How To Get A Plastic Water Filter Stuck

Written by: Maria Martino // Last Updated: Jan 25, 2022

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Replacing the cartridge of a whole house water filter seems quite elementary. You twist the housing, remove the old cartridge, and slide in a new one. Simple, isn't it?

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that fashion. Many owners mutter that their filter housing or cartridge is desperately stuck. Unfortunately, it's a common problem; but, it can be avoided by making a few elementary changes.

Today, we shall go through a few solutions to assist you lot with the hard-to-handle filter housings and cartridges. No more wrestling or wasting hours contemplating your side by side program!

Contents

What to do when your whole business firm h2o filter housing is stuck and yous can't change information technology?
How to deal with a stuck filter cartridge?
How to prevent a stuck whole house h2o filter in future?

What to Do When Your Whole Firm H2o Filter Housing is Stuck and You lot Can't Change Information technology?

Whole house h2o filters piece of work tirelessly to go along your family healthy. Nevertheless, they require proper maintenance to stay at the top of the game.

Most cartridge-style units are easy to maintain and require periodic replacements of filters.

At times, due to excessive pressure build-up or debris accumulation, the sump gets stuck to the cap.

But no need to panic! We have a few ideas on how you tin can loosen it upward without breaking anything.

Release the Pressure level

You should non endeavour to open a whole house water filter canister while it'south still pressurized. For i, it won't be like shooting fish in a barrel to open, and second, you'll exist inviting a big mess for yourself.

So instead, you should first turn on the system'due south bypass valve. And then press the pressure level release button on pinnacle of the filter (in instance at that place is ane) and hold information technology till y'all no longer hear the hissing sound of air and water rushing out, which means the organization has been depressurized.

If you don't have a bypass valve, y'all must turn off the main water supply. Then open up the hot and cold faucets effectually the firm to depressurize the water line. Fifty-fifty a little pressure in the plumbing will arrive extremely challenging to open the filter housing.

Using Your Hands

A footling extra manpower might do the trick. Beginning, make certain your hands are dry out and firmly twist the housing to the left side.

Wrenches

Most whole firm water filter systems accept a plastic housing wrench included in the package. It's wise to become the right ane for your unit if y'all don't have it. Place the wrench as high every bit it slides on the housing to go maximum concord.

With your other hand, grab the pipeline to brace onto something while you employ just enough force per unit area to loosen the housing.

If it's still stuck, you can endeavor out these popular ideas that accept helped many homeowners.

Big Blue Whole House Water Filter

Utilize Ii Wrenches

When one doesn't work, bring out another 1! Use two plastic wrenches and slide them together – ane on top of the other. Hold the wrench handles on either side of the housing and twist them both simultaneously.

The added forcefulness might be plenty to loosen up the housing.

Utilise a Pipe

Some people swear past using a metallic pipe and the ii wrenches to assist release a stuck housing.

Hold the two wrenches together and slide them onto the filter canister. Take a metal pipe of well-nigh 2 to 3 feet long and slide the hollow pipe onto the wrench handles.

Carefully use the pipe for support while you twist the wrenches to the left. The boosted length is enough to requite you more leverage.

Use a Metal Wrench

A metal filter housing wrench is much more powerful and longer than the standard flimsy plastic ones. Information technology is also readily bachelor at local hardware stores. If you've broken a few plastic wrenches wrestling with your whole house filter, information technology's time to motion on to the solid stuff.

You don't need to apply too much force, and there are fewer chances of breaking a metal wrench. If it still fails, use a pipe for more than leverage.

Strap Wrench

A strap wrench is a heavy-duty wrench used to loosen up cylindrical and rectangular objects. It's very simple to use. But wrap it around your whole house filer housing, fix the attachment to the yolk, and attach a ½-inch socket wrench for some torque.

For more back up, adhere a pipe to the socket wrench.

Rubber Strap Wrench

A prophylactic strap wrench is a must-have tool that is inexpensive and has multiple uses around the house. If you are getting ane specifically for your water filter, buy one that is 20% bigger than the circumference of your filter example to get more leverage.

