Figuring out which water filtration system you need can be a daunting task. By thinking through and answering the following five questions, we can help you determine which system is right for your household.
1. Whole House vs. Under Sink Drinking Water Filter?
There are basically two different types of water filter systems installed in homes:
Point of Use” (POU) system, like a reverse osmosis system installed under your kitchen sink.“Point of Entry” (POE) system treats contaminants in water as it enters the home, such as UV water filter system.
You’ll need to decide if you want to treat just the drinking water at your kitchen tap or if you’d like to treat ALL the water coming into the home? Often, the best solution is a combination of both whole house water filtration (water softener for water hardness and UV Water filtration to remove viruses and bacteria), and a reverse osmosis filter system under the kitchen sink for drinking and cooking water.Learn more about these options.
2. Private Well vs. City Water When Selecting a Water Filter
While our public water supply is relatively safe, there are hundreds of contaminants that are not regulated by the EPA. There’s also the frequency and inconvenience of boil water notices. Approximately 658 boil water alerts issued every day by cities and water districts in the U.S. due to contamination or ruptured pipes.
Those on private wells have their own set of concerns. Studies commonly find that 40% of private wells contain E. coli and/or coliform bacteria at any given time. UV water purification systems can provide whole home protection from harmful microorganisms. Depending on the contaminants and contaminant levels found in your water, a variety of treatment of other options are available including sediment filtration, water softening and more.
3. How many bathrooms are in your home?
Some water treatment systems are sized based on the maximum water flow rate though your home. For example, in the morning you may have a shower going, a toilet flushing, the dishwasher running, and the washing machine on…all at the same time. How much water will flow through your home during these peak usage times? Knowing the number of bathrooms in a home is often a quick and simple way to determine the size needed of specific water treatment systems.
4. How many people are in your household?
Some water filtration systems are sized based on the average total water used by your household on a given day. In a typical 24-hour period, how much water is used in your home?
In general terms, knowing the number of people living in a household can often give clues about household water usage, and therefore what size water filtration system would be best suited for your home.
5. What’s in your water?
Knowing what’s in your water will play a big part in evaluating your water treatment needs. For example, if you have lead in your water, an ESP water specialists can direct you to a system that can remove lead.
Which Water Filtration Systems are Best?
Some answers to these 5 questions are straightforward and others are more difficult. We’ve been in water treatment for 20+ years and carry hundreds of top-rated whole house water filters, RO filtration systems, and UV disinfection units. Find quality water filters and read water filtration system reviews by real customers at waterfilterrating.com.
We all know how essential water is. After all, humans are 60% water in their bodies, and doctors tell us that we have to drink at least 8 cups of it a day to maintain essential body functions. It is easy to pull water from our taps without considering the quality. Pollutants can ruin the taste, and cause short and long-term health effects!
Thankfully, technologies exist to help you improve your water quality. Water filtration systems are not only convenient but also cost-effective. The EPA estimates that up to 40% of Americans utilize water filtration systems in their homes. This blog will explore the benefits of water filtration and why more Americans should have them in their homes!
Why You Should Filter
There are many benefits to filtering your water at home. After exploring these benefits, maybe you will consider adding filtration to your home sinks and appliances.
1. Better Taste & Smell
Water that is filtered typically tastes better than water that is not. Heavy metals contribute to the unpleasant taste of tap water. While most tap water is “safe,” it does not mean that there are no contaminants to be found. Water filtration systems help remove these metals, improving the taste!
The same heavy metals also contribute to odd-smelling water. When your water smells bad, you are less likely to drink directly from the tap. There are also volatile organic compounds that contribute to bad smells, which can also cause damage to your body.
2. Save Money & The Environment
One reason that people purchase bottled water is to make sure that it is safe to drink. For example, when there are city-wide water contamination issues. However, with a filter at home, you can provide your source of safe drinking water. This will save money in the long run, as bottled water adds up.
While costs for water in plastic bottles are high, having your filtration system also benefits the environment. With your filter, you will purchase fewer bottled water products. Practicing this will reduce the amount of plastic you produce daily, subsequently reducing your ecological footprint.
3. Preserving Your Health
Some contaminants and viruses can make their way into your home through drinking water. When water is unsafe to drink at this level, it impacts multiple parts of your day. For example, you cannot cook, brush your teeth, or wash food-related items. Furthermore, showering in contaminated water can also pose respiratory problems.
