Best Whole House Water Filtration Systems

You can enjoy clean water from every tap in your home with a whole house filtration system. Whether you’re looking to eliminate an unpleasant smell, avoid unhealthy contaminants, or prevent damage to your fixtures and appliances, the installation of a well-chosen filtration solution is a wise investment for both your home and your health.

Whole house solutions treat the most common water issues at the source. Whole house, or “point of entry”, filtration systems are connected to your plumbing at the water supply, so every tap and appliance benefits. One system filters the water for everything from your water heater, to your laundry, to your sinks and showers.

To eliminate contaminants of specific concern for drinking water - such as fluoride or lead - the addition of undersink Reverse Osmosis filtration may be necessary to complete your treatment system.

In order to choose the best product for your home’s needs, it’s always a good idea to test your water before you invest in a solution.

1. Everyday Series Softener

Because the majority of the people in the U.S. (over 85%) have hard water, it’s likely your home would benefit from a water softener. A softener reduces hardness minerals that cause scale buildup and damage plumbing and appliances. Softened water makes dishes cleaner, laundry brighter, and hair smoother.

The best-selling Tier1® Everyday Series Softener is a traditional downflow, salt-based system. Softener comes pre-filled with WQA (Water Quality Association) certified cation exchange resin.

The digital meter control valve monitors water usage, and displays gallons remaining until regeneration. The factory presets work for most users, but you can change the time of regeneration or other critical system functions to meet your needs.

System includes ¾” water line connections and mechanical components necessary for standard installation to pre-installed water softener connections.

The Everyday Series softener has both installation and programming videos available online. As with all Tier1® products, US-based technical support is available by phone, chat, and email during regular business hours.

This system is offered in 3 sizes:

32,000 grain (1-2 baths)

48,000 grain (3-4 baths)

64,000 grain (5+ baths)

Pros:

• Reliable, precise, and easy to operate.

• Demand-initiated regeneration saves on salt and water usage.

• Requires minimal floor space.

Cons:

• Water service to home is disrupted during regeneration. Regeneration time default is set at 2 a.m. to minimize disruptions.

• Requires access to electricity and drain for wastewater.

• Some areas do not allow use of traditional salt-based softeners.

• Requires regular replenishment of salt for brine tank.

2. Eco Series Salt-Free Softener Alternative

If you live in an area that prohibits traditional salt-reliant, backwashing water softeners, or just want to explore a “greener” alternative, the Eco Series Salt-Free Softener Alternative is your solution.

Salt-free water conditioners treat hard water not by removing hardness minerals, but by utilizing Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) to change them into a harmless crystalline form that prevents them from bonding together and causing scale buildup. While the hardness minerals aren’t removed, they don’t pose a threat to your home.

This effective treatment reduces scale buildup in your plumbing, fixtures and appliances without the need of salt, electricity, or a drainline for backwashing. You may additionally see some improvement in the efficiencies of your soaps and detergents.

Eco Series Salt-Free Softener Alternative System comes complete with prefilled media tank, sediment filter with housing and bracket and both ¾” and 1” line connections. Installation manual is also available online.

This system is available in two sizes:

1-3 bathrooms

4-6 bathrooms

Pros:

• Mineral tank pre-filled with NSF tested and certified scale inhibiting media.

• Simple upflow design, no electricity or salt required.

• Easy installation and maintenance - no valve programming, brine tank, or wastewater.

• Install it and forget about it until it’s time to change the pre-filter.

• Does not release extra sodium into your water supply.

Cons:

• May not be as effective as traditional salt-based softener on very hard water.

• Pre-filter will need replacement, typically every 6 months

• Well water usage may require additional pre-treatment for iron, manganese, copper

3. Eco Series Chlorine Reduction System

When you need to rid your water of chlorine taste and odor, check out the Eco Series Chlorine Reduction System. This effective filtration system is NSF certified for reduction of chlorine (up to 1,100,000 gallons in the larger size, 600,000 in the smaller.)

The prefilled mineral tank includes granular activated carbon mixed with KDF to further reduce heavy metals like lead and mercury as well as organic chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and VOCs.

The simple upflow design means minimal maintenance, no electricity required and no electric valve, no backwashing or wastewater.

Eco Series Chlorine Reduction System comes complete with prefilled media tank,  sediment filter with housing and bracket and both ¾” and 1” line connections. Installation manual is also available online.

This system is available in two sizes:

4-6 baths

Pros:

• Mineral tank pre-filled with NSF tested and certified carbon and KDF

• Simple upflow design, no electricity or salt required.

• Easy installation and maintenance - no valve programming or wastewater.

• Install it and forget about it until it’s time to change the pre-filter.

Cons:

• Pre-filter will need replacement, typically every 6 months

If you need a more robust backwashing system check out the Precision Series.

4. Eco Series Salt-Free Softener Alternative with Chlorine Reduction

When you need to treat both hard water and chlorine, choose a bundled system.

The Eco Series Salt-Free Softener Alternative with Chlorine Reduction pairs the salt-free water softener alternative with the carbon and KDF media blend tank to create a whole house solution that not only protects your pipes and appliances from scale buildup but also reduces a vast array of contaminants for great tasting water to every tap in your home.

