# whole-house water filetration system and water pressure



## ilyaz (May 6, 2010)

We want to install a whole-house water filtration system to remove chlorine and other stuff from water. Will this affect water pressure? it seems that any filtration system must put resistance to the water flow, so there must be some negative effect but how big is it? Also, are there any sort of "water pressure amplifiers" that could be installed in the house -- with a filtration system or not -- that would increase pressure? We already have an issue with low pressure in one shower, so we do not want to make the problem even worse. Thanks!


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## slownsteady (May 6, 2010)

The throughput of large filters, like softeners, is about the same as your incoming plumbing. If you are talking about charcoal or RO, they are usually only installed as drinking and cooking water faucets - separate from your normal plumbing.

A 'pressure amplifier' would be a valve; the more you open it, the more pressure you get. The real question is what water pressure is being delivered to your house by either the city water supply or your well.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (May 6, 2010)

Ilyaz:

     Do you have iron plumbing going to that low water pressure shower?

     If it's copper piping instead, then you should have good pressure at the shower, and the low pressure may be caused by too much water leaking out the tub spout when the shower is on.  That's a common problem with cheap bathtub diverter spouts; they leak so much water that there's insufficient water pressure at the shower head, and the result is that the shower head spills water on you rather than sprays it on you.  And, to make matters worse, if you install a "water saver" shower head, all you do is restrict the flow out the shower head, and waste more water coming out the tub spout.


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## Speedbump (May 7, 2010)

What do you mean by a "Whole house filter"?  There are the inline varieties that are sold in the Big Box stores and they are NOT whole house filters no matter what it says on the box.  Then there are water softeners, iron filters, charcoal filter etc.  They are larger in size and are actually whole house filters.  

Your right, there is a certain amount of pressure drop through any of these units.

Do you have city water or well water?  Do you know what your static pressure is?


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## ilyaz (May 7, 2010)

Speedbump said:


> What do you mean by a "Whole house filter"?  There are the inline varieties that are sold in the Big Box stores and they are NOT whole house filters no matter what it says on the box.  Then there are water softeners, iron filters, charcoal filter etc.  They are larger in size and are actually whole house filters.
> 
> Your right, there is a certain amount of pressure drop through any of these units.
> 
> Do you have city water or well water?  Do you know what your static pressure is?



I have city water. I want a system -- whatever its name or type is going to be -- that will at least remove chlorine and similar stuff from both drinking and shower water. We also want to remove other dissolved stuff from drinking water which might mean that we will have to install an additional kitchen filter.


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## Speedbump (May 7, 2010)

You should find out what is in your City Water first.  Here we have chlorine, ammonia and fluoride.  It's not the same everywhere.  Carbon will remove chlorine only.  Ammonia goes right through.  There are other medias that will remove chlorine and ammonia.  I don't know if you want to remove fluoride if you have it, but I would think putting fluoride on your teeth would work much better than just ingesting it.

If you want to remove every little dissolved solid that comes down the pipe, you might want to look into distilled water; which in fact has no health benefits since all the good stuff has been removed.


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## zinytopazHRT (Jul 25, 2012)

You say some pressure drop---- How Much - what percent


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## slownsteady (Jul 31, 2012)

zinytopazHRT said:


> You say some pressure drop---- How Much - what percent



Depends on the specific filter - and the maintenance of it.


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