How to Install a Whole-House Water Filter | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey improves the taste and odor of municipal drinking water with a whole house filtration system that includes a sediment filter and a granulated activated carbon filter.
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Time: 2-3 hours

Cost: $1,000

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools List:
Tubing Cutter
Fitting Brush/Pipe Cleaner
Torch

Shopping List:
Whole House Filtration System
Copper Pipe and Fittings
3 Copper Ball Valves
Adapter Fittings to Connect Filters
Flux
Solder
Thread Sealing Tape

Steps:
1. Turn off the main plumbing supply to the house and drain as much water as possible from the pipes by opening all faucets and fixtures and then opening a drawoff valve near the main.
2. Determine the location of the prefilter. If necessary, attach a piece of plywood for attaching the filter bracket.
3. Use a tubing cutter to cut in to the main water supply pipe.
4. Clean, apply flux, and solder the adapter fittings to transition into the filter housing on a workbench to keep the heat away from the filter. Once cool, connect the adapter fittings to the filter housing, using thread sealing tape on threaded connections.
5. Clean, flux, and then dryfit the remaining connections. Include “T” fittings that allow water into and out of the filter, but also connect to a shutoff valve that serves as a bypass. Include a shutoff valve for water entering the filter and a shutoff valve for water leaving the filter.
6. In normal operation, the bypass valve remains in the closed position and the two filter valves are in the open position. If the filter requires service, those valves should be reversed, allowing untreated water into the building temporarily.
7. Once all connections have been made, turn water pressure back on to the building and check for leaks.
8. Follow manufacturer instructions to properly activate the carbon filter.

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Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Install a Whole-House Water Filter | Ask This Old House
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