How We Clean and Reuse Our Wholehouse Water Filter

In this video we will show you how we clean and reuse our wholehouse water filter.
We will cover:
How we remove and reinstall the water filter.
How we clean the hot water pipes and tank of a bad stench.
How we clean the water filter and globe of all the rust and debris to make it look like new.
How we dry the filter.
Link to Oxalic Acid on Amazon:
www.amazon.com...
Link to website about Iron Bacteria:
en.wikipedia.o...
Link to website about Hydrogen Sufide and Sulfer Bacteria:
www.health.stat...
Here is a link to another KZbin video that talks about "the troublesome trio" and other good info: • Pentek RFFE-20BB Iron ...
We buy our filters locally, but here is a link to what appears to be a similar filter cartridge on Amazon.com.
www.amazon.com...

[@dianeharrell817]

If you’re NOT a High School science teacher, your local school district is surely missing out! Great explanations, clarity, and attention to detail!

[@rogerwhiting9310]

I was guessing engineer.

[@driventowin]

Wow, I'm humbled by your kind words! Thank you, God Bless.

[@kmr0319]

Just found your video, even 7 years later, and this is by far the best video I have seen regarding replacing and cleaning a whole house filter. Thank you so much!!!

[@homayounshirazi9550]

You are one thorough guy if I have ever seen one! And that's in a respectful way. I always say that if it's worth doing it, it's worth doing it well. Thank you for your complete instruction.

[@driventowin]

homayoun Shirazi ,... Your welcome. Thanks for your kind words of praise.

[@driventowin]

Thanks for your kind words of praise.

[@watercity2938]

Thanks for you

[@bmfilmnut]

Yes, he's thorough but NOT in a positive way. His procedure is absolutely unnecessary and the painstaking detail that he goes into is silly when you can accomplish the same exact thing in 5 minutes and without all those steps, some of which accomplish absolutely nothing. But after realizing that this guy has OCD, at least it gave me an idea.. See my description in my comment. I accomplished the same thing without oxalic acid, bleach, or most of the steps he shows in less than five minutes.

[@W711-t7x]

​@@bmfilmnut What does it matter if the guy has OCD or not? What does it matter if he does it thoroughly or not? Everyone has their own way of doing things and some people enjoy going through a process. By the look of it this guy enjoyed doing what he did and that's fine with me. Personally all I care about is he showed me a damn good way of reusing a cartridge and even added a bonus of thoroughly explaining every detail. If you don't like the video just click off it ffs. Lay off.

[@samstewart3103]

This was seriously the best video I could have watched. You sir are a fantastic teacher. I had so many questions about this process as a new home owner and you've answered them and taught me so much more. Please continue this series for other home projects! Thank you so much!

[@driventowin]

Thank you Sam, for your kind words. May this knowledge forever be a blessing to you, your friends, and your family. Pay it forward. God Bless.

[@Hextavo]

What's bob doing honey? Oh he's just out there spin drying his filters again .. 🤣 thanks for sharing!

[@bernarddeham4787]

One of the most useful videos if not the most I have watched on that subject... Water from our borehole is full of reduced (ferrous) iron, I leave it to settle and oxidize for a week (--> ferric iron) before pumping it to our tank uphill that feeds the house. I have a 50-micron big blue pleated filter and three 20"x2.5" filters with cartridges: 5-micron, 1-micron and carbon. I also use bleach to get rid of iron bacteria causing the rotten egg issue. Thanks again for that great video and the oxalic acid, I was about to use phosphoric acid but oxalic acid is definitely less dangerous. And what an impressive centrifuge!

[@gorobeisuzuki863]

Thanks for posting this very comprehensive video. I don't even have a house filter for my water, and I found your video informative and so interesting that I watched the entire video from start to finish. You did a great job using the tools and environment you had on hand, and your idea of conserving and re-using the oxalic acid is a good one! As someone already mentioned in the comments, when working with potentially toxic materials (e.g. bleach, oxalic acid, dirty effluent, etc.) it's always best to wear eye protection. Great job!

[@driventowin]

Thank you for your kind words,..God Bless.

[@arlenem9697]

When working with potentially toxic materials it's always best to wear eye protection and GLOVES.

