DIY guideWater quality
Change the water filter cartridges
Turn the water off, let the pressure out, unscrew the housing and fit a new cartridge and seal, then flush it, so the filter filters again and the flow comes back.
- 15 to 30 min
- 8 steps
- Every step animated
8 steps
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Close the valve before the filter, or set its bypass. Under a sink, close the cold valve.
Press the button on the housing's top, or open a tap after the filter, until the water stops.
Hold a bucket under it and unscrew the housing with its wrench.
Drop the old cartridge out, rinse the housing and set a new one of the same kind in the middle. On a reverse osmosis system, follow its manual's order.
Swap the big rubber ring at the housing's top for the new one, with a dab of food-grade silicone grease.
Screw the housing on by hand until snug, then a little more with the wrench. Not too tight.
Open the water slowly and check for drips, then run a tap after the filter for a few minutes.
If the housing drips after snugging, or it's cracked, turn the water off and ask Handyman for a plumber.
What you need
- New cartridges of the same kind
- A new housing seal (the ring)
- The housing's wrench
- Food-grade silicone grease
- A bucket and a towel
Call a pro if
- The housing drips after snugging
- The housing is cracked or won't screw on straight
- The valve before the filter won't close
Handyman says: Still dripping? I'll find a plumber.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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