Review: AO Smith AO-WH-Filter Whole House Water Filter System
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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The AO Smith Whole House Water Filter is an affordable tank-based carbon filter system that presents a compelling choice for budget-conscious users.
While it’s undoubtedly a bare-bones unit, it offers several features that could make it an interesting option for some. The filter is inexpensive, is essentially zero-maintenance, and has an impressive life of 600,000 gallons or 5 to 6 years.
Let’s take a closer look at the whole house filter and see if it merits a spot on your shortlist.
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AO Smith AO-WH-Filter Whole House Water Filter System |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Media: | Activated Carbon |
| Filter Life: | Up to 600,000 gal or 5 to 6 Years |
| Flow Rate: | 7 Gallons Per Minute |
| Annual Cost: | – |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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AO Smith AO-WH-Filter Whole House Water Filter System – All Specs
- Model: AO Smith AO-WH-Filter
- Filter Media/Process: Activated Carbon
- Flow Rate: 7 gpm
- Filtering Capacity: Up to 600,000 gal or 5-6 Years
- WxHxD: 8.75″x27″x8.75″
- Weight: 25 lb.
- Water Temperature: 40-90 °F
- Water Pressure: 20-120 psi
- Fitting: ¾”
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42 (Chlorine Taste and Odor)
- Warranty: 6 Years
AO Smith AO-WH-Filter – Key Features
The AO Smith AO-WH-Filter is a basic tank and activated carbon-based whole house water filter designed for removing chlorine and other unpleasant tastes and odors from your water.
With a 7-gallon per minute flow rate, the system is advertised for households with up to 4 members, but this may be a bit optimistic (more below).
As it’s a standalone carbon filter without any sediment pre-filter, on its own it’s not likely to work with well water, which tends to have higher levels of sediment – think clogging.
While the system is simple, it’s also inexpensive and very low maintenance, possibly making it a solid budget choice for municipal water filtration.
AO Smith Whole House Water Filter Pros
Perhaps the biggest advantage of the AO Smith Whole House Water Filter is its relatively low price.
And for that price, the system will last for about 6 years or 600,000 gallons before the tank needs replacement. If you compare that with cartridge-based systems which tend to last just one year before needing replacement filters, you’ll save significant money in the long run.
Another advantage is its low maintenance. The AO Smith system doesn’t require backwashing, flushing, or anything other than installation at your home’s main water line.
AO Smith backs the system up with a 6-year warranty, which is the advertised lifespan of the tank.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The primary contaminant removed by the granulated activated carbon filter media is chlorine – at an advertised level of 97%. Chlorine is commonly found in municipal water and some wells as it’s used as a disinfection chemical – but has the unfortunate effect of imparting an unpleasant taste and odor to water.
Granular activated carbon will also remove some chloramine, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemical compounds. It’s not ideal for filtering chloramine however, for this, you would need catalytic carbon.
Overall, the filter will drastically improve the taste and smell of water through chlorine reduction. It will also make it safer for drinking and cooking, improve skin health, and it can even improve the quality of the air in your home by stopping chlorine evaporation.
While AO Smith states the filter will work for both city and well water, in reality, this would only work as a standalone system for municipal water with low sediment. Well water typically has a much higher level of sediment, which would require pre-filtration to remove before running it through the carbon filter.
The AO Smith AO-WH-Filter – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
The installation process is fairly straightforward so you can do it yourself to save money if you want. Simply follow the steps outlined below:
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Tools recommended for installation:
- Crimping tool
- Channel locks
- Plumber’s tape
- PVC pipe cutter
- Garden hose
Step-by-step instructions:
- First, remove the red shipping caps on the inlet and outlet on the main housing. Be sure to keep the unit upright at all times.
- The system must be flushed properly before The granular carbon in the bottom of the tank contains about 1 to 2% carbon dust which needs to be removed first.
- To flush the system, attach the included adapter to the inlet port and connect a garden hose to the adapter. Then, turn on the garden hose and slowly turn on the faucet on top of the tank. Cloudy, black water will flow out initially due to the carbon dust.
- After 15 minutes of flushing, alternate turning the water supply on and off for 30 seconds each 15 minutes or until the initial surge of water is completely clear and free of carbon dust. Then remove the garden hose and prepare for installation.
- Now, that the system is flushed, turn off the main water supply to your home.
- Pick a spot to install the system along the main water line before it reaches the water heater.
- You will need to turn on the faucets downstream from the system to drain any water remaining inside.
- Then, mark a section of pipe to remove to accommodate the filter. Mark the exact length needed and then cut the pipe using pipe cutters.
- Wrap the ¾” male fittings with plumber’s tape and then connect them to the system inlet and outlet. Then connect the included ¾” shutoff valve to the system inlet and plumb the system.
- Turn the main water supply back on and then turn on the faucet closest to the unit and let it flush for a final 10 to 15 minutes.
