Whole house water filtration in Austin
A whole house system filters water right where it enters your home. That means every faucet, shower, and appliance gets the same treated water. Not just the kitchen sink.
Most Austin area homes are on city water that is already treated and tested. A whole house filter is about what's left after that treatment: mainly the disinfectant taste and smell, plus sediment. It does not soften water, so hard water scale needs a softener. Your installer tests first, then sizes a system to your water and your house.
Typical installed price
$2,000 to $4,000
Your exact price comes in writing after the free test. What changes the price
What a whole house filter does
A typical system sits in the garage or on an outside wall where your main water line comes in. Water passes through a sediment stage, then a large tank of filter media, usually catalytic carbon. From there it goes to the rest of the house.
Catalytic carbon is the workhorse for city water around here. It's built to reduce both chlorine and chloramine, the two disinfectants Texas utilities use. Regular carbon handles chlorine well but struggles with chloramine, which is one reason cheap filters disappoint people.
- Reduces chlorine and chloramine taste and smell at every tap
- Catches sediment before it reaches fixtures and appliances
- Can be paired with a softener if your water is hard
- Pairs well with a reverse osmosis system for drinking water
What it does not do
A carbon whole house filter does not soften water. If you're fighting white crust on faucets and spots on glass shower doors, that's hardness, and it takes a softener or another hardness treatment to deal with it.
It's also not the best tool for drinking water. For that, most people add a small reverse osmosis system under the kitchen sink. If you only need one piece of this, you should hear that straight.
How the right system gets picked
It starts with a free water test at your home. A local installer checks hardness, chlorine or chloramine, and total dissolved solids at the tap, and goes over your utility's latest water quality report with you. It's a quick screen, not a lab test for every possible contaminant.
Then the installer sizes the system to your house: number of bathrooms, people, and how much water you use. An undersized tank wears out fast and can drop your water pressure. A right sized one lasts years between media changes.
Install and upkeep
Most installs take part of a day. The installer ties into your main line, adds a bypass valve so you can shut the system off without shutting off your water, and checks pressure before and after.
Upkeep is light. Sediment prefilters get swapped on a schedule, and the main carbon tank lasts years depending on your water use. Ask your installer to write down exactly what to do and when.
Request a free water test
What happens next
- We pass your request to a local water treatment installer.
- They call you to pick a time for the free test.
- At your home they test the water and give you a written quote. You decide from there.
Whole house water filtration near you
Water is different from one utility to the next. Pick your city to see what your local water report says.
Related services
- Chloramine removalCatalytic carbon systems built to handle chloramine, not just chlorine.Typical price$2,000 to $4,000
- Water softenersStops white scale, spots, and crust on fixtures caused by hard water.Typical price$1,500 to $3,500
- Reverse osmosis systemsClean drinking and cooking water from a faucet at your kitchen sink.Typical price$600 to $1,500
Helpful guides
- How much does a whole house water filter cost in Austin?What drives the price of a whole house system, and what you'll spend on upkeep.
- Chloramine in Austin water and how to remove itWhy your tap water tastes like a pool, and which filters actually handle chloramine.
- Is Austin tap water safe to drink?What Austin Water's latest report actually says, and when a filter makes sense.
Common questions
Does a whole house filter remove chloramine?
It can, if it uses the right media. Catalytic carbon is designed to reduce chloramine. Standard carbon works well on chlorine but much less on chloramine, so it matters what's in the tank.
Will a whole house filter lower my water pressure?
A properly sized system should not cause a noticeable drop. Pressure problems usually come from a tank that's too small for the house or a clogged prefilter. The installer checks pressure before and after the install.
Do I still need a softener?
Only if your water is hard enough to bother you. A carbon filter does not remove hardness minerals. The free water test measures hardness at your tap, so you'll know if a softener is worth it.
Where does the system go?
Usually in the garage or on an exterior wall near where the main water line enters the house. It needs to be on the line before the water splits off to the rest of the home.
How much does a whole house water filter cost?
It depends on the size of your home, your water, and whether you add a softener or drinking water system. The installer gives you a written quote after the free water test so you know the full price before anything is installed.
Find out what's in your water
Request a free in home water test. A local installer checks hardness, chlorine or chloramine, and dissolved solids at your tap, then gives you a written quote.