iSpring WKB32B Whole House Water Filter Review

Are iSpring’s whole house systems as cheap and as effective as their reverse osmosis systems? We find out in our review of iSpring’s leading whole house system.

iSpring WKB32B

Cost: $$

Filtration Stages: 3

Warranty: 1 year plus 30-day money back guarantee

Filter Lifespan: 6-12 months

Water Flow Rate: Up to 15 gallons per minute

Waste Water: None

Dimensions: 24 x 12 x 36 inches

Similar model: HomeMaster 3-stage

Introduction

iSpring make some great reverse osmosis water filters, so I was really interested to see what their whole house systems offer. They are known for offering very affordable and effective technology, and I hoped to find the same ideals in the WKB32B. While I wouldn’t say it was cheap, it is certainly very competitively priced for a whole house system. It comes in at quite a bit cheaper than 3-stage systems by Home Master and Aquasana.

It uses the largest filters on the market, meaning that water flow isn’t impaired and that the filters last longer than conventional ones. A main selling point of the iSpring reverse osmosis systems is that the filters are much cheaper then competitors. The filters for this whole house system are also among the cheapest available. It also uses 1″ ports designed for a high water flow, and to minimize the loss of pressure as water travels through the filter. These one inch ports offer a water flow rate of up to 15 gallons per minute. This is among the highest water pressure available in whole house systems.

As an American based company, iSpring offer excellent customer support, and will provide support by e-mail and phone, before and after a purchase. This gives great peace of mind, as buying and installing a whole house water filter system is a big leap into the unknown for almost all of us.

Performance

Being a 3-stage system it offers three layers of protection against harmful water contaminants.

The first stage filter protects against the larger particles like sediment, rust, sand, dirt, and heavy metals. This filter uses  multi-layer technology which gives a more gradual filtration, meaning that the filter is less likely to clog up as quickly. Put simply, the outside layer of the filter has bigger holes (larger micron size), and the holes get smaller as the filter nears the inner layer. This has the effect of reducing clogging of the filter pores which can cause pressure loss. It also means your filters will last a bit longer. This filter offers protection down to 5 microns, meaning that only particles smaller than this will pass. This is about as good as it gets for whole house water filters, which are not as refined as reverse osmosis systems. The Aquasana Rhino is offers the best protection in a whole house unit (down to 0.35 microns). Five microns should suffice in most areas, but if you have problems with pesticides then I’d recommend something a bit more refined.

The second and third stages of the filtration process use carbon block filters. These work to remove further pollutants from the water, and also to refine the taste and odor. They are more effective at removing chlorine and organic chemicals. These two filters are exactly the same, and doing so keeps the running costs low. However, these big blue 20″ x 4.5″ filter housings are standard among many different filter systems. This means there are a variety of different filters available, allowing you to pick and choose and customize your water filter combinations. This system comes as standard with one sediment filter and two carbon filters, but if you wanted you could add a pH filter in place of a carbon filter to balance the pH. This idea of customization is a great selling point of this system, and allows you to tailor your filters specifically to your water problem.

Update: This 3-stage water filter is now available in 3 different filter configurations. There is the regular carbon filter that we have just mentioned, and now two specialist versions. They deal with heavy metals like lead, copper, and iron. The carbon version is great for municipal water supplies, while the heavy metal filters are well suited to well water supplies. Take a look at how the 3 systems compare in the table below:

The WGB32B-PB version is the most expensive, but it is one of the most effective whole house systems for treating well water supplies. It can deal with water that has high levels of sediment in it, while at the same time removing dangerous heavy metals like lead and mercury.

The cheaper WGB32B is perfect for city water supplies. The 2 carbon filters are great at treating high levels of chlorine.

If you don’t require something as powerful as a 3-stage whole house system, the iSpring also offer this range in the 2-stage form. The 2-stage systems are available in the same 3 options, but are quite a bit cheaper, and allow faster water flow rates.

This water filter is NSF certified. The NSF is a public health and safety organization, and ensure that the filter has been tested to the highest safety standards. Only the water filter systems of the highest standards are awarded these certificates.

This whole house water filter will do a great job in protecting your home from most harmful water contaminants. It is powerful enough to protect against the more common contaminants. If you should need something more powerful then reverse osmosis water filters are the next best thing. However, they won’t filter all of the water in your home (only at one point). This is the trade-off between the two systems of filtration.

Installation and Maintenance

The iSpring WKB32B does not include bypass or shut off valves, and will require soldering to install. The bypass valves and pipe are necessary or you will have a really messy time when it comes to changing the filters. They can be purchased at relatively little expense to add at installation. The filters themselves are pretty easy to change and just require a wrench, and a bit of muscle. The user manual is available to read here.

Check out our guide to whole house filters to see how you can install a whole house system like this, all by yourself. We have step by step instructions and some videos that outline the whole process very clearly.

Pros and Cons

Why You Need a Whole House Water Filter

There are many reasons why you should consider buying a whole house water filter. The main reason is to increase the quality of your water. Unlike other types of filters, a whole house filter makes this very easy because it automatically filters all the water running to every bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room.

You may need to filter your water no matter what type of water source you have. Although, for water coming from a well, a filter can help to improve the taste and remove dangerous contaminants. For water from a public source, a filter clarifies it and helps to remove anything the municipal system does not or any additives they may add.

Just knowing you can provide healthier water for your family makes a whole house filter worth it. Plus, this type of filter is very low maintenance and high functioning, so it will work away in the background to provide you fresh, clean water with a turn of the tap.

Check back soon for more reviews of the top water filters, and water treatment devices. Follow us on Facebook to stay in the loop with all that’s new in the water filter world.

Other Similar Models to the iSpring WKB32B

APEC Water Systems 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter System

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The 3-Stage Water Filter from APEC Water Systems effectively removes chlorine, dirt, sand, silt, rust, odors, VOCs, and much more contaminants when compared to a lot of other filtration units available on the market at this price.

This point-of-entry system is installed at the main water supply line to deliver clean and healthy water for washing, bathing and cooking. Once installed, the unit uses its 3-stage filtration system in an effective manner without necessarily taking GPM or other things into consideration.

You can install the APEC Water Systems 3-Stage Whole House Water Filter much as you would install the iSpring WKB32B Whole House Water Filter. Basically, it works inside any home you can imagine as long as you have the necessary real estate to place and install it.

Express Water Whole House Water Filter, 3 Stage Home Water Filtration System

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If you want a filtration system similar to the iSpring WKB32B, the Express Water Whole House Water Filter System is a good replacement if, for whatever reason, the iSpring model isn’t available.

What we like about the Express Water System is that it filters over 65 different types of contaminants, including limescale so you can get that softened water that you so desire without the use of sodium. Furthermore, Express Water’s filtration system is ready to install on standard 1-inch connections.

Even better, the filter is made with a stainless steel frame that ensures prolonged durability and efficiency. Another great thing about this is that the stainless steel also prevents rust and mold that might be caused by excessive water or cracks that can be caused by hot water. Overall, a really great rival to the iSpring WKB32B.