Review: Watts Premier WH-LD 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 Watts Premier WH-LD Whole House Water Filter is about as simple as it gets when it comes to whole house filtration, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of consideration.
While the system will only remove sediment over 50 microns in size, it’s also easy to install, very inexpensive, and comes bundled with a bypass valve and 3 filter cartridges.
Let’s take a closer look at this barebones sediment filter and see how it stacks up against the competition.
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Watts Premier WH-LD Whole House Water Filter System |
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| Price: | $ |
| Micron Rating: | 50 |
| Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Filter Life: | 3 to 6 Months |
| Annual Cost: | ~$15 |
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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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Watts Premier WH-LD Whole House Water Filter System – All Specs
- Model: Watts Premier WH-LD
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$15
- Filter Media/Process: 50-Micron Sediment
- Filtering Capacity: 3-6 Months
- WxHxD: 6″x14″x6″
- Water Temperature: 40-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 20-100 psi
- Water pH: 5-10
- Fitting: ¾”
- Warranty: 1 Year
Watts Premier WH-LD – Key Features
The Watts Premier WH-LD is a basic one-stage whole house sediment water filter designed to remove just one thing: Sediment. While it’s a long way from an advanced multi-stage water filter system, if you’re looking for simple sediment removal at a reasonable cost, you could do a lot worse.
The system uses a 50-micron sediment filter cartridge, which is a great deal less effective than the 5-micron filters often used on more advanced systems. That said, it will remove large particles like sand, dirt, rust, and other sediment commonly found in well systems without clogging.
While the system is simple, it’s also very inexpensive and comes with three replacement filter cartridges.
There is a 1-year warranty.
Watts Whole House Water Filter Pros
The Watts Premier WH-LD is significantly less expensive than typical whole house filters during both purchase and maintenance.
It comes bundled with three filter cartridges, a bypass valve, a mounting bracket, and a housing wrench.
The inlet and outlet ports are both steel reinforced rather than plastic – a nice feature to have at this price point.
The main purpose of a filter like this is to remove heavy sediment common to well water. This is a cost-efficient way to extend the life of water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and other appliances connected to your home’s water supply.
Another pro for the system is that at 50 microns, the cartridges are less prone to clogging than filters with finer micron ratings. Essentially, you’ll be filtering out fewer ultra-fine particles, but your system will last longer doing so.
If you wish to change the filtration level of your system, Watts states the system can be used with 5, 10, 20, or 50-micron filter cartridges, although 50-micron cartridges are recommended.
The system would also make a good option as the first stage of a multi-stage system to remove sediment before it could clog a downstream carbon filter or so.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
As the Watts Premier WH-LD is a simple sediment water filter it will only remove sediment down to 50 microns in size. For reference, that includes large and small sand, rust, cement particles, most silt, and household dust. It will basically remove anything that can be seen with the human eye, but not smaller.
The Watts Premier WH-LD – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
Compared to other whole house water filtration systems, installation is simple and easy. All that’s needed is a few basic tools and a little DIY/plumbing knowledge.
Watts suggests professional installation, but as long as you feel comfortable, you can save significant money by installing the system yourself – also thanks to the built-in bypass valve.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Tools and materials needed for installation:
- Hacksaw or pipe cutter
- Low grit sandpaper
- 2 x ¾” or ½” crescent wrenches
- Plumbers tape
You will also need to purchase the correct fittings for the pipe size and material of the main water line connecting to your home.
Installation steps:
- Determine the installation location on the main water line providing water to your home. You’ll want to select a location with enough clearance to change the water filters easily.
- Shut off the main water line. Then, open a faucet downstream of the water line to relieve the pressure inside your plumbing.
- Mark the installation location and then cut the water line where you plan to install the system. The amount of pipe to be removed will depend on the fitting type you’re using, so be sure to factor this in when marking and cutting. Copper pipes must be cleaned and de-burred before installing the fittings.
- Make sure that the flow direction is correct by looking at the directional arrows on the system. Then position the system in place and plumb it to the water line.
- Ensure the valve on the lid is set to ‘FILTER’. Then open a faucet downstream of the system and slowly turn on the main water supply until the faucet is flowing.
- Turn the faucet off, and check the entire system for leaks. Monitor the system for leaks for 24 hours after installation.
