Standard Sediment Filters: amzn.to/3byfMeK (affiliate*) Water Filter Wrench: amzn.to/4bEjAeo (affiliate*) Universal Strap Wrench: amzn.to/3OGuJRK (affiliate*) O-ring (3 pack): amzn.to/3vurjoZ (affiliate*) O-ring (6 pack): amzn.to/3iL2nGZ (affiliate*) *Purchasing from these Amazon affiliate links earns my channel a small commission. Think of it as a tip that doesn't cost you anything. Thanks for the support!
Mike, great video, thank you so much. The one thing you might want to encourage people to do is apply some silicone grease to the o-ring before sealing it all back up.
@@ab_ab_c The package recommends replacing the filter every 3 months, but it all depends on your water usage and how much sediment is in your well. If you have a large family that uses a lot of water, you might need to change it more often. Personally, I change mine every 6 months.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! My housing has been stuck for the longest time. I have watched a million videos but you are the ONLY one thorough enough to give that ONE tip…tap the sides! Came right off! Magic! Been so frustrated!
My dad died in April, and we were supposed to change the water filters. He didn’t really teach me anything practical, just told me to hold things and hand them to him when he asked. Thanks for the easy explanation.
Sorry to hear about your dad. I'm trying to teach all of this stuff to my daughter, so she doesn't hafta rely on someone else in the future. I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for the comment.
Ty! It’s been…complicated. Emotionally, literally, paperwork-ly…the family kinda circled the wagons, though, so mum and I are getting through. Finally got all the parts (was dealing with other stuff, and we couldn’t find the plastic wrench so we had to get a new one), so I’m about to go give it a try, wish me luck! ^^
Also, good on ya for teaching your daughter! Wish I had a better relationship with my dad, and that he had taught me more than “take probiotics and don’t use duct tape on the walls”. ^^;
@@stuffedninja1337 Yeah, I think daughters kinda get overlooked sometimes for tasks that are traditionally done by sons. I want my daughter to know how to do everything herself, just in case she marries someone who isn't skilled in DIY. :) Good luck, let me know how it goes!
We finally did it, and while initially there were hiccups (I accidentally shut off the line to the house, not the main line), I finally got it all set! We might need to replace the o-ring, though, it’s getting a little stretched out. You shoulda SEEN the level of sediment in there… Now I just need to get a bigger sump wrench so I can do the other two. Stupid standard sizing….
I don’t ever comment on videos- but I could not get my filter body off after multiple attempts over a couple of months in a new house. Tried the hammer trick and it released like the housing had always just been hand tight. Great how to video.
Mike I’m glad I found this. You explained this well. The way you used the handle end of the hammer and showed you don’t just use brute force was perfect. I subscribed and thanks again. Can’t wait to check out other vids you have.
Thank you! This video is invaluable. I just watched it again and will probably come back each time I change my filter. Tip for tightness: dip a towel in hot water and wrap it around the treads to get some thermal expansion going.
Thanks for posting! I was changing the filter in American Plumber model and it was leaking. I took out the o-ring gasket and wiped it down. I wiped down the threads. It didn’t leak! I think sediment got on them.
Yep, I'm sure you're right about the sediment. My original O-ring lasted about 11 years before it started requiring a few attempts to get it to seal after each new filter. It was like it swelled ever so slightly over time. Luckily, I had purchased 2 replacement O-rings a couple years before needing to use one.
I moved into a house that has a similar setup, thanks for this video. Our filter housing was so dirty with black mold in it! Thanks for the tip of using bleach to clean it out. Looks way better now.
Ok that tap tap tappy with the hammer handle was gold! I was trying unsuccessfully to muscle it off and was about ready to take a pipe wrench to that MF and probably destroy it in the process. Decided to try a video before doing that and boy was it a good idea! A little bit of tappity tap with the handle and off it came. Great tip and the rest of the video was a perfect explanation of the rest of the process.
I have a very similar setup but have two filters, side by side. Would i use the same filter in both? We have a lot of iron in our water, so not sure if there is a specialized filter for this?
