Chlorine and chloramine, with the chlorine taste and smell, and it reduces chlorine byproducts (THMs, HAAs), VOCs, herbicides, pesticides and PFAS (reduced; it is not certified for PFAS, so retest after it is in). Centaur is a catalytic carbon: besides adsorbing contaminants like standard carbon, it decomposes chloramine faster than standard activated carbon. It does not remove hardness, iron, manganese, bacteria, nitrate or fluoride. For a light rotten egg smell on a well, Aidan uses the larger 2.5 tank, and strong sulfur needs a Katalox Light iron and sulfur filter.

A backwashing filter periodically reverses water flow to flush sediment and redistribute the media. It needs a drain line and an electrical outlet. This non-backwashing filter uses an upflow design where water enters from the bottom and naturally lifts the carbon bed during use. No drain, no electricity, no wasted water. For city water or clean well water, non-backwashing is simpler and just as effective.

About 4 to 5 years in most homes; Aidan's estimate for the 1.5 is four years, maybe five. The tank holds 1.5 cubic feet of Centaur (one 1 cubic foot box and one 1/2 cubic foot box). To replace it, take the head off, dump the old carbon into trash bags, pour new Centaur in through the included fill funnel, put the head back on and flush. Centaur is sold at $295 per cubic foot. Backwashing would not make it last longer: once carbon has adsorbed something, it does not come back out.

No to both. The Clack C1190 is a non-electric, non-backwashing head. There is nothing to plug in, no timer to set and no drain connection. Your plumber connects the inlet and outlet on the cold main line.

We recommend one. There is no drain line and no electricity: your plumber pours the carbon in through the funnel, mounts the head, connects the inlet and outlet on the cold main line and flushes it for 10 to 15 minutes, about an hour or two of a plumber's time. Aidan supports your plumber by phone at 800-460-5810. Plumbing fittings are not included, and the carbon ships in separate boxes that are loaded at install. If you'd rather do it yourself, you can; text Aidan at 443-277-2204 with any questions.

If you have hard water, yes. Carbon handles chemicals and odors; a softener handles hardness minerals. On city water, install the carbon filter first and the softener after it, because chlorine shortens resin life. On well water, the carbon filter goes last, after the iron filter and softener. We also sell this 1.5 carbon tank with a Fleck 5600SXT 48,000 grain softener as a package for $3,195.

Centaur is made by Calgon Carbon from bituminous coal using a patented catalytic process. Standard coconut shell carbon only works through adsorption, trapping contaminants on its surface. Centaur has catalytic properties that actively decompose hydrogen sulfide and chloramines through chemical reactions. It's the same grade of carbon used in municipal water treatment plants.

Same Clack head and same Centaur carbon, in a bigger tank. The 1.5 is a 10 x 54 inch tank with 1.5 cubic feet of carbon and passes up to about 10 GPM; Aidan offers it to smaller homes of 2 to 4 people. The 2.5 is a 13 x 54 inch tank with 2 cubic feet of carbon and passes up to about 17 GPM; it is the one most people get, sized for 2 to 10 people. In Aidan's words, the bigger tank has better flow rates and a longer media life. The 1.5 is $1,495 and the 2.5 is $1,695. If you're not sure which fits, text Aidan at 443-277-2204.