Guy at the hardware store insisted all water filters are a scam

I was at Ace Hardware on Sunday picking up a new fridge filter and this older guy in the plumbing aisle just started talking to me. He said he's been a plumber for 40 years and claims most residential water filters actually grow bacteria after a month because people never change them on time. He showed me a photo on his phone of a filter he cut open from a house built in 1998 and it was completely black inside. Now I'm second guessing buying a whole house system I was planning to install next month. Has anyone here actually tested their water before and after a filter to see if it really makes a difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

knight.mason22d ago

Did he say what kind of filter it was? Carbon block filters and sediment filters work totally different. A lot of whole house systems use a big carbon block that can sit for a year without changing but those cheaper fridge filters can definitely get slimy fast. What brand were you looking at for the whole house setup?

zarab2422d ago

You said a whole house carbon block can sit for a year without changing but honestly I think that's part of the problem. A year is a long time for any kind of moisture and organic matter to just hang out in a dark container. I'm not saying the plumber was right about everything, but I've definitely seen mold grow on stuff that was supposed to be fine for way longer than recommended. Your mileage may vary of course.