Hi, I'm Kevin M.. I live in Cleveland.
Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips asked me to share my experience as a homeowner on Iron Filter with the SoftPro Fluoride & Chlorine SUPER Filter (Whole House Catalytic Bone Char Carbon Filter) I purchased.
This is how my adventures played out. I hope this helps you in your decision.
Why I Desperately Needed a Whole House Water Filter
Like many Cleveland homeowners, I was dealing with water that just didn't taste right. Every morning, my coffee had this underlying chemical taste that I couldn't shake off, and honestly, it was getting frustrating. My wife kept commenting about how our tap water smelled like a swimming pool, especially during the summer months when the city seemed to ramp up their chlorine treatment.
What really opened my eyes was when I started researching what was actually in our municipal water supply.
Cleveland's water comes from Lake Erie, and while it's treated to meet safety standards, there's still a cocktail of chemicals and contaminants that make it through the system. We're talking about chlorine, fluoride, chloramines, and various organic compounds that can affect taste, smell, and potentially long-term health.
The breaking point came when I tested our water with a basic TDS meter and found levels that were higher than I was comfortable with. I realized I needed more than just a simple carbon filter under the kitchen sink – I wanted clean water throughout the entire house for drinking, cooking, showering, and everything in between.
My Research Journey: Why I Chose SoftPro's Catalytic System
I spent about three weeks diving deep into whole house filtration options. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of technologies available – standard carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems, UV sterilization, and various specialty media combinations.
What caught my attention about SoftPro's system was the dual-media approach combining catalytic carbon with bone char.
The catalytic carbon is specifically designed to tackle chlorine and chloramines more effectively than standard activated carbon. This was important because Cleveland's water treatment facility uses chloramines, which are notoriously difficult to remove and can actually be more persistent than regular chlorine.
The bone char component was the game-changer for me. After researching the science behind it, I learned that bone char has a unique ability to remove fluoride through a process called adsorption. While fluoride removal wasn't my primary concern, I appreciated having that capability built into the system.
What really sold me was the upflow design.
Traditional downflow filters can create channeling, where water finds the path of least resistance and doesn't get proper contact time with the media. The upflow configuration ensures better water-to-media contact and more consistent filtration performance.
Unboxing and First Impressions
When the system arrived, I was immediately impressed with the packaging quality. Everything was well-protected, and SoftPro included detailed documentation that actually made sense – not the usual poorly translated installation manual you sometimes get with water treatment equipment.
The main filter housing is substantial – we're talking about a 10" x 54" tank that's clearly built for long-term use. The fiberglass construction feels solid without being unnecessarily heavy, and the control valve has a professional appearance that matches other quality water treatment equipment I've seen.
One thing that stood out was the completeness of the kit.
SoftPro included bypass valves, mounting hardware, inlet and outlet connections, and even the initial media charge. This was a relief because I've heard horror stories about companies that nickel-and-dime customers with "essential" add-ons that should have been included from the start.
The media itself comes in separate containers – the catalytic carbon and bone char are pre-measured for the tank size. The quality control was evident here too; both media types were clean, properly sized, and free of the dust and debris you sometimes find with lower-grade filtration media.
Installation Experience: Easier Than Expected
I'll be honest – I was nervous about installing a whole house system myself. My plumbing experience is limited to basic repairs and fixture replacements, but the SoftPro system was designed with DIY installation in mind.
The most time-consuming part was actually planning the installation location.
The system needs to be installed on the main water line after the shutoff valve but before any splits to water heaters or other treatment equipment. In my basement, this meant some creative positioning to ensure adequate clearance for the tank while maintaining access to the bypass valves.
The https://www.softprowatersystems.com/products/whole-house-upflow-catalytic-bone-char-carbon-water-filter actual installation took about four hours, including several breaks to double-check connections and review the manual. The control valve comes pre-programmed with reasonable default settings, though I did make some adjustments based on my household size and water usage patterns.
First startup was straightforward – the system automatically initiated a backwash cycle to settle the media and remove any initial fines.
This process took about 45 minutes, during which I could hear water flowing through the drain line. The instruction manual clearly explained this initial conditioning process, so I wasn't concerned about the temporary discolored water during backwash.
