ServicesWhole-Home Filtration
Whole-Home Filtration in Menomonee Falls
We install a filter on your main water line so every tap in your home gets cleaner water. Less chlorine smell in the shower, less grit in the aerators. We cover the floor, keep you posted as we go, and leave the utility room the way we found it.
One filter for the whole house
A whole-home filter sits on the main line, right after the water meter and before the water heater. Everything that runs through your pipes passes through it first. That covers the kitchen, the bathrooms, the washer and the outdoor spigot if we plumb it that way.
Most systems use a sediment stage to catch sand and rust flakes, then a tank of carbon to take out chlorine taste and odor. City water is treated with chlorine or chloramine to keep it safe on the way to you. That is a good thing. It just does not have to be the thing you smell in the shower.
This is not the same as a softener. A filter does not remove hardness. If you also have scale on fixtures, we can talk through pairing it with one of our water softeners on the same visit.
What the work includes
- A look at your setup first
- We check where the main line comes in, what the pipe is made of, and where the nearest drain is. We read your utility water report with you so the media matches what is in your water.
- Sediment prefilter
- A cartridge stage catches sand, scale flakes and rust before they reach the carbon. It keeps the main tank working longer.
- Carbon or catalytic carbon tank
- Regular carbon handles chlorine well. If your water is treated with chloramine, we use catalytic carbon, which is built for it.
- Bypass valve
- A bypass lets water skip the filter while it is being serviced. Faucets and showers keep running the whole time the housing is open.
- Drain line and cleanup
- Backwashing tanks need a drain. We run a clean line to a floor drain or standpipe, then haul away old pipe, boxes and scraps.
Signs your home could use a whole-home filter
Pool smell in the shower
Hot water lets chlorine come off as steam. If the bathroom smells like a pool, a carbon filter usually takes care of it.
Coffee and ice taste off
A chemical taste in drinks made with tap water often comes from disinfectant. Filtering at the main line fixes it at every tap, not just one.
Grit in aerators and screens
If you keep cleaning sand or flakes out of faucet aerators or the washer inlet screens, sediment is getting through. A prefilter stops it.
You bought a pitcher filter and gave up
Pitchers and fridge filters help at one spot. They do nothing for showers, laundry or the bathroom sink.
Water heater or fixtures are new
Protecting new plumbing from sediment is easier than cleaning it out later.
How the install day goes
- 1
We walk you through the plan
Before any tools come out, we show you where the system goes and how long the water will be off. Usually it is a few hours. You get a heads-up right before the shutoff and a word from us the moment water is flowing again.
- 2
We protect the path in
Drop cloths go down from the door to the utility room. Shoe covers go on. If we carry tanks across the yard, we stay off flower beds and lay boards over soft ground.
- 3
We cut in and connect
We shut the main, cut into the line, and fit the bypass, prefilter and tank. Then we run the drain line and secure everything so it does not hang off the pipe.
- 4
We flush and check for leaks
New carbon needs a good rinse before use. We run water through, check every joint, and test pressure at a faucet upstairs.
- 5
We show you the system
You get a quick walk-through of the bypass, the prefilter housing and when cartridges or media should change. Then we clean up and take the trash with us.
What moves the price
Every home is plumbed a little differently, so we quote after we see it. The number on your written quote stays good for 30 days. You pay the whole amount once the system is in and running, and nothing up front. Change your mind after signing, and you still have three business days to cancel.
- Size of the system
- A house with three bathrooms pulls more water at one time than a house with one. We size the tank to that demand so pressure stays steady when the shower and the washer are both going.
- Type of media
- Catalytic carbon for chloramine costs more than standard carbon. We only use it when your water report calls for it.
- Your plumbing
- Copper, PEX and old galvanized pipe each take different fittings. Galvanized near the meter sometimes needs a short section replaced.
- Space and drain access
- A tight corner or a long run to the nearest drain adds time and material.
- Pairing with other equipment
- Adding a softener or a reverse osmosis system on the same visit means one shutoff and shared plumbing work.
Whole-home filtration questions
Something not covered here? (262) 599-6425
Will a whole-home filter lower my water pressure?
A system sized right for your home should not cause a drop you notice. Trouble comes from tanks that are too small or cartridges left in too long. We size by your bathrooms and fixtures, and we check pressure upstairs before we leave.
How often does the filter need service?
Plan on a new sediment cartridge every few months. The exact timing comes down to how much sand and rust your line carries. Carbon tanks last much longer. We show you what a spent cartridge looks like and how to change it yourself.
Does this make my water soft?
No. Carbon takes out chlorine taste and odor and the prefilter catches sediment. Hardness minerals pass right through. If you have scale, look at our Water Softeners page or ask about both on the call.
Is this the same as drinking water filtration?
Not quite. A whole-home filter improves water everywhere in the house. For the kitchen tap, many people also add reverse osmosis, which removes a much wider range of dissolved material for drinking and cooking.
I am on a private well. Is this the right system?
Well water often needs something different, like iron or sulfur treatment. Our Well Water Treatment page covers that. We will tell you which one fits when you call.
Can I pay over time?
Yes. You can spread the cost out with U.S. Bank Avvance. Approval depends on your credit. Ask about it on the same call as your quote and we will explain how it works.
Let us come see your setup
Give us a call and describe what bothers you about the water, the smell, the taste or the grit. We will pick a time to look at your main line, write up a quote, and walk you through financing if it helps.