I'm no pro but I think when it's a two-filter setup, the first filter is usually something like a 30-micron sediment filter, to catch the big stuff, while the second is something like a 5-micron to further remove contaminants. It will probably help with the iron, but you'd need a water softener or reverse osmosis system to get rid of it. Again, I'm not a pro so I could be wrong.
Thanks Mike...how often should the filter be changed? I cleaned mine out last year and it was a disaster...never knew about the shutoff on top of the filter...wish I would have seen this video before then.
I change mine every 6 months, but the package recommends replacing the filter every 3 months. It all depends on your water usage and how much sediment is in your well.
You don't have to use any cleaner, if you don't want to. However, I would use a mild disinfectant to be sure you don't accidentally introduce any germs to your water system. For me, tap water with a few drops of bleach mixed in is perfect for this situation. No matter what you use, be sure to rinse the cleaner out really well.
You could but I've never had to do that. Water isn't compressible so, once you turn off the main water supply, you're cutting off the water pressure. When I break loose the filter housing, it's not like water comes spraying out or anything.
I think the wrench is a standard size based on the filter size. If you measure the diameter of the filter housing, you should be able to pick up a universal wrench at your local Lowes or Home Depot. Thanks for watching!
I don't currently have a link because there are different standard wrench sizes based on the filter size. If you measure the diameter of the filter housing, you should be able to pick up a universal wrench at your local Lowes or Home Depot.
I'm no pro but I'd be happy to give my opinion. It all depends on your water, if there's no sediment in your current filter then it would probably be fine not to use it. We have really clean water but our filter still catches fine sediment. You can see it in the video, it's like a really fine dark gray sand. If we didn't have the filter, that sediment would end up in our drinking water, spraying out of our shower heads and faucets, in our dishwasher, in our water heater, and in our ice cubes (unless your fridge has its own filter, ours doesn't). I don't think it would cause any harm to the people living in your house but it could cause your shower heads and faucet aerators to clog up over time, which would require disassembly and cleaning. It could also build up in the bottom of your water heater and lead to a tank failure sooner than normal. The filters are cheap and I only replace ours every six months so, in my opinion, it's worth it.
@@fast22fast There are 3 different 6-slot options on that page. If none of them are the correct size, maybe this one would work: www.purewaterproducts.com/products/wr006
@@fast22fast Sorry, I just looked at my wrench and had forgotten that it has cutouts, not pins. This one looks like it should work: amzn.to/4bEjAeo . If not, a rubber strap wrench, like this, should work: amzn.to/3OGuJRK
@@Mikeattempts Hey Mike it's all good. I ended up purchasing a $6 set of strap wrenches from Harbor Freight and used the larger one along with a heat gun on the top of the housing before removing. No drama and filter changed. Honestly I used that old plastic tool for 20+ years with no issue but let the filter in for too long last time. We are on city water and it's super clean so I don't need to change the filter much anymore. Used to be on a mountain spring. Thanks for the video!
That part can be tough to turn. If you turn off the main water supply, you can bleed off the excess pressure by opening a faucet, then it won't matter that the top is on "Filter" instead of "Off". If you're unable to turn off the main water supply for some reason, you could use an inexpensive rubber strap wrench (like this: amzn.to/3OGuJRK ). The only other thing I can think of would be to get 2 pieces of wood (broomsticks or 1x2 lumber, around a foot long), put one on either side of the top handle, hold the ends of both pieces (two ends in each hand) squeeze and twist. Does that make sense? Let me know how it goes!
Yeah, there are many that are the same size but provide different levels of filtration. The filter I installed only removes the sediment. Thanks for watching!
So there is no need to flush the lines, etc.... ? A plumber recently replaced a whole house water filter at our home and said we should flush the lines after turning off the water and before replacing the filter.
I don't think so, that's what the filter is for, but I'm not a pro. I did "flush" it a little at 2:00, to clean out the inside of the filter housing. Besides there being a little air in the lines afterwards, I've never had any problems.
@@Mikeattempts Thank you. Although my whole house filter is a GE, they basically look the same so I don't believe I would need to flush the lines after the filter but before installing.
I don't use any grease on mine but just a super light coating of food grade silicone grease would work, if needed. You can find small containers in the plumbing section of any hardware store, it should say approved for potable water applications.
