Review: Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Whole House Well Water Filter System
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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The Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E is a tank-based whole house water filter system designed to remove various contaminants commonly found in well water supplies.
It offers several features that make it attractive to well water users including a small footprint, very low maintenance requirements, automatic backwashing, and a low price point. But the Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Whole House Well Water Filter System also has its downside.
Let’s take a closer look at it and see how it stacks up against the competition.
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Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Whole House Well Water Filter System |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Process: | Not Specified |
| Filter Capacity: | Not Specified |
| Water Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Annual Cost: | $0 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘ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.
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Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Whole House Well Water Filter System – All Specs
- Model: PRO-WELL-1E
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$0
- Filter Media/Process: ?
- Flow Rate: ?
- Filtering Capacity: ?
- WxHxD: 9.25″x48″x9.25″
- Water Temperature: 32-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 25-125 psi
- Fitting: 1″ NPT
- Warranty: 5 Years
Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E – Key Features
The Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Whole House Well Water Filter System is a tank-based unit designed to remove a wide array of contaminants common to well water. This includes sediments, hydrogen sulfide, iron, manganese, copper, radionuclides, and more – prevents well water from staining your fixtures, clogging pipes, and causing unpleasant taste/odor.
The exact filter media is not clear, but we can assume it’s greensand (or similar) mixed with something else. The manufacturer only states the filter uses a “media blend”, but based on the contaminants removed this is a logical assumption.
The tank has a relatively small footprint, which allows it to fit in a variety of spaces like closets, basements, or next to water heaters.
The system will automatically clean itself without the need for added chemicals. An automatic backwashing cycle will rinse away built-up contaminants into the drain every few days.
A digital valve head allows for easy system programming, while a stainless steel bypass makes installation and maintenance much easier.
A 5-year limited warranty on the system is included, as well as lifetime tech support.
Pro+Aqua Well Water Filter Pros
Perhaps the system’s largest advantage is its affordability. With a complete installation kit, the PRO-WELL-1E costs just under $600. When compared with other tank-based whole house filters for well water, it is priced very competitively.
A stainless steel bypass valve comes included as well, making installation and upkeep easier. The digital valve head is very easy to program, so you can set the backwash interval and time as needed.
Pro+Aqua offers a military, first responder, government employee, and teacher discount of 8% on all items in their store.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
According to Pro+Aqua, the PRO-WELL-1E will remove iron, hydrogen sulfide (sulfur/rotten egg odor), manganese, zinc, lead, copper, radium, uranium, radionuclides, and other heavy metals.
The Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
Installation is fairly straightforward and can be done on your own provided you have basic DIY and plumbing skills. Of course, you can always hire a plumber or contractor to install it for you if you don’t wish to do a DIY installation.
Good news is, we have a built-in bypass valve so that you don’t have to establish a system bypass manually during installation.
Tools needed for installation:
- Channel locks
- Teflon tape
- Razor knife
- Adjustable wrenches
- Screwdriver
- Grounding clamps and copper wire (if grounding is needed)
A 120V electrical outlet connection is required within 6 feet of the system. A nearby drain is also needed for backwash draining.
The tank must be installed on level ground to work properly. The base is self-leveling to allow the tank to be leveled on any surface.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Installation instructions:
- Find the main water supply valve to your home and shut it off.
- Open a nearby cold water faucet to make sure the water is shut off completely.
- Wrap plumber’s tape around the included 1” fittings and install them to the included bypass valve.
- Grease the O-rings in the adapter couplings with silicone lubricant.
- Mount the bypass valve to the control head by pushing it into the adapter couplings.
- Fasten the Bypass valve using the included metal clips and screws.
- Now, take the tank out of the box and position it in the installation location.
- Grease both of the O-rings in the control valve as well as the riser tube in the tank opening.
- Press the upper basket into the bottom of the control head and rotate in a counterclockwise direction to secure.
- Then, install the upper basket to the tank’s riser tube. Press the valve down into the tank and thread the control head to the tank being careful not to cross-thread.
- Tighten by hand, and then use your hand to tap the unit slightly until it’s fully tight.
- If installing the system on copper piping, you’ll want to install grounding clamps and copper wire running between them to maintain the grounding, otherwise, you can skip this step.
- Now, find out which fittings you’ll need to work with your system. Determine the inlet and outlet of your system by checking the directional arrows on the bypass valve.
- Use plumber’s tape on both the inlet and outlet fittings.
- Attach the 18” flex hoses to both fittings.
- Attach the inlet flex hose to the incoming water line. Attach the outlet flex hose to the line running into your home. Support all pipes and connections to prevent any tension.
