Looseing In-line Water Tank Filter

[John]

I just bought a house and the filter needs changing but I can't budge the housing on the inline water filter. I have the plastic wrench that came with the unit I'm afraid if I apply any more pressure I'll tear the whole piping system apart. The filer is on of those whole house filters and the whole unit it plastic. Is there a safe penetrating agent I can spray up into and on on the housing threads that might help loosen it. Yes I an turning it the correct direction. Any ideas? Thanks.

[justalurker]

No "penetrating agent" will help and the wrong one may eat the plastic housing.

Make sure you shut off the water supply and open a faucet downstream to relieve the water pressure. If there's still pressure in the housing it will not unspin easily.

When you get it off use a little "food grade" silicine grease on the housing o-ring and only hand tighten.

[dpb]

Agree w/ the above -- I keep an oil filter band wrench in the cabinet specifically for them -- it's unlikely you'll break them, they're typically a pretty heavy plastic.

On reassembly, I use Vaseline petroleum jelly for the lubricant -- it's readily available and nontoxic for the purpose. Make sure to lubricate the o-ring well as well as the threads...

[dpb]

Oh, and the top mating faces as well...at least on my particular variety there's a very wide top edge that sticks if assembled dry...

[charlie]

petroleum jelly can damage rubber o-rings.

[justalurker]

Petroleum jelly WILL damage rubber o-rings and is NEVER recommend. Do not use any petroleum based lubricant on a rubber part.

Always use a neutral lubricant and when dealing with potable water ALWAYS use a "food grade" or NSF certified grease.

Lowe's sells a neat little tin (plastic) of the right stuff from Gunk...

[dpb]

Well, they're some 20+ years of age and show no problem so far so I'm thinking it's pretty safe...

--

[Meat Plow]

I wouldn't have a problem with it. Depends a lot on the material used to make the o-ring. And while I don't consider PJ to be a "potable" product, it's safe to consume in minute quantities so overall no harm done.

[justalurker]

Using the wrong lubricant for 20+ years is not a certification of compliance or correctness.

Right or wrong they are your o-rings BUT if you want to learn then...

the specific warning about petroleum jelly. That is a water treatment industry wide warning. I also believe that using an non-NSF or non-FDA or non-"food grade" certified grease in/on a potable water system, fixture, or fitting is a plumbing code violation.

[dpb]

Oooh...guess I'll just have to have a violation, then...

[dpb]

I was referring as "safe" for the o-rings that have "survived"

20-something years apparently unsullied.

As for the possible uptake, the threads and all are lubricated before reinstallation and still dry and once back in place there's essentially no water in contact w/ the lubricant, anyway.

But it doesn't matter as I'm dead already (but just don't know it) from the lead in the solder in the water lines and unmitigated radon from the concrete aggregate in the basement walls and floor and other perhaps unknown horrors.

So, for the OP, since I apparently have the only two o-rings in the west that won't immediately fall to pieces if lubricated improperly and the highly toxic suggested material not to be named again might be harmful, use something else of your choice...

:) $0.02, etc., etc., etc., ...

[Frank]

I bought a Sears rubber strap wrench specifically for this purpose. Sometimes took a minute of constant pressure before it would start to unscrew. Hope you have a bypass system when servicing filter, otherwise if you break it you're out of water until fixed. This happened to me ;(

Frank

[John]

It's an Omni and there is a bypass setting on the top that can be selected.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Very important to relieve the pressure before attempting to remove the filter housing. I turn the setting to off, then open a faucet and it comes right off.