This is a non-backwashing whole house carbon water filter with 20″ full-flow housings, sediment pre- and post-filters, and 1″ ports. It uses catalytic granular-activated carbon and high-capacity 20-inch Big Blue filter housings. It helps reduce chlorine, chloramines, hydrogen sulfide, bad taste, odor, sediment, and certain chemical contaminants before water reaches showers, sinks, laundry, appliances, and drinking water fixtures.
This system is a strong fit for homeowners who want whole-home taste and odor improvement with cartridge-based maintenance instead of an automatic backwashing valve.
Utilizing Catalytic Granular Activated Carbon, this non-backwashing whole house carbon water filter will purify all the water throughout your entire home. This system will remove dirt, sediment, chlorine, chloramines, bad taste, and odor from all of your family’s water. Ideal for smaller homes or cabins with up to 5 (FT-2.5-CC-BB20) to 6 (FT-3.0-CC-BB20) showers.
This great system will benefit every member of your family, everyday. Showering in chlorine free water will make a noticeable difference in your hair and skin.
Port size: 1-inch FNPT connections
Media type: Catalytic granular activated carbon
Housing type: 20-inch x 4.5 inch Big Blue/full-flow heavy-duty filter housings
What is a Non-Backwashing Whole House Carbon Water Filter System Used For?
- Whole house chlorine taste and odor reduction
- Chloramine reduction in city water applications
- Hydrogen sulfide reduction for sulfur or rotten-egg odor concerns
- Sediment reduction using high-capacity Big Blue filter housings
- Better tasting water for beverages, ice, cooking, and brushing teeth
- Improved water smell and comfort for showers, baths, and everyday household use
- Residential applications where higher-capacity cartridge housings and 1-inch ports are preferred
What it reduces
- Chlorine taste and odor
- Chloramines
- Hydrogen sulfide
- Dirt, rust, and sediment
- Certain chemical contaminants
- General taste and odor concerns throughout the home
Why choose 20-inch Big Blue housings?
20-inch Big Blue housings hold larger cartridges than standard 10-inch housings, which can support better flow, longer filter life, and less frequent cartridge changes in many applications. They are a practical choice when you want cartridge-style whole house filtration but need more capacity than smaller housings can provide.
Why choose a non-backwashing system
A non-backwashing carbon system does not use an automatic backwashing control valve or drain connection for media cleaning. Instead, it relies on carbon media and replaceable filter cartridges to support whole-home filtration.
Choose a non-backwashing system when:
- You prefer cartridge replacement over backwash programming
- You do not want to run a backwash drain line
- You want a simpler whole house carbon filtration setup
- Your home’s flow demand matches the selected system size
Choose a backwashing carbon filter instead when:
- You want the carbon bed to rinse on a schedule automatically
- Your home has a higher peak flow demand
- You want a lower-touch media bed cleaning process
- Your water conditions require routine backwashing to maintain performance
Compatibility checks before ordering
Before buying, confirm:
- Your plumbing can connect to 1-inch FNPT ports or be properly adapted
- You have enough wall space for the 20-inch Big Blue housings
- You have enough clearance below each housing for cartridge changes
- Your installation location can support the weight of the full housings and the carbon tank
- Your home’s peak flow demand matches the system size you choose
- You want a non-backwashing carbon system rather than an automatic backwashing filter
- If microbial protection is needed, plan to add UV disinfection after proper prefiltration
Recommended add-ons
- 1 inch whole house installation kit, if not already included
- UV sterilizer if bacterial or microbial protection is needed
- Reverse osmosis drinking water system if you want dedicated under-sink purification for drinking and cooking water
Install difficulty: Moderate
This is a main-line whole house installation that includes a carbon tank and Big Blue filter housings. Many experienced DIY customers can install it with the right fittings and tools, but a plumber or installer is recommended if you are not comfortable cutting into the main water line, supporting housings, adapting pipe connections, and checking for leaks.
Installation
- Choose an installation location on the main water line after the main shutoff and before water branches throughout the home.
- Confirm there is enough space for the carbon tank, the Big Blue housings, and cartridge service clearance.
- Shut off the water supply and depressurize the plumbing system.