Borer

The most common reason for a whole house filter to get stuck is the buildup of minerals from contaminated water. At times but a piffling borer is enough to dislodge the debris, which makes it easier to loosen the housing.

Lightly tap using your hand or use a rubber mallet. Hit on the exterior of the filter housing, near the rim.

Applying Heat

If all else fails, it'due south fourth dimension to bring out your blow dryer. Applying estrus to the plastic housing volition help information technology expand and brand it easier to remove. This is why your filters usually become harder to remove in fall and winter equally temperatures go downwardly.

Moreover, heat will assistance soften the hard deposits possibly stuck onto the threads.

The key is to heat the exterior of the housing that is jammed. Once it is warm to bear on, lightly tap it with a safe mallet to knock out the housing.

Alternately you can pour warm water or employ a warm towel compress direct onto the housing to assist the plastic expand. But don't overdo it, or it will damage the canister and change the shape of the connection point.

Use WD-twoscore

If the filter case doesn't come off past applying mechanical force, use some WD-xl to drench the top of the filter housing. WD-40 will assist loosen up the case, but it could too damage the O-band. And then, ever keep a few replacements handy.

Pro Tip: Turning in Both Directions

We have been repeatedly told to move the container towards the left to loosen information technology. Simply here is an interesting tip:

To break the tough deposits on the rim, slowly move the container correct and so to the left. Do it repeatedly. Simultaneously, apply a little pressure from the lesser and push button upwardly the housing. The abiding movement may assist interruption downward the hard deposits for easy removal.

How to Deal with a Stuck Filter Cartridge

Filter cartridges tin go stuck or hard to remove due to multiple reasons. The most common reason is the buildup of minerals that forms a difficult layer.

A stuck filter cartridge is way more troublesome to remove considering of constricted infinite. Simply we have a few tricks up our sleeve to aid you swim through the waters, literally.

Using Your Easily

Evidently, you must take tried this, but we tend to make a few common mistakes, then it's better to try the right technique using our tips. Motion the filter cartridge clockwise and anticlockwise repeatedly, using your fingers to root it out.

Needle-Nose Pliers

Using needle-nose pliers allows yous to pull out the cartridge easily out of the canister. The pliers grip the cartridge tightly, so you lot don't have to cram your fingers in the tiny space.

Slowly twist the cartridge to loosen up the debris, then pull it out.

Rut

If you are still nowhere close to removing the stubborn cartridge, you need to bring out your surreptitious weapon: the blow dryer. Since the filter is stuck at the bottom of the housing, apply a niggling estrus down there and permit the water deposits melt abroad.

Follow upwards by lightly borer the housing on the flooring or utilize a pair of needle-olfactory organ pliers to pull it out.

How to Forestall a Stuck Whole Firm Water Filter in Future

Replacing a whole business firm water filter shouldn't be unmanageable equally long as you change your cartridges on time. Hither are some other tips to salvage you from the hassle of a stuck filter.

Don't Overtighten

Perhaps the most obvious reason for a stuck filter is over-tightening the housing it in the first place. All-time avoid that and only tighten as much as needed.

Replace Worn-out O Rings

Every time yous replace your cartridge, inspect the O-rings closely. Make sure they are positioned correctly and replace them with new ones if they are broken, inflexible, or accept tiny nicks all over.

Use Silicone Grease

Using food-grade silicone grease on your O-rings not only helps create a perfect seal just too eliminates the demand to tighten the filter too much. This fiddling trick will relieve you from a lot of trouble at the time of replacement.

Bank check Inside of Filter Housing for O-rings or Parts of Them

Each new whole house filter cartridge comes with a small O-band on the bottom to aid it sit down perfectly in the channel. When you remove your one-time cartridge, make sure you remove the former O-band too.

If it stays within, you won't be able to gear up your housing properly. In fact you may overtighten information technology to compensate. Therefore, always check the bottom for leftover O-rings and remove them before putting in a new one.

If you take any questions nearly changing a stuck whole house water filter please don't hesitate to leave a comment below!

Well-nigh the Author Maria Martino

Maria Martino is 1 of our part-time content creators. She owns a B.A. in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Chicago and enjoys writing almost all walks of life. When she doesn't write, Maria likes to portray people and support her local community.
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