How to Choose a Water Filter | Ask This Old House
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2016
- Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the many options available for filtering drinking water. (See below for a shopping list and steps.)
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Point-of-use filters, including pitcher-style, spout-style, Reverse Osmosis under sink filters, and whole-house filters with disposable cartridges are available at home centers and hardware stores. The whole-house filter that automatically cleans itself is the Braukmann filter, manufactured by Honeywell and available at specialty plumbing supply stores. The large, canister-style filter that is filled with different materials based on your local water quality is a solution installed by Culligan.
Cost:
$10 and up
Time:
5 minutes to 5 hours, depending on the filtration system
Difficulty:
Easy to Difficult. Depending on the filtration system
Shopping List for How to Choose a Water Filter:
Pitcher-style water filter [amzn.to/2Ls4Kxc]
Faucet-mounted water filter [amzn.to/2NXQxtH]
Under-sink water filter [amzn.to/2ZUdDJ5]
Under-sink reverse-osmosis water filter [amzn.to/2O1PRDB]
Whole-house water filter [amzn.to/2NV4jxf]
Sediment filter [amzn.to/34FDkvB]
Steps for How to Choose a Water Filter:
1. The simplest way to filter tap water is with a pitcher-style water filter, which has a granulated carbon filter that improves taste and odor, and removes some chlorine and sediment.
2. Faucet-mounted filters have a switch that diverts tap water through a granulated carbon filter. Turn on the switch for filtered drinking water; flip it off when washing dishes.
3. For greater water filtration convenience and capacity, install an under-sink, dual-filter system that has its own gooseneck faucet.
4. For optimum point-of-use filtration, consider a reverse-osmosis system. Water passes through a series of three filters, resulting in extremely clean, pure drinking water.
5. Whole-house water filters are installed near the water main and are ideal for delivering clean, filtered water to every faucet throughout the entire house.
6. There are a variety of filters available to remove a wide range of impurities.
7. Sediment filters contain a stainless-steel pre-screen filter and back-flush system that automatically cleans the filter.
8. For the highest level of water filtration, first have your tap water tested, then call in a water-treatment specialist to install a whole-house filtration system designed specifically to treat your water.
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How to Choose a Water Filter | Ask This Old House
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This show is a national treasure. I'm so glad Bob Vila left this show ages ago.
You should always check the data chart of the product before buying one. There is a lot of marketing going on and many filters do not even have certificates. We produce water filter pitchers and we are glad to certify they trully work
The whole house filter seems the best one option here for me. One stop, fix all. Changing the filter once a month is not a lot of work
As a totally inexperienced person, this video helped me out a ton! I learned so much.
Congratulations you now know just enough to think you know something about water filtration. Like most of their videos they leave a lot of detail/choices/prices/maintenance out because of the shortness of their videos.
He skipped over in-line refrigerator water ice filter.
This Old House is costing me money.
Top notch outfit "This Old House" program for decades with solid advice and knowledge. Thanks for water filtration systems, small level sys towhole house systems 👍👍👍 !!!
Thank you for this - learned about the water waste of that particular RO system- much appreciated🙏👆
So much prep and effort for that video. Great show.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter
Public water is perfectly safe. Yeah, tell that to the people in Flint, Michigan.
Kids don't even know flouride has 0 benefits.
Legally safe water still contains harmful levels of arsenic over a long period of time. They just did a study and 86% of US water contains these harmful contaminants.
@@Koaki913 Yep. I have well water and they came out and tested it and said it's perfectly safe but it came back positive for arsenic.
@@melissadavis2102 And they have recently released a study linking long time exposure to "legally safe" arsenic levels in public water and cancer. Scary stuff.
@@Koaki913 Yeah, I just saw an arsenic map when I was looking at water filters and my area is orange. The 2nd highest levels.
Great! So much information packed into a 4minute video. Those guys speak fast too!
thanks for telling us about the best method for water filtration
Drink some of the water filtered by your candidate. No matter how expensive it is, it may taste revolting or be warm.
You have to fill the Brita filter once a day, but you can keep it nice and cold in the fridge.
love this channel just had my water tested ..
I have a prefilter that filters water going into a water softener going into a 3 stage under sink for drinking.
We got the RO system,… haven’t bought a bottle of water since the install(3years ago) …. Just doing our part..
Valuable info on how to choose a water filter!
I really love these yankees.
Thanks for this. You're good at explaining. I have a 10" filter with a 10" housing, but the filter became moldy because I couldn't screw it shut, it didn't go all the way down to the buttom(rounded off housing at the buttom, two different manufacturors. How is the water supposed to flow when the filter is inside the housing?
