Water Filtration

Gather App
Guns.com Vault
R

RonJ

US Veteran
Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
3,938
Reaction score
2,573
City & State/Province
Missouri
I need whole house water filtration. I keep getting small rocks and sand clogging up the faucets and the chlorine is enough to bleach your tonsils. It will have to be inside the house to prevent freezing. Any recommendations and or ideas of cost. Thanks.
 
I put a new system in about three years ago. Iron, taste, and sediment. Local guy, not national brand. Came to about $3K.
 
Depending on the frequency of the clogs you may want to look at the filters at Lowes or Home Depot. I had put one on my daughter's well before it totally muddied up. Did OK, the filters looked like mud pies when they were changed out. I think you can get a system for diy for about $200-300 and have a good setup. 1st well was 100 ft in nothing but dirt. The second one was drilled on the other side of the creek past a shale bank. 300 ft later good water at about 100 GPM. All the way down in shale and limestone.
Where does your waterworks pull from to keep getting the sand and gravel? Do they not have a sufficient clarifier to let everything settle out? Sound like you need one paper filter for sediment and a charcoal filter for the chlorine.
Larry
 
We have well water, and had to put a "whole-house" water filter in line just after the Pressure tank. Works good. Cured the problem of having leaky-faucets.

The brand name of the filter, which has replaceable filter elements, is Culligan, which we bought from our local Fleet Farm store. We change elements every 2 months.
 
Sorry, been watchin' a movie. Source is from a tower that draws from a nearby river. They said that as the water rises during flood season they have to add a lot more chlorine. I have to use Brita pitchers for cooking and coffee, even that doesn't clean out all the bad taste.
 
I would put a sediment filter for the whole house and a RO for the drinking water only, as RO wastes a lot of water for every gal of drinking water it produces.
A RO unit can go under the kitchen sink. No need to have RO water and the waste to flush toilets and wash clothes.

I use a RO/DI (De Ionization) for making my Marine salt water fish tanks water. It produces pure H2O (o PPM TDS)but you do not need that for taking showers and DI is not good to drink.
 
The chlorine is for the run off and summer heat to reduce bacteria. Carbon will remove it.

Sand and rocks. Try a sand filter before the system. You don't want that in your carbon filter.

I wonder what else is in your supply, Calcium Lime Tannins Iron and other goodies.

The carbon will remove Iron but you'll need a softner to remove the others.

Do you have a place to keep it from freezing? Note I'm from Fl.

Rule3 is right about having an reverse osmosis (RO).

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) can be measured in Parts Per Million (PPM) with a meter.

The whole house system is a conditioning system usually TDS is still to high for drinking.

The RO water is stripped and as pure as distilled. Safe to drink but some don't like the taste. Others fear that their getting no minerals. Eat well and take your multi vitamins. Children might need Fluoride for healthy tooth development as it will remove it also. I wouldn't be sure if they even add fluoride.

Get as much local info as you can. I suggest not going with Culligan because your paying a salesman an installer a CEO and everyones brother. You'll get a better system for less from the independents. I prove it every day. My systems are twice the size for less money. You might not need a large system though.

Best of luck and feel free to ask anytime. Except when I'm going to bed like last night. Dang, I was tired. :)

One more thing, You might not need an RO if your source is safe. Maybe just an inline filter that can filter down to .5 microns. I'd need more info.
 
Last edited:
The cheaper lowes filter will catch particles about the size of sand. My filter turns black in a couple months. Well installer says change it when pressure falls. At tank in basement.
 
I have been doing water treatment for a living for 28 years. If you only care about the sediment & chlorine get a 41/2" x 10" 5 micron sediment filter with a wall bracket. Use a second filter canister of the same size with a radial flow GAC element for the chlorine. Don't change the sediment filter until water pressure in the shower is affected. The carbon filter will last 6-12 months depending on the amount of chlorine & usage. You should be able to buy the parts for about $250 or less.
 
manyguns said:
I have been doing water treatment for a living for 28 years. If you only care about the sediment & chlorine get a 41/2" x 10" 5 micron sediment filter with a wall bracket. Use a second filter canister of the same size with a radial flow GAC element for the chlorine. Don't change the sediment filter until water pressure in the shower is affected. The carbon filter will last 6-12 months depending on the amount of chlorine & usage. You should be able to buy the parts for about $250 or less.
Click to expand...

Respectfully,

Heavy sand would load up quickly with high usage. I wouldn't recommend something like that for a whole house system.

If the sand is as heavy as I'm thinking he needs to first put in a sand filter that can be discharged as needed. Then go to a 10 inch tank and an in and out head with 1 cubic foot of acid washed carbon to remove heavy chlorine. There will be no flow problems.

Drinking water systems need testing to see what's needed.

I'm thinking we both need more info.
 
images
 
If the sand is as heavy as you are thinking it will not backwash out of the sand filter because a backwash rate that would take that out would also remove the filter media. The 41/2 x 10 pleated paper elements have a very large carrying capacity and a 20gpm flow rate when new. The tank of carbon for dechlorination works but raises the cost a lot. A41/2x10 radial flow carbon element in the housing after the sediment filter works well & is easy to replace when the carbon in used up. The tanks of carbon are a much bigger issue to rebed and have a lower flow rate.
 
samuelrp said:
The cheaper lowes filter will catch particles about the size of sand. My filter turns black in a couple months. Well installer says change it when pressure falls. At tank in basement.
Click to expand...

