Water Filtration

Upon first glance, the initial cost for a whole house water filtration system may seem higher in comparison to the smaller point-of-use systems for your kitchen countertop or under sink models, but in the long run for homeowners, the whole house systems can actually provide long term savings compared to the cost of bottled water and/or replacement cartridges in smaller systems. Typically, studies have shown that whole house systems’ media have life spans ranging from 5 to 10 years depending on the size and water quality.

In addition, another benefit of point-of-use entry systems is the confidence of knowing that regardless of which faucet you turn on in the home, you can be assured of clean filtered water coming out of it. So, don’t be taken in by some of the misconceptions surrounding whole house water filtration systems.

If you have a well you really should consider a whole house well water filtration system. Unless your water comes from an artesian well, which is considered to be naturally filtered, your well water is probably contaminated by things like fertilizer and pesticides from the farm down the way, industrial wastes from the factory on the other side of town, as well as, what can get in from your septic tank  or from your neighbor’s.

The fact is anything and everything that gets on the ground can seep down into the water table and end up floating around in your well. Traces of prescription drugs have even been found in well water. A whole house well water filtration system can remove all the impurities that are in your water. You really do need a whole house system too not just a filter in the kitchen.

There are a lot of chemicals and such that can get into your water that will soak into your skin when you take a shower. Chemicals like chlorine and sulfur also can turn gaseous and effect breathing.

A whole house well water filtration system will protect your family against all of the things listed above as well as some things you may not have thought of. Well water is prone to bacteria and nitrates that occur naturally as well.

Bacteria and nitrates and other microorganisms including viruses, and parasites can also get into your well water. Unlike municipal water supplies which are checked regularly and treated for disease bearing microorganisms, private water supplies are rarely if ever tested. This could pose a serious problem to you and your family. A whole house well water filtration system can clear all of the bad stuff out of your water supply while leaving the good stuff like minerals that you need.

You should always have your water tested before you choose a whole house well water filtration system. When you have your water tested you will know which filter type you need to use. Not all filters are created equal and while a good active carbon filter is probably the best choice if you have a particular problem there will be a particular filter for you to use. You should even be able to pick up a DIY test kit from your local hardware store that can easily give you the information needed to make an informed choice.

If your family has a well for water a whole house water filtration system is your best bet for safe clean water. A whole house system hooks up to the main water supply coming into the house so all sinks and taps are protected.

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People who live in areas with hard water know that whole house water filtration systems make for cleaner clothes, softer hair, and better tasting water. What many people don’t know is that even in soft water areas, the resource flowing from their pipes often contains chemicals, antibiotics, runoff from farms, and microorganisms. All of these contaminants can have a serious negative effect on your health.

Whole home water filtration systems offer so many benefits. The first benefit is quite obvious: safer water. Treatment facilities in America by and large use old, outdated methods of filtration. In general, most of these facilities run water through a sieve of sand to strain out particles, then add chlorine to kill off germs.

However, chlorine is used simply because it is the cheapest sanitizer, not because it is the best method of killing microorganisms, and chlorine can cause many health problems, including cancer. Water treatment facilities cannot remove chemicals from water, and many of these substances end up in our drinking glasses. In certain areas of the country, the lead content of treated water is very high.

Unpurified tap water is not as safe as it could be to drink, and many health officials warn people that it is causing all sorts of health problems. But whole house water filtration systems give you H20 that is not only good to drink but better for other activities. Fish enthusiasts know that tap water can quickly kill off a prized goldfish because of the chlorine content. The same goes for delicate household plants that react to ordinary tap water. Filtered water also is better for bathing, washing dishes, and cleaning clothes because it prevents contact with harmful chemicals and makes better suds.

Because all of these activities such as drinking, cooking, and bathing consume gallons of water a day, whole home filtration systems are the best way to treat all the water your family needs on a daily basis. In fact, a home system is better than just a sink or a kitchen system because the EPA has announced that all homes in America which have indoor plumbing contain an elevated level of chlorine gas, produced from vaporized chlorinated tap water. Clearly it is in your best interest to filter out chlorine and other contaminants from your entire house.

Whole house filtration systems connect from your main water valve to your water tank, thus filtering every drop of water that enters your house. Some systems exist in the form of distillation or reverse osmosis. Distillation passes water over a heating coil, thus vaporizing it and burning away impurities, then returning it to liquid. Reverse osmosis forces water through a very fine membrane which traps unwanted elements. However, both systems are expensive and have a low output of water, usually not producing enough for a typical family’s needs. Their most serious fault is that neither is extremely efficient at stopping all chemicals and other compounds from ending up in the water supply. Carbon-based filtration systems are much better than distillation or reverse osmosis.