We had the City of OKC come over to our house to get a sample of our tap water because my mom didn't think it was clean... It's been over five years, and we never got our analysis results back.
XzTS
hhhhhh... i think that you may never receive them.
I guess you don't care about the water then lol
XzTS purchase a TDS METER AND IF IT READS 500PPM IT'S REALLY BAD
You can do experiments in your own home. If you use clean water to electrolyze no impurities, or you will electrolyze a lot. i did this experiment,you can see from my facebook .
Easy coast here we didn’t get our results either.
Moving to a new construction home in FL, so its going to be Well... I was wondering about doing two sediment filters and a whole house filtration system. Does it make sense to do a sediment filter before AND after the softener?
That's actually very informative. I personally trust tap water- it's completely safe and all, but I absolutely HATE the taste. But I LOVE enjoying clean water! Now I know how you get that pure water taste! It's reverse osmosis rather than carbon filters!
You are right about the taste. Many people don't actually like the taste of water (especially if chlorinated like most is). A lovely tasting water encourages you to drink more.
Dear Richard,
I saw your video on UA-cam at the time from 1.14 to 1.24/4.18 showing the water system. Could you tell me what the model # of the filter system and where I can buy it?
Thank you very much!
For every gallon of water you clean.... You are flushing out 3-5gallon down the pipe. Depends on where you live that's about 0.030cent per 1gallon of water or $3+ per HCF.
If your family drink/use 10gallon a day you are looking at 300 a month. That's 900gallon of water down the pipe. 900x0.030cent= $27 a month. That's equal to 216 16oz bottle spring water(depends on brand).
If your tap water is below 80 TDS, you can save money by removing the RO membrane and use just the filters. Removing the copper taste/ bleach taste and filtering out any rust but still keep all those beneficial minerals.
Just got a new fridge with a filter but the water coming out still has a heavy chlorine taste, might look into an additional under sink filter to see if that helps.
Nothing can beat the taste of filtered water, in my house it's better than any other drink. With a healthy diet you do get all the minerals you need in the food you eat and with all the materials the filter took out as well . It's all for the delicious taste of the water.
Sounds like I should get a filter!
depends on where live...we are lucky to have good public water so we use Brita filters or equivalent in the fridge just for tea coffee and water to drink...Its fine.
is a 10" 3 stage water filtration system good for rain water collection systems. to make the water potable
crystala or Glacialpure filters are good choice for water filters
Great
we bought aqua earth shower filter and happy
If you have the soft water system installed and run it to your refrigerator... Do you still need to use the refrigerator water filter? Is it bad for the system if the refrigerator water filter is used? Is it an more added effect for I guess extra filtered water?
Ima stick with my spring water cooler. ..lol
Richard, How does the last filter (#8) get cleaned?
yeah
Great runthrough. My water smells like sewage and I rent an appartment. Not sure what to do, i guess ill start off small with a normal water filter and hope it gets rid of the smell.
normal water filter got rid of the smell and taste
I love this show. It never gets old. Keep up the great work!
Does the supply tubing for the filter system have to come from a hard water source, or can it be soft water?? Thanks
You guys are doing amazing jobs. Quick notes, it would've been nice if guys ran some electronic water PPM tester on it to see before and after water result. Wondering which system to pick for the entire hous.
its amazing video
Just don't use a TDS meter, that's not an indicator of water quality.
You can check your cities annual water report if you're concerned over it. That's likely going to be the same water that reaches your tap unless you have lead in your house pipes or corroding plumbing in your home.
I knew someone who got notices from the city explaining that her tap water is filled with raw sewage due to both kinds of pipes cracked and leaking. Though how raw sewage can leak into pressurized tap water pipes, which should push all outside contamination away from the insides of the pipes, I have no idea, except that the cracks must be serious. Her water did stink like piss and shit, even when she ran it through two carbon whole house filters. Even when she replaced both atnonce, no change. And she had an on demand hot water heater, so no hot water tank for concentrations to stew in.
I love Rich!
I have pelican reverse osmosis stage six but i live in apartments and my pelican don’t have extra filters to flush out extra dirt so what should do because i am living in nj and my filter membrane getting clogs in couple of months so please you can me any suggestions thanks
what filtration would you recommend for 2020? Thanks
For City water, can I put two water filters before a water softener? A sediment & then a carbon, to protect the water softener, or will that restrict flow too much? I wanted to then have the line then split to a R/O line & the regular line, & put a carbon on the water regular line going to the showers & sink. Concerned about water drop flow rate with 3, 4 filters
Honestly a carbon filter isn't going to do much in terms of 'protecting' a water softener, a sediment filter however isn't a bad option to put before (and I've seen them pretty often after) a softener. There are sediment filters available in different flow rates, the flow rate will be dictated by both the filter size and the micron rating
Nice going Richard, after that big speech you walked away with a bottle of filtered tap water....
