How much does a whole-house water filter cost to replace?
Updated
Short answer
Replacing the whole-house water filter yourself costs $15 to $60, which is the cartridge, and takes 15 to 20 minutes. A plumber charges $100 to $200 to do it. The cartridge price depends on its type and size, and since a sediment cartridge is changed every 3 to 6 months, the yearly cost is a few cartridges. The plumber's price is only worth paying when the housing or its valves need work at the same time.
Cost breakdown
| Item | DIY | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15 to $60 | included |
| Tools you may need to buy | none | included |
| Labor | your time | $100 to $200 |
| Total | $15 to $60 | $100 to $200 |
The DIY column is the cartridge. The housing wrench came with the filter housing, a bucket is in the garage, and a tube of silicone grease for the o-ring lasts for years. The pro column is a service call to do the same swap.
What drives the cost
- The cartridge type. A basic sediment cartridge is at the low end. A carbon block, or a cartridge sized for a large housing, is at the high end.
- The schedule. Sediment cartridges go every 3 to 6 months and carbon up to 12 months, so a house with both buys several sediment cartridges for every carbon one.
- The water. Well water with heavy sediment means a cartridge every month, which multiplies the yearly cost, and a cheap sediment prefilter ahead of the main one can cut it.
- Buying in multiples. Cartridges bought by the case cost less each, and a spare on the shelf means the swap happens on schedule instead of when someone gets to the store.
- Housing problems. A cracked housing, a worn o-ring that won't seal, or stuck shut-off valves turn the swap into a plumber's visit, and the $100 to $200 is for that.
DIY vs. pro
This is an easy job once you've done it, and the money says do it yourself: the cartridge is the whole cost. How often to change a whole-house water filter is every 3 to 6 months for sediment and up to 12 months for carbon, and each swap is a pressure release, a turn of the wrench, a new cartridge and a turn back.
Call the plumber when the housing is cracked or leaking, when the o-ring won't seal with a new one, or when the valves around the housing are stuck. Those are the jobs the $100 to $200 covers, and the plumber will change the cartridge while there.
FAQ
How much is a whole-house water filter cartridge?
$15 to $60, depending on the type and the housing size. Sediment cartridges are at the low end and carbon blocks at the high end.
How much does a plumber charge to change a whole-house filter?
$100 to $200, which is worth it only when the housing or its valves need repair at the same time.
How often does a whole-house water filter need replacing?
Sediment every 3 to 6 months, carbon up to every 12 months, and monthly for a well with a lot of sediment.
Can I save money on whole-house filter cartridges?
Buy them by the case, and on sediment-heavy well water add a cheap prefilter ahead of the main housing so the expensive cartridge lasts longer.