If you have children in the home, the quality of water impacts them more severely. As their immune systems are developing, they must have clean water to drink. If they encounter contaminants, they are more likely to fall sick.
4. Avoiding Natural & Manmade Problems
If severe floods are in your area, such as from the city piping, contaminants can enter your water system. Floodwaters pick up debris and bring them into your home, which means that you will consume them without filtration.
Other problems from areas such as construction sites can also cause contaminants in your water supply. Chemicals used at these sites can seep into the groundwater, eventually making their way into drinking water. For example, if a construction site is dealing with asbestos, it can contaminate your drinking water. Asbestos, in particular, is hazardous, posing severe health risks.
Types of Water Filtration
The point-of-use and whole-home filtration systems are the two central water filtration systems used in the home. Read more below to find out more about what these systems do for your home.
Point-of-use Water Filtration
Many people just want access to purified water from their main kitchen sink. This makes sense, as most of your drinking and cooking water should come from here. These filtration systems are relatively easy to install due to their single location use.
Whole-home Water Filtration
This type of filtration system is slightly more complex to install due to the location. Whole-home water filtration systems must connect to the main water line to filter all the water going into the home. If people have water issues throughout the house, this option might be most suitable.
At HPS Plumbing Services, our water filtration experts can help you throughout Bakersfield and San Diego. Visit our website today or give our team of water specialists a call today to learn more about our services and how a water filtration system could benefit you and your family!
6 REAL BENEFITS OF FILTERED TAP WATERWe need water to survive. Humans are made up of 70% water, which is bound in our cell membranes. Water is more important than food – we can go up to a month without food, but can only survive a week without water. Making it all the more crucial that we drink clean and pure water. If water is not treated, filtered or purified, it can make you sick. Nowadays, we have advanced water technology, such as water filters and water filtration systems. Filtered tap water is better than standard tap water and bottled water. Let’s take a look at the benefits of water filtration and using water filters.
Filtering Tap Water Is Cost Effective:
Using water filters to filter tap water is much cheaper than buying bottled water, which is also not eco-friendly, due to the bottles’ plastic production. Funnily enough, most bottled water actually comes from tap water, so you are really just paying for the plastic. Through purchasing a professional water filter, you will be saving yourself lots of money and you will be drinking higher quality water that has been filtered accordingly.
Water Filtration Has Massive Environmental Benefits:
Bottled water is a source of pollution, as it takes the plastic bottle 300 years to degrade and a ton of water is wasted due to it taking 3 times as much water to produce the bottle itself than it does to fill the bottle. By filtering tap water at your home or business, you will be helping the environment. Take a look at European Watercare’s eco-friendly water filters with insert refill technology to see just what sustainable water filters can do to help the environment.
Water Impurities Are Removed By Filtration:
Water filtration removes water impurities and dangerous contaminants such as chlorine, disinfection byproducts and heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and arsenic. At the same time, water filters cleverly ensure that important minerals such as magnesium, fluoride, calcium, and zinc are retained. They protect you from toxins and ensure that you consume healthy minerals. Water filters also prevent limescale.
Filtered Water Tastes And Smells Better:
Filtering water also helps it to taste and smell better due to the impurities being removed. A more refreshing and enhanced flavor is derived, resulting in a higher sense of satisfaction after drinking filtered water. Tap water tends to taste and smell like chlorine, whereas distilled water has most of the minerals removed and so it will taste very bland. Filtered water removes contaminants, but leaves in the minerals that make water taste good.
Water Filtration Boosts Your Health:
Water filtration systems are good for your health. The benefits are ten-fold, with skin hydration, nutrient absorption, weight loss, detoxification, digestion and a reduction in the risk of cancer. Drinking pure water helps to support the immune system and mental health function.
Water Filters Are Low Maintenance:
Water filters are convenient and easy to use. Water filtration products are durable, portable, easy to change for quick filtration and are low maintenance.This isn’t an exhaustive list of benefits for water filters. Tap water filtration comes with convenience, health, environmental, financial and flavor benefits, so why not purchase a water filter from European Watercare for your business? We have a water filtration options to suit a wide range of business sectors. If you have a water filtration system installed at your business, share with us the benefits you have experienced, our readers love to learn from real experiences.