🤣
The bottle was his clear sample showing the “recipe” of filtration sediments that are in the big whole home tank at the end of the video. But yeah, that bottle from the beginning of the video will be around for 1000 years
Im finaly a journeyman plumber.... ive been watching you since i was an apprentice
Hi Richard, I wanted to install my new water filter using cpvc and sharkbite to avoid soldering. Some portion of the cpvc will be exposed to the exterior of the house since I will need to station the filter in my garage to allow for electrical connection.
Is true that the cpvc may be damaged if exposed to the elements?
@youngsil11 Did your cpvc leak from UV exposure yet?
Will this work on contaminated food waters?
Everyone in Flint needs the last system
TheAKBUDDHA1 j
What micron filters should I use to filter out sediment from a dug well? I'm putting in two whole house filters for instance 10 micron and 1.0 micron or even .5 micron.
Rusco spin down if there's large sediment, followed by a 30micron sediment or smaller, then a UV filter for bacteria from surface water
Should consider the cost of replacement filter every 6 to 8 months or so. It can get very expensive in a hurry. Although, there are some filter replacements are available at a reasonable cost nowadays.Do your research in replacements filter costs before you plunge in to buy. RO systems tends to be more expensive in replacements filters and it also waste 2 to 3 gallons of water each day to produce filtered water. This process can get very expensive.
Yeah, most people don't need RO. It's just a giant waste of water and expensive to keep going. Let alone having to mount that huge @ss system somewhere for point of use.
Most people would be fine with NSF 53 and call it a day. Plus, most don't understand that filters are typically rated by gallons filtered (depending upon how shite your water is).
ottawa canada has very hard water
where can I find the one with the pump?
If anyone is in the Richmond, Va area my company provides free in home testing, as well as whole home conditioning systems and drinking stations with reverse osmosis technology.
Im close... what kind of test
What about bacterial and protozoal contamination? Which removes that?
How are you using 4.5 cubic meters of water a month per person? There are 2 people in my household and we hardly ever go above 5 cubic meters total. the most we have ever reached was 8 and that was only because I was off for a month working on something that needed lots of water.
Maybe they're showeraholics?
For survival it works when the electric goes out. I decide to buy, and get this... A Gravity filtered hot/cold water dispenser with self cleaning UV sterile Technology. It uses all and any of the great filters so I can choose the best.. I bought one for my GYM and over 30 members bought one for their homes. For the price you get a lot more for your money. You tube won't let me show the site were bought it, I don't know why I think they think it is spamming but if you go to purall at US on the end you can figure it out. Just wanted everyone to know because I could have saved 400 dollars and bought this one first. God bless...
Now you are most likely not going to like this idea, but rather than using the cold tap water, I use water from the hot faucet. It does taste better than coming from the cold side. The water piping in this 60 plus year old house is galvanized and the drainage is all cast iron using lead joints.
Don't even think I'm going to change them now, the floor is 11" thick because the contractor didn't pay close attention to the blueprints where it specified terrazzo floors. So the slab [4"] got over slabbed another 4" and then 3" of terrazzo was poured onto it before it was ground smooth. The walls and ceilings have metal lathe and plaster on them. Roof is 5' on 16' using 1" thick x 6" and 8" tongue and groove lumber. Thus far that has held up to all of the hurricanes we get here in NW Florida.
Not sure I understand why the hot water would taste better. It's also traveling through those pipes, unless you're saying you have copper or pex from the hot water heater to the sink.
The drainage wouldn't have any impact on taste, because it's drain, not source.
Not anything of the type in the 60 plus year old house. Copper, I could wis, but it all of the original pipes The place started with a 100 amp breaker box, which we upgraded to a 200 amp box but that is m ounted outside the house.
Strange then. I don't get why the hot would taste better than cold, unless you're *drinking* it while hot and whatever is dissolved in it stays dissolved. (I had assumed you were pulling water from the hot water tank and then letting it cool off)
I would like to know the difference or efficiency of each type of filter. Is carbon better?
