Water Filtration systems are key parts of any household or business. It’s safe to say that they form the backbone of a good building, and play a vital role in keeping people healthy, as these implements prevent your drinking water from going bad. Before buying a water filtration system, make sure your local water source is safe and reliable. If you’re sourcing your water from your own well, you must get your well certified from a water quality professional first. However, when shopping for a water filtration system, what should you look out for? Read on to discover more.
Not All Are Equal
First off, as the CDC makes clear, not all water Filtration Systems are made equal. Some will only improve the taste of your drinking water. Unfortunately, when it comes to the health and safety of you and your loved ones, taste will only get you so far. Most pollutants or dangerous organic materials are actually tasteless. You could be drinking harmful chemicals and other residues without so much as noticing it. In fact, most taste-improvement filters won’t actually do all that much to make your water safer. In other words, it’s worth spending a bit more to get better quality rather than skimping on expenses. Who wants to save on something which is so important? Everyone’s needs are different, but you can’t put a price on peace of mind.
Types of Water Filters
There’s a whole range of water filtration systems on the market. Activated Carbon Filters absorb most organic contaminants which affect taste and odor. Additionally, ACFs can also remove most cleaning solvents and chlorination problems, as well as lead. However, ACFs are less efficient at removing nitrates, bacteria, or dissolved minerals. Ion Exchange Units will remove most minerals, especially calcium and magnesium, as well as bacteria, but can become very easily coated or clogged and will gradually cease to soften your water if it contains oxidized iron.
Reverse Osmosis Units remove nitrates, sodium, most dissolved inorganic compounds, foul tastes, bacteria, but some residues might still remain. And finally, distillation units remove bacteria, nitrates, dissolved solids, organic materials, heavy metals, and will kill most bacteria, but they do not remove some Volatile Organic Compounds. If you’re especially keen to avoid bacteria, a UV Sterilization Water Filtration system might be just right for you, as this technology kills any and all bacteria that may be lurking unannounced in your water. So make sure you choose wisely and weigh the pros and cons of each type of system before making your choice. It’s especially important to know your goals, because costs can vary.
Beware of Contaminants
Once you’ve decided what you don’t want in your water, think about the exact type of product you do want. Water filters can be localized in one spot, like in the case of kitchen faucets or refrigerator water filters. These are also known as Point of Use filters. Or you can install a water filtration system that covers your entire home or workplace, filtering out pollutants where the water enters your pipes. This second type is called a Point of Entry or Whole Home filter system. Before doing anything, make sure you also know exactly what you want to exclude from your water. Different water filtration systems are designed for different needs. Their specifications will tend to depend on what the owner wants to filter out. Bacteria are, after all, different in size from chemical molecules or minerals. Lead, for example, can be an issue in some places. Then you also have arsenic, chlorine, chromium, fluoride, nitrates, Volatile Organic Compounds. The list goes on. According to Wellness Water Filtration Systems, it’s important to get a certified and reliable company to come and make an analysis for you. It’s best to be on the safe side, as there could be up to 250 contaminants in your water supply. Yikes!
Certification Matters
When looking for a water filtration system, it helps to be on the lookout for certification. Thankfully, consumers will be pleased to know that there are certifications for many water filters. The standards include taste and odor, cyst reduction, reverse osmosis, and distillation. The effectiveness of a water filter is calculated, giving a helpful outline of how good each filter is. A very important factor when it comes to buying a water filtration system is its pore size, which can be either ”absolute” or “mean.” This basically describes the size of the tiny holes which let the water through.
In the first case, an absolute pore size will mean that each and every one of the filter’s holes are of the same size, while in the second case a mean pore size means that some holes are larger. That can spell trouble sometimes if the filter’s holes are too big because pollutants and microbes could get through. Then again, if the pore size is too small, you could also miss out on beneficial contents and nutrients in your water.
Sustainability is very important in this day and age, so it’s worth looking into how your planned filter systems stack up in that regard too. By filtering out harmful pollutants, you too can contribute to keeping waterways safe for both wildlife and other humans. A lot depends on how we can reduce water pollution by preventing the spread of harmful chemicals.
It’s also important to check the maintenance needs of each system. Having to always change your filter can become a bother after a while, so be on the lookout for manufacturer warranties. Generally, a water filtration system should last for at least a year, but results can vary. Longer-term your costs will be less if you install a costlier, but more reliable filtration system.
Water filters have many benefits. Your health and wellbeing, but also your ecological conscience will all improve, and it’s also a great way to save money because you don’t have to buy purified bottled mineral water. You can drink quality, safe water in your own home. And that’s great.
