How to Change a Whole House Water Prefilter

It’s that time of year again! As with all household appliances, there comes a time when you need to roll up your sleeves and give your water system some routine maintenance. And it all start with changing your prefilter.

It sounds complicated at first, but we promise, your friends at Aquarius have your back. 

First, what is a prefilter, anyway?

We’re glad you asked! A prefilter is a filter that all water runs through before entering your whole home water softener. Through prefiltering, you’ll help reduce cloudiness and water staining by first stripping the water of sand and sediment.

How do I know when it’s time to change my prefilter?

Want our best advice? Make changing your prefilter a regular habit like you would an oil change. The rule of thumb is to change your Kinetico water prefilter once every three-to-six months, depending on your water’s properties. Keep in mind that a sudden decrease in water pressure can indicate that your filter may be clogged and in need of assistance.

Unsure when the best time is to change your prefilter? Your Minnesota and Wisconsin water conditioning experts (hey, that’s us!) are here to help! Just give us a call, and we’ll recommend the best timeframe for your system’s individual needs. 

Okay, so this brings us to the question you came here for: how to change a whole house water filter ?

Like we said, the process isn’t as hard as you think. Just follow these five simple steps and remember to contact our team for questions along the way!

Kinetico Water Prefilter Replacement – 5 Easy Steps

Step 1: Turn off the water on both the inlet and outlet sides of your Kinetico water filter and relieve pent-up pressure via the pressure release button—this is usually red. (Can’t find it? Give us a call.)

Step 2: Unscrew the filter housing by twisting and pulling down. You may need to use a prefilter wrench to loosen it up a bit, but be sure not to lose the o-ring positioned on the inner lip of the canister. 

NOTE: If you do lose it, or if it looks like it needs replacing, take a trip to your local hardware store, or call contact our team for Kinetico water filter replacement parts.

Step 3: Pull out the old filter and wipe out the inside of the canister carefully. You may choose to use a small amount of bleach or rust-remover to really get it clean. Just make sure you rinse it thoroughly before putting it back together.

Step 4: Place your new filter in the canister and screw it back onto the fixture, taking extra care not to tighten it too much. 

Step 5: Finally, turn the inlet and outlet switches back to the on position, and inspect for leaks.

Need Help?

The best way to know if your Kinetico filter has been changed correctly is to request a maintenance visit from Aquarius Water Conditioning. 

Contact a water specialist online or call toll-free: 1-888-741-9025 for a free quote and in-home water analysis.

For more information about your Kinetico water filter, check out our blog: Water Softener FAQs: Common Water Softening Questions Answered. You can also hop on over to Kinetico’s website for other FAQs from customers like you!