It's dependant on what you're trying to remove
😩Good to know but...Soooo overwhelming! He dropped soooo much knowledge here . There is so much info to know & figure out & as soon as I think I’ve got it figured out there is something else sneaking through! 😩 and what about people who can’t afford this stuff?? $&&@! 😩
Reverse osmosis also removes important minerals that your body needs. I live in Maine, nothing like drinking from a backwoods artisan spring.
@Danthemanwithaplan55 Google it dude
Agree, RO does take out everything, good and bad
Water are coming very solwy what to do that 2:30 hours After fill 8L
I need a little help here.
just imagine my frustration with sand showing up on all my aerators. One would think that this sand is coming from the street. I would think so too. But here is a catch. When I disconnect the cold and water supplies into my washer, the only screen loaded with sand is the one on hot feed. If the city water is the same, how can the send accumulate only on the hot side. One may point to lime/calcium build up. But trust me, this is not the case. The connections don't look whitesh. The sand collected looks like yellow beach sand. What could the water heater possibly do to "create" this sand?
The coil in the heater is less than one year old.
I would check the anode in the water heater! If it's not the correct one? It can cause a discolored sediment in your hot water tank..
I hear the other meaning of filter so much (have no filter when you speak), I often forget the other type of filter.
whats the difference in functionality of a filter that’s just attached to the faucet vs bigger one?
What you're really looking for is what the filter is designed to extract from your water. Most are just for flavor (NSF 42). If you really know what's coming through your tap then this could be perfectly fine to use. If you're unsure and you have a history of garbage water from the municipality (like Flint, Michigan or Jackson MS) then you'll want to go at least NSF 53. Those filters are certified to remove nearly all toxic chemicals/heavy metals from your water. Typically, the larger the surface area of the filter medium the more gallons it can filter. If it's one that's added to the end of the faucet it probably won't last too long. (I would think maybe 3 months or less). There are larger under the sink filters that can filter 1,500 gallons or more, and you don't have to add an extra drinking water only faucet. It just hooks straight from your cold water line to the existing faucet. There is a list of filters if you Google NSF and look at their independently tested filters for 53 certification.
U forgot price
I have a Apec RO90 Reverse Osmosis system it has a 4 gallon tank. In the manual it says it takes about 2-3hours to fill the tank. I noticed faucet never stops, water trickles endlessly after 1 hour. Is this normal? wouldnt faucet stop after the tank is emptied since it takes a while to fill the tank/filter water?
Yes this is normal. What your seeing is the production of clean water. It will never stop making water with the faucet open. As soon as you close the faucet the RO will fill the storage tank and shut off after it's full.
Which company is the best to get house filter? We were going to go with Hague water, but I read a lot of bad reviews, there's so much to know.. we don't want to get ripped off.. we need it for iron, and of course all the other crude in our water.. my head is spinning even more reading and trying to figure out who to go with.. any suggestions? Anyone? Thanks
im in your boat. i can see it will be a long road of research. im just hoping i can buy it off ebay and save money.
Denise Long Shiflett
home water services
I have well water that got a little smelly and had to do all the research. The answer is get a water test done first. They are inexpensive and a requirement if you actually hope to do anything. Throwing filters at your water is both a waste of time and money as there is no one filter to replace all filters solution.
Cameron is the taste good....for example like dasani & aquafina,taste is a big factor for me !!
Denise Long Shiflett dg lflv kl vfl
Вайн маттахь дийца, ахь ху дуьйц ца кхета со
I have well water that smells like sulfur,egg. I have to boil it to drink it for a day to prevent illness e.g. diarrhea. I have not try'ed drinking it more than one day.
Can I just go with a revers osmosis like the one you show ? Or should I get water test('ed) ? And is there a particular filter('s) for particular minerals(toxins) ?
Test it
Do these things work or what?
The replaceable filters with the clear housings are known to crack, and fill your basement or crawlspace with water.
Always invest in a flood alarm.
In segment 2:06 he mentions for every 1 gl of filtered water 1 or 2 gls go to waist ? wow
What is the brand of the automatic flushing pre-filter? I can't find anything online.
I believe it a version of a spin down filter....
The sediment filter is a Honeywell Braukmann F74C1023 in 1". It was discontinued and replaced by F76S1023. The Automatic Backwash Control is a Honeywell MV876B1018 and is an additional cost.
How many DTs?
Anyone know the name of the powered filter at 3:13 in the video, or at least what it is called
Rusco spin down
the tank is unable to wash inside..., how is it made ? how about the bacteria and mould inside on the surface for months and months without any wash or be able to wash?
