My $200 water filter system gave out after just 4 months, and now I'm worried about what I've been drinking

I installed a whole house sediment filter back in March after some bad tasting water from the tap. It was one of those clear housing units with a big blue cartridge. Last Wednesday I went to swap the filter like normal and noticed the plastic housing had this hairline crack running down the side. Water was slowly seeping out behind the unit, soaking the drywall. I shut off the main valve and took the whole thing apart. Inside, the cartridge looked fine but I could smell something musty and weird. I'm honestly worried that bacteria might have been getting through that crack for weeks before I caught it. I replaced the whole setup with a stainless steel housing that cost me $89 from a plumbing supply shop in Denver. Has anyone else had those clear plastic filter housings crack on them like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

gray_patel17d ago

Bought one of those clear units from Home Depot last year and honestly laughed at people who went with metal housings, figured they were just overpaying for nothing. Mine lasted about 5 months before the plastic got this cloudy look and I found a tiny crack forming near the top threads where you screw it on. Swapped to a stainless steel one after that and now I get why people warned me about the cheap plastic ones.

abby_carr5717d ago

Oh man, I had the exact same facepalm moment... I thought everyone with the metal housing was just flexing their wallet. Then my clear one started looking like a foggy shower door after three months and I noticed water weeping out of the seam. Guess who got to replace a water damaged floor too? @gray_patel you're not alone, that clear plastic is a total scam.