On the top of the filter housing, there are 3 settings: Off, Filter, & Bypass. I guess there's a chance that yours is set to Bypass which allows the water to flow without going through the filter.
Mine is just a standard sediment filter. A reverse osmosis water filter requires electricity to do its job so maybe you have one of those and it's just the standard "electricity and water don't mix" warnings. Find the model number and search for the manual online to get the exact instructions for your filter.
Yeah, I have the same problem! Sometimes I have to reseat the O-ring a couple times before it seals properly. It's like they get slightly stretched out from the compression and want to ride up on the screw threads.
66 year old woman who used to be able to get this stupid thing open. Ready to pull hair, I tried using a pipe that fits over the filter wrench handle for leverage.. still stuck. will have to call for help. Oh tried the tapping too.. no luck, sucker is really on there.
Standard Sediment Filters:
amzn.to/3byfMeK (affiliate*)
Water Filter Wrench:
amzn.to/4bEjAeo (affiliate*)
Universal Strap Wrench:
amzn.to/3OGuJRK (affiliate*)
O-ring (3 pack):
amzn.to/3vurjoZ (affiliate*)
O-ring (6 pack):
amzn.to/3iL2nGZ (affiliate*)
*Purchasing from these Amazon affiliate links earns my channel a small commission. Think of it as a tip that doesn't cost you anything. Thanks for the support!
Mike, great video, thank you so much. The one thing you might want to encourage people to do is apply some silicone grease to the o-ring before sealing it all back up.
@@DavePlisky Yeah, that's a good tip, thanks for the comment!
@@Mikeattempts How often do you have to change the filter?
@@ab_ab_c The package recommends replacing the filter every 3 months, but it all depends on your water usage and how much sediment is in your well. If you have a large family that uses a lot of water, you might need to change it more often. Personally, I change mine every 6 months.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! My housing has been stuck for the longest time. I have watched a million videos but you are the ONLY one thorough enough to give that ONE tip…tap the sides! Came right off! Magic! Been so frustrated!
Thanks for the comment, I really enjoy hearing my videos are helping people! :)
My dad died in April, and we were supposed to change the water filters. He didn’t really teach me anything practical, just told me to hold things and hand them to him when he asked. Thanks for the easy explanation.
Sorry to hear about your dad. I'm trying to teach all of this stuff to my daughter, so she doesn't hafta rely on someone else in the future. I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for the comment.
Ty! It’s been…complicated. Emotionally, literally, paperwork-ly…the family kinda circled the wagons, though, so mum and I are getting through. Finally got all the parts (was dealing with other stuff, and we couldn’t find the plastic wrench so we had to get a new one), so I’m about to go give it a try, wish me luck! ^^
Also, good on ya for teaching your daughter! Wish I had a better relationship with my dad, and that he had taught me more than “take probiotics and don’t use duct tape on the walls”. ^^;
@@stuffedninja1337 Yeah, I think daughters kinda get overlooked sometimes for tasks that are traditionally done by sons. I want my daughter to know how to do everything herself, just in case she marries someone who isn't skilled in DIY. :) Good luck, let me know how it goes!
We finally did it, and while initially there were hiccups (I accidentally shut off the line to the house, not the main line), I finally got it all set! We might need to replace the o-ring, though, it’s getting a little stretched out. You shoulda SEEN the level of sediment in there…
Now I just need to get a bigger sump wrench so I can do the other two. Stupid standard sizing….
Hey Mike, moved into a new house recently & had to do this. Never had a filter like this before, & your video made it so easy. Thank you!
Glad to hear it, thanks for watching! :)
I don’t ever comment on videos- but I could not get my filter body off after multiple attempts over a couple of months in a new house. Tried the hammer trick and it released like the housing had always just been hand tight. Great how to video.
Hahaha, yeah, you'd think tapping around the edge wouldn't do anything but it makes all the difference. :) Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it!
Mike I’m glad I found this. You explained this well. The way you used the handle end of the hammer and showed you don’t just use brute force was perfect. I subscribed and thanks again. Can’t wait to check out other vids you have.
I appreciate the kind words and the sub! I'm happy to hear the video was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
Thank you! This video is invaluable. I just watched it again and will probably come back each time I change my filter. Tip for tightness: dip a towel in hot water and wrap it around the treads to get some thermal expansion going.