Are you trying to decide which water filter is best for you? First, and most importantly, you need to choose the one that will remove the most harmful contaminants. Second, the filter should perform reliably 24/7 so you and your family have access to clean and safe water the whole day.
What Are the Most Harmful Water Pollutants
Heavy metals, chlorine and disinfection by-products are the most dangerous water contaminants. Here’s a more detailed list:
Arsenic
Cadmium
Lead
Mercury
Aluminium
Copper
Chlorine
Chloramines
Trihalomethanes (THMs)
Asbestos
Emerging contaminants (e.g. from pharmaceuticals, agricultural pesticides, cosmetics)
For instance, heavy metals are known to affect the brain, kidney and other organs. That’s why it’s always a priority to ensure that these contaminants are removed when choosing a water filter. Lead can result to neurological and behavioral effects. Arsenic (especially high levels of exposure) can lead to cancer (skin, lung and bladder).
Chlorine is the most common water disinfectant because of its effectiveness and low cost. However, chlorine can cause skin and lung irritations. After all, chlorine is very effective in killing bacterial cells. Human cells might also be affected by the chlorine (especially with daily contact and exposure).
Chlorine may also react with natural organic matter to form trihalomethanes. These disinfection by-products may cause adverse effects in the reproductive system. That’s why many filters now are being mentioned as having the ability to remove chlorine and its by-products.
Aside from heavy metals, chlorine and disinfection by-products, consumers are now also being aware of emerging water contaminants. These pollutants are often the result of our modern living and heavy reliance on chemicals (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agricultural pesticides and fertiliser). Each day these chemicals find their way into our water source and supply through our bodily waste, agricultural runoffs, washing and other normal daily activities. Although these contaminants are only present in trace levels, in time their full effects will be known through advances in analytical chemistry and toxicology.
Microbial Contamination of Drinking Water
Aside from chemicals, microbes can also find their way into our water supply through leaks, dirty plumbing and compromise in the point-of-use. Perhaps the pipes and tap have been exposed. Or the poor quality of water encourages microbial growth.
Whichever is the case, microorganisms (especially Cryptosporidium and Giardia) should be absent from your drinking water. For instance, Cryptosporidium may cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. On the other hand, Giardia may cause abdominal cramps and bloating (diarrhea in severe cases).
The presence of these microbes also signals worse issues such as poor sanitation and contamination by human waste. If those microbes are present, expect other microorganisms (which can be more dangerous) and substances to be also there.
How to Remove Water Contaminants?
You have different options to ensure clean and safe water such as:
Distillation
UV water treatment
Whole house filtration
Point-of-use water filtration
Distillation and UV water treatment are very effective in killing microorganisms. However, they can’t remove some or all of the chemical contaminants. In addition, they could be very expensive and require sensitive equipment.
That’s why many homes now have filtration systems instead. Whole house filtration systems (or filtering water at the point-of-entry) are usually installed near the water meter. The water gets filtered as it enters a residence. These are effective in removing chlorine and particulates.
A more thorough approach (which may be safer) is with a point-of-use water filtration system. It treats the water where you drink or use it. For instance, there are triple stage under sink water filters that purify your water before it comes out of the tap. There are also 5-stage reverse osmosis systems that can fit under almost any kitchen sink.
Aside from their effectiveness, water filters are also economical and practical. You may find quality units for less than $300 (with or without free installation). They are also compact and neat so you won’t have any worries about space.
How to Choose the Best Water Filter?
It’s true that you get what you pay for. If you want optimal effectiveness, it’s good to pay a higher price to get a corresponding higher value. You might find unreasonably cheap water filters but expect that they won’t give you the protection you need. Their filters and parts may not be up to the latest standards. Or, they will fail within a few months of use which will require you to buy another filter again.
Can you still find reasonably priced water filters in Sydney, Melbourne and other parts of Australia? Absolutely. You can still find affordable under sink filters that are of high quality. However, you need to beware of filters that cost less than $100 and promise full filtration (removes all contaminants including heavy metals) as this is usually not the case. Filtration (especially reverse osmosis) requires the highest quality fittings, housings, pipes and membranes.
