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A whole-house sediment filter is a big investment. And with so many different models on the market, it can be challenging to pick the right one. That’s why it’s important to take into consideration all of their pros and cons.
There is more than one reason you’d want to purchase a whole house sediment filter, the main one being to stop exposing yourself to contaminated water and the many health risks that come with it.
This post will guide you through the basics of sediment filters, the different types of sediment filters, their pros and cons, and of course the best sediment filters out there, so read on!
What Is A Whole House Sediment Filter?
A sediment filter captures and removes any sediment from your water. Sediment is a generic term for all of the particulate matter in your water that is not liquid. Flakes of rust can penetrate the PEX pipe.
Rainwater can carry silt, clay, soil, and grains of sand into your water supply. Flow changes in your water main can also transport sediment to your home. The sediment filter is the first line of defense against this dirt and debris. It prohibits all this solid particulate from entering your water supply and impeding the performance of your good system.
Your drinking water is your body’s most important resource. This means protecting it from dangerous sediments that can build up and reduce your home’s effectiveness. A sediment filter will ensure that you get clean, healthy water out of your faucet or shower every time you use it.
Your pool filter cartridges are designed to keep your swimming water pristine and block anything that might muddle it. They have a thousand other uses, too.
How Does A Whole House Sediment Filter work?
Sediment filters employ different space-age technology to exfoliate your water. It’s never been easier to have sparkling clean water on demand. A screen door acts as a mechanical filter. Similarly, sediment filters have enough porosity to allow water to flow into your home but can capture the dirt and sand that the water is carrying.
Sediment filters are the net that catches the particulate matter traveling in your water. We’ll set up automatic filter changes to save you time and money. Some sediment filters use expansive surface areas to catch large amounts of debris.
Other sediment filters use a depth gradient that forces water through thick walls of filter media that become increasingly tight as the water nears the core, filtering out smaller and smaller particulate matter.
What Does a Sediment Filter Remove?
The sediment filter removes dirt, sand, dust, and debris that can be caught by its micron-rated capacity which leads to cleaner, clearer water. ReveraWater’s sediment filter does not remove chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, or dissolved particulate matter. Primarily a defensive and preservative filtration method, sediment filters keep your pipes clean to prevent clogs and back-ups.
Sediment filters are most effective when serving as prefilters for other filtration systems. This is why sediment filtration works well for pre-filtering water that has already been filtered using reverse osmosis or ultraviolet purification to remove additional impurities, odors, and tastes.
What Is a Sediment Filter Used For?
Sediment filters are vital for allowing your water treatment and filtration system to work properly. Without sediment filters, dirt and debris can clog up your water piping and other filtering equipment.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis systems always utilize a sediment filter as pretreatment. Reverse osmosis purifies water by passing it through a semipermeable membrane that eliminates metals, salts, and dissolved solids. Sediment filtration softens the acidic water and protects RO membranes.
The system gives a high rejection level of about 85% with a particulate product of less than 1 micron. However, the water flow through the filter will be restricted, so it is important to get a high-quality sediment prefilter to protect the flow restrictor from clogging and maintain optimum water flow.
Ultraviolet Purification
Ultraviolet (UV) purification systems use sediment filters. UV purification systems neutralize bacteria, parasites, and microorganisms via germicidal ultraviolet wavelengths. UV light damages the DNA of these living organisms, rendering them unable to reproduce. This is a highly effective filtration method for water that’s contaminated with bacteria, parasites, or microbes.
However, cloudiness in the water diminishes the efficacy of UV water purification. Water turbidity is difficult for the UV radiation to penetrate, and bacteria can hide from the wavelengths behind the particulate matter. In order to make sure your UV system is functioning at maximum performance, it is necessary to have a sediment pre-filter of 5 microns.
Carbon Filters Lifespan
Carbon filters are known for their ability to restore water’s fresh taste by removing chlorine and chloramines. While carbon can also filter out sediment, dirt particles can clog up the carbon and quickly exhaust the filter media. If your water contains excessive sediment, you should use a Sediment Filter.
Pre-filters will help you save money and extend the life of your carbon block. A sediment prefilter is used to remove sediments, dirt, and other impurities from the water. It works as a coat so that when the carbon block does the job of removing chemicals and metals, it won’t get used up too quickly.
