WaterFilterComparisons’ Review

Making an informed decision about your home’s water filtration needs can be tough, but that’s where we come in. In this review, we’re exploring the key features, performance, installation process, and overall benefits of the Whirlpool WHELJ1. By the time you finish reading, you’ll have all the essential information you need to determine whether the Whirlpool WHELJ1 is the perfect fit for your household’s water filtration requirements. Let’s dive in.

Product Specs

• Size: 10.13 x 13.44 x 33.75 in; 44.1 lbs
• Capacity: Up to 10 years or 2,280,000 Gallons
• Filtration Technology: Sedimentation  
• Water Type Filtered: Municipal and private well water supplies. Not for use with non-potable water sources. 
• Contaminants Addressed: Chlorine taste and odor, iron, sediment, calcium, magnesium, manganese 
• Certifications: NSF/ANSI Standard 42
• Flow Rate: 6 gallons per minute 
• Installation: Unit comes with extensive do-it-yourself instructions in the installation manual 
• Warranty: One year full warranty, 3–10-year limited warranties 

Performance

The Whirlpool WHELJ1 uses FilterSense® Technology to filter sediment and other particles up to 40 microns, removing sediment, chlorine, and other contaminants from your water supply. It’s also programmed to clean itself every 14 days, which means you never have to remember to replace the filter or buy expensive replacements. 

Together, these filtration stages remove or reduce the following contaminants:

• Chlorine taste and odor 
• Iron (though users have reported issues for water with high iron concentrations)
• Sediment
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Manganese

Certifications

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have a collection of standards aimed at defining the basic safety criteria applicable to residential water treatment filters, purifiers, and reverse osmosis systems used for drinking water purposes. 

Here are the relevant certifications the Whirlpool WHELJ1 meets: 

• NSF/ANSI 42: Filters meet this certification for their ability to decrease aesthetic impurities, such as chlorine taste and odor. These filters can be categorized as either point-of-use systems installed under the sink or in water pitchers, or point-of-entry systems installed for the entire household.

Flow Rate

The Whirlpool WHELJ1 generates six gallons of filtered water every minute. 

Limitations

This Whirlpool whole-house water filter system was not designed to filter water with heavy metals such as iron, and the six-gallon-per-minute flow rate can be challenging for larger households with multiple bathrooms. It also uses about 10 gallons of water each time it cleans itself. Another limitation is that it requires electricity to operate, meaning you’ll have to install it near an outlet and you won’t be able to get filtered water in an emergency situation where there’s a blackout.

Installation and Maintenance

Before you install the Whirlpool WHELJ1 filtration system, thoroughly read the instructions in your user manual and make sure you’re adhering to local plumbing codes for your area. The following list is a quick overview of the installation process. 

1. Shut off the main valve that supplies water to your residence. Then, open all faucets situated after the water line in order to completely empty any residual water within your pipes.
2. Place the unit in the designated installation position. Ensure that the surface is even; if required, utilize 5/8” plywood and shims to achieve proper leveling.
3. Take off the top cover of the unit and suspend it by its rim from the post.
4. When setting up the unit in a residence with metal pipes, it is crucial to incorporate grounding clamps to ensure the proper grounding of your water line. Place grounding clamps and connect them with a copper wire at the installation point of the unit to maintain effective grounding.
5. Proceed by loosely assembling the necessary pipes and fittings that run from the primary water supply to the system’s inlet and outlet. Confirm that all fittings are securely and accurately attached, and ensure that the incoming water supply is connected to the valve’s INLET side.
6. The plumbing process may vary slightly depending on the type of pipe you are working with. For more specific instructions, refer to the manual provided.
7. To utilize the “clean rinse” function, it is necessary to establish a drain connection. Attach the provided drain hose to the valve’s drain fitting on the unit and secure it using a hose clamp.
8. Extend the opposite end of the drain hose to reach a floor drain, laundry tub, or standpipe. Trim the 3/8” flexible drain hose to the required length.
9. Fasten the drain hose securely, ensuring there is a 1½” space left as an air gap to prevent the backflow of sewer water. It is essential to secure the drain hose to prevent any potential “whipping” during the clean rinse cycles.
10. Confirm that the single bypass valve is set to the bypass position and proceed to open the primary water supply valve. Following this, briefly turn on a faucet within your residence to allow water to flow through the plumbing. Gradually alternate the bypass valve on and off multiple times, pausing intermittently to ensure a gradual pressurization of the unit. While performing this, carefully inspect for any signs of leaks.
11. At this point, the system is prepared for operation! The final steps involve connecting the power supply to an electrical outlet and initiating the startup procedure.

Pros and Cons

The Whirlpool WHELJ1 can be a great system, but has a few drawbacks to be aware of. Let’s explore some of the pros and cons to help you gain a comprehensive understanding of this whole-house water filter system and make an informed decision about its suitability for your water treatment needs.

Pros

• Little to No Maintenance Required: Compared to other whole-house filtration systems, the WHELJ1 hardly requires any maintenance because it’s a self-cleaning system.
• Cost Savings: Because the WHELJ1 is self-cleaning, you can save the money that would’ve been spent replacing the filters every year. 
• Long Life: The filter lasts for up to 2.28 million gallons. 

Cons

• Low-flow rate: The low flow rate may struggle to keep up with the water needs of a household with multiple bathrooms. 
• Limited filtration capability: The WHELJ1 only removes 82% of chlorine and the system won’t be able to effectively remove contaminants like lead, chloramine, or PFAs.
• Relies on electricity: Requires electricity to function, meaning it has to be installed near an outlet and will contribute to your utility bill. Additionally, you won’t be able to get filtered water in an emergency situation where there’s a blackout
• Reports of streaks in toilets and bathtubs: Some reviewers have mentioned seeing black streaks resembling mud in their toilets and bathtubs, which might be related to carbon media leaching from the system or an inability to filter high levels of iron (more common with sources like wells)

FAQs

How long does the Whirlpool WHELJ1 system last?

The Whirlpool WHELJ1 system will last up to 10 years.

What is the warranty on Whirlpool WHELJ1?

The Whirlpool WHELJ1 has a one-year warranty on all parts and labor. It also has a three-year limited warranty on its electric control board and a 10-year limited warranty on its fiberglass filtration media tank.

How do you clean the Whirlpool WHELJ1?

This Whirlpool whole-home filtration system cleans itself every two weeks. 

Summary

The Whirlpool WHELJ1 offers notable benefits such as minimal maintenance, cost savings due to its self-cleaning mechanism, and a substantial filter lifespan of up to 2.28 million gallons. Despite its strengths, limitations include a relatively low flow rate for larger households and a chlorine removal rate of 82%, leaving room for improvement in handling contaminants like lead, and chloramines. The system also relies on electricity, which requires it to be installed near an outlet and this means you won’t have access to filtered water during an emergency situation where there’s a blackout. Some users have also noted seeing black streaks in their toilets and bathtubs, which could be from carbon media leaching in the system or an inability to filter that’s especially high in iron.

On your hunt for a whole-home water filtration system, check out other options like the Aquasana Rhino®. This high-performance, whole-house filtration system reduces 97% of chlorine and more. The Aquasana Rhino is certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 42, but goes beyond to meet the certification for NSF/ANSI Standard 61 — which guarantees its components won’t leach harmful levels of contaminants or impurities into your drinking water that could compromise its safety or quality. 

Check out our user-friendly, whole-house filtration systems page to compare the features of other systems available in the market today to help you make the best decision for your home and needs.