So how do you know if the filter you choose is of high quality? Here are a few tips:
The parts should be made from US, UK, Canada or Australia
Where the parts are made should be molded onto them (not just stickers and labels)
Choose a reputable seller, distributor and installer
For example, here at waterfilterrating.com we have the highest quality under sink filters (twin, triple and 5-stage filters) that have undergone strict quality control measures. The housings and other parts of our water filters are made in US, UK, Canada or Australia. In addition, many residents and business owners in Sydney have already requested us to provide and install their water filtration systems.
3 or 5 Stage Filter?
The cost difference might be very low ($100 or less). But the 5-stage water filters have superior performance. The general rule is that the more stages a system has, the more thorough it is in removing contaminants (in exchange for additional costs).
For instance, here’s how a 5-stage filter works:
1st stage removes dust, rust and other particulates (removing the “big guys” first)
2nd stage removes chlorine (done by activated carbon-based filters)
3rd stage removes microparticles and most water contaminants (water is subjected to high pressure to pass through an ultrafine membrane)
4th stage removes fine grains and dust
5th stage ensures superbly smelling and tasting water
On the other hand, here’s how a triple under sink filter works:
The first stage removes sediments, rust, dirt and mud
The second stage removes chlorine, heavy metals and microbes
The third and final stage removes bitterness, bad taste and unpleasant odors
The difference is that 5-stage filters have a reverse osmosis process (RO). It requires high pressure and an ultrafine membrane, which is why this technology is even used for commercial, industrial and other large-scale applications.
RO Water Purifier Disadvantages
RO water purifiers and other rigorous water purification systems still have their drawbacks. We’ll briefly discuss them here so you can make a better informed purchasing decision:
Reverse osmosis removes all minerals (even the healthy and essential ones)
RO systems waste water (up to 3 litres of water might be wasted for every litre of purified water)
RO systems (and other filtration units) require regular replacement of filter cartridges
Introduction of contaminants is possible in each stage of the process (which is why all parts should be of high quality)
These drawbacks still deserve some attention because they may have significant effects on costs and health. For instance, an RO system installed under your kitchen sink can increase your monthly water bill. Also, the removal of minerals could potentially affect your body.
Here’s the good news, the advantages still far outweigh the drawbacks. That’s because a quality RO unit will prevent you from getting more serious negative health effects (e.g. ingestion of heavy metals through the years). This will save you from hospitalisation and medical costs. Moreover, you’ll get more things done because water contaminants won’t disrupt your lifestyle.
It’s still a small investment compared to the benefits you’ll gain. It’s especially the case because the positive effects accumulate through the years. We drink water every day and we even use the water for preparing food and our favorite beverages. Imagine the amount of pollutants not ending up in your body because the filters removed them all.
Which Water Filter is Best for Me?
In summary, it’s recommended to choose either a triple under sink filter or a full reverse osmosis system. They remove most contaminants and ensure you’re only drinking clean and safe water.
They remove chlorine, disinfection by-products, heavy metals (arsenic, lead, mercury) and even microbes such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. These filters will provide you daily and long-term protection against harmful water contaminants.
Aside from effectiveness, modern water filters are reasonably priced now due to engineering and material advances. In addition, they can fit under almost any kitchen sink. Space and economy are no longer concerns. You can now get a fully working water filter at a reasonable cost.
That’s why here at waterfilterrating.com, we provide and install quality water filters at affordable pricing. For less than $500 or $300, you can have a water filtration system that will remove most contaminants. We also offer free installation and complimentary tap for a full setup.
/Contact us today and send us your enquiry. You can ask us about our pricing and special promos and packages. We service all areas of greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong areas.
2. Private Well vs. City Water When Selecting a Water Filter
4. How many people are in your household?
We need water to survive. Humans are made up of 70% water, which is bound in our cell membranes. Water is more important than food – we can go up to a month without food, but can only survive a week without water. Making it all the more crucial that we drink clean and pure water. If water is not treated, filtered or purified, it can make you sick. Nowadays, we have advanced water technology, such as water filters and water filtration systems. Filtered tap water is better than standard tap water and bottled water. Let’s take a look at the benefits of water filtration and using water filters.
Are you trying to decide which water filter is best for you? First, and most importantly, you need to choose the one that will remove the most harmful contaminants. Second, the filter should perform reliably 24/7 so you and your family have access to clean and safe water the whole day.