FAQs about Carbon and Sediment Cartridges

In general, most Sediment Filters can be used on hot or cold water, while Carbon Filters tend to have a lower maximum temperature rating. However, keep in mind that your filter housing and/or water filter system may have requirements for cold water use only. Refer to the guide below for specific temperature ratings for each SpiroPure filter series:

Usually size 10” BB (10x4.5) and 20” BB (20x4.5) cartridges are employed for water filtration in the entire home, however, depending upon the micron rating, you may notice a significant pressure drop. For whole house filtration, we recommend the following models for high flow applications:

• Carbon Filters: SP-RFC series cartridges
• Sediment Filters: 50 Micron or higher cartridges

Please note that in some instances you may prioritize filtration performance over flow rate, and may wish to try high performing filters over the recommended filters to see if the resulting flow rate is acceptable for your needs or not.

The number of gallons a cartridge can filter depends on a number of factors, such as the micron rating, filter media type, and your specific water quality. For example, a lower micron rating filter will filter out more particles and require more frequent replacement than a higher micron filter. In general, we recommend replacing the filter about every 3 months or when you see a significant decrease in water pressure.

Yes. Like your OEM filter, our sediment and carbon filters are under 10” in height at about 9.75” to 9.88” depending upon the filter type. We refer to them as a 10” x 2.5” filter cartridge because they are designed to fit in a standard 10x2.5 filter housing.

A lot of factors can contribute to how often a water filter should be replaced, including amount of contaminants present in water, micron rating, media type, water temperature, water pressure, and more. In general, we recommend replacing your SpiroPure sediment or carbon filter every 2-6 months. If you notice a drop in pressure, it is time to replace your cartridge. If the filter gets clogged resulting in a very quick drop in flow rate, you may have sediment issues in your home. In this case, we recommend sediment filtration with a higher micron rating, such as 50 or 75 micron or more, as your first filter cartridge.

Sediment Filters come in a variety of styles and micron filters, but in general, the filter media acts as a sort of net that captures solid particles. This can include unwanted silt, rust, dirt, sand, and other fine sediment particles down to the micron size of the cartridge. Sediment filters usually do not reduce chemicals from water. For chemical filtration, we recommend looking into a carbon filter.

Our SpiroPure carbon and sediment filters can be installed inside of a standard filter housing of the same size, whether as a stand alone housing or as part of a whole house filter system or similar. Replacing filter cartridges in a housing is a simple process that can be completed by the homeowner. Installation of a housing or water filter system can be done by a handy homeowner, or can be completed by a professional. Please refer to your owner manual for installation guidance and more information.

Yes. In general, any carbon filter from whole house filter cartridges to refrigerator filters and even the SpiroPure SP-CC1 catalytic carbon filters should be flushed for about 3-5 minutes before use. This is because carbon filters shed harmless carbon fines that can cloud the water, and in addition, if the carbon filter is in a water filter system, the carbon fines can cause premature fouling of cartridges that follow after the carbon stage.

Unfortunately it is not possible to test every specific scenario for our filters as there would be thousands of possibilities given the variety and amount of contaminants our filters work to remove and that everyone's water quality and usage differs. However, we can give recommendations of how often your filter should be changed. In general, we recommend replacing your SpiroPure sediment or carbon filter every 2-6 months. If you notice a drop in pressure, it is time to replace your cartridge. If the filter gets clogged resulting in a very quick drop in flow rate, you may have sediment issues in your home. In this case, we recommend sediment filtration with a higher micron rating, such as 50 or 75 micron or more, as your first filter cartridge.

Yes, all of our filter cartridges are made from BPA-free materials such as polypropylene, polyester, and coconut shell carbon.

Overall your personal flow rate will be determined by the amount of sediment and other contaminants in your water. However, a higher micron filter such as a 10 micron cartridge will naturally have a slightly better flow rate than a lower micron filter, such as a 5 micron cartridge. This is because the smaller the contaminants the filter reduces, the tighter the filter media and so the smaller the flow rate. A 5 micron filter will filter smaller contaminants (down to 5 microns in size) and have a tighter media composition compared to a 10 micron filter (down to 10 microns in size). In this example, the difference between the two filters should be rather minimal as the micron rating difference is not large (1 to 2 psi initial pressure drop in difference).

For whole house filtration, a 20x4.5 is often recommended for a single-family or larger home that has a higher water usage in order to maintain a higher water pressure, as a larger, 20-inch filter will provide a higher flow rate and a larger surface area for a higher volume of water to pass through. In addition, to some extent, the larger cartridge will offer increased filtration, efficiency, and sometimes larger cartridge life. A 10-inch filter will still provide high-quality filtration and is a more suitable choice for smaller spaces such as a condo due to its compact size, as well as being easier to handle for installation and maintenance. Ultimately the choice does come down to your personal water usage situation, but for a small space with 2 people or less with low water usage, a 10x4.5 filter cartridge can be adequate.