Whole-house Carbon Filtration
Whole-house Carbon Filtration | Water Purification | Plumbing | Georgetown
Imagine turning on any tap in your Georgetown home and knowing the water is as clean, fresh, and great-tasting as premium bottled brands. HEP’s whole-house carbon filtration system captures chlorine, pesticides, VOCs, unpleasant odors, and microscopic impurities the moment water enters your plumbing, so every faucet, shower, and appliance enjoys the same elevated standard. You’ll notice brighter laundry, softer skin and hair, and peace of mind that hidden contaminants aren’t sneaking into your family’s routine.
Our licensed plumbers size, install, and maintain each unit for peak efficiency, wrapping the job in clear pricing and a satisfaction guarantee. It’s water purification you can feel, smell, and taste—delivered by a local team that’s been safeguarding Georgetown homes for decades. Contact HEP today and experience the simple luxury of truly clean water flowing through your entire house.
FAQs
What contaminants does a whole-house carbon filtration system remove from Georgetown’s tap water?
Activated carbon has a microscopic pore structure that adsorbs (binds to) many organic and chemical contaminants commonly found in Georgetown’s municipal supply, including chlorine, chloramine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, herbicides, disinfection by-products (THM/HAA), industrial solvents, unpleasant tastes and odors, and many pharmaceuticals. It also traps sediment down to about 5 µm when paired with a sediment pre-filter. Carbon does NOT appreciably remove hardness minerals, fluoride, or nitrates, so a softener or reverse-osmosis system can be added if those are concerns.
How does a whole-house carbon filter work and where is it installed?
The system is plumbed into your home’s main water line—usually in the garage or a utility room just after the water meter—so every fixture receives filtered water. Incoming water first passes through a sediment pre-filter to capture sand, rust, and silt. It then flows through a tank filled with high-grade granular activated carbon (GAC) or catalytic carbon. As water contacts the carbon’s enormous internal surface area, contaminants are adsorbed and held. Clean, fresh-tasting water exits the tank and feeds the water heater, kitchen, bathrooms, and outdoor taps. Because the process relies on natural adsorption rather than chemicals or electricity, the system is quiet, energy-free, and essentially automatic.
Will installing a whole-house carbon filter lower my water pressure?
When sized correctly, pressure loss is minimal—typically <3–5 psi across the system. Georgetown homes on city pressure (50–75 psi) won’t notice the difference at faucets or showers. The key is matching filter diameter and media volume to your home’s peak flow rate (e.g., 9 gpm for a 3-bathroom house). Our standard 1.5 cu ft or 2.0 cu ft tanks use full-port bypass valves and 1" plumbing to maintain flow. If you already have low pressure, we can upsize the tank or use a dual-tank parallel configuration to keep everything running smoothly.
How often do the carbon and sediment filters need service?
Sediment pre-filters are inexpensive cartridges that should be replaced every 6–12 months, depending on your particulate load; we include a clear filter housing so you can visually check it. The carbon media itself lasts 4–6 years for an average Georgetown family of four (roughly 600,000–1,000,000 gallons). When the adsorption sites become saturated, chlorine breakthrough or taste/odor return are early cues that it’s time for a media change. We offer scheduled reminders and turnkey service visits where we vacuum out the exhausted carbon, sanitize the tank, refill with fresh NSF-certified media, and restart the system—typically a 60-minute appointment.
Does a whole-house carbon system require professional installation and how long does it take?
Because the unit ties into your main plumbing, professional installation is strongly recommended to ensure proper sizing, code compliance, and leak-free connections. Our licensed Georgetown plumbers perform a site assessment, shut off and drain the line, cut in a bypass loop, and set the tank on a leveled pad. A typical single-tank installation takes 2–3 hours and does not require trenching or a permit when placed indoors. If you add a water softener, UV, or outdoor enclosure, allow an extra hour. Your water is only off for 20–30 minutes, and the system is ready for use immediately after a quick flush.
Is the filtered water safe for drinking, cooking, and bathing, and does the system add any chemicals?
Yes. Activated carbon filtration is a purely physical process; it does not introduce salts, sodium, or other additives. The water meets or exceeds EPA Secondary Drinking Water Standards for taste, odor, and color. Many customers notice softer skin and hair because chlorine—an irritant that can strip natural oils—is removed before it reaches showers. Since no chemicals are added and nothing is back-washed to drain, the system is environmentally friendly and suitable for septic systems. You can drink straight from any tap without the chlorine aftertaste common in untreated Georgetown city water.