I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
Great video! I just changed my filter in my house for the first time and your video guided me through it perfectly. Thank you!
That's great, I'm glad the video was helpful! :)
Thanks for posting! I was changing the filter in American Plumber model and it was leaking. I took out the o-ring gasket and wiped it down. I wiped down the threads. It didn’t leak! I think sediment got on them.
Yep, I'm sure you're right about the sediment. My original O-ring lasted about 11 years before it started requiring a few attempts to get it to seal after each new filter. It was like it swelled ever so slightly over time. Luckily, I had purchased 2 replacement O-rings a couple years before needing to use one.
I moved into a house that has a similar setup, thanks for this video. Our filter housing was so dirty with black mold in it! Thanks for the tip of using bleach to clean it out. Looks way better now.
I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
Oh Thank You Mike!!! My husband has almost broken the piping trying to get that cover off. Great video!
I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
One of the FEW with practical easy to understand practices. Don't forget the Food Grade silicone grease on the O-Ring.
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it!
Mike thanks so much never had to do this but the walkthrough made this process a breeze.
I'm glad it helped, thanks for the comment! :)
Great video, Just bought a house in NC and it has one of these and doesn't look like it has EVER been changed.
Hahaha, your water pressure will probably increase once you get that old filter replaced. :) Thanks for the comment!
Thanks! Really need to get a filter changed. I have the replacement filter. Need a bucket 🪣.
I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for watching!
Very helpful. I have a different type of whole house water filter but your ideas are very helpful.
I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for watching!
Wow, super informative and straightforward! Glad to know I can do this myself. Great video!
I appreciate the positive feedback, thanks for the comment! :)
Superior! I wasn’t aware of all these steps. I’ll be able to do this with a few new parts: new filter and plastic wrench. Who knew??
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful! :)
Very thorough and informative ! Thank you for posting !
Thank you for watching! :)
I just did this all by myself, thanks to you 😊
That's great, I love seeing comments like this! :)
I was a little confused about the O ring but I think I figured it out. Yay!
@@CurlyQxyz If it's not leaking then you definitely figured it out. :)
Thank you so much!! You saved me $$$$$
New home owner here lol thanks for the amazing help
Thanks for the comment, I'm happy to hear that the video was helpful!
Thankyou for this video...
Clear, concise...perfect!!!!
Thanks for the comment, I'm glad it was helpful!
great video, really helped. the tapping on housing and wrench is what i needed to know
Thanks for watching!
Exactly what I needed to do this for the first time!!!
I'm glad it was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
Thanks for being my TH-cam dad!
Hahaha, that's great, thanks for watching! :)
Thank you for helping me Mike .
Good tutorial
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! :)
Thanks, couldn't figure out filter size, this helped!
I'm glad the video was helpful, thanks for watching!
Thanks for the demonstration, sir.
No problem, I'm glad it was helpful. :)
Excellent video. Really saved me with this. Thank you very much.
Glad to hear it, thanks for the comment!
Thank you my man! Saved me a couple hundred by not having the wife call a plumber after I told her I could figure it out for us!
That's great, it's always nice to save some dough, thanks for the comment!
Great video i keep forgetting .. mine has a red button on top to press. Also did not know about the bleach
Ah, thanks for the tip! Other viewers will benefit from knowing their filter housing might have a button on top.
Good video. Thank you for posting! God Bless
Thanks for watching! :)
Ok that tap tap tappy with the hammer handle was gold! I was trying unsuccessfully to muscle it off and was about ready to take a pipe wrench to that MF and probably destroy it in the process. Decided to try a video before doing that and boy was it a good idea! A little bit of tappity tap with the handle and off it came. Great tip and the rest of the video was a perfect explanation of the rest of the process.
Hahaha, yeah, at first it seems like a pointless step but it makes a huge difference! Thanks for the comment. :)
What a great job thank you so much
Thank you for watching! :)
I have a very similar setup but have two filters, side by side. Would i use the same filter in both? We have a lot of iron in our water, so not sure if there is a specialized filter for this?