Video
The Package (Parts)
- Filter Head with Built-in Bypass Valve
- Mounting Bracket
- Filter Sump with O-Ring
- 3x 50-Micron Sediment Filter Cartridges
- Filter Wrench
Maintenance
Another positive to a simple sediment filter like this is how little maintenance is required. All that’s required is changing the filter cartridges every 3 to 6 months – depending on your water conditions and usage level.
More good news: Replacement filter cartridges are incredibly cheap totaling roughly $15 per year.
The manufacturer also recommends periodically checking the filter for sediment or dirt loading.
To replace the filter cartridge:
- Shut off the water supply to the filter housing by turning the bypass valve to ‘BYPASS’ or ‘OFF’.
- The system’s bowl (the filter housing) can be removed from the filter head by turning it clockwise. Use the filter wrench to loosen the housing.
- Remove and discard the old filter.
- Clean the inside of the housing using mild soap and water. Check that the O-ring is intact and lubricate it with a small amount of water-soluble lubricant.
- Insert the new filter cartridge and secure the filter bowl by rotating it counterclockwise onto the lid. Ensure the O-ring is properly seated. Hand-tighten the filter housing during this step, do not use the filter wrench for tightening.
- Turn the bypass valve back to ’FILTER’.
- Check for leaks and monitor the system for at least 24 hours.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0826/7845/files/199953_WH-LD-WHT.pdf?1050
NSF and Other Certifications
The Watts Premier WH-LD system has no NSF or other certifications. This is to be expected with a filter system at this price point, and should not really be a cause for concern.
Earlier Product Versions
To our knowledge, the Watts Premier WH-LD Whole House Water Filter has no earlier product versions.
Watts Premier Whole House Water Filter Cons
Overall, the system is well received, but there are a few issues that popped up with a small portion of users.
- Several disliked the use of a solid white filter housing rather than a commonly used transparent one. The transparent filter color would have allowed for a quick visual check of the sediment level to determine if a filter change is needed.
- One user had issues with the black rubber O-ring falling out of place during filter changes. Another had issues with filter housing getting stuck to the head. Overall, these issues seem isolated to a small minority of users, and the large majority was happy with the system’s performance.
- Another point to reiterate is that the system is limited to barebones sediment removal. If you need to remove other common contaminants such as chlorine/chloramine, lead, or pesticides, you’ll need to add on additional filtration stages or purchase a different system altogether.
- Additionally, the system only comes with a 1-year warranty and doesn’t have a defined flow rate.
Watts Premier WH-LD Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The Watts Premier WH-LD whole house filter makes a solid basic sediment filter at an attractive price. It requires very little maintenance and is easy enough to install on your own provided you have basic DIY skills.
However, the system only has a micron rating of 50, so it will only remove larger particles visible to the human eye. If you need finer sediment filtration, the system can be outfitted with different cartridges, but this isn’t recommended by the manufacturer.
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
Finally, let’s take a look at another popular whole house sediment water filter sold by a competitor to get a better idea of how the Watts system compares:
SpringWell PF |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Micron Rating: | 5 |
| Flow Rate: | 20-35 gpm |
| Filter Life: | 6 Months |
| Annual Cost: | $35-65 |
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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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Watts Premier WH-LD |
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| Price: | $ |
| Micron Rating: | 50 |
| Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Filter Life: | 3 to 6 Months |
| Annual Cost: | ~$15 |
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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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The SpringWell PF is designed to remove sand, silt, dirt, and rust from water. It features a 5-micron rating rather than the 50-micron rating of the Watts system – and as a result will remove much finer particulate matter.
The system costs just over $80, while replacement filters cost between $35 to $65 annually. This is slightly more than with the Watts.
The SpringWell also has a defined flow rate of either 20 or 35 gallons per minute (depending on the model size selected). Compare this to the Watts, which has no stated flow rate, so you’ll have to hope the system flow rate is sufficient.
Lastly, the SpringWell PF comes with a 180-day money-back satisfaction guarantee, as well as a lifetime warranty (limited) on the system. This is significantly better than the 1-year warranty offered by Watts.
All in all, the SpringWell would make a better whole house sediment filter for the majority of users in our opinion.
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This completes our review of the Watts WH-LD 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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