Whole House Sediment Filtration
A whole house sediment filtration system can save you precious money. Sediment damage to dishwashers and washing machines is often expensive to repair and even more costly to replace. By preventing damage from sediment, a whole house filtration system will greatly extend the life of your equipment.
Water heaters will become clogged and malfunction if sediment accumulates in them, reducing the unit’s efficiency, capacity, and overall life expectancy. Faucets, toilets, and showerheads will lose water pressure with extended sediment build-up. These are costly and avoidable repairs, especially when you have a sediment filter in your home.
The sediment filter will protect and prolong the life of your household appliances even if you don’t have any other filtration system. One of the most important things you can do to ensure your family’s health is to have a whole house water filtration system.
City water supplies may be just as likely to harbor a larger quantity of sediment than groundwater sources. Stormwater and flooding can usher unwanted debris into your well. Sediment filters, or as some call them, sand filters, are placed after the pressure tank and can be installed in a few hours.
Sediment filters are a critical component of any whole house water filtration system. They provide many valuable benefits to their owners.
What Are The Different Types of Sediment Filters?
All sediment filters are designed to do the same job: collect solid debris and particulate from the water. However, there are several configurations of sediment filter cartridges on the market. Here is a breakdown of four of the most popular variations used.
- Pleated filters
- Melt-blown filters
- String-wound filters
- Bag filters
- Spin-down filters
The Best Whole House Sediment Filters
iSpring WSP-50SL Spin Down Sediment Water Filter
Features: control valve is simple to operate, connection fittings are constructed of solid brass, easy installation
Price:$
$
The iSpring pre-sediment filter twists to clean, making it easy to use. The sediment filter works perfectly for those who are dealing with a ton of rock, rusts, and other solids in their water source. iSpring WSP-50SL is a pump that electronically directs the water to be directly in line with the filter. This will elongate the filter life and allow water through without any sediments for a longer period of time.
If these filters are not flushed every now and then, you will see a decrease in filter effectiveness. Luckily, the iSpring pre-sediment filter handles this dirty job for you. This sediment filter is designed to be the first line of defense before reaching a separate filtering system. It includes iSpring’s patented Siliphos that help prevent scale and corrosion in your pipes and appliances.
Pros:
- The control valve is simple to operate and ensures that your filter will not need to be handled to clean it.
- The water connection fittings are constructed of solid brass, there will be no durability issues.
- We love having the option to choose from different Micron ratings. This gives you the flexibility to find the best product for you.
- We like that the sediment filter housing is clear, this way we can see the status of the filter all the time.
- The installation is virtually tool-free and takes minutes.
Cons:
- Make sure your Teflon wraps are taught and even!
- I wish the filter lasted longer than the advertised 6 months.
Culligan WH-HD200-C Whole House Sediment Water Filter
Features: the filter housing is made from reinforced plastic and is shatter resistant, included filter timer
Price:$$
The Culligan WH-HD200-C Whole House Sediment Water Filter is designed to help you keep track of filter longevity with the included filter timer. It was my first experience with water filtration, and I have trusted them since those days many years ago. Produced by a company with a decades-long reputation in the water filter industry, this sediment water filter has everything you need to improve your home’s drinking water quality.
The bracket is embedded in the housing, so you can install it easily and practically anywhere without having to drill holes or worry about undesirable filter placement. There is a blue valve on the top of the filter that you can turn to select where you want the water to go.
If you want the water to bypass the filter for any reason, it is as easy as turning that valve. The filter does a great job removing sediment and other hard metal particles. It also leaves your water tasting great. If you want to install a filter that will get rid of harmful toxins and takes less than an hour to install, investigate this one.
There is a bypass valve included in the system to allow water to skip over the filter during maintenance. The WH-HD200-C Whole House Sediment Water Filter is made from reinforced plastic and is shatter resistant.
Pros:
- There is a bypass valve included in the system that allows the water to skip over the filter in case any maintenance is being performed.
- The filter housing is made from reinforced plastic and is shatter-resistant.
- The housing is clear which always allows you to see the status of your sediment filter.
- You can keep track of filter longevity with the included filter timer.
Cons:
- The inlet and outlet valves are fit for 3/4-inch, was is not as common.