- Now, find the drain hose included with the system. Mark the hose ½” away from the end and connect it to the drain port so it reaches the mark you made. Then run the other end of the hose to a close by drain.
- Now, put the unit in the bypass position and shut on the main water line running into the system.
- Turn on the nearest faucet and allow cold water to flow for at least 10 minutes to flush the system. (Remove the faucet screen if there is one).
- Check the entire system for leaks.
- All that’s left to do is run the system startup sequence to program the digital head.
Video
The Package (Parts)
- 1/2” Drain Line
- 2x 18” Flex Hoses
- 1” Yoke
- 2x 1” Fittings
- Bypass Valve
- Top Distributor
- Power Supply
- O-Ring Lubricant
- 2x Clips Screws
- 2x Metal Clips
- Adapter Coupling
- Electronic Valve Meter
- Media Tank
- Riser Tube & Bottom Distributor (Pre-installed)
Maintenance
The system is essentially maintenance-free as it will flush and regenerate its filter media on an ongoing basis.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
The system has no NSF or other certifications.
Earlier Product Versions
The system has no earlier product versions as far as we are aware.
Cons
As the filter is a single-tank system and doesn’t have a sediment pre-filter, it will be more prone to clogging over time than filters with pre-filtration. This is especially true considering the system is designed for well water, which has a higher level of dissolved particles than municipal water. We recommend installing a separate sediment pre-filter!
Another issue is the lack of clarity when it comes to the actual filter media used. The manufacturer doesn’t disclose the filter type, so the best we can do is guess based on the contaminants removed.
Additionally, no information is provided about the system’s flow rate, which is an important metric when picking out a whole house water treatment system. We can assume the rate must be around 8 to 10 gallons per minute, but again, this is just an educated guess.
As no pre-oxidation is used in the filtration process, we can assume the system will not work well with elevated levels of iron, manganese, or sulfur – which are all commonly found in well water. Additionally, the manual states that the warranty will not cover “systems with excessive iron, manganese, or with very high chlorine concentrated feed water”. It also recommends installing pre-treatment before the system to protect the filter. Unfortunately, no further detail is given as to what “excessive” means, so this seems to be highly subjective.
Looking at the customer reviews, it seems a small percentage had issues with the system not effectively removing the sulfur smell from water or with the sulfur odor coming back after several weeks/months. The cause of this is not exactly clear, but it’s something to consider if you’re dealing with this issue in your water.
Other users had issues with sediment making its way through the filter.
Finally, several people had a difficult time dealing with customer service/warranty issues, so be aware you could run into the same situation.
Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Review: Our Verdict + Best for
Overall, the Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E Whole House Well Water Filter System is highly affordable when compared to its competition, so it would have made a good option when you’re on a budget. Unfortunately, the manufacturer has left out some critical details about the unit – including the filter media material and the flow rate.
Based on what we found out, the system probably won’t work in circumstances with higher levels of iron, manganese, or sulfur – all of which are common in well water systems. This means you may need additional pre-filtration for the system to work effectively.
If you happen to have well water with low levels of the above contaminants and a relatively small home, then the PRO-WELL-1E may be a decent option. Otherwise, it makes sense to look for a more capable filter system elsewhere. Because in the end, you get what you pay for. And for such a low price, you simply cannot expect a top-notch product.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 3.5/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Whole House Well Water Filters
Let’s take a look at how the Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E stacks up against one of the better whole house well water filtration systems on the market – the SpringWell WS.
SpringWell WS |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Spin-Down Sediment, Air Injection Oxidation + Greensand |
| Filter Life: | Up to 10+ Years |
| Flow Rate: | 12-20 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | $0 |
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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.
Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
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Pro+Aqua PRO-WELL-1E |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Process: | Not Specified |
| Filter Life: | Not Specified |
| Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Annual Cost: | $0 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘ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.
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The SpringWell WS (get the full product review here) is another tank-based system but with several key differences: The filter media is clearly defined, with both air injection and greensand filtration capable of removing up to 7 ppm of iron, 1 ppm of manganese, and 8 ppm of hydrogen sulfide. The flow rate is between 12 and 20 gallons per minute, depending on the specific model selected – this is enough even for very large homes almost certainly better than the Pro+Aqua even though its flow rate is not defined.
The SpringWell has a 10-year service life, and can even last longer. It also comes with a lifetime warranty (limited) on the entire system and a 6-month money-back guarantee, which is better than the 5-year warranty offered by Pro+Aqua.
Overall, the SpringWell is the far better choice for nearly all users, even though it has a significantly higher price tag. The only possible exception would be when the budget is your number one consideration.
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This completes our review of the Pro+Aqua whole house well water filtration system. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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