The best whole home filtration system contains a multi-step process in which the water passes over several filters that strain out and block various elements. Carbon is the number-one substance used in purifier systems, valued for its ability to absorb odors and unwanted compounds, but purifier systems usually contain a sediment filter and other additional elements which remove all impurities from the water.

The best whole house filtration systems have several qualities. They should be multi-step and pass the water through several stages in order to ensure that it is the very highest quality. They should be able to work quickly enough to produce enough water for your family’s daily needs. They should be relatively easy to maintain and not too expensive, costing roughly 50 cents a day to operate, as opposed to 50 cents per gallon which is what a reverse osmosis system can cost.

If you want your family to drink and bathe in safe, clean water, whole house filtration systems offer you a way to pipe purified tap water throughout your entire house. Your hair and health will benefit and you can rest assured that you are protecting your household from any contaminants that are lurking in the faucet.

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Carbon filters work on the simple mechanism of adsorption which is a property by which the particles in the water are attracted and attached to the carbon surface. Let us take a detailed look at how this works exactly.

Activated carbon filters are hydrophobic which means they repel water. And they are oleophilic which means they adsorb oily and other organic contaminants. So, when water is made to pass through a carbon filter, water is repelled and other contaminants present in it are adsorbed by the carbon surface. As a result the organic contaminants successfully get removed from the water.

But there is one limitation to these filters. They are effective only for organic contaminants, heavy metal traces like arsenic, copper, mercury etc will continue to exist in the water purified by using a carbon filter.

So, what is the complete solution then?

Using a multi block water purifier. These systems typically involve multiple stages of filtration. They use a carbon filter in conjunction with other filters based on sub micron filtration or ion exchange. These multiple stages of processing ensure that all types of organic and chemical contaminants are removed from the water. They also help in enhancing the pH balance of water,

In essence, these purifiers have all the advantages of carbon filters plus the added advantage of being able to remove other tough contaminants as well. The water produced by these purifiers is 99.9% clean and pure. Not only is it free from all types of pollutants, it successfully retains the essential minerals present in natural water.

These minerals are required for the daily functioning of our body and consuming water rich in them is the best way to ensure their daily intake. A few purifiers especially the ones based on Reverse Osmosis remove these minerals from water. Such mineral deprived water is not recommended for prolonged consumption as it can lead to multiple mineral deficiencies.

Multi Block Purifiers
They are easy to install, use and maintain and come in variety of configuration options. They can be installed on the kitchen faucet or on the shower head or better still, whole house water purifiers are also available. They also have the configuration flexibility of getting installed under the counter or over the counter.

The maintenance cost comes out to be something less than 10 cents per gallon!

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When it comes to replacing your whole house water filters you are going to want to make sure that you know what you are doing, and know what it is you are buying when you go to purchase the replacement. Among the more effective replacement whole house water filters are going to be the ones offering the reverse-osmosis and distiller options. When you opt to go with the reverse-osmosis type replacement whole house filters, these are going to have a separate part that was created to block out impurities, and then with the distillation filters they are going to turn water into steam, than condenses it into a clean liquid. Out of all of the different replacement water filters out there, these are the two that will give you the best investment, granted they are on the higher end expense wise.

As you take on this project yourself, there are going to be a few things to keep in mind when changing out the water filters. When you choose to change these out yourself it will be a lot cheaper and in the end, they will offer you great results as well. The filter cartridges are going to use fibers to grab hold of the rust and other debris.

Regardless of what type of replacement whole house water filters you decide to work with, all the cartridge filters are going to require changing of the cartridge throughout the life of the equipment itself. It will be important to check the manufacturers labels and warnings to see what the recommended life span is of the current replacement whole house water filters that you are using; when you do not change them out as required or recommended, than you are looking at damaging your entire system, and ending up with an overly saturated filter, allowing items to get through.

Be sure to read all of the directions carefully and know what it is you are looking at before you start changing different filters, look at all of the options, and if you need someone to install it don’t be afraid to ask.

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If you think that all whole house water filtration systems are the same, you need some more information. There are companies that have been in business for 15 years, long before the idea of home purification became popular. There are also a lot of newcomers.

