Whole House Water Filters

A whole-house filter installs at the main water line and treats every gallon entering the home. Drinking water filters only treat water at one tap. Whole-house systems protect plumbing, water heaters, and appliances from sediment and chlorine damage while also improving shower and laundry water quality.

A 20 to 50 micron filter is a good first stage to catch coarse sediment without excessive pressure drop. A 5 micron final stage catches fine particles before they reach appliances or an RO system. For well water with heavy sediment, run two filter stages in series, coarse then fine.

Big Blue housings use a 4.5-inch inner diameter compared to the standard 2.5-inch residential size. The larger diameter accommodates higher flow rates up to 20 GPM with lower pressure drop, making them well suited for whole-house applications. AMPAC USA offers 10-inch and 20-inch Big Blue housings.

These systems address different problems. A softener removes hardness minerals. A whole-house carbon filter removes chlorine, chloramines, and organic compounds. Softener resin can be damaged by chlorine over time, so installing a carbon pre-filter upstream of the softener is often recommended for municipal water.

Backwashing carbon tanks contain loose granular activated carbon that automatically backwashes to flush out accumulated particulates. They offer much higher capacity than cartridge filters and lower long-term maintenance cost. They are ideal for households with high chlorine or chloramine levels needing whole-house treatment.