Water Heater Filter Systems

What is a water heater filter?

A water heater filter treats water before it enters your hot water heater to prevent mineral deposits from accumulating on the bottom of the heater and hindering its performance. Water heater filter systems don’t push water through tiny pores to block minerals like a typical water filter. Instead, they inhibit scale with media that holds calcium deposits in a dissolved solution to keep them from collecting in your water heater.

Do you need a water heater filter?

A water heater filter system’s primary purpose is to protect your heater, not your health. It does not filter or soften water; it simply softens or inhibits scale. Protecting your water benefits you by reducing maintenance costs and providing consistently hot water.

Tankless water heaters are favored over traditional water heaters, but they are more prone to mineral build-up because of the large amount of heat generated. Higher temperatures lead to a greater chance of limescale build-up, which greatly reduces the efficiency of your water heater. Reduced efficiency results in more energy and monetary costs. Many tankless water heater manufacturers will void the warranty if the water supply is not pre-treated to reduce scale that can damage your equipment.

What are the advantages of a hot water heater filter?

• • Protects hot water heater
• • Increases heater’s efficiency
• • Prolongs life of heater
• • Reduces maintenance

How does a water heater filter work?

A water heater filter treats water before it enters your water heater. The media contained in the cartridge of a water heater filter system inhibits or binds calcium and magnesium minerals to prevent them from precipitating out of solution and building on the surface of your water heater. The media forms a thin protective layer on a pipe wall or metallic surface to prevent corrosion.

1. Water flows through the inlet of the filter system and past the housing that contains the media.
2. The water catches a bit of media as it passes through.
3. The media gathers the calcium deposits in water and turns calcium into crystals. This changes the shape of the calcium molecule so they cannot fit together and build on a surface.
4. The media holds the minerals in their dissolved state so they pass through the heater easily.

Benefits of Scale Inhibitor Media

Hydroblend media dissolves minerals into solution when they contact water, and TAC media contains bonding points that collect calcium in water.

• • No salt used
• • No brine tank needed
• • No waste produced

Water Heater Filter Maintenance

Scale is the primary concern for water heaters. A scale inhibitor provides sufficient scale prevention and corrosion control, but your water may benefit from additional filters.

Incoming water quality influences what you need to maintain a filter for your water heater. If you have hard water, then you should install a water softener before the heater for more protection. Hardness minerals often precipitate out of solution and could damage your heater.

If you want to remove contaminants from your hot water, then you’ll need a whole house filtration system. Most homes have a 40-50-gallon water heater that acts as a retention tank. Over time, debris collections in the heater, or scale turns into debris. Older tanks can have an abundance of accumulation that will flow out of the heater and into your home. A whole house water filter installed after your hot water heater will remove the nasty particles from your water.

Other maintenance tips:

• • Replace your filter cartridge every 4 to 6 months.
• • If the inlet or outlet of your filter clogs, remove the sump or housing and clean the outlets with a paper clip.

Browse water heater filters by Southeastern Filtration & Equipment Systems.