Ok
Operating an RO system might give purified water on demand but over all it is more expensive than just purchasing bottle water. Water bill is increased two to three times, the sewer is loaded with excess water and filter must be frequently replaced otherwise it defeats the purpose. Over all RO gives an additional monthly maintenance bill you didn’t have before. JUST BY THE WATER IN A BOTTLE.
Danthemanwithaplan55 location is the factor
Anyone know where to get the auto back wash filter
The sediment filter is a Honeywell Braukmann F74C1023 in 1". It was discontinued and replaced by F76S1023. The Automatic Backwash Control is a Honeywell MV876B1018 and is an additional cost.
Soooo would the Brita be ok for apartments?
If you are looking just to remove the chlorine, tastes and odours, that could work great for you.There are lots of taste and odour options out there.
this guy always seems thirsty
I live in an apartment and want clean water for consumption. I can’t make any alterations to my apartment. What system do you suggest?
Check out the CUZN under sink system. They also have one that hooks up to your fridge. Easy install or uninstall like it was never there.
3:53 sediment sand, antricite coal, activated carbon and GARNET? what is GARnet?
How is the water suppose to flow inside? Through the middle down and up again? I think my filter cartridges doesn't fit my filters. It's not a tight seal.
e spring
You may be missing an oring... The filter should fit in there without any leaks...
edenpure...anyone tried theirs?
how would I get those guys to come to my house to install the big filter. want the best water for my aquarium hobbie here in Denver Colorado.
Joseph Ryan the whole home conditioning system is often found through independent contractors that sell them for "water treatment companies ". I am in Va on the east coast and work for East Coast Water Quality. We provide the Westinhouse Dynamic System which is the best whole home conditioning system out there. We also provide a drinking station at the kitchen sink with Reverse Osmosis technology. Check around Denver for a good reliable company or go to Westinghouse Dynamic Website and ask them about Denver area.
RODI is what you need. You can pick up a good system for about $300.00
I have a 300 gallon reef tank in my house an I use a 30 gallon per day RO system for the tank. It makes the water and stores it in a 275 gallon tank under my basements concrete slab. I do a water change every week.
@@adamwestbury1843 I live near Alexandria VA - are you near enough
cost ? prices ?
Tell Flint that tap water is safe
I love chlorine.
Getting my water tested now - well water in Concord, MA --- curious to see how it comes out. I have had salesmen come through telling me I need a $9,000 setup!!!! But never did a test prior to trying to sell me on it.
Hi Tim, I work in water treatment in Canada and I would be happy to give you advice on systems. The advantage to being in Canada is you know I won't be trying to sell you anything, lol. Feel free to send me a message. Water test results would be necessary, FYI
i'm confusing about 5 stages and 6 stages filter
what does it mean ?
The stages number refer to how many types of media/filters the water is passing trough. 5 stages as the name imply passes 5 different types of filtration, etc.
Filters can have at least 3 functions, or categories, whatever you want to call it. Mechanical, chemical and biological.
Mechanical will act/retain solid particles, iron, dust, etc.
Chemical will act on chemical agents (obvious LOL ) like chlorine, fluoride, etc.
Biological will act on bacteria, etc.
Some types of media can inter act in more than one category or not...
Hope it helps. ;-)
Cheers
There's no way that I use 50 gallons of water a day for flushing the toilet and I make one 12 cup of drip coffee a day. I cook very little using water. The most water I use is when washing clothes weekly or every two weeks in my HE Front load washer. A couple of showers weekly....Maybe I am not using enough water for just me to keep the pipes flushed out, so the water sets inside the pipes causing bacteria.....just a thought!
0:25
Just because Flint Michigan event happened doesn't mean Public water is NOT perfectly safe. More so on average, public water is perfectly safe to drink. Tap water is regulated by the EPA which recognizes over 90 different containments that they look for to pass regulation. Bottled water is regulated through the FDA and they don't really ask about individual water company results. So you don't know how they're filtering it. You can just filter water yourself.
0:17 - Can't be too safe. Just ask the people of Flint, Michigan.
Where can I go to get my home tap water tested?
home depot has free kits you can take home
@@JimmyMish Is it garbage TDS or chemical testing for Lead and other actual toxic stuff I don't want to consume?
For some reason the water at my house makes me super sick but doesn't bother anyone else.
They do make filters for shower heads and a shower head with a filter housing.
I wouldn't imagine you'd be drinking your shower water regularly...?
@@SigmaTech 😂😂 he's probably taking about for your skin and bathing, ha. Great response though yo!
I always use extra water in hotels to justify the cost
Haha dude I hope that's a joke but feel it isn't....ouch. Water conservation of always a good thing yo! 🏋️🤸🤳