[@eltonhammond]

Outstanding video with exceptionally clear explanation. One of the best instructional videos on KZbin. Very helpful for me with my whole house water filters. I have 5 of them here and this will be most helpful. I have 4 years of experience with mine and developed a few tricks too, but this has really given me a big boost. Thanks for sharing your exceptional wisdom, experience and great teaching with us.

[@driventowin]

Thank you for your kind words. I'm just trying to "pay it forward". We are taught, "for whatever one sows, that will he also reap".

[@bradyreed5401]

Thank you for taking the time to produce this video. In the long run it will help my family financially.

[@driventowin]

Your welcome Brady. Thank you for your comments. I certainly hope that it will be a blessing to you and your family.

[@davidedgerly]

I like this guy.. Good Job Brother peace be with you...

[@driventowin]

Thanks,.. and you as well.

[@HarmonicaMikesStuff]

Anytime you're dealing with and ACID it's always advisable to use safety glasses to protect your eyes from an acid burn.

[@seivadguy4661]

Good point, even though it's a very weak acid, it's always best to not take chances, especially with your eyes.

[@GabbrEL]

Why? You're not using safety glasses when you drink it, are you? Or when you eat it... Have you ever heard of citric acid? Like...in lemons...? Or carbonic acid? Like in soda... In some quantities acids can be deadly if ingested but here it's not the case! By the way, did you knew that most of the vitamins are actually acids?

[@JohnBruno-yi1ex]

No body listens until they are in the er with 3rd deg burns like what happened to me....the most pain I have ever experienced in my life..and I've had alot of experience with being in extream pain.

[@ytSuns26]

Hi nice video. Couple of things I see that pipe dope was used to make the connection of the copper pipe to the plastic filter housing. Teflon tape is the correct way to make that connection, pipe dope over time degrades the plastic. Using a big blue or a four by ten inch filter gives you better flow rates and longer filter runs. The filter you have is not rated for the flow rate a home requires. If you are installing a filter where Sun can shine on the filter use an opaque filter sump ( globe ) . Sun light and water grow algae , out doors use a sump that does not allow sunlight to enter . Thirty years treating water worldwide and I appreciate your efforts to help others.

[@rogermarcus8924]

Kind of you to say.... Did you ever work in Zimbabwe? I built a project there, would be interested in your story and travels. happyrogermarcus@gmail

[@kristinemoore6487]

Thank you for posting this reduce & reuse film about these types of filters. Am a great believer in simple & appropriate chemical cleaners and keep oxalic acid for other reasons and now I'm off to use it for my water filter. Thank you for taking the time to make this film - the world would be a better place if more of us re-used things like this. Yes - simple to go and buy another filter but what happens to the used one?

[@driventowin]

Thanks,..... agreed

[@aliyakhan4261]

Sir, I am working in plumping section for 36 years in Bahrain practically you are the great thanks a lot superb idea ! ! !

[@driventowin]

Thank you

[@FraudLocators]

A great well explained tutorial. you are my kind of value conscious person. Thanks a lot,

[@driventowin]

Thanks

[@Halicet]

I just used this process on my rust bacteria gummed up spin down and spun water filters.... worked FANTASTICLY! It's wonderful to be able to service and reuse these filters rather than discarding them after every use. This is absolutely a useful and informative video. Thank you so much for posting this video.

[@driventowin]

Thank you for sharing your good news and success with this method. May it be a blessing to you and everyone around you. God bless.

[@stettan1754]

Wow...a mountain of information on how to save money and a little work out at the end! Thanks for the video. I'll definitely give this a try when I have my home filters put up.

[@driventowin]

Thanks,.... let us know how it works out for you.

[@RNcelia]

Wow, you are really amazing. Although you started out trying to save money, you made an environmental impact of not throwing all those filters in the trash that the manufacturer wants you to do so you buy more filters. Good job!

[@RVBadlands2015]

Yes, but he just put oxlide acid down the sink. That’s bad for any water system that people will drink. Don’t care where you live.

[@Don.Challenger]

@@RVBadlands2015 He explains that he neutralized it with bicarbonate of soda. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicarbonate en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid www.hunker.com/12275090/how-to-dispose-of-oxalic-acid-solution www.mindat.org/mesg-55852.html

[@driventowin]

RNcelia, I too dislike the disposable nature of our culture!

