you lack actual knowledge on this subject.
We also suggest getting some basic knowledge transfer techniques from the expert when conducting the implementation. This can help when a potential pressure drop occurs.
Home water filtration systems have lots of variety and filter types.
Before choosing which type to install in your house, getting to know more about the multiple types and uses for systems is very useful.
Some of the filter types include:
Reverse Osmosis:
For numerous reasons, Reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration systems are quite popular. This type of filter system is simple and not complicated.
This filtration system forces tap water through a semipermeable membrane filter. Through this process, dissolved inorganic solids could be removed using your household water pressure.
Many American households use RO because it’s considered a good water filtration option. Here’s how:
- It features producing water that tastes good
- Can handle the job with effective manner
- It displays a reasonable pricing
- No user involvement is necessary as filters are automatic
- It will help you avoid buying cases of expensive bottled water
Carbon Filtration Systems:
Carbon filters are presented with multiple options for use. People have known that these systems are very useful. Some consider it one of the most popular types of home water filtration.
Carbon filters will remove particles in the range of 0.5 micrometers up to a full 50 micrometers.
The principle of chemical absorption has the feature to remove impurities and contaminants from tap water through using activated carbon filters.
Active charcoal carbon filters will remove chlorine, odors, sediment while improving the taste of water.
However, carbon will not remove minerals and salts from filtered water.
Filtration Type: Ion Exchange
What’s distinguishable with Ion exchange filtration systems is that it can soften the water supply coming into your home.
Filtration systems that work on purifying your home drinking and cooking water consider water softening capabilities as a vital output today.
Installation types of filtration systems
Installing a filter system depends on personal preference and comes through different formats:
- Countertop
- Under-sink
- Whole house system
The type of system, scale, and complexity will determine the cost to buy and ease of installation.
Under Sink Installation
If you want to eliminate the large filters on the ends of your kitchen faucet arm, then you can consider this type of installation.
However, if you have several bathroom sinks, you should consider a different type that is a whole house based system.
Selecting the under sink alternative won’t be that cost-effective if there are a multitude of sinks to equip.
Whole House system installation
These are the most complete and complex systems for your home.
Typically, whole house installations are used when you care about your home water quality in more than two locations in your house.
The installation of these filtrations is identical for all filter types since they differ only in the way water is filtered and the contaminants they eliminate.
If you have chosen to make this a DIY project, then consider specific tools to ease your work, such as two adjustable wrenches with different sizes and a tubing cutter.
You need to preferably choose a location near the main water supply for your home.
Making sure to facilitate the replacement of the filters in your system is essential.
Don’t forget that you are filtering the entire incoming water supply for the whole house.
Whole House system installation practical steps
If you want to install a whole home water filter system as a do-it-yourself approach, then you may follow the following steps:
In the first place, you need to make sure you have enough space under the filter system to change the filter when necessary. In this regard, selecting an easily accessible location near the main shutoff valve is essential.
- You may handle the cutting of the pipe and install a new shutoff valve with care. An adapter on each side of the filter could be essential.
- The next step involves assembling the filtering system.
- To make an accurate and useful cut, you need to mark the pipe accordingly with high precision.
- You are reaching the phase of the new filtering system installation. Make sure to slide on the compression rings and put the nuts accordingly with care. You need to ensure that nuts are tight to make a secure connection.
- Proceed in turning the water back on at the main valve. You may want to check about potential leaks that are coming up.
- Adding a jumper cable can be essential in some cases.
You have now successfully installed an effective whole house water filtration system.
You can also ask for the services of experts if you feel more comfortable with this option. As an example, Petro Home Services could provide help in this area.
Asking for the help of professional firms with genuine service quality could save you a lot in terms of time and money about these installations.
However, the pressure drop could be a common issue concerning a whole house water filter system.
You can follow our advice in the section below to resolve potential issues in this regard.
How to Increase Water Pressure for a whole house system
After installing a whole house filter system, the chances are that you could face possible pressure drop depending on various causes.
However, adopting a proactive approach is the best alternative in this regard.
Homeowners need to always follow a monitoring approach by continually measuring the pressure drop.
Conducting such measurements will guide you regularly towards a forecasted trend as to potential upcoming issues that may surface.
Don’t rush into the alternative of replacing your filter or any specific components before taking the time to diagnose the issue thoroughly.
It will be easier to take the most natural solution for replacement as this happens.
Households can take practical actions to avoid constant replacements of filters, especially if the product has proved to be of good quality.
As an example, troubleshooting the issue by isolating the possible area that is causing the pressure drop is a smart alternative in this regard.
You may also check with your neighbors about whether they are experiencing the same issue in the area.
This will confirm that the pressure drop is beyond the scope of the current system. Other factors may include infrastructure issues concerning the whole city.
Hence, all neighbors will need to get together to sign a petition asking to modernize the necessary water distribution systems.
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Last update on 2023-12-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Finding The Best Whole House Water Filter
Various risks and concerns are always part of the decision making process to installing a whole house water filtration system.
Needless to say that having a whole house water filter has tremendous benefits in terms of removing contaminants.
However, homeowners need to make the right tradeoff when balancing the good and the bad in complete alignment with their current needs for water filtration installations.
Homeowners also need to assess their needs from a longer-term perspective to be able to reduce the likelihood of pressure drop when selecting and installing the right system.
Many factors contribute to varying the flow rate of water, which can affect a whole house water filter pressure drop.
Hence, households need to be aware of how to think proactively as an initial step in reducing any potential pressure drop issue.
This smart way of reasoning will help face any concern quickly as it occurs.
