Having a water filtration system can be an important asset for the health and well-being of the people in your home. When you have a home filtration system, and particularly a whole house system such as a reverse osmosis system from The Perfect Water, you decrease your chlorine exposure when you’re drinking and washing.
Less chlorine in your water can improve allergy symptoms and other health conditions.
Some of the best water filtration systems will propel water through different stages and then eliminate more than 30 contaminants from your water supply.
Some of the most common contaminants found in water include:
- Sediment: These are visible particles that are mechanically strained out of water.
- Chemicals: Carbon filtration systems can remove many types of chemicals. The most common chemical in municipal water supplies is chlorine. Other chemicals that may be present in water are herbicides and pesticides.
- Iron: There is ferrous iron found in water supplies, which is also called clear water iron. There’s also ferric or red water iron.
- Lead: Lead is a toxic chemical that can damage your health even at low doses. Lead can get into your water because of corrosion of plumbing systems, and the erosion of natural deposits.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Home Filtration System?
If you invest in a home water filtration, some of the specific benefits you might enjoy include:
- You have the peace of mind of knowing that you always have safe drinking water.
- If you normally drink bottled water, you’re likely to save money over time using a water filtration system.
- It’s much better for the environment to use filtered water instead of plastic water bottles.
- For people with skin irritations or conditions like eczema, unfiltered water can expose them to chemicals that irritate their skin further.
- When your water isn’t filtered, and it has high concentrations of minerals, it can reduce how effective your soap is when you wash clothes and dishes. With water filtration, both will be cleaner.
- Filtering your water can reduce limescale and mineral deposits, which improves the taste of water and reduces buildup in pipes and appliances.
What Does a Whole House Filtration System Do?
The complexity of a whole house water filtration system can vary depending on your home and your water supply. A whole house filter treats all the water that enters your home from different sources, including water to your showerheads, dishwashers, coffee brewers, and washing machines.
The specific whole house system that’s right for you tends to depend on the makeup of your water and what you’d like to filter out.
What Are the Different Types of Water Filtration Systems?
- Reverse osmosis: Many would say the reverse osmosis water filtration system is the best available. It uses air pressure that forces water through a permeable membrane. A reverse osmosis system can handle a lot of water, and they can effectively filter out essentially all contaminants. When you install a reverse osmosis system it operates in a central location but then delivers clean, filtered water throughout a home.
- Exchange systems: These are whole-home systems that are also known as water softeners. With these systems, positive ions attract negatively charged ions such as minerals that cause your water to have a bad taste and to potentially have negative effects on your health.
- Activated carbon: These systems are common and pretty inexpensive. They’re usually placed a the point where the water’s delivered—for example, on a faucet. The water moves through the activated carbon filter and then it removes heavy metals, chemicals, and parasites. You do have to replace the filters regularly and this isn’t a whole house system. It just filters the water coming through the source you install it on.
- Ultraviolet Disinfection: With UV disinfection, viruses and microorganisms can be killed through the use of a UV lamp. However, UV lamps aren’t a water filter but are instead an additional layer of protection you can add to your overall water filtration system.
- Next Generation: Next Generation whole health filters have a small footprint and can be as effective as reverse osmosis while having a lower price point.
What Else Should You Know About a Whole House Filtration System?
Not all water filtration systems are whole house, and not every home might need one. However, if you have a city water supply, you might want a whole house system to make sure you get rid of chlorine. Also, if you have hard water then you probably need a whole house system to remove minerals.
The primary difference in a whole house water filter and one that goes under your sink is the fact that as was touched on, a whole house system will treat the water at every point it’s entering your home.
If you have a whole-house system installed, then the equipment is put at the earliest possible point, which is where your city water line comes into your house. If you have a well, your filtration system is installed after the pressure tank, ensuring it gets all the water going into your house.
Whole house filter systems are convenient because you don’t have to think about installing or changing individual filters. You don’t have to worry about maintenance at all, because once the system is installed, you’re done.
If you aren’t sure if a whole house system is right for you, there are factors to consider.
If you use all the water outlets in your home, then you might want a whole house system.
What contaminants are used to treat your water? You’ll have to research the processes your water district uses.
If your water district uses chlorine, you could find there are benefits of a whole
house system.
If you invest in a whole house water filtration system you’re going to have water that tastes better, you’re reducing your waste because you’re not drinking bottled water, and your family may have health benefits that come from drinking and using cleaner, non-contaminated water.