This is what I have. I have well water and get a lot of small particles.
 
Understand I'm talking about a in line sand separator that spins the sand out. Add a ball valve to the bottom and release the sand as needed.

There is no back wash with a in/out head and you can get more than a year before you might need to re-bed the system. Someone that wants to DIY can do a carbon change for less than $100. I charge $200 and up.

What size inlet are you talking about that can flow 50 GPM?

Again, I'm just guessing. More info needed.

One more thing Ron, Build a Bypass into what ever you decide to do. Some times it helps to chlorinate your pipes.
 
Last edited:
Here is the system I installed a few years back. It works incredibly well, allows perfect unrestricted water flow, clean and de-chlorinated water is what we get throughout the entire house from all bathrooms and the kitchen. I installed it myself and did have to do a little plumbing work first. I needed to eliminate the lawn sprinklers, hose bibs, and pool fill line from being filtered as there was no purpose to do so. It took me a day to re-route a few lines but to me sweating pipe is not a big deal, so it was pretty easy.

This Company is VERY reputable, very customer oriented, and will help in any and all aspects of the installation. This system has long since paid for itself - I used to buy 5 gallon bottles which were quite expensive, heavy, a PITA to store, AND from an unknown source that was "how pure"??? That did not solve the problem of unfiltered water in our bathrooms, showers, etc.

I am QUITE HAPPY WITH THIS SYSTEM!


PurHome X-1000 High Capacity Whole House Water Filter by PuriTeam
 
I made my own from two whole house filters purchased at Lowes.

1/4 turn ball valves on each side, 5 micron spun cotton first stage, 2 micron activated charcoal for the second stage.

I added a 100# fluid filled gage from Graingers, mounted it on a board and here's the result.



All for just over $100 at the time.
 
chief38,

I really like the valve with the bypass. Clack makes it.

The metal 10" tank is good but I usually do fiberglass. Less $$$. I've only seen one give out. It was in a high rise condo. Lucky for the homeowner (and everyone 15 or so stories below her) it didn't burst open.

If he has light sand and debris the first filter might do the job. Is he has heavy sand I'd use a spinner.

I only use Acid Wash Carbon in my tanks. I use a gravel base only when there's a back wash valve involved. I don't like mixed beds. Carbon does more for you than the other stuff. The more carbon the better.

We all seem to have different needs and I still need more info as to what Ron is trying to do.
 
Snapping Twig said:
I made my own from two whole house filters purchased at Lowes.

1/4 turn ball valves on each side, 5 micron spun cotton first stage, 2 micron activated charcoal for the second stage.

I added a 100# fluid filled gage from Graingers, mounted it on a board and here's the result.



All for just over $100 at the time.
Click to expand...

Nice install. Around here that would load up in no time. Great system if your source isn't so bad. If your usage is heavy and the chlorine is heavy too, the carbon in that filter will expire quickly.

Every water source is different. I can have two wells on the same street have totally different needs. One might be high in iron and the other high in calcium. Same depth well and in S. Fl. The same elevation. ;)

All of this depends on Ron's individual needs.
 
For clarification, the sand is fairly light. At it's worse I have to unscrew the faucet filters twice a week. It doesn't seem to block the shower heads. For some reason the sand seems periodical. It can go weeks with none or very light sand and then whamo, I'm back to rinsing the filters twice a week. That goes on for a few weeks. ??? If I only had one choice I'd like to filter out the doggone chemical/chlorine taste.
I'm prepared to spend up to 2K but I can't afford much more.
 
DeathGrip said:
Nice install. Around here that would load up in no time. Great system if your source isn't so bad. If your usage is heavy and the chlorine is heavy too, the carbon in that filter will expire quickly.

Every water source is different. I can have two wells on the same street have totally different needs. One might be high in iron and the other high in calcium. Same depth well and in S. Fl. The same elevation. ;)

All of this depends on Ron's individual needs.
Click to expand...

My water is a city source, so it works here and I see your point about different sources.

Amazing just how filthy a city water source can be. I've found all sorts of debris, cysts, muck, etc.

The local reservoir is getting a new dam, so they're stirring up all sorts of stuff and the filters aren't going very far about now.
 
OK, Something like chief38's would do nice for what you want. I still would only use carbon.

I would sell a similar one installed for about $1500 here.

Sounds like the sand happens when the source is stirred up. Just a guess.
 
DeathGrip said:
OK, Something like chief38's would do nice for what you want. I still would only use carbon.

I would sell a similar one installed for about $1500 here.

Sounds like the sand happens when the source is stirred up. Just a guess.
Click to expand...

I really appreciate the help, THANKS!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Tex1001
Air Conditioner Season is Close- Some Pro Tips
2
Replies
45
Views
1K
Tex1001
Tex1001
chief38
Perfected my AC drip line flush procedure - takes 60 seconds now!
Replies
19
Views
1K
Leonard
Leonard
P
USPSA and one gun questions
Replies
28
Views
1K
Mike0251
Mike0251
ISCS Yoda
Bug out plans redux
2
Replies
45
Views
3K
mtgianni
M
chief38
THE LAST 2 WEEKS HAVE BEEN MAINTENANCE WORLD FOR ME - LOL
Replies
18
Views
3K
greenwellg
G

Latest posts

Back
Top