Most whole-home water filter projects don't fail because a contractor made one dramatic error — they fail because small, cheap-looking decisions stack up.
These are the mistakes we see most often on Houston jobs, and the ones we vet every scope against before we start.
1. Undersized GPM
Filters that throttle whole-home flow ruin showers. Size for peak simultaneous use.
2. No sediment pre-filter
Houston municipal water carries sediment that kills carbon fast. Pre-filter first.
3. Non-NSF-certified media
No certification = marketing. NSF/ANSI 42 or 53 is the standard.
4. No bypass valve
Service work becomes a nightmare without a bypass and code-compliant drain.
5. Unknown service intervals
A filter with no documented replacement schedule is a filter youll neglect.
How to vet your contractor
Read your whole-home water filter bid line by line and ask which of these mistakes are being avoided — in writing. A contractor who welcomes the question is the one you want; a contractor who deflects is the one to walk away from.
If you'd like a second set of eyes on a scope of work or an existing bid, we're happy to walk through it with you.
