Water out of filter tastes terrible

[Steve]

First some background info: In my kitchen I have an under the counter 3 compartment Omni Water Filter housing, which I've had for over 10 years. I use 3 different kinds of filters. The first housing has a sediment filter which gets replaced every 3 months, the 2nd has a activated charcoal filter for more filtering, and the 3rd housing has an expensive carbon block filter that takes out anything and everything else. The 2nd and 3rd filter get replaced every 6 months. I also vigorously clean the inside of the housing every 6 months with bleach.

When my local Home Depot stopped carrying Omni replacement filters, I went with what they had, which was GE replacement water filters and Culligan water filters, that are made to fit in my filter housing. No problems with the replacements, but on specs alone, the Omni filters were supposed to be better. When my local Lowe's started carrying the Omnifilter brand, I went back to that brand of filter.

Lately, for the last year, the water has been tasting terrible, really terrible, and not the water that comes out of the tap, but the water that comes out of the filter. I replaced the filter faucet, the filter supply tubes, new filters, practically everything was replaced except the filter housing, and the water still tastes terrible. I removed the expensive carbon block filter today, and everyone agrees the water is much better, but this filter with it's under 1 micron size filters out whatever pesticides, lead, etc.. that most filters won't.

All that leads me to this:

Would you know if these filters are actually made by different companies, and just resold by Omni, GE, Culligan, etc.. OR is it likely that these are made by different companies and I can get a different water taste by trying someone else's filter?

I thought I remember the water tasting better with the GE filters, but it's been 2 years since I used those, and I could be wrong.

Steve

[Doug Kanter]

My first instinct would be to go to

(or your library) and see what they had to say about water filters. For 4.95, you can get a month's worth of web access. I see they have a report on filtering systems from January of '03. Maybe it will provide some insight.

[m Ransley]

A filter should only taste bad when its overdue for a change. The are made by alot of companies .

[Steve]

I always change my filters before they are due, and it tasted bad before the change, and since the change, only thru the filter system, not the regular house faucet.

It makes me wonder, since I bought the same Omnifilter brand filter the last few times, if it's possible for them to have a bad run of filters that affect the taste negatively.

Steve

[cn8cg]

Would you filter system include a reverse osmosis filter?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

What do you mean by "before they are due"? Time has nothing to do with it in spite of what the label says. The amount of water and the condition of the water has everything to do with when they must be changed.

Our city water sucks. The so called six month filters last about two months here. It varies according to the time of the year and how swampy the water flavor is at any given time. You may have had a few days of really nasty stuff that shortened the life. Change the filter and move on. Ed

[Steve]

When I say "Before they are due", that means I change it before the rating for the filter says to change it. Of course the condition of the water has everything to do with it, but you can't tell the condition of the water by looking at it, I'm not going to have it tested before changing them, and even the first sediment filter is not bad looking when I replace it every 3 months. The water never runs slow, so the filters are not being clogged.

My point was, that I maintain my system, maybe more than most. People get lazy when it comes to changing filters on time and doing scheduled maintenance of any kind, and I'm not one of them.

Did you read the first line I wrote? That it tasted bad before the filter change, and tasted bad after the filter change? 3 new filters?

The water tasted exactly the same the minute I put all new filters in, new water supply lines in, and a new faucet. I'll also add, that because I have 3 filters in this unit, the 2nd and

3rd more expensive filters would outlast their rated 6 month life, especially the 3rd one, because of a sediment filter coming before the 2nd filter. Water out of the tap tastes great, but want to filter it because you don't know what you can't see in it, and I've been filtering it for over 10 years with no taste problems.

I already changed the filters, so "moving on" doesn't apply to me either.

[Steve]

I don't know if you are asking me if my system includes a RO filter, or if I would consider having a RO system, but the answer to both is no.

I already consider the 3 filter system I'm using quite overkill for my needs. However, I recently did look at RO units, and the Omnifilter RO unit uses most of the same filters that I'm using in my system.

If the problem is their filters, I won't be solving anything by spending a few extra hundred.

Steve

[Doug Kanter]

How about checking the yellow pages for a lab that can do a water test, but one which does NOT sell filters? Or, have to called your water authority? It's odd, but they often employ people who know quite a bit about water.

[Gary Slusser]

"Steve" wrote

Do you sanitize the tubing and faucet? Assuming you do, how about the inlet line? That may have biologicals growing in it contaminating the rest after sanitation. You may want to change the orings or buy a new 3-stage filter. I say that because unless you aren't sanitizing everything, you may not be able to. Nonchemical odor is always from bacteria and/or some other form of life.

GE owns Osmonics which is a very large manufacturer of cartridges etc. but I don't know if they use those or other cartridges. There are a number of companies that manufacturer cartridges but I don't think it's very many; how would they all stay in business. And if it's made it's been marketed to me and other independent dealers.

Gary Quality Water Associates

Bulletin Board

[Steve]

I had replaced the entire tubing and faucet, still had the problem.

As it turned out, I replaced the filters again plus the entire Omnifilter housing with a dual filter Culligan system, model SY-2300S.

Since I had just replaced the faucet and tubing, all I had to do was attach the new tubing to the filter housing, a 3 minute procedure, and the water is back to being excellent.

I still don't know whether it was the actual Omni filters, or the housing that was tainting the water, but it doesn't matter anymore.

Steve