Whole-house water filters in Sacramento
A whole-house filter goes where water enters your home, so every faucet and shower gets filtered water. On city water, the main job is to reduce the taste and smell of chlorine.
Why does city water smell like chlorine?
Utilities add a small amount of chlorine on purpose. It keeps germs out of the water on its long trip through the pipes to your house. That is a good thing. But once the water reaches your home, the job is done, and some people do not like the taste or smell. A carbon filter can reduce it.
What a whole-house filter helps with
- Chlorine taste and smell at every tap
- Showers that smell like a swimming pool
- Sediment, like sand or grit, especially on well water
What does it not do? It does not soften water. It does not replace a drinking water system if you want the most filtered water possible. For that, see reverse osmosis. For spots and scale, see water softeners.
Whole-house or under-sink?
Ask yourself one question: do you care about every tap, or just the water you drink?
- Every tap and shower: a whole-house filter.
- Just drinking and cooking: an under-sink reverse osmosis system. It costs less and filters more for the water you drink.
- Both: some homes pair a whole-house carbon filter with RO at the kitchen sink.
What we check first
We test chlorine, TDS, hardness and pH at your tap. We look at where your main water line comes in, since that is where the filter goes. Then we tell you if a whole-house filter makes sense, or if something smaller would do. Want to know more about your water first? Read Is Sacramento water safe to drink?
Know your water before you buy anything
We test hardness, TDS, chlorine and pH at your kitchen sink for free, and you keep a printed report. If you do not need a system, we will tell you.
Book my free water testCommon questions
Does a whole-house filter soften water?
No. A carbon filter reduces chlorine taste and smell and some other chemicals, but it does not remove calcium and magnesium. If hardness is your problem, you need a softener.
How often do whole-house filters need changing?
It depends on the filter size and how much water you use. Many carbon systems last from several months to a few years. We tell you the schedule and cost before you buy.
Is a whole-house filter worth it on city water?
It is worth it if chlorine taste or smell bothers you in the shower and at every tap. If you only care about drinking water, an under-sink reverse osmosis system costs less.
Keep reading
GuideIs Sacramento tap water safe to drink?What the utility reports say, and what they cannot tell you.
ServiceReverse osmosis drinking water in SacramentoFiltered drinking water at the kitchen sink.
ServiceWater softeners in Sacramento CountyWho needs one in Sacramento, and who can skip it.
GuideReverse osmosis vs. water softener: which one do you need?They do different jobs. Here is how to pick.