Turn off your water at the main valve. Open a faucet downstairs to drain the line. This is the quietest your house will ever be. Relish it.
Now, cut the pipe. Use your pipe cutter and rotate it around like you’re opening an oddly-shaped bottle of wine. It will make a squeak. That’s normal. It’s the pipe crying.
Whole House Water Filter Installation Diagram
Slide the sharkBite or compression fittings onto the cut ends. These little genius gadgets grab the pipe like a hungry octopus. No soldering! You can literally do this in your pajamas.
Quirky fact alert: SharkBite fittings were inspired by the teeth of a shark. The inventor saw a shark bite a pipe in a dream. (Okay, I made that up, but it sounds true, and it’s funnier that way.)
Attach the Filter Head
Thread the adapter fittings onto the brass filter head. Wrap the threads with Teflon tape three times. The tape is plumber’s confetti—it prevents drips and makes you feel official.
Hand-tighten everything. Do not use a wrench to overtighten. Brass is soft. You’ll crack it, and then you’ll cry, and then you’ll visit the hardware store at 8 PM on a Sunday. I’ve been there. It’s lonely.
Hang the filter head on the wall using the included bracket. Make sure it’s level. A crooked filter doesn’t work better; it just judges you every time you walk by.
