How to choose a water filter for the home
A water filter at home is not an “extra accessory”. Grit and rust from the network kill mixer cartridges, clog aerators and damage boiler elements. This guide helps you choose water filtration by the problem — not by the biggest box. Related: plumbing guide, mixer cartridge.
Start with the symptom
| What you see | What you usually need | What not to start with |
|---|---|---|
| Grit, rust, “black dots” in the aerator | Mechanical housing + element (microns) | An expensive “taste” station without mechanics |
| Mixer / shower clogs quickly | Filter before the line + regular cartridge change | Only buying a new mixer |
| Limescale / hardness | Separate hardness logic (not only a 25 mcr string) | Hope that 25 mcr “removes limescale” |
| Washing machine protection | Polyphosphate / special dispenser (per card) | Mixing with drinking-water RO without a project |
Three parts you must understand
1. Housing — holds the cartridge; it has a thread (1/2″, 3/4″, 1″) and length (5″, 7″, 10″). Examples: Atlas DP 10 MONO 3/4″ KIT, Senior Plus 10″ 3/4″, Senior Plus 10″ 1″, compact 5″: Mignon Plus L3P, Mignon Plus S3P.
2. Element / cartridge — decides what is filtered. Microns: what microns mean. Examples: FA Mignon 25 mcr, FA Mignon 10 mcr, FA SX 25 mcr.
3. Service — how often you change it. Without changes the filter becomes a “dirt store”. How-to: how to change a cartridge.
Mechanical vs others
Mechanical (string / fibre) catches particles. It is not automatically softening. Comparison: mechanical or cartridge. Typical dispenser for a washing machine in the range: Atlas Dosal 3/4″ polyphosphate — read the card for what it is meant for.
Where to install
- On the inlet — protects the whole house (mixers, boiler, shower).
- Before a specific appliance — if the problem is local.
- Always leave space for cartridge change and a way to shut off water.
Practical choice at Inventars
Compact start: DP 10 MONO 3/4″. Standard 10″ line: Senior Plus 3/4″ or Senior Plus 1/2″. 5″ Medium: Medium Plus 3/4″. Sanitary variant: Sanic DP Mono 10″ 1/2″. Junior 7″: Junior Plus 3/4″.
Typical mistakes
- Buying a housing without knowing what thread is on the pipe.
- Fitting 1 mcr “because finer is better” on very dirty water — it will clog in hours; start coarser, then finer.
- Not changing the cartridge for years.
- Expecting a mechanical filter to “remove limescale” like softening.
What’s next
mechanical vs cartridge · microns · cartridge change. Range: Water filtration.
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