[@nicori3320]

Might be more feasible to switch to a Big Blue filter (4.5" by 20") . Will last significantly longer and are better suited for the whole house. Those 2.5" by 10"s should only be used as point of use (for a single faucet, shower etc) since alot of the cheap ones are rated at 1gpm. If you really want to save money, get rid of that Proprietary R.O system so you can buy standard filters for 1/4 the cost . Informative Video!

[@runsheeprun]

Do you have links for what you are referring to? tia

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

Yes, I would be interested in this too!

[@mar1video]

@@runsheeprun - Amazon or Google : Big Blue Filter , or Whole house big blue water filter . It should come up. (Around $56 on Amazon , Nov 2020).

[@Blitzkrieg.u812]

BIGGER does not mean better... look at the filter micron ratings.. the higher the micron number the better filtering... the higher the worse! Bigger filters handles more flow( gpm) (gallons per minute)

[@Blitzkrieg.u812]

Manufacturer recommendeds 5 to 10 micron filters for residential homes

[@GoInfluenceyourself]

I enjoy this amount of obsessiveness very, very much. I have been looking for a way to reuse our sediment filter and I think you’ve given it to me. Thanks for the video.

[@driventowin]

Your very very welcome. Thanks for commenting, and I hope this video helps you accomplish your task.

[@johnlivingston9217]

Thank you for sharing your cleaning process, and the dry spin cycle was excellent! Thumb up.

[@jade8568_VR]

Great video! Thank you so much!! You've answered EVERY question I had!! And then some! 🙋🏼‍♀️👍 I used to use similar filters in our intex pool yrs ago, and I used, cleaned, and reused one filter all summer long. People used to shake their head, but my water numbers were always perfect! I 😉👌

[@ytSuns26]

Hi , owned and operated water treatment company from 1980 sold it 2007 . Got a US patent for self cleaning reverse osmosis treatment system. Designed built large commercial seawater RO units from Cozumel to Africa. Most enjoyed working with resort hotels , other areas of interest were ro di systems designed for coral reef keepers the entire Typhoon series is my design. I never understood the concern with discolored filters . As long as the filter fabric is free of debris back in it goes. Good video , helpful to many .

[@curiosity2314]

Being this is a prefilter and being he is bound and determined, this is probably a good practice. There will be some loss with every application but that is up to each individual. It's probably more dependent on how many filters you can buy at one time. The sooner we can come up with a flushable media the better. We are doing more damage then good without the flush option. He is on the right track here and that is most important.

[@johncogeco]

You are the first person to "EXPLAIN" everything so PERFECT ! You never missed a thing ! Thank You So Much ..

[@driventowin]

Thank you very much for your kind words of praise,.. I don't know that we deserve them. Thank you.

[@okanaganpeterjames]

This whole method is all well worth it just for the drying part.

[@joemama5259]

😂🤣😂

[@okanaganpeterjames]

@@joemama5259 hey interesting finding you in here. David Weiss is my Lord and saviour

[@pauljohnlongua4093]

LMAO! You got to hang in there guys until he shows you his centrifugal extractor!

[@Lazereer]

🤣🤣🤣

[@kenwayhensley5867]

If I saw my neighbor doing this, I would immediately, without hesitation, call the authorities.

[@irascib1e]

I found it hilarious when he started spinning it. If I were his neighbor I would assume he's a cowboy enthusiast.

[@10Timewaster]

Thanks for your in-depth explanation. You have some very useful tips and easy to follow instructions. Very appreciated

[@jaybird1806]

If NOTHING ELSE, this guy was entertaining to watch!

[@abdulazizkabbia7698]

You're absolutely a wonderful instructor, I really do enjoys every step of your explanation. What am saying here is; After taking down the filter what if I use the normal odorless dish washing soap like gently wash every bit/part of the filter before applying the oxalic acid and chlorine process... Would that be okay if No why...???

[@MrHanowski]

Nicely done! Gotta love chemistry! Looked to me like you got sufficient cleaning just from the mechanical method of spraying off the filter. Though not as clean as yours, it's sufficiently clean without messing with chemicals. I'd use a larger filter for whole house.

[@cale583]

Chemistry LOL

[@bigtenbrutus]

Very informative video. Thanks! I am wondering why you don't add a little baking soda to your final filter dunk/rinse, as you mention before that it neutralizes the acid before dumping the used oxalic down the drain.