Video
The Package (Parts)
- Central water filter
- Shut-off valve
- Nipple
- Hose adapter
Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, the AO Smith Whole House Water Filter requires remarkably little.
Essentially all that’s needed is replacing the tank after about 6 years or 600,000 gallons. The exact replacement timetable will vary based on the water quality and how much you use the system.
One thing to note is the manufacturer recommends a sediment pre-filter for the system but does not include one. Running water through the filter without sediment pre-treatment will likely reduce the lifespan of the filter, so it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on this.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://www.aosmithatlowes.com/media/1245/ao-wh-filter_ownersmanual.pdf
NSF and Other Certifications
The system is NSF tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 42 – which tests a system’s ability to reduce aesthetic effects (namely chlorine taste/odor).
In addition, the system is certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 for contact with potable or drinking water in the United States.
Earlier Product Versions
To our knowledge, the AO Smith Whole House Water Filter has no earlier product versions.
AO Smith Whole House Filter Cons
The only major drawbacks of the system are the relatively low flow rate and the lack of an included sediment pre-filter and bypass valve.
- While AO Smith claims the 7 gallon per minute flow rate is enough to accommodate a household of 4 or more people, we believe this is overly optimistic. In reality, a 7 gpm flow rate is just enough to accommodate a smaller home with 1 to 2 bathrooms. If you’re looking for a system for a home with 3+ bathrooms, you’d need a minimum flow rate of 9-10 gpm.
- The lack of a sediment pre-filter was covered above, but this is a fairly minor drawback given the low cost of such systems.
- As for the missing bypass valve, you’ll have to manually create a bypass during installation if you want one.
Other than that, the only issue that a small proportion of users had was leaking from the inlet and/or outlet connections. This could be an issue with improper DIY installation – and shouldn’t be a major cause for concern.
Side note: It’s important to keep in mind the AO Smith Whole House Water Filter is only a basic carbon filter and will only remove chlorine and unpleasant odors/tastes. If you’re looking for a system to handle a wide range of water contaminants, you’d need to add additional filter stages or purchase a more advanced system.
AO Smith AO-WH-Filter Review: Our Verdict + Best for
All in all, the AO Smith AO-WH-Filter makes a decent, basic carbon water filter for small homes at an attractive price. It’s also essentially maintenance-free, all you need to do is install the system and go.
Will it remove stubborn and potentially harmful contaminants like lead, chromium 6, or PFAS? No, but again, that’s not what it’s designed to do. It will get rid of chlorine and does so effectively and cheaply.
While AO Smith states the system is appropriate for both city and well water, in reality, it’s more suited to filtering city water which has already undergone some treatment.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 4.5/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 4.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Whole House Water Filters
Let’s take a look at two popular alternative whole house water filters and see how the AO Smith compares to the competition.
SpringWell CF |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon, KDF |
| Filter Life: | 1,000,000 gal or 6 Years |
| Flow Rate: | 9-20 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$40 |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Kind E-1000 |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon Block |
| Filter Life: | 12 Months |
| Flow Rate: | 15 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$145 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
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AO Smith AO-WH-Filter |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Media: | Activated Carbon |
| Filter Life: | Up to 600,000 gal or 5 to 6 Years |
| Flow Rate: | 7 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | – |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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First up, the SpringWell CF (read the full review here) is another tank-based system, albeit a significantly more advanced one. It uses a sediment pre-filter, catalytic carbon, and KDF to remove a wide range of contaminants from water including chlorine/chloramine, disinfection byproducts, PFAS, and pesticides.
It’s the ideal system for treating city water but costs significantly more than the AO Smith – between $1,000 and $1,750 (depending on the filter size selected). By the way, flow rates of up to 20 gpm are sufficient for all home sizes.
Another contender is the more budget-priced Kind E-1000 (read the full review here). This system uses a 2-stage cartridge design, with a 5-micron sediment filter followed by a catalytic carbon filter block. This offers the advantage of removing sand, silt, and sediment before it has the opportunity to clog the carbon. In addition to sediment, the system will remove chlorine/chloramine, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, and even industrial solvents among other harmful chemicals.
The system retails for about $900, but as it’s cartridge-based, so annual filter replacements must be purchased at about $145 per year. Flow rate: Up to 15 gpm which is enough for up to 5-6 baths.
In direct comparison, the AO Smith is considerably less costly than the other two but offers significantly less filtration capability. Both the SpringWell and the Kind include 5-micron sediment filtration, which is needed to keep the carbon filter from clogging. Additionally, both of the comparison systems feature catalytic carbon filter media, which is significantly more effective at removing more contaminants including chloramine as compared to regular activated carbon.
As a result, we believe both the SpringWell and the Kind would be better options for the majority of users looking for whole house carbon filtration.
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This completes our review of the AO Smith whole house water filter. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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