Using a Pentair Big Blue Filter Wrench: The Simple Way to Change Your Filter

Okay, so the other day I needed to change the water filter in my house. It’s one of those big blue ones, you know? I usually don’t have a problem with it, but this time the housing was stuck. Like, really stuck. I tried twisting it off by hand, but it wouldn’t budge.

So, I remembered I had this special wrench that came with the filter housing, called a “filter wrench.” It’s this big plastic thing specifically designed to fit around the housing and give you more leverage. I grabbed that thing and got to work.

Steps I Took:

• Turned off the water: First things first, I shut off the main water supply to the house. Gotta avoid a watery mess, right?
• Relieved the pressure: Then I went to a faucet and turned on the cold water tap to release any built-up pressure in the system.
• Isolated the filter: There are these valves on either side of the filter housing, so I closed those to isolate the filter from the rest of the water lines. This helps minimize the amount of water that spills out when you open it up.
• Used the wrench: I positioned the filter wrench around the housing, making sure it had a good grip. Then, with a little elbow grease, I turned it clockwise. It took a bit of effort, but the housing finally started to loosen. I kept turning until it was completely unscrewed.
• Removed the old filter: With the housing off, I could easily pull out the old, dirty filter. Man, it was gunked up! Good thing I was changing it.
• Cleaned the housing: Before putting in the new filter, I gave the inside of the housing a quick wipe down, just to make sure everything was nice and clean. I noticed that the O-ring was a bit worn, so I took it off and cleaned the groove where it sits. It’s recommended to replace the O-ring every third filter change. I gotta do that next time.
• Installed the new filter: I popped the new filter into the housing, making sure it was seated correctly.
• Screwed the housing back on: Finally, I screwed the housing back onto the filter head, hand-tightening it at first, and then giving it a final snug with the wrench.
• Turned the water back on: With everything back in place, I slowly opened the valves on either side of the filter housing, and then turned the main water supply back on. I checked for any leaks, and thankfully, there were none!

It took a little time, but changing the filter was a lot easier than trying to do it by hand. That filter wrench really saved the day. If you have one of these big blue filter housings, make sure you keep that wrench handy. You never know when you’ll need it!