[@driventowin]

I considered using baking soda, but in the final analysis, I found that step unnecessary. I have found that a good water rinse suffices.

[@40sikarios]

Maybe at the end soak it in water and baking soda just to make sure it neutralizes any acid residue left just as a precaution

[@seivadguy4661]

Excellent point!

[@samsngdevice5103]

Good point

[@johnhayes9437]

Well thank you for the very thorough and detailed process. Glad to see they can indeed be cleaned up like new and moreso the filter housings can be kept clean clean , without any creep factor of old caked on rust stains. I have acquired a rural property and my well water looks very similar to yours... hence my search for how to clean filters. I have a container of bar keeps friend, so I get to try out the process without ordering anything. BTW, that ball cap has more personality than any I have...mine usually fall apart before they get so experienced. Perhaps i'm just not busy enough :)

[@driventowin]

That ball cap has been with me on some of my best projects. Thanks for your kind words,.. Good bless.

[@driventowin]

Let us know if "bar keeper's friend" works as well.

[@HungWaeLoe]

I really appreciate you and your knowledge. The tips are really useful. They have come in very handy. Very kind of you. A true gentleman. Thank you

[@mjnbc3]

Your are a natural teacher. Great job.

[@deedemarest443]

I appreciate all the detail put into the information. I use a similar process to wash my pool filters. I clean the filter box and replace with my back up clean filters so I can take my time cleaning the the dirty ones. Using acid to clean four big pool filters which requires filling a clean trash can with solution could be difficult to dispose of outside. Nice to have a man around to do that stuff!

[@josephstratti52]

OK , just clean the filter and container and rinse out of the system so that you do not have to purge and redirect the acid and chlorine! heaven help us.Thank you for your detailed explanation,very thorough

[@barrelmitt1544]

The drying of the clean filter was a bit ridiculous. Just put it on the shelf and air dry. Yes killing the biome in your septic tank is a bad idea. So, since you're so worried about that, be thorough next time and sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of the sink, neutralizing all of the wash off. Thank God we're saving $12 on a filter. I see what appears to be a 60 or 100 watt incandescent bulb in your garage. Which does not illuminate well it looks like a cave. PPE it's nothing to take likely no gloves no glasses. To paraphrase, "It only Burns a little bit after a minute' I thought this was going to be he added a second filter housing and puts the old clean filter in first and the new filter is the secondary. Unless you've got an enormous amount of time to waste and need the exercise. But then again you could just put the leash on the dog and take them dog for 30 minutes walk.

[@davidedwards1362]

Thanks for the video! How strong is the acid? How many grams of powder per gallon?

[@rkdbm1]

Learned a lot.... I use the same type of filters... thanks a bunch!

[@katguillot5563]

I didn't have 23 minutes so I played you on 2x speed. You still sounded perfectly normal and the explanation was clear. I am very curious about Oxalic acid (C2H2O4) - I don't have a water filter system yet and just doing research. I am so glad I came across your video. I agree with Diane Harrell below, if you're not a teacher, your school system is missing out. Well done, sir.

[@driventowin]

Thanks

[@tonysmith9049]

Excellent video with a clear, well presented, explanation. Thank you.

[@driventowin]

Thanks

[@jonlong4866]

Great Video! Thank you. I may not spend the time cleaning the filters, but I do want to clean the three sumps on my GE system and the Oxalic Acid looks like the trick. The replacement sumps for the GE System cost about $65 and as much a the whole filter housing. Thanks for saving the money.

[@iansmeath8674]

Thank you very much for sharing this information! I have very high iron here in southeastern Ontario, and I have to change my filter once a week. I have using the solid foam type up till now. Cleaning my filter will save me around $300 a year and will save on landfill too!

[@driventowin]

Thank you for sharing this comment with all of us. Please let us know how it works out for you. God Bless.

[@SamsunandI]

Wow, so detailed and that drying technique at the end is ingenious.

[@blakehorrall6548]

Hey buddy nice video! One thing that works really good also is IronOut! I do the same thing and it turns it all completely clear. Nice work!

[@leweezo33]

Hey thanks for the acid idea.. My spinout filter's casing was so stained, I could not see the filter anymore.. I did not buy that particular acid though. I used bottled lemon juice and vinegar. I also scrubbed it with a old toothbrush.. All is clear now.. Thanks to this vid

[@driventowin]

Your welcome, thanks for viewing our video.