Eco Series Salt-Free Softener Alternative with Chlorine Reduction System comes complete with two pre-filled media tanks, sediment filter with housing and bracket and both ¾” and 1” line connections. Installation manual and installation video is also available online

This system is available in two sizes:

1-3 bathrooms

4-6 bathrooms

Pros:

• Mineral tanks pre-filled with NSF tested and certified scale inhibiting media and NSF tested and certified carbon and KDF

• Simple upflow design, no electricity or salt required.

• Easy installation and maintenance - no valve programming, brine tank, or wastewater.

• Install it and forget about it until it’s time to change the pre-filter.

• Does not release extra sodium into your water supply.

Cons:

• May not be as effective as traditional salt-based softener on very hard water.

• Pre-filter will need replacement, typically every 6 months

• Well water usage may require additional pre-treatment for iron, manganese, copper.

5. Precision Series Softener with Iron and Manganese Reduction

Many homeowners with private well water discover that they need to treat not only hardness, but iron and manganese. The Precision Series Softener with Iron and Manganese Reduction provides all of the benefits of the Advanced Series to softener your water, but also reduces two of the most common well water contaminants, Iron and Manganese. 5-year warranty.

The mineral tank premium media blend filters up to 4 ppm of iron and 2 ppm of magnesium. This system also Includes ResCare feeder and 1 gallon bottle of ResCare to continually clean iron from your media.

Not only softens your hard water, but also reduces two of the other most common well water contaminants, Iron and Manganese. Certified to NSF/ANSI 44 for hardness reduction and to NSF/ANSI 42 for Iron reduction.

System includes both ¾” and 1” water line connections and mechanical components necessary for standard installation to pre-installed water softener connections. Installation manual is also available online.

This system is available in two sizes.

30,000 grains (1-2 baths)

Pros:

• Demand-initiated regeneration saves on salt and water.

• Automatic bypass allows water to flow to home during regeneration.

• NSF certified control valve and mineral tank.

• Mineral tank pre-filled with cation exchange resin NSF certified for hardness and iron reduction

Cons:

• Requires access to electricity and drain for wastewater.

• Some areas do not allow use of traditional salt-based softeners.

• Requires regular replenishment of salt for brine tank.

• Requires regular replenishment of ResCare for Recare Feeder to clean resin of iron

6. pH Neutralizing System

If you have corroded pipes, you may need to treat acidic water. You can raise your water’s pH level with a pH Neutralizing System. Proper pH levels reduce corrosives, which protects fixtures, pipes and appliances by reducing the potential of copper, lead and other metals leaching into drinking water.

Tier1 pH neutralizing systems utilize a mixture of calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide, two neutralizing agents that will raise the pH level of your water while not producing a solution that becomes predominantly basic.

System includes both ¾” and 1” water line connections and mechanical components necessary for standard installation. Installation manual is also available online.

This system is available in two sizes:

1-3 bathrooms

4-6 bathrooms

Pros:

• Tank pre-filled with NSF certified media.

• NSF certified valve and system.

• Electronic control valve with back lit LCD display is easily programmable.

• Provides up to 5 years of service.

Cons:

• Requires access to electricity and drain for wastewater.

• Media is sacrificial - will need to be replaced after it is used up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should a whole house water filtration system cost?

The purchase of a water filtration system is an investment in not only your health, but your home’s future value. You can expect to spend at least $600 on up for a whole home treatment system.

Do you need a professional to install a water filtration system?

Tier1® water softeners are designed for easy installation, complete with detailed product manuals available online before purchase. Some models also offer online videos with installation and programming instructions.

You can review the product installation and user manual for every Tier1® softener on its website product page under the “Instructions” tab.

For example, Tier1’s most popular softener, the 48,000 grain Everyday Water Softener, includes not only the installation and user manual, but also easy to follow videos for both installation and programming, so you can see for yourself what’s needed to complete an installation before you buy.

But of course if you’re most comfortable with a professional, you can hand off the installation guides to them, and hold onto your manual for your own future reference.

Either way, our Tier1® customer support team is available to chat and happy to help you ensure the success of your installation.

Where should a whole house water filter be installed?

Whole house, or “point of entry”, filtration systems are connected to your plumbing at the water supply, so every tap and appliance benefits. One system filters the water for everything from your water heater, to your laundry, to your sinks and showers. This often means installing the system in your basement, but depending on the layout of your home, may have the system installed in a garage or outside. Note: Outside installation must meet system operating condition requirements including protection from the elements as noted in installation and user guide.

How long does a whole house water filter last?

A whole house water filtration system is an investment that should last years with proper maintenance. Each system discussed above lists suggested filter/system life in product specifications, dependent upon water condition and usage.

Whole House Filtration Gives You Great Water at Every Tap

It’s possible to get clean, great-tasting water at every tap in your home. We’d recommend that you test your water before you invest in a solution.

Whether you’re just starting to investigate, or you already think you know what you need, the Technical Support Team is available to help you figure out a personalized recommendation for your home.