How do you change a Kinetico softener prefilter?

It catches sediment and other solids before they reach the softener. Kinetico says a prefilter keeps sediment and other solid material in your water supply from entering the softener, and that you should change it regularly to keep the softener working properly. It also says some Kinetico systems have prefiltration built into the softening system itself, in which case there is no separate housing to service.

Kinetico's K5 drinking water station uses the same idea on a smaller scale. Its instructions describe a sediment prefilter, commonly used for well water, and a high capacity carbon and sediment prefilter, most often used for municipal supplies or chlorine-treated water. Kinetico's prefilter page doesn't say how often to change a softener prefilter, only "regularly," so ask your dealer about the interval for your water. The EPA makes the general point that home treatment units all need some maintenance and that you should follow the manufacturer's replacement recommendations.

Gather a few things first:

• A replacement cartridge that matches your housing. Kinetico says a reusable cartridge can be rinsed and reused instead.
• A bucket or receptacle, in case your system has no drain tubing.
• Silicone lubricant, only if the housing O-ring needs it. Kinetico says not to use petroleum jelly or any other lubricant, and that doing so will void your warranty.
• A sump wrench, if your dealer offers one. Kinetico says the housing can be hard to turn without one.

Read all ten steps once before you begin. Kinetico's order matters, because the bypass and the two small valves are what make the housing safe to open.

These are Kinetico's ten steps with the details it gives.

1. 1Put the softener in bypass. Find the bypass valve. In service, Kinetico's bypass shows a green section in the opening of the dial. Turn the handle until the yellow section shows. Kinetico notes that there are many bypass valve styles, so yours may differ.
2. 2Set up to depressurize. Look for 3/8-inch plastic tubing coming from the bypass and prefilter Superkit. If it doesn't run to a drain, put a bucket under it. If you don't have that tubing, skip ahead to step 4.
3. 3Depressurize the softener and prefilter. Open the two 3/8-inch valves, one at the head of the prefilter and one near the connector tubes that join the softener to the pipes. Leave them open and wait at least one minute. That reduces spillage and makes the housing easier to turn.
4. 4Remove the filter sump. Turn the housing clockwise with two hands, viewed from above. Kinetico warns that it may take effort if you couldn't depressurize, and that the sump will be full of water.
5. 5Remove the used cartridge. Turn it clockwise to take it off. Throw away a disposable cartridge. A reusable one gets rinsed under clean running water, or soaked in a water and Iron Out solution or whatever your dealer recommends, then dried and stored.
6. 6Inspect and clean the sump. Empty the water and look for sediment at the bottom. Check that the seal and O-ring are in good condition before you insert a cartridge, and lubricate the O-ring with silicone if needed.
7. 7Install the new or clean cartridge. Insert it into the top of the housing and turn it counterclockwise until it stops.
8. 8Install the sump. Place the housing over the cartridge, line up the threads and turn it counterclockwise until it seals. Kinetico says to line up the arrow on the sump head with the arrow on the housing.
9. 9Close the 3/8-inch valves. Return to both valves and close them.
10. 10Return the bypass to service. Turn the handle until the green section shows. Then check the prefilter for leaks.

### What if the housing drips afterward?

Kinetico gives two causes. You may need to tighten the housing a little more, or something may be keeping it from sealing. Check that the cartridge is firmly in place and that the O-ring isn't in the way of the seal. If the drip continues after that, put the softener back in bypass and call your dealer or a plumber.

Kinetico's prefilter page says to change the prefilter regularly but doesn't set a schedule or describe a gauge, so ask your dealer what interval suits your water. What it does give you is a check at every change: when the sump comes off, look inside for sediment that has collected at the bottom, and inspect the seal and O-ring. Sediment in the sump is the prefilter doing its job, and it tells you how hard the filter is working.

Kinetico's K5 drinking water station is more specific about its own filters, and our page on how to change Kinetico K5 filters covers that system. The two are separate: the K5 filters serve the drinking water tap, while the softener prefilter protects the softener.

### What happens to your water while the softener is in bypass?

The softener is out of the loop, so the water reaching your fixtures isn't softened until you set the bypass back to the green in-service position. Kinetico's boil-order instructions use the same bypass position to isolate the treatment system from the plumbing, so the valve does what its name says. Plan the change so you can finish it in one sitting and return the handle to service, especially in a hard water area like the Valley. Our page on whether water softeners work with Arizona hard water explains what unsoftened water does to fixtures and heaters.

### Can you do it without bypassing the softener?

Kinetico's instructions begin with the bypass, so follow them. Putting the softener in bypass isolates it while you work, which is why the second half of the job is turning the bypass handle back to the green in-service position. Our page on where to use the water softener bypass valve explains what the bypass does and when else you'd use it.

It's a reasonable job for a homeowner who is comfortable shutting off water and working with a full housing. Kinetico offers the steps for owners and lists its authorized independent dealers for service. A few situations call for help: a housing that won't loosen, an O-ring that looks damaged, a leak that comes back, or plumbing around the unit that looks corroded. HQ Plumbing & Air can help with the plumbing side, such as bypass valves, shut-offs and supply lines. We're licensed and insured, give free estimates and quote an upfront price. For the rest of Kinetico care, see what salt a Kinetico softener uses and whether a Kinetico softener uses electricity.