Catalytic Carbon Systems

Catalytic Carbon vs Standard Activated Carbon

Catalytic carbon is granular activated carbon with added catalytic activity on its surface. That activity makes it far more effective on chloramine, the disinfectant many cities now use in place of chlorine, which standard carbon reduces slowly. It also gives the media much longer life when treating hydrogen sulfide. For everything else carbon handles, like chlorine, tastes, and chemical odors, catalytic carbon matches or beats standard carbon.

What a Whole House Catalytic Carbon Filter Reduces

A whole house catalytic carbon filter treats water where it enters the home, so every tap, shower, and appliance gets the same water. AFW's systems are listed to reduce:

• Chlorine and chloramine
• Hydrogen sulfide (rotten-egg odor)
• Trihalomethanes (THMs), the by-products of chlorination
• Herbicides, pesticides and MTBE
• General tastes, odors and chemicals

The backwashing models are also listed to reduce iron up to 10 ppm, provided the water carries more than 4 ppm of dissolved oxygen. Upflow and cartridge models aren't listed for iron. Contaminant levels, pH, and oxygen all affect results, so start with a water test kit before choosing.

Choose Your Catalytic Carbon Filter System Type

Every catalytic carbon filter system here uses the same core media. What changes is how the system cleans itself, whether it needs power, and what water it suits.

Backwashing Tank Systems

Backwashing systems periodically reverse flow to lift the media bed and flush trapped particles and oxidized iron to drain. Choose a digital control on the Fleck 5600SXT or Fleck 2510SXT, the Mechanical Catalytic Carbon 15 System Fleck 5600, or a Digital Catalytic Carbon System with AFW filter valve. Each ships as a complete system with tank, riser tube, valve, catalytic carbon, gravel bed, and your choice of connection, and most homeowners can install one themselves.

GreenFlo Upflow Systems

GreenFlo systems reverse the usual direction of flow through the media bed, which removes the need for backwashing, wastewater, gravel, or electricity. A simple in/out head with no moving parts keeps maintenance low, and a bypass is included. These GreenFlo upflow tank systems are intended for water with little to no sediment.

20-Inch 2-Stage Cartridge System

The 20-Inch 2 Stage Whole House Water Filter pairs a sediment cartridge with a catalytic carbon cartridge in high-flow Big Blue housings. It's a compact choice for city homes focused on chlorine and chloramine.

Sizing by Bathrooms and Household

Tank systems are sized by media volume, shown in the model number: the 15 holds 1.5 cubic feet of catalytic carbon, and the 25 holds 2.5. A 10 suits one bathroom and one or two people, a 15 suits two to three people, and the 20, 25, and 30 step up for larger homes and higher flow. Check each product's rated service flow against your home's peak use, since more media handles more water at once.

City Water vs Well Water

On city water, the main job is chlorine and chloramine, and a GreenFlo upflow or cartridge system handles it without wastewater. On well water, catalytic carbon targets hydrogen sulfide and agricultural chemicals, and a backwashing system copes better with the particles wells carry. Where sediment is heavy, put sediment filter systems ahead of the carbon tank to protect the media.

Catalytic Carbon Shower Filters vs Whole House Treatment

A catalytic carbon shower filter puts a small bed of media at a single shower head to cut chlorine, chloramine, and odor while you shower. The trade-off is a small media bed, frequent cartridge changes, and coverage for one bathroom only. A whole-house catalytic carbon system treats every shower at once with far more media. If you only want to treat one shower, AFW's shower filters are the point-of-use option.