- There are no adapters available with the system either
EcoPure EPWHE No Mess Home Water Sediment Water Filter
Features: manage water throughout the entire home, automatic bypass
Price:$$
The EcoPure whole-house sediment filter is of great value. This system is compact, affordable, but packs a punch. The non-corrosive encapsulated filter chamber is an excellent design, it allows filters to be replaced without ever having to touch the media.
Our EcoPure EPWHE No Mess Home Water Sediment Water Filter will allow you to keep your hands clean when removing the filter and it will not add any unwanted contaminants to the filter while you are adding one. The filter life of 6 months is solid for a sediment filter.
This filter is certified by NSF/ANSI for several different standards and simply having this stamp of approval, gives you peace of mind that you are getting a great product. There are several factors we loved about the EcoPure water filter, and many of them will benefit all homes.
EPWHE No Mess Home Water Sediment Water Filter helps manage water throughout the entire home. This ecoPure water filter system is designed to remove non-desirable contaminants and reduce sediment for a healthier you.
The filter has a 6-month rating on the filter capacity and is rated at 5 Microns to remove all types of contaminants.
Pros:
- This system is designed to manage water throughout the entire home.
- The filter is rated to 5 Microns to remove all types of contaminants.
- It is certified by the NSF/ANSI for chlorine, sediment, sand, and silt removal.
Cons:
- Sometimes it might drop water pressure!
Rusco 1-1/2” Spin Down Separator Sediment Water Filter
Features: designed to maintain and improve water pressure, can work with PSI levels up to 150
Price:$$$
It weighs a mere 1.5 pounds, making it easy to install anywhere without having to worry about the bracket bending or breaking. Rusco’s spin-down sep filter provides sediment-free water since the 70s and is the most versatile and adaptable sediment filter around.
The Rusco 1-1/2” Spin Down Separator Sediment Water Filter is a small, light, and compact sediment filter that removes sediment, sand, and other particles and debris from the water. It is an ideal, low-cost option for any water line with plenty of applications.
One common use for this system for gardening and farming. Most times, water that comes from hoses is high in metal, sand, rust, and solids. Installing a spin-down filter like the Rusco will add valuable minerals to your plants and farming needs.
The Rusco 1-1/2” Spin Down Separator Sediment Water Filter is commonly installed for use in gardening and farming. It will add valuable minerals to your plants, such as iron, calcium, and copper. This spin-down filter removes sediment and sand.
This spin-down filter will improve water pressure and has a max of 50-GPM. PSI is 150, a great spin-down sediment filter.
Pros:
- The filter is designed to maintain and improve water pressure, it maxes out at 50-GPM.
- This spin-down filter will remove sediment and sand.
- It can work with PSI levels up to 150, which is great for a spin-down sediment filter.
- It weighs a mere 1.5 pounds, making it easy to install anywhere without having to worry about the bracket bending or breaking.
Cons:
- The filter seems to get blocked quicker than other systems.
- The canister body and ‘top’/manifold has a very different type of threading.
How often should I change my sediment filter?
It is recommended to replace your sediment filter every 6-12 months. But the best way to know when you’re due for a filter change is to observe water pressure. After the filter has captured enough sediment, water flow may slow, and you may notice reduced water pressure. This is an indicator that it’s time for a new sediment filter.
At this point, you’ve maximized the holding capacity for the filter and it should be changed. Sediment will eventually settle out of your water, preventing more bacteria from growing and making it unsafe to drink.
A Whole House Sediment Filter: Conclusion
We are well aware of the headaches that a well water system can give to a homeowner. These filters are so effective that they remove all sediment, bacteria, and chemicals from every glass of water you drink.
Even if you have high levels of pesticides or iron in your water, these water filters will give you soft, fresh water on tap. Don’t trust your water with just any filter. Sediment filters are a unique system that helps keep your home protected from the harmful sediments in your water supply.
The newest technologies and materials make it easy to find the best sediment filter for your family. Enjoy cleaner, better-tasting water with sediment water filter systems.
Wayne is a water quality expert – The founder of Water Filter Data. He has a degree in microbiology and his field of expertise is drinking water. His goal is to allow for clean and healthy water for as many people as possible.