Performance Testing and Real-World Results
I'm the type of person who likes to measure things, so I tested our water quality both before and after installation using a combination of TDS meters, chlorine test strips, and my own taste and smell observations.
The chlorine removal was immediately noticeable.
Before installation, our municipal water tested at 2.5 PPM free chlorine – well within safe limits but definitely detectable by taste and smell. Post-installation testing showed virtually undetectable chlorine levels, consistently below 0.1 PPM even when testing first thing in the morning after the system had been sitting overnight.
The taste improvement was dramatic. That chemical aftertaste that had been bothering me for years was completely gone within the first week of operation. Coffee tastes cleaner, ice cubes are crystal clear, and even cooking seems to benefit from the improved water quality.
What surprised me was the improvement in shower quality.
I hadn't really considered this benefit when purchasing the system, but removing chlorine from shower water made a noticeable difference. My skin feels less dry, and my hair seems softer – benefits I wasn't expecting but definitely appreciate.
Flow rate through the system has been excellent. Even with simultaneous water usage – shower running while the dishwasher is operating – I haven't noticed any pressure drops or flow restrictions. The 1.5 cubic foot media bed provides adequate contact time without creating backpressure issues.
Operating Costs and Maintenance Reality
One of my biggest concerns before purchasing was the ongoing operational costs. Nobody wants to buy a system that breaks the budget with expensive consumables and frequent maintenance requirements.
The good news is that this system is relatively low-maintenance compared to other filtration technologies.
The automated backwash cycles handle most of the maintenance automatically. I have mine set to backwash every five days based on my household water usage, and each cycle uses approximately 150 gallons of water over 45 minutes. In Cleveland, where water costs are reasonable, this adds maybe $15-20 per month to my utility bill.
Media replacement is the major long-term cost consideration. Based on our water quality and usage patterns, SoftPro estimates the catalytic carbon and bone char media will need replacement every 3-5 years. Current replacement cost for both media types is around $300-350, which works out to roughly $6-10 per month when amortized over the media life.
Compared to buying bottled water or even high-quality point-of-use filters, the economics work out favorably.
We were spending about $40 per month on bottled water and pitcher filter replacements, so the whole house system actually saves money while providing superior coverage and convenience.
Long-Term Performance and Reliability
I've been running this system for eight months now, and performance has remained consistent throughout this period. The automated backwash cycles keep the media bed clean and properly conditioned, and I haven't needed to make any adjustments to the original programming.
The control valve has been completely reliable – no missed cycles, no programming drift, and no mechanical issues.
The digital display clearly shows system status, and the manual regeneration feature has come in handy a couple of times when we had extended house guests and higher-than-normal water usage.
One minor issue I encountered around month six was slightly reduced flow during backwash cycles. A quick call to SoftPro's technical support revealed this was normal settling of the media bed, and they walked me through a simple procedure to optimize the backwash settings. The entire conversation took less than ten minutes, and their technical knowledge was impressive.
What I appreciate most is the system's "set it and forget it" operation.
Once properly installed and programmed, it just works without requiring constant attention or adjustment. The only regular maintenance I perform is checking the bypass valves quarterly and recording water usage monthly to track media consumption.
Final Verdict: Worth the Investment
After eight months of real-world use, I'm confident this was the right choice for my household. The combination of catalytic carbon and bone char provides comprehensive contaminant removal while maintaining excellent flow rates and reasonable operating costs.
The installation was straightforward enough for a moderately handy homeowner, and the ongoing maintenance is minimal.
Performance has exceeded my expectations, particularly in areas I hadn't originally considered like shower water quality and cooking applications.
Would I purchase this system again?
Absolutely. The peace of mind that comes with knowing our entire household has access to clean, great-tasting water is worth every penny. My wife no longer complains about chlorine smell, my coffee tastes better, and we've eliminated the expense and environmental impact of bottled water.
For Cleveland homeowners dealing with similar municipal water quality issues, I'd definitely recommend considering SoftPro's catalytic bone char system. It's a professional-grade solution that delivers consistent results without the complexity and expense of more exotic treatment technologies.
The upfront investment is significant – around $1,200-1,500 depending on configuration – but the long-term value proposition makes sense when you factor in operational costs, convenience, and the comprehensive protection it provides for your entire household water supply.