The Backwashing Carbon Filter is a large filter canister filled with activated carbon media. Activated carbon removes chlorine in a chemical reaction that oxidizes the carbon surface. Chlorine tastes and odors are removed. Sediment down to 30 microns in size is also removed by mechanical filtration.

For chloramines, we only recommend 'catalytic carbon'. We use a type of high-grade coconut shell catalytic carbon. Catalytic carbon is a special type of processed carbon that causes a reaction to occur on the surface of the carbon. Catalytic carbon for chloramine removal costs more than standard activated carbon. The filter tank holding the carbon generally needs to be larger as the reaction time to remove chloramines is slower.

Depending on the level of chlorine in the water, the carbon will need to be changed every 2 to 3 years. This is easily done without any special tools and costs between $100 and $300 depending on the size of the carbon filter.

You can use a simple chlorine test kit to determine when chlorine is leaking through the carbon and change it when the media starts to wear out.

Most of our customers do install themselves, however it is easy for any plumber or handyman to install. Ordering the optional flex lines makes it very easy to hook up to your piping.

Possibly, but it depends on the chemical and size of the carbon tank.

Contact our technical staff if you need to remove MTBE, TCE, or other organic compounds. These systems are not NSF or WQA certified and can’t be sold in states like California or Wisconsin that require certification. Many customers use our whole-house carbon filters to dechlorinate water for aquariums or reduce chlorine taste and odor.

For peroxide applications, we recommend coconut shell catalytic activated carbon. Catalytic carbon is a special type of processed carbon that causes a reaction to occur on the surface of the carbon. This works much better than standard coconut shell carbon for removing hydrogen sulfide and other odors and is worth the higher price. It lasts longer and works better for peroxide applications.

No. The system removes sediment and oxidized iron particles, which may cause some spots, but the minerals remain the same. If scaling or spotting is a problem, a water softener is required.

If the water has a moderate to higher total dissolved solids content, then merely filtering the water of chlorine could improve taste, but many people will say the water still tastes "heavy" compared to purified water. Taste is very subjective, and the ability to taste varies widely from person to person. The higher the TDS level, particularly when it reaches over 500 ppm (the USEPA recommended aesthetic guideline) the more people will want to purify the water by using reverse-osmosis or distillation.

No. Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts can be removed by 1-micron absolute filters: see our line of drinking water filters and our ultraviolet/filter combinations for cyst removal.

Yes and no. We have tested many of our Backwashing Carbon Filters for bacteria counts over the years and have not found higher levels after the systems. Since the system backwashes with chlorinated water, bacteria growth is obstructed. For this reason, non-backwashing tank-type carbon filter systems should not be used. However, if the chlorine levels are very low in the incoming water, then a UV sterilizer should be used to disinfect the water after the Backwashing Carbon Filter.

Generally, no. In some cases, we do use Backwashing Carbon Filters if the well water is chlorinated, and sufficient contact time has occurred to oxidize the iron or manganese. Even then, with chlorinated well water it is usually better to use a Pro-OX iron filter to remove the iron, then a backwashing carbon filter to reduce the chlorine in the household water.

Your well produces a maximum amount of gpm. Many wells are less than 10 gpm, and you size the filter to match your available flow rate.

If you have a submersible pump with a pressure tank and switch, use this link to find your available flow rate.
Flow Rate Calculator

Yes, we welcome your questions! We have a team of experienced water treatment specialists with many years of experience standing by Monday - Friday.

Please call us or email us at support@cleanwaterstore.com