How Much Do Home Water Filtration Systems Cost?

You're scrubbing the shower for the second time in a week, fighting colored mineral buildup again. Or you've just come in from a morning run and need a tall glass of water stat — except what comes out of your kitchen sink smells funky or features floating debris that stops your thirst in its tracks.

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Whether you see visible debris in your water supply or the evidence of contaminants in your pipes, you might wonder how much a home water filtration system costs and whether one is right for you.

What Is a Whole-House Filtration System?

Whole-house filtration occurs when you install a system designed to filter and treat water coming into your house. These systems filter out contaminants like sediment, chlorine and unwanted minerals to ensure you get clean water from every outlet in your house.

A whole-home water filtration system is different from a per-faucet system. Some people install filtration devices at the kitchen sink, for example. Per-faucet devices are usually installed under the sink in question, while whole-home devices are larger and may be installed in utility closets or basements.

What Are the Benefits of Whole-Home Water Filtration?

Filtering water before it enters your home plumbing system has a number of benefits, including:

• Better water quality. Whole-house water filtration systems can remove contaminants that change how your water looks, tastes and smells. This can improve your enjoyment of drinking water, help enhance showers and baths and, in some cases, reduce health issues associated with certain elements in your water supply.

• Improved plumbing and appliance performance. Reducing sediment and other particles in the water that flows through your pipes, fixtures and appliances can prolong the life of these assets. Cleaner, clearer water helps prevent damage and buildup in pipes and appliances.

• Cleaner water throughout the home. While you can treat water at specific locations with per-fixture filters or pitchers designed to filter drinking water, a whole-home system increases convenience because it ensures all the water you use for drinking, cooking, laundry and bathing is cleaner.

How Much Does a Whole-House Water Filter Cost on Average?

Home water filtration system cost varies widely depending on the type of system you choose and installation factors. You can expect a system and installation to cost between $840 and $5,400 (CAD 1,179 and CAD 7,488).

What Are the Different Types of Whole-House Water Filter Systems?

One of the biggest factors in whole-house water filter price is the type of system you choose. The options include:

• Reverse osmosis systems

• Carbon, mineral and sediment filter systems

• Carbon, mineral, sediment and UV-light filter systems

• Carbon, mineral, sediment and UV-light filter systems with a water softener

You can also get under-sink, well water and portable systems in many of these categories. Under-sink and portable models cost a lot less, but they only treat the water at a certain location.

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How Do These Household Water Filter Systems Work — and How Much Do They Cost?

Whole-House Reverse Osmosis Filtration Systems

Reverse osmosis filter systems force water through a membrane that has extremely small pores. The pores let water through but block a wide variety of dissolved solids and other contaminants. The pure water is collected and wastewater and any impurities are flushed away. Only the pure water is allowed into the home for use.

Reverse osmosis system prices can vary from around $4,800 to $8,000 (CAD 6,656 to CAD 11,094) installed.

Whole-House Carbon, Mineral, Sediment Filters

Carbon, mineral, sediment and UV-light filter systems remove contaminants in water via multiple methods:

• Carbon filters are used to remove chlorine and other odors to help improve the taste of water.

• Sediment and mineral filters remove larger particles, such as dirt or rust, and certain minerals.

• UV light helps keep bacteria and other microorganisms in the water from reproducing.

A carbon, mineral and sediment filtration system with no UV-light or water softener option averages $850 to $1,400 (CAD 1,179 to CAD 1,941) installed. Adding a UV-light option to the water filtration system increases the price to $1,850 to $2,900 (CAD 2,565 to CAD 4,021) installed.

Carbon, Mineral, Sediment Filters With a Water Softener

You can get this type of filtration system with a water softener to help reduce the impact of hard water on your home systems. The cost of a carbon, mineral, sediment and UV-light filter system with a water softener averages $2,650 to $5,400 (CAD 3,675 to CAD 7,488) installed.

Other Factors for Water Purifier System Cost

While system type plays a big role in water quality system cost, other factors also drive prices up or down. Here are a few to consider if you're researching whole-home water filtration system costs:

• Installation complexity. A hard-to-reach location or the need to update water lines or pipes can impact costs.

• Water testing. You may want to pay for professional water testing to identify the contaminants in your water. Test results let you choose a filter that's most likely to support desired results.

• Maintenance. Most water filtration systems require filter replacements and regular inspection. Price filters for your unit to understand long-term ownership costs, and find out whether you can maintain the system yourself or will need to pay a professional periodically to support ongoing performance.

• Energy use. Reverse osmosis water purification systems require power. Find out whether you need to power your system and how much energy it will draw to determine ongoing operational costs.

To understand what a home water filtration system might cost for you, consider getting a professional quote. Ask about labor costs, installation factors and whether your home needs pipe extensions or other upgrades to support a whole-home water filter.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.