Telltale signs: water filtration systems
A filter should solve a defined problem. Before recommending anything, we ask what bothers you about the water. Common answers include a chlorine taste, concern about lead from older plumbing, sediment after city work on the street, or scale spotting on fixtures. Each calls for a different kind of filter.
- Taste and odour: activated carbon, often under the kitchen sink
- Lead from household pipes: a filter certified for lead reduction at the drinking tap
- Sediment: a whole-home cartridge at the main entry
- Purer drinking water: reverse osmosis with a dedicated faucet
- Hardness: a softener rather than a filter, discussed separately
What we bring
- Bypass valve and shut-offs either side
- Drain line and air-gap fitting
- Hardness test strips
Tested before we leave
- Bypass and service positions tested
- Backwash drain run to the floor drain
- Water hardness checked after start-up
On the job: what we open, clear and test
For an under-sink unit, we tee into the cold supply with a new shut-off, mount the housing to the cabinet wall, and drill the countertop or sink deck for a dedicated faucet if required. An RO unit must also discharge its rinse water to the sink drain through an air gap or a code-approved saddle.
Whole-home units go on the main line after the meter. We add isolation valves on both sides and a bypass, so cartridges can be swapped without shutting off the house. Where the home has a metal water service used for electrical bonding, a jumper is installed across the filter to maintain continuity.
What can change the job
| Choice | Consideration |
|---|---|
| Under-sink carbon | Simple, compact, cartridge changes on a schedule. |
| Reverse osmosis | Needs drain access and cabinet space for a tank. |
| Whole-home | Space near the meter and a bypass loop. |
| Countertop material | Stone needs a proper bit for a faucet hole. |
Etobicoke homes and this job
Residents in established areas like The Kingsway sometimes ask about filtration because the house is old and they are unsure what the pipes are made of. A filter certified for lead reduction is a reasonable interim measure, but it does not replace removing lead pipe. Having the main shut-off in good order makes any filtration install easier, so a shut-off valve replacement is a sensible companion task when the original valve is seized.
Filtration indoors does not affect garden taps, which are usually supplied before the filter. If an exterior faucet leaks, see outdoor hose bib repair. Tank maintenance is a related topic covered in our article on how to flush a water heater.
Before you call
Decide what you want the water to taste or test like, and note any results from a lead test. Clear the sink cabinet or the area near the meter. If you have a system in mind, send us the model so we can confirm fittings ahead of the visit.