- Mount the Big Blue housings securely to a wall, plywood backer board, or stable surface.
- Install the carbon tank in the correct flow direction.
- Connect plumbing to the 1-inch FNPT ports using properly supported fittings.
- Turn water on slowly and check all housings, fittings, brackets, and tank connections for leaks.
- Flush the system according to the included assembly instructions before normal use.
- Recheck for leaks after startup and again later the same day.
Maintenance Schedule
- Sediment cartridges: replace every 6 to 12 months, or sooner if flow drops or sediment load is heavy
- Carbon media: replace based on gallon capacity, water quality, and return of taste or odor issues
- Housing O-rings: inspect during every cartridge change and replace if flattened, cracked, nicked, or leaking
- Brackets and fittings: inspect every 6 to 12 months for movement, seepage, or stress
- System performance: monitor flow, taste, odor, and pressure over time
Replacement Triggers
Replace sediment cartridges when:
- Flow drops noticeably
- Pressure drop increases across the housings
- Cartridges show heavy discoloration or visible loading
- Sediment appears downstream
- Your planned maintenance interval is reached
Replace carbon media when:
- Chlorine, chloramine, sulfur odor, or chemical taste returns
- Maximum gallon capacity is reached
- The expected service life has passed based on usage and water conditions
- Water quality goals are no longer being met
Choose this non-backwashing whole house carbon system when you want chlorine, chloramine, hydrogen sulfide, taste, odor, and sediment reduction with high-capacity 20-inch Big Blue housings and 1-inch connections.
FAQs About Non-Backwashing Whole House Carbon Systems
Q: What is a non-backwashing whole house carbon filter?
A: It is a whole house carbon filtration setup that uses replaceable carbon cartridges instead of an automatic backwash cycle to improve water taste and odor at every tap.
Q: Who is the non-backwashing whole house carbon filter system best for?
A: Homeowners who want whole-home taste and odor improvement and prefer a cartridge-change maintenance routine instead of a backwashing tank system.
Q: What does “20 BB housings” mean?
A: It means the system uses 20-inch Big Blue style filter housings, which hold larger cartridges for higher flow and longer life than many smaller housings.
Q: What do “1-inch ports” mean?
A: The inlet and outlet connections are 1 inch, which is commonly used to support higher flow and reduce restriction compared to smaller connection sizes.
Q: What does a non-backwashing carbon filter system help with?
A: It is commonly used to reduce chlorine taste and odor and improve overall water smell and comfort, especially for city water applications.
Q: Is this a water softener?
A: No. Carbon filtration targets taste and odor. Softening is used for hardness minerals that cause scale and spotting.
Q: Does this remove bacteria?
A: No. Carbon filtration is not a disinfection method. If microbial protection is needed, UV disinfection is typically added after appropriate prefiltration.
Q: How often do the carbon cartridges need to be replaced?
A: Replacement depends on water quality and usage. Many homeowners replace carbon cartridges on a routine schedule and sooner if taste and odor return or flow drops.
Q: Will this reduce water pressure?
A: It can if cartridges become loaded or if the system is undersized for peak demand. Using 20-inch Big Blue housings and 1-inch ports helps support better flow, and on-time cartridge replacement helps maintain pressure.
Q: How is this different from a backwashing carbon filter?
A: A backwashing carbon filter cleans the media automatically on a schedule. A non-backwashing system relies on replacing cartridges when they are spent or when they are loaded.
Additional Systems to Consider:
$249.00 - $279.00
Your Complete Non-Backwashing Whole House Carbon Water Filter System Includes:
- Structural Polyglass Tank w Molded Tank Head
- Filtration Media: Catalytic Carbon
- (2) 20″ Full-Flow Size Heavy Duty Filter Housings (Blue)
- (2) Mounting Brackets with 8 Screws for Filter Housings
- (1) Filter Housing Wrench
- (3) Harmsco Industrial Quality WB-HB-20-5W Pleated 5 Micron 20″ Full-Flow Sediment Prefilter
- (3) Harmsco Industrial Quality WB-HB-20-1W Pleated 1 Micron 20″ Full-Flow Sediment Postfilter
Accessories included with this system.