[@sircrimm575]

I am so excited that I came across this video!!! Thank you for sharing your process.

[@driventowin]

Your very welcome. Let us all know how it works out for you and your family. God Bless

[@tamerat3794]

Thank you for doing this video, I'm new to well water and although I think it's much better for us than city water, ours has a lot of iron just like yours. I thought your video was so informative that I wanted to try it and bought the oxalic acid. Today I mixed my solution and used an old 1/2 cup I had to measure, but since it sounded like I needed just under a 1/2 cup i really wasn't exact when I did it. The previous home owned used bleach and when we tried that, they didn't come out looking clean. Mine came out looking great but I'm wondering if i need to make sure I rinse mine better, or take any other precautions, because i wasn't precise with my measurements? When I read some of ther other comments I got worried that I might make my family sick. Thank you again for taking the time to make this video! I don't like buying things and just throwing them away if they can be reused with a little effort on my part.

[@driventowin]

Good on you for giving it a try! If you throughly rinse the filter, you have nothing to fear, and nothing to lose.

[@Lfour68jr]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your thoroughness. Great job!

[@gustavoares170]

Thank you for sharing info with us! Is worth to mention the effort you have put in. every detail (beside making the video) in improving your results. I have some comments/questions: don't know what is the direction of the water in your system, but what I know is that if you want to rinse the filter, you have to reverse the flow, to avoid pushing the clogs going thru the pores. I see some filters' water flow goes from outside to inside... which would be detrimental if you put water pressure to the pores putting from outside to inside. (This comments goes is some way along with what just Nathan said, the filter may be still useful, but you can not longer count on it as if is new). Have you tried cleaning with vinegar?? (acetic acid would be more friendly than oxalic). The same anergy you spend cleaning the filter should be applied to wash the acid/residues. this is a very important step. and depending on your free time (or how much $ you can do on that time, recycling the filter may not be so convenient... considering safety issues). to be done, I like what you do, specially because goes against consumism, is important to be prepared in case any day you can not longer affor to buy everything you were use to.

[@driventowin]

Thank you for your comments and insights, I will take them into consideration, going forward.

[@inspiremearts]

I very much agree that was only concern is the toxins being disposed and protecting your hands face etc it only takes 15 secs to absorb into body thru skin mild or not and repeated exposures. simple baking soda splash into to acid maybe even with drain plugged swish around. it worth it every little bit helps doing our part for water. never stop inspiring the next it person to do same. thank you for the fantastic video sharing is caring. community heads together...sustainability

[@edwardsdeacon]

Truly a great video. Such useful information. Thank you!

[@AkaHeart1]

You are so sweet to show this step by step video! Thank you so much!

[@les5309]

Thank you for this excellent video. I learned a lot and do have whole house, double larger filters that need to be replaced 3 times a year. Since I am on city water I don't have your problem with iron, however my filter cartridges [one at 1 micron and the initial other one at 20 microns] do get dark over time. Does oxalic acid work on non-ferrous city water, which does contain dirt and other stuff? Should I seek out some other compound instead of oxalic acid? Thanks again, even though I am late to discovering your channel. Cheers!

[@billmccoy3666]

Excellent - the best video for filter maintenance I've seen! Well done!

[@driventowin]

Wow, that's high praise, thank you!

[@christopherbrathwaite440]

Thanks for sharing from Barbados in the caribbean.continue to be safe.

[@gailkwas9866]

Well I thought he did a good job on this video. Right down to the vinegar to neutralize the acid. I would put vinegar through the filter before using it. But Bravo to you. I think you did a great job. Even down to the rope through the filter and spinning it to get rid of excess liquid. Somehow I think some here sell the filters :) But always do your research before using chemicals. Just to be on the safe side. I'm always looking for a cheaper way of doing things. Thank You for this video!!

[@driventowin]

Thanks Gail.

[@RixCanDoit]

Gail Kwas Vinegar is an acid. I think you meant baking soda. That will neutralize the acid.

[@psyamok3735]

this si a great video to show how to demo something very simple into something very complicated

[@karimasaladeen8670]

This is wonderful, thank you. Can this process work with city water?

[@sampathk1212]

Excellent experiment. I was thinking about the same but was not sure whether its possible. Now i am going to try this tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.

[@qnedim3200]

Nice video. Do you also clean reverse osmosis system membranes and filters? Would washing with HCL and then NaOH also work?

[@brentjohnson6654]

New sub here. We live in the Texas countryside on a well. Lots of sandy sediment. I have a big problem with the sediment filter we have plugging up. I am searching for whole house filter options again. Oh, we have been buying purified water from a local provider but the price is no $8/5 gallon jug (used to be $5). So I am motivated to purify my own water for coffee and drinking water. Thanks for your video.

[@zc3853]

Thank you for the precise details on cleaning water filters.

[@driventowin]

Your welcome, thanks for commenting.

[@ThriftyAV]

I use a string wound whole house filter, and I have kept my old used filters with the idea of cleaning them in the future. I wonder if this same method would work, or if the oxalic acid would eat away at the string?

[@topoff33]

As expensive as filters are getting these days and with this horrible economy, this information is invaluable!!!

[@driventowin]

Thank you. May this knowledge be a blessing to you. Pay it forward.

[@ledzeppelin1212]

Great video, thanks!

[@MaryOKC]

Impressive. I hope you all are well … this was good stuff.

[@CR-ln6kb]

Hi, is this filter set up for iron in your water? If so, what kind of iron? How many GPM is your filter and do you have a name and model number for it? Great video!

[@budmanzoom4441]

Excellent, very well done, instructional video!

[@jobusrum121]

Darn I know this is an old video, great info. Question, will the Oxalic Acid work on the Kinetico string wound pre-filter?

[@robervine7721]

That’s something really good to know! Thanks for sharing this! 👍

[@weblee6090]

"..ya got a minute or two to get it off of you." lol..Great info and a laugh along the way. Not a good indicator of the time involved IF it was daylight when you started. Thanks.

[@tomasdipagio]

Have you tested to efficacy of your filter after the acid bath? Doesn't the acid degrade the 1 micron filtration by eating at the porousness of the filter? Or is the substrate impervious to the acid like the plastic jug you store it in? Capturing the number of uses is important, but at what number of reuses does the process render the pre-filter worthy of replacement? I understand it's just a pre-filter and it obviously still does a great job at collecting the mineral particulate and other unwanted debris, however, for the time and thought you've devoted to this, wouldn't a lab test be fascinating? If your friends accuse you of being too nerdy, please refer them to me because I'd be testing that with my electron microscope.

[@MaryOKC]

LOL!!! 😂 ❤

[@katemaxwell8793]

Thanks, STT for the very detailed and informative video. I have well water and use an Aqua-Pure cartridge in my whole-house filtration system. The AP110 is a solid ridged tube made from a dense porous substance, rather than the fluted kind that you used in the demonstration. Do you think your method will work with the Aqua-Pure? My water is really rusty and I'd love to be able to change the filters more often w/out additional expense.

[@Tasmanbaynets]

I have an aquapure system for our river water and use fluted filters with no problems at all. The solid filters really affect our water pressure too. I suppose that ultimately the choice depends on the minerals in your water.

[@driventowin]

I don't know, but it should act upon iron embedded within any kind of filter. Give it a try, what do you have to lose? Have you considered changing to a small micron pleated filter.

[@samapeter5105]

Thanks a lot and God bless you richly for your help and service.

[@mehranhassanzadeh4871]

Excellent procedure, I will try it as I have the same issue. :) Thanks a lot!

[@driventowin]

I hope it works as well for you, as it has for us, over the years...blessings to you.

[@thomsonkev]

Very clever! I may use your ideas to treat my hot tub filters. The price are becoming more reasonable on the house water filters if you buy in bulk on Amazon so I might not do it for my well water...But the hot tub filters can be VERY expensive to buy. Thanks!

[@driventowin]

Thanks Kevin. I hope that it works out well for you. Keep us posted.

[@mitchelldumond7588]

Thanks! Just bought my first house with a well and had to put in a whole new softener/filter system. I have hardly ran 500gallon through and the sediment filter looks full. With chunks in the housing. The house was not used for 18 months so hoping the more I use the well that will get a little better but I was worried about the cost of filters. I had oxalic acid for cleaning other things so I’m going to give this a shot. Had you ever thought about going to a 20” filter so it lasts longer between changes? I would think the pleated ones would work the best for this vs the rope that could hold a lot more internally.

[@georgecrump5345]

Thanks for your video. I have 3 - 20" Big Blue filters. I have 20 & 5 micron filters and the 3rd one is a granular activated charcoal filter. Do you have a method to clean and reuse CAG filters?

[@mikeconway6639]

Great video. I'll give it a try. I've found using Molykote around the threads of the canister when putting it back on helps with leaks and helps when you need to release the canister to change the filter. I can change the filter around 10 times before I need to add another dose of it around the threads. I use such a small amount, one tube will last many years. My filters are much less expensive. I have to change them about every week, depending on how much company we get, and they used to be $3/filter. They are now over $4/filter. I get them from Menards for that price vs $10-$15 on Amazon. So, one filter is no big deal but multiply that by 30 or so filters a year and it adds up.

[@driventowin]

Thanks,... I'll look into Molykote.

[@normanbfifteen3468]

Thank you for the video. Will this work for all filter types? I have a rain fresh filter system about the size of yours

[@mele2904]

Thumbs up for knowing to use isolation valves for ease of service.

[@charles6771]

Excellent idea, does the Oxalic acid residue have any adverse effect on the main filtration unit? If Alan Alda had a younger brother, you'd be his twin. Excellent presentation!

[@driventowin]

16.5 years and counting, with no ill effects on filtration unit, pipes, or PEOPLE! Thanks for your question. Remember, I'm throughly rinsing the filter in clean water after the Oxalic Acid bath,... AND, this is the same Oxalic Acid found in many common foods!

[@joeg.6147]

Great video. Very well documented. I will give your procedure a try on my filter system.Thanks, Joe

[@driventowin]

Hello Joe,... thanks for viewing and commenting on our video. Please let us know how it works out for you. If you have any follow-up questions, let us know.

[@nelsnelson1131]

Thanks Excellent demonstration

[@wisdomsquare28]

Thank you for sharing this valuable knowledge!

[@artmrosla67]

Thanks for the nice video, ... gave me some great ideas on my water filter system. Just curious, ... is that acid powder the same as iron out??? Will have to check this out as I like a clear housing instead of one that continues to darken with rust. Thanks again and wishing you all the best!!! Art

[@driventowin]

Hello Art,.......The short answer is,....No,... oxalic acid (that white powder), is not the same as "Iron Out"! Not even close to being the same. Iron Out has differenct active ingredients/chemicals in it (Sodium hydrosulfite [approximately]~40%, Sodium carbonate ~30%, Sodium metabisulfite ~30%, and small amounts of Sodium sulfite and Citric Acid). That's a lot of various SALTS, all of which end up in my septic system, and we all should know that salts kill most bacteria, anaerobic and aerobic bacteria, in our septic systems. These are the little creatures that must be present in the septic system, in order to make it function well over time. High levels of salts in your septic system for long periods of time leads to high levels of biomat. Large build-ups of biomat WILL kill your leach field. Since most anaerobic bacteria in your septic system, are not halotolerant, try and keep all salts away from your septic system. In fact, anything that harms bacteria should be minimized or not allowed into your septic system. I have used Iron Out in the distant past, and it worked, but I didn't like it. After reading about OA (oxalic acid) and the chemicals in Iron Out, I decided to go with OA. I wanted a simpler way of attaining the results that were acceptable to us. I also later found out that OA is much less expensive (IF mixed up like I state in the video) and more user friendly. A lot of organic bee keepers use OA in bee hives, for different reasons of course, and OA doesn't harm the bees or spoil the honey. BTW, I chose not to use "Goof Off - Rust Stain Remover" for similar reasons. I hope all this helps you out. Sorry about the long answer, but the science behind the OA selection is lengthy,... I truncated it as best as I could.

[@thefartdart]

The filter should be cleaned from the inside out with hose first. Great video sir

[@allenclayton4162]

Hey. I know its an old video. But when you interrupt copper lines like that, you are supposed to use copper wire as a jumper so it remains grounded.

[@whtpwr]

Many homeowners and even plumbers forget the jumper.

[@serenity6988]

smart as smart can be! Im impressed! Thank you sir!

[@driventowin]

Thanks

[@smileywork]

We went out and bought this while watching your video a year ago, and today i found the oxalic acid on the floor in a sealed bag as we forgot about it. IM now back to clean my filter with your strategy. 1:28 is where he starts

[@keithhe100]

Great and informative video !! The Amazon link you provide for the acid seems to be a broken link. Found others, not quite as pure? Are they the same thing? Just want to be sure. Thanks, Keith

[@driventowin]

As far as I know, any Oxalic Acid will do. Find the best value (pounds per Dollar) and the purest concentration, and you can use it to achieve the same results. I hope this helps you, let us know how it works out.

[@nathanfeibelman7269]

You've given yourself a pretty good example of false security. The problem comes from the filter media. Your filter media is made of non-woven fiber. It is basically a mat of tiny fibers welded together in a heat and chemical process. The important factor is the size of the voids left in the mat. You stated that the media was 1 micron. That number is determined when the product was in "virgin" (unused condition). Initially that number will actually decrease as the filter clogs up, but the reverse happens when you clean the filters. The combination of the acid and water pressure will expand the voids a little each cleaning. You won't be able to see it, but after the third or 4th cleaning, larger particles in the 3-4 micron will pass through the media.

[@STROBdotNET]

Amazing i have a 5 micron filter and wanted to buy a 10 micron instead so it clogs slower. Thanks for the tips i will wash mine many times until it gets 10 micron!!! and save money!

[@driventowin]

Your comments are largely correct. Thanks for taking the time to comment respectfully. I have put a fair bit of thought into the "1 micron turning into 3 or 4 micron pore size probability", but I have determined to stay the course. In our area most homes start with 5 or 10 micron filters, and toss them when they clog up, so if my "cleaned filter" is allowing 3 to 4 micron particles by,.. I'm still better off then most homes. Next, the water tastes great, our laundry whites stay white, and our sinks; bathtubs; and toilets have stayed white for over a decade. The way we see it, is that the true test results are in the actual long term outcomes, twelve years and counting, and we're still happy with the results.

[@PaintSlinger99]

agreed

[@nejolo9563]

I can see the benefit for most people who along with a home water filter have another counter water filter to clear more volatile compounds, chlorine, flouride etc. I intend on getting a distillation for drinking but if I have cleaner, softer water to start with my safety issues are better off.

[@rickduncan362]

I have the same system and watching you press the red button on top, which released the air, may have saved my basement. My system has been leaking over the past few months. Today I saw this video and released that air pressure and I will watch that area for leaks. Will provide update. Thanks.

[@capaldicrew6848]

Rick, try really hard not to use the red button. They notoriously leak after you press them. Instead, you can put a sample port valve in the line before the shut off value to depressurize the filter housing. Or, you can close of the influent water supply to the filter and bleed of the pressure at a near by point of use.

[@glasser2819]

love all your practical science 🤗

[@landiJ03]

Your best bet to ensure that the O-ring gets an optimal seal and lifespan is by using a small amount of silicone or Teflon based lubricant (never use Vaseline)!

[@saved217]

I have been using Vaseline for years.

[@darrishawks6033]

Why shouldn't you use Vaseline?

[@Q400able]

Just clean filter with a garden hose sprayer removing all dirt and sediments, then add in a pitcher or (anything similar) 2-4 table spoon of baking soda, 1/2 - 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 or so cup of liquid bleach, put the filter in the liquid solution and let it soak in for about 30-1 hr. rinse again inside and out with garden hose. Should look good as new and no need to dry and wait just reinstall and flush the water softener for a couple minutes and voila!

[@jimmoore3767]

Im no chemist but I do know baking soda neutralizes vinegar. You might as well just soak it in bleach.

[@huemanexperience1738]

On a well, the spigot would have iron in it. Rinsing out iron with iron...doesn't work.

[@nejolo9563]

You’re suggestion on using bleach to clean the hot and cold pipes was something I never thought of. I’m pretty sensitive to bleach so I was wondering if a baking soda/vinegar combination on the filter chamber would suffice. Perhaps even doing this regularly prior to reinstalling the filter as a method to remove debris from the pipes and the hot water heater. Thanks.

[@futurematerialsandtech5766]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWPIi2poo5qol6c

[@joaocoelho7331]

Great Job! Very detail oriented with a lot of common sense.

[@driventowin]

Thank you for your kind words. I hope that you are able to put the knowledge to good use. Pass it forward.

[@joaocoelho7331]

I have a system that has backwash and does not have a pre filter, and also have an R.O. system. The lesson is learnt and I will pass it along.