Replacing a Whole House Water Filter Way too Frequently

[Edwin Pawlowski]

That would let the water sediment settle out before you pipe it into
your house. Then only filter the sink water.

Filtering only the sink water will still allow sediment to get through to
other parts of the plumbing. Auto fill halves for heaters, fill valves on
toilets. will all be affected. Over time, the abrasiveness of the sediment
will cause pre-mature wearing of seals and seats. The real solution is to
find the problem and fix it. I had a problem with rust in the town water.
I'd replace faucet seals every six months until I put in a filter, now they
last for years, many years as not one has needed replacing in over 15 years.
Quite a difference.

 

[Edwin Pawlowski]

And how large was you storage tank - which lets the sediment settle
to the bottom?

The problem is sediment in the water, and the solution is a large
storage tank.

I have no tank. 'City water. I'm at the end of the line and get all the
crap. Five filters a year solved my problem much easier than a 500 gallon
tank.

 

[DarMan]

If anyone is interested in the progress of this problem. Here's an
update:

I contacted Culligan, and they came out to do a water test. The
gentleman who did the test is very confident we are suffering from
"colloidal clay" (which is pretty much liquified clay). Also, the
water is a bit acidic (5.8) and hard (3gpg). He is taking a sample to
their lab for confirmation, but he's pretty sure this is what it is.

He said that the causes for this point, most likely, to a problem with
how the well was drilled. Either the casing down the well is cracked,
or the well was dug a bit larger than the casing, but either way ground
water is coming down and gettinng into the well. He said that the
water is prematurely getting in the well from above somehow because
these results (except hardness) don't usually occur naturally at this
depth of well.

The solution is either to install a Reverse Osmosis filtering system or
dig a new well.

 

[The Reverend Natural Light]

"I contacted Culligan, and they came out to do a water test .... The
solution is either to install a Reverse Osmosis filtering system or dig
a new well."

That doesn't sound right. Your current filter is doing it's job.
Another filter will plug up just the same. And, if it is surface water
then it's undoubtedly carrying bacteria as well. Have you had the
water tested for coliform bacteria?

It's interesting how a water filtration company would recommend a new
high dollar water filter.


-rev

 

[DarMan]

Rev,

I'm very well aware of the conflict of interest. Although, he
actually suggested to pursue investigating the well first, before going
down the road of the expensive filter, which has to count for
something.

Actually, in the two weeks since starting this thread, the whole house
filter hasn't become clogged at all, but the water is extremely cloudy.
So, I'd have to disagree that the filter is doing it's job. If we
really are dealing with colloidal clay, it is so fine its almost a
homogeneous solution (its not, but the question is what sort of
physical filter would be needed to extract it where I wouldn't have to
change that filter every other day?).

The water is being tested by a different lab even as we speak.

Thanks.

 

[InoEthing]

Rev,

I'm very well aware of the conflict of interest. Although, he
actually suggested to pursue investigating the well first, before going
down the road of the expensive filter, which has to count for
something.

Actually, in the two weeks since starting this thread, the whole house
filter hasn't become clogged at all, but the water is extremely cloudy.
So, I'd have to disagree that the filter is doing it's job. If we
really are dealing with colloidal clay, it is so fine its almost a
homogeneous solution (its not, but the question is what sort of
physical filter would be needed to extract it where I wouldn't have to
change that filter every other day?).

The water is being tested by a different lab even as we speak.

Thanks.

I know this thread is ancient, but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the filter was put in against the water flow. It's directional. If your filter always looked clean but was stopped up anyway; instead of the water forcing it's way through the filter material and on into the center of the filter and then on through to your house piping, it was likely doing the reverse. There are slots inside the filter body which allow the filtered water to come through and on into the house piping. But in your case I'd bet you could see water droplets forcing their way through the face of the new filter when you first turned the water back on. Should be the other way around.