The industry is not very well regulated in most of the United States. Only California requires that companies provide complete information concerning contaminant reduction and the on-going cost of replacement cartridges. Some of those newcomers that I mentioned avoid doing business in the state because of that requirement.

It’s one thing to “say” that your whole house water filtration systems are effective. It’s another thing to prove it. Companies can have their products tested by independent laboratories “if” they choose to. They are not required to and the ones that are trying to rip you off don’t have the testing done.

If a company’s performance claims are valid, they should have certification by Underwriter’s (UL) or the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). The trade group WQA (Water Quality Authority) allows manufacturers to claim certification without requiring sufficient data and without full compliance with industry standards. So, look for UL or NSF certifications. If a company only has a WQA certification, you cannot be sure that you are getting an effective product.

Although they are not as popular as they once were, for many reasons, there are still a number of whole house water filtration systems that include a reverse osmosis step. That step really drives the price up, but it also de-mineralizes the water and health experts say that drinking de-mineralized waters leads to mineral deficiencies. It creates an acid pH level in the mouth and stomach, aggravating conditions like acid reflux disease.

When you think about it, there is no naturally occurring water in the world that is “mineral-free”. So, obviously, humans were not meant to drink water with a trace mineral content. Even the World Health Organization says that drinking-water should have a trace mineral-content. If you are not concerned about your health, you might be concerned about the taste, which is stale unless minerals are present.

People who have effective and affordable whole house water filtration systems are very happy with them. Maintenance requirements are few. Cost of use is low. Showering “feels” better and many skin conditions start to improve. People with allergies and asthma feel better. It’s a win for everyone.

People who buy reverse osmosis units are often unhappy. Lots of maintenance is required and the systems break down easily. The cost of use is high and the systems require electricity to operate. So, electric bills go up. Gallons of wastewater are created. So, those of us that are trying to go “green” avoid these products.

So, it should be easy to see that all whole house water filtration systems are not the same. Now, you can make an informed selection.

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Have you looked at those whole house water filtration systems that are available to you?  If high levels of chlorine are a big problem where you live then you may want to consider buying one.  A lot of people have been switching to this kind of unit because it leaves them with only one filter that they have to change.

The problem with having individual point of use countertop and showerhead units is that you may have to remember when to change a half dozen or more filters twice per year.  These point of use filters only have a 500 gallon capacity at best, while a whole house filter has a life of 300,000 gallons.

The one thing that you have to be careful about when buying whole house water filtration systems is that as with every other kind of filter quality varies greatly and that quality is not denoted by price.  There are filters that cost $3,000 that don’t do nearly as much as the $1,000 model does.

Here is an example of what I mean the replacement filter for the more expensive model costs $1,789, and only has a life of 225,000.  The replacement filter for the $1,000 model costs only $639.20, and has a life of 300,000 gallons.  That makes you the annual cost of use three times as much for the already overpriced system.

The more expensive whole house water filtration systems boast that they remove just as much chlorine from your drinking water, but can only remove particulate only down to 10 microns, whereas the lower priced unit reduces particulate all of the way down to 5 microns.

Of course there is really no way for you to know if the numbers that the more expensive unit claims is accurate, because the unit is not UL or NSF certified while the lower priced one is.  Without a UL or NSF certification the unit’s actual performance claims cannot be verified.

Another thing that bothers me about the more expensive whole house water filtration systems is that they require back flushing, which means that they produce wastewater.  The less expensive model does not require back flushing therefore none of your water is lost.  This is good from a conservation standpoint.

So there you have it so far as what I said about quality variances.  The $1,000 model won out over the model costing three times as much, and it is the only UL and NSF certified model on the market at such a low price range.  Considering that prices on models equal to this one can cost you up to $5000, it’s quite a bargain.

Whole house water filtration systems are seen as the perfect answer for many people simply because they are more convenient to use and maintain.  Unlike the point of use models that you can install yourself, these do require about 30 minutes of a plumber’s time, but it is money well spent.  You will make that cost back up simply by not having to worry so much.

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If you are like me, you are probably aware how contaminated tap water can be. Drinking this water as it is, is a sure way to invite a host of diseases. This is the reason more and more people today are looking for water purifiers and that too whole house water filtration systems.

But are whole house water filtration systems really useful? What benefit do you get from them? Let’s find out.

One thing is certain. Drinking unfiltered water is out of the question. Tap water contains a ