Home Master Whole House Water Filter Review

When you’re looking for a whole house water filter, it can seem like there’s no end to the choices you’ll have to make. And while hours of research might help you find the Goldilocks filter for your home, sometimes it’s better to just go with a reliable workhorse of a product.

That’s exactly what Home Master’s Whole House Water Filter is. In this article, we’ll cover everything this no-nonsense system has to offer. By the time you’re finished reading, you’ll have a clear picture of whether it’s the right choice for your home.

How it works

As with all whole house water filters, Home Master’s is a point of entry system. This means you’ll install it directly at the point where your water — either municipal or well water — is pumped into your home.

From that point your water will go through either 2 or 3 stages of filtration, depending on which version of this system you get.

Stage 1 is a sediment pre-filter. It removes the large bits and pieces that could otherwise clog up the more sensitive later filter stages. And it helps to make your water clearer too.

Stage 2 is a radial flow iron reduction filter. It’s optional for this system, and removes iron and other heavy metals from your water. Great for well water, but probably not necessary for municipal water sources.

Stage 3 is a granular activated carbon filter. This is the main workhorse of any filter system. It removes unpleasant tastes and odors from your water, as well as common contaminants like chlorine and volatile organic compounds.

We’ll walk you through whether the 2- or 3-stage system is better for you in a later section.

Performance

Water filters aren’t regulated officially, but some manufacturers submit their products for voluntary testing and certification by consumer standards non-profits like NSF & ANSI.

The value of an NSF certification is that, as a buyer, you’ll know an independent lab has rigorously tested and verified the manufacturer’s claims of what contaminants a particular filter system can remove. Without a NSF cert, you’ll simply need to trust the maker is making accurate claims.

The only real strike against Home Master’s Whole House Water Filter is that it hasn’t been certified by the NSF/ANSI. 

Does this mean that the Home Master filter system doesn’t work? 

No, not at all. 

It just means that it’s hard to impossible to verify the exact claims that the company is making. But by comparing the filtering media to other popular systems, it’s pretty obvious that this system is using the same technologies and will provide similar results.

Flow Rate

As long as you have decent water pressure and flow rates to begin with, this filter system will keep them in good shape. 

The extra large filter housings have huge inflow and outflow ports. And a radial design for each filter keeps water moving through swiftly. 

This leads to impressive flow rates of 15 to 20 gallons per minute (GPM). 

Filter Replacement

Filter replacements for the Home Master are quite affordable. 

The sediment pre filters generally cost less than $50 a piece, and should be replaced every 6 months. And the activated carbon filters cost less than $100, and should last for 100,000 gallons or about 1 year. 

So you’re looking at a total yearly cost of around $180 to provide filtered water for your entire house. That works out to less than a penny per gallon total cost to you.

Product Variations

There are two different versions of Home Master’s Whole House Water Filter System.

The first is a 2-stage filter that’s meant for municipal water supplies. This is the “base model” and the most affordable.

The second is a 3-stage filter that adds heavy metal filtering. It’s meant for well water, and is more expensive.

Lifespan and Warranty

Every Home Master system is covered by a 2-year warranty. That’s better than some filter systems, but less coverage than you’ll get with several of the higher-end whole house filtration systems.

The housings for this system are quite sturdy and durable, but the inlet / outlet hardware is made of plastic, and less likely to really last for the long haul. You should expect to replace it every 5-10 years.

Cost

This is one of the most affordable whole house water filtration systems you’ll find.

If your home is connected to a municipal water supply, then the 2-stage filtration system is likely your best fit. The upfront cost for the system hardware is incredibly reasonable. Be sure to budget about $200 annually for filter replacements over the lifetime of your system.

If your home is on well-water, the 3-stage system should generally be a better fit. It will cost more, but not by an unreasonable amount.

While this system isn’t incredibly difficult to install, and many folks do it by themselves, you might consider getting a professional plumber to do the work for you. The cost of a pro’s time can vary widely depending on where you live, and is usually between $40 to $250 an hour.

Installation

Installation for any whole house water filter system is difficult. The Home Master is no exception. You’ll need your own plumbing tools and plenty of pipe fitting know-how to successfully install this on your own. Otherwise, plan on budgeting a plumber’s time into your cost estimates for this system.

Recap

So is the Home Master Whole House Water Filter System the perfect filter? In a sense, it’s getting pretty close. It provides reliable, uncomplicated filtering for municipal or well water. And its filters are easy to replace and relatively inexpensive. 

If anything is wrong with the Home Master, it’s that they haven’t pursued voluntary NSF certifications. That’s a flaw but not a dealbreaker. Overall, it’s an excellent and uncomplicated choice for most households.

Frequently Asked Questions