Stopped using those cheap water filter pitchers after my plumber showed me the inside of my pipes

Used to swap filters every 3 months like clockwork but when my faucet started sputtering last week he cut open a pipe and it was coated in sediment, so has anyone else had a plumber tell you the filters actually trap nothing?

3 comments

3 Comments

jakewhite27d ago

Respectfully, I see it a little different. Those cheap pitcher filters are really only good for taste and odor, not for trapping the heavy sediment that builds up in pipes over time. They use basic carbon and maybe a little ion exchange resin, but they don't have the micron rating needed to catch sand or rust particles. Your plumber is probably right that the filters missed a lot, but I'd argue they still do something for chlorine and maybe lead depending on the brand. Your mileage may vary, but I've had better luck with a countertop or under-sink system that actually filters down to 1 micron or less for that kind of crud.

karencampbell27d ago

1 micron? That is seriously tiny, almost like filtering out smoke.

jessej2327d ago

Yeah I totally agree with you on that. Those cheap pitcher filters are basically glorified water softeners for taste, not real filtration for sediment. I switched to a countertop unit with a 0.5 micron ceramic filter after finding rust flakes in my Brita and never looked back. Plumbers see the reality of what's coming out of old pipes, and they know those little cartridges just can't handle heavy stuff like sand or scale. Honestly, for the price of a good countertop system, you're way better off than buying those overpriced pitcher refills every month. I've had mine for two years now and the filter change is still way cheaper and more effective.