What Are the Drawbacks of Sediment Filters?

It’s the middle of a hot summer day, and you’re pouring yourself a glass of tap water from your kitchen faucet when you notice the water has a cloudy appearance. Dissolved contaminants are flowing freely in the water, but a sediment filter could have prevented them. These filters specialize in removing sediment that affects water quality, but what are the drawbacks of sediment filters?

At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, our technicians are experienced in understanding how sediment filters work, as well as explaining any possible drawbacks associated with them. Since 2007, we’ve installed thousands of sediment filters throughout homes in the Los Angeles area and have seen why these downsides occur.

Sediment filters have plenty of benefits but have two drawbacks worth knowing about before deciding to own one in your home.

• Unable to filter out all contaminants
• Routine maintenance required

At the end of this article, you’ll better understand these drawbacks, enabling you to decide whether this filter is the right fit for your home.

Let’s get started.

Sediment Filters Do Not Filter Out All Contaminants

Sediment filters are able to treat unfiltered water but cannot purify it from all contaminants that water may contain. Water should not have any of the following impurities with a sediment filter.

• Rust
• Soil
• Sand
• Dirt
• Clay
• Dissolved and suspended physical contaminants

Thanks to their design, sediment filters can trap these contaminants but still allow water to pass through. A lot of the impurities filtered by a sediment filter are naturally absorbed by water as it travels from different sources. Some of the other contaminants are polluted by industrial and agricultural sectors.

Regardless of where the dissolved physical contaminants come from, sediment filters have tiny pores designed to prevent sediment larger than a specific size from passing through. The size of the pores is measured through micron ratings, which use micrometers as a measurement.

Unfiltered water carries other contaminants that aren’t dissolved physical particles, which can seep through the sediment filter and still remain in drinking water. These impurities may affect the taste and odor of water even if a sediment filter treats it.

Which Contaminants Are Not Filtered by Sediment Filters?

Physical particle contaminants don’t stand a chance against sediment filters. Still, these filters are not designed to prevent chemicals, certain minerals, and volatile organic compounds from remaining in your home’s water.

Some examples of these contaminants include

• Hydrogen sulfide: This chemical is responsible for a rotten egg smell that some people may have experienced with their water. It is caused by bacteria or decaying soil and rocks chemically reacting with each other.
• Chlorine and chloramines: These chemicals are added to the municipal water supply as a disinfectant to kill bacteria. The amounts of chlorine added to water are monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), so it’s safe for public consumption. Although uncommon, some people have reported their water tastes like chlorine.
• Certain microorganisms and bacteria: These waterborne microbes may carry diseases that can harm people. According to the EPA, public water systems that use groundwater already do an amazing job of monitoring the water supply quality. Unfortunately, there’s a small chance that these bacteria can appear.
• Calcium and magnesium: These naturally occurring minerals cause hard water. Hard water can cause limescale buildup on appliances that use water and plumbing fixtures. Instead of a sediment filter, a water conditioner can be installed to treat the scale or a water softener capable of producing soft water.
• Heavy metals: Water exposed to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic can negatively affect a person’s health. These metals can leach into a home’s water from various sources, including old household plumbing steel pipes.

Other water filtration and purification systems exist to remove the contaminants above from tap water that a sediment filter cannot. A reverse osmosis system, for example, can purify water and is designed to remove a broader range of impurities. This system has multi-filtration that includes a sediment pre-filter.

Besides reverse osmosis systems, other filtration systems can be installed alongside a sediment filter to expand the range of impurities removed. A carbon filter helps improve the taste and removes any odors from tap water. This system can be installed alongside a sediment filter.

Whether you decide to go with only a sediment filter or include other water filters, you’ll still need to keep up with your sediment filter maintenance routinely.

Sediment Filters Need Routine Maintenance

Sediment filters require routine maintenance, either periodically cleaning the filter cartridge or replacing it entirely. Depending on size, a sediment filter’s maintenance is required monthly, yearly, or every few months.

Some sediment filters may have an inner filter cartridge that can be removed. If the filter is reusable, then it can be washed. Otherwise, it will require a new filter replacement.

The filter itself can be cleaned with soap and warm water. It can also be left to sit in distilled vinegar for a deep clean.

For example, water pitchers with built-in sediment filters may be easier to replace or clean than a whole-house sediment filtration system.

A home’s water line may need to be temporarily shut off for larger sediment filtration systems. This allows the filter to be replaced without having to worry about unfiltered water re-entering a home’s water lines again.

At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’ve noticed through our 15-year history that for various reasons, homeowners may put off or forget to maintain their sediment filters, which can lead to multiple problems.

What Happens if I Don’t Maintain a Sediment Filter?

A sediment filter that isn’t routinely maintained will lose effectiveness and cannot filter out contaminants from the water completely. A dirty filter can become clogged with sediment, impeding water flow.

In some cases, failing to clean or replace a sediment filter can cause it to grow mold or attract bacteria, which can contaminate a home’s water. To help prevent sediment filter clogs and mold, manufacturers include information on how often their product’s filter should be cleaned or replaced.

Are Sediment Filters for My Home Worth it?

Although sediment filters have fewer drawbacks than benefits, it’s still important to know what they are. Being aware of these drawbacks allows you to weigh the good with the bad and will aid you in deciding whether a sediment filter is a good fit for your home. Understanding what these drawbacks are will also help you come up with ways to avoid them.

At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we have technicians with years of experience installing and maintaining sediment filtration systems. Every home has different water needs, and we’ve helped educate homeowners on how a sediment filter benefits their houses.

If you have questions regarding sediment filters, contact us using one of the buttons below. You can also book an appointment through our water filtration scheduler.

Sediment filtration may have a few drawbacks but have more advantages worth knowing about. Check out this article that compares the pros and cons of sediment filters, and get an even deeper understanding of these filters to see if they are right for your home.