I'm no pro but I think when it's a two-filter setup, the first filter is usually something like a 30-micron sediment filter, to catch the big stuff, while the second is something like a 5-micron to further remove contaminants. It will probably help with the iron, but you'd need a water softener or reverse osmosis system to get rid of it. Again, I'm not a pro so I could be wrong.
Excellent video - really helpful. Thanks!
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it!
Wish I saw this earlier this morning.I broke off the water lines and roto-rooter charged me 367.35 to repair.
Doh! That sucks, I'm sorry to hear it. The silver lining is that you'll know for next time. :)
@@Mikeattempts lol yes I will ,took him all of 15 minutes.I should give up being a RN,Plumbers make a serious great living.Have a great day
@@Link1603 It's much easier to find people who can fix things than to find people who can fix people. So, keep up the good work. :)
Thanks for the video
Really helps
Happy to hear it, thanks for the comment! :)
Thanks Mike...how often should the filter be changed? I cleaned mine out last year and it was a disaster...never knew about the shutoff on top of the filter...wish I would have seen this video before then.
I change mine every 6 months, but the package recommends replacing the filter every 3 months. It all depends on your water usage and how much sediment is in your well.
New well installed on my home, was wondering if this helps with the egg smell.?
I'm no pro but you can install a carbon (black) filter instead of a sediment filter which might help with that smell, but I can't say for sure.
Thank you for your guidance
Thank you for watching!
Thanks for this it helped so much
I'm happy to hear the video was helpful, thanks for the comment! :)
How often does this need to be done? We’ve been in this house for over 2 years. Clear water and good pressure.
I change mine every six months but it depends on your water usage and how much sediment is in your well.
Thanks for the video. Can you use any all purpose type of cleaner rather than the homemade bleach solution?
You don't have to use any cleaner, if you don't want to. However, I would use a mild disinfectant to be sure you don't accidentally introduce any germs to your water system. For me, tap water with a few drops of bleach mixed in is perfect for this situation. No matter what you use, be sure to rinse the cleaner out really well.
@@Mikeattempts Thanks!!!
Some filter systems have a pressure release button, if yours doesn't have one did you need to run some faucets to reduce pressure?
You could but I've never had to do that. Water isn't compressible so, once you turn off the main water supply, you're cutting off the water pressure. When I break loose the filter housing, it's not like water comes spraying out or anything.
Great video! What size wrench did you use to loosen filter housing? Non was included when we purchased the house🙄
I think the wrench is a standard size based on the filter size. If you measure the diameter of the filter housing, you should be able to pick up a universal wrench at your local Lowes or Home Depot. Thanks for watching!
What size wrench or do you have a link to this wrench
I don't currently have a link because there are different standard wrench sizes based on the filter size. If you measure the diameter of the filter housing, you should be able to pick up a universal wrench at your local Lowes or Home Depot.
Is a filter really needed? If I don't use the filter inside the glass jar, what would happen? Thanks.
I'm no pro but I'd be happy to give my opinion. It all depends on your water, if there's no sediment in your current filter then it would probably be fine not to use it. We have really clean water but our filter still catches fine sediment. You can see it in the video, it's like a really fine dark gray sand. If we didn't have the filter, that sediment would end up in our drinking water, spraying out of our shower heads and faucets, in our dishwasher, in our water heater, and in our ice cubes (unless your fridge has its own filter, ours doesn't). I don't think it would cause any harm to the people living in your house but it could cause your shower heads and faucet aerators to clog up over time, which would require disassembly and cleaning. It could also build up in the bottom of your water heater and lead to a tank failure sooner than normal. The filters are cheap and I only replace ours every six months so, in my opinion, it's worth it.
Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I have that exact same wrench style and just broke the handle on it. I've googled all over for it and can't find a match. Can you help me?
This website has a pretty big list of water filter wrenches: www.purewaterproducts.com/parts/wrenches
@@Mikeattempts- Yeah I checked that website and it doesn't have this particular wrench with 6 slots. I can't find it anywhere. Any other ideas?
