Whole-House Sediment Filter: Sizing and Installation for Well and Municipal Water

Volume I  ·  May 2026  ·  198 words

A whole-house sediment filter protects all downstream plumbing, appliances, and water treatment equipment from particulate damage. Single-cartridge housings accept 10-inch or 20-inch filter cartridges; a 20-inch cartridge has approximately 2x the sediment-holding capacity of a 10-inch cartridge of the same micron rating. The Pentek Big Blue 20-inch housing and APEC whole-house systems use 20-inch cartridges. Housing material: polypropylene is standard; clear housings allow visual inspection at the cost of potential algae growth if exposed to light. The housing must be installed with a bypass valve — three valves in a U-configuration — that allows filter changes without shutting off the main water supply. A pressure gauge before and after the filter measures the pressure drop and indicates when the cartridge needs replacement (typically at 10-15 psi differential). The filter housing's pressure rating (typically 80-125 psi) must exceed the incoming water pressure plus a safety margin for water hammer transients.