Plumbing question

[supton]

I forget if I asked this or not...

I have a house water filter, one of the low cost "whole house" filter, "Omnifilter U25". It looks like it uses some solderless compression connections on the copper pipes, which in turn thread into the unit.

Q1: if I undo these to replace the entire housing, can the by reused with no problem? There's no issues where the copper pipe is somehow "used up" and has to be trimmed as a result?

Q2: just to answer the obvious, when I remove the housing any water pipe above the filter will now drain out, correct? It won't magically hold water due to vacuum? There are precious few shutoff valves in the system.

 

[expat]

Yes, the compression fittings are re-useable.

Yes, the water will drain out unless you fit a turn off valve.

 

[supton]

Hmm, thought that might happen. I do have some friends who are more handy than I; at least one is a contractor. Maybe I'll get them to "help" me; if the house is going to drain perhaps I'll have 2-3 shutoffs installed at the same time.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: supton
Q2: just to answer the obvious, when I remove the housing any water pipe above the filter will now drain out, correct? It won't magically hold water due to vacuum? There are precious few shutoff valves in the system.


You can shut the water off to the entire house, and then turn on a faucet at the lowest level (basement laundry sink for example) and one at the highest point (i.e. the kitchen sink). That will drain almost all the water from the system and you'll only get a small dribble from the area where you're working.

Once you button it back up make sure you run all the faucets until they quit spitting air. And flush the toilets-it's a bit startling for your wife when you drain the system and she's the first to flush the toilet afterwards, not knowing that they'll spit air and sound like they are about to explode.

 

[supton]

Good point; didn't think of that. Lowest point looks like a drain on the water tank; thankfully the furnace has shutoffs on it. Kitchen sink does too.