@@fast22fast There are 3 different 6-slot options on that page. If none of them are the correct size, maybe this one would work: www.purewaterproducts.com/products/wr006
@@fast22fast Sorry, I just looked at my wrench and had forgotten that it has cutouts, not pins. This one looks like it should work: amzn.to/4bEjAeo . If not, a rubber strap wrench, like this, should work: amzn.to/3OGuJRK
@@Mikeattempts Hey Mike it's all good. I ended up purchasing a $6 set of strap wrenches from Harbor Freight and used the larger one along with a heat gun on the top of the housing before removing. No drama and filter changed. Honestly I used that old plastic tool for 20+ years with no issue but let the filter in for too long last time. We are on city water and it's super clean so I don't need to change the filter much anymore. Used to be on a mountain spring. Thanks for the video!
Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
I am not able to turn the top of the housing to the off position. Any suggestions?. I do not want to force it to much .
That part can be tough to turn. If you turn off the main water supply, you can bleed off the excess pressure by opening a faucet, then it won't matter that the top is on "Filter" instead of "Off". If you're unable to turn off the main water supply for some reason, you could use an inexpensive rubber strap wrench (like this: amzn.to/3OGuJRK ). The only other thing I can think of would be to get 2 pieces of wood (broomsticks or 1x2 lumber, around a foot long), put one on either side of the top handle, hold the ends of both pieces (two ends in each hand) squeeze and twist. Does that make sense? Let me know how it goes!
So I don't have to cut the power to the off? Just cut the main water supply off and i'm good to go?
Yep, turning off the water should be all you need to do when changing a water filter like this.
@@Mikeattempts Got it done!! Thanks a lot
@@kurleys Awesome, I'm glad the video was helpful!
Great Video! Do you know the Part Number for the 0-Ring and where to purchase? Have unit like yours. Also, do you have model number?? Thanks
Mine is a Purwater FHT-34V and the o-ring is part number ORG006, here's a 3 pack: amzn.to/3vurjoZ or a 6 pack: amzn.to/3iL2nGZ . Thanks for watching!
@@Mikeattempts Thanks very much for the quick reply, it is appreciated.
Can you use any filter that fits?
Yeah, there are many that are the same size but provide different levels of filtration. The filter I installed only removes the sediment. Thanks for watching!
So there is no need to flush the lines, etc.... ? A plumber recently replaced a whole house water filter at our home and said we should flush the lines after turning off the water and before replacing the filter.
I don't think so, that's what the filter is for, but I'm not a pro. I did "flush" it a little at 2:00, to clean out the inside of the filter housing. Besides there being a little air in the lines afterwards, I've never had any problems.
@@Mikeattempts Thank you. Although my whole house filter is a GE, they basically look the same so I don't believe I would need to flush the lines after the filter but before installing.
Very helpful thanks
Thanks for watching! :)
What grease do you recommend for o-ring?
I don't use any grease on mine but just a super light coating of food grade silicone grease would work, if needed. You can find small containers in the plumbing section of any hardware store, it should say approved for potable water applications.
I turned the water back on but no water going into filter. Help.
Turn the top of the filter housing from "Off" back to "Filter".
Can you please tell me why after I change water filter I left run hours bin like 3 months still in water I have withe stuff?
On the top of the filter housing, there are 3 settings: Off, Filter, & Bypass. I guess there's a chance that yours is set to Bypass which allows the water to flow without going through the filter.
Silly question. Why does my whirpool says to be careful with risks of being electrocuted. New homeowner just being precacious
Mine is just a standard sediment filter. A reverse osmosis water filter requires electricity to do its job so maybe you have one of those and it's just the standard "electricity and water don't mix" warnings. Find the model number and search for the manual online to get the exact instructions for your filter.
Tha nk you!!
Thank you for watching! :)
My o ring got loose and my dumbass kept putting it on grooves on the screw part not in the container itself.
Yeah, I have the same problem! Sometimes I have to reseat the O-ring a couple times before it seals properly. It's like they get slightly stretched out from the compression and want to ride up on the screw threads.
66 year old woman who used to be able to get this stupid thing open. Ready to pull hair, I tried using a pipe that fits over the filter wrench handle for leverage.. still stuck. will have to call for help. Oh tried the tapping too.. no luck, sucker is really on there.
Dang, that's a shame. It sounds like you gave it a good try, but those things can be stubborn.