How to Clean Water Filter Housing & Install Cartridges

It is highly recommended that your system be sanitized each year.

It is highly recommended that your water filter and system be sanitized each year. Follow our step-by-step guide below on how to clean water filter housing and easily install replacement water filters.

  1. Close the shut-off valve that controls the flow to the system.
  2. Open the faucet where the filtered water comes out to relief the pressure.
  3. Loosen filter housings either by hand or with a housing wrench. Be careful to keep filter housing upright as it is full of water.
  4. Remove all housings and cartridges.
  5. Notice the O-rings in the filter housings. Some manufacturers recommend changing o-rings each year. We have not found this to be necessary, but having replacement o-rings on hand is always a good idea. Remove the o-rings so they, and their groove, can be wiped clean. Replace o-rings in groove making sure they are properly seated. A positive seal will not be possible if the O-ring is missing or not seated properly.
  6. Inspect old filter cartridges for excessive sediment build-up before discarding. If high sediment is detected, you might need to change the cartridges more frequently or consider adding an inexpensive sediment pre-filter cartridge to your system.
  7. Clean filter housings with warm soapy water and a brush. Also clean inside the filter housing caps and rinse.
  8. Prepare a sanitizing solution using 1 gallon of clean water in a clean bucket. Add 1/3 teaspoon of unscented household bleach to the water, Add 1 cup of this sanitizing solution to each filter housing sump (lower part).
  9. Connect housing sumps back together with caps sanitizing solution, but no cartridges.
  10. Open the shut-off valve and allow housings to fill with water.
  11. When water starts to flow out of the faucet, close the faucet.
  12. Allow water and bleach to contact the housings, lines, and faucet for 30 minutes.
  13. After 30 minutes, remove filter housing sumps using procedure described above: shut-off valve, remove housings, and discard sanitizing solution to drain.
  14. Regardless of the current order of your cartridges, when using these cartridges, place the Carbon Block Cartridge (with netting) in the 1st housing & the KDF/GAC Cartridge (with plastic casing) in the 2nd.
  15. Open the valve and run water through the cartridges for 5 minutes to flush & activate the filters.
  16. Close the faucet and check for leaks.