Water filtration systems for Salem homes and kitchens

Salem city water comes from the North Santiam River and is naturally soft, so most homes here do not need a water softener and we will not try to sell you one. What people usually notice is chlorine taste and smell, or a bit of sediment after a main break or a cold snap.

We install systems sized to the problem. A simple under-sink carbon filter often handles taste for drinking and cooking. A whole-house sediment and carbon setup helps if you want filtered water at every tap. Reverse osmosis gives the most thorough drinking water filtration. We explain each option before you decide.

Sediment, chlorine and what Salem homeowners notice

Treated city water carries a small amount of chlorine to keep it safe through miles of pipe. It does its job, but some people taste or smell it, especially in a glass of cold water or a pot of coffee. Carbon filters are the standard answer, because activated carbon traps chlorine and many taste and odor compounds.

Sediment is the other common complaint. Older galvanized pipe in the house can shed rust, and work on city mains can stir up fine grit. A sediment filter at the main catches it before it reaches your faucets, fixtures and water heater. Some homeowners also want filtration after the 2018 algae-toxin advisory.

• Chlorine taste or smell in drinking water and coffee
• Grit or rust flakes in aerators after water work in the street
• Fixture screens clogging from older galvanized supply pipe

Carbon and reverse osmosis under the sink

An under-sink carbon filter connects to the cold line feeding the kitchen faucet or a separate drinking water faucet. It removes chlorine taste and odor and many other compounds, depending on the cartridge. Cartridges need replacing on a schedule, usually every several months, based on use and the filter's rating.

A reverse osmosis system pushes water through a fine membrane after carbon and sediment prefilters, then stores it in a small tank under the sink. It removes far more than carbon alone. It also sends some water down the drain as it works, and needs a drain connection and its own faucet on the sink or counter.

• Carbon filters handle chlorine taste and odor at one tap
• Reverse osmosis gives the most thorough drinking water filtration
• Reverse osmosis needs a storage tank, a drain tie-in and its own faucet
• Cartridge changes keep either system working as designed

Whole-house filters at the main

A whole-house system installs on the main water line where it enters the home, often in the crawlspace or garage in Salem houses. It usually pairs a sediment filter with a larger carbon filter so every tap, shower and appliance gets filtered water. Showers with less chlorine smell are a common reason people choose one.

We size the system to your water use and pipe size, and install bypass valves so you can change filters or bypass the system without shutting off the house. Whole-house filters need space and access for cartridge changes, so we plan the location with that in mind.

Why we do not push water softeners in Salem

Hard water leaves scale in fixtures and water heaters, and softeners fix that. Salem city water is soft to begin with, so a softener rarely adds much for homes on city water. We would rather spend your money on the filter that matches what you actually notice.

Homes outside the city on private wells are a different story. Well water around the Mid-Willamette Valley varies, and some wells carry iron, sediment or hardness. If you are on a well, a water test tells you what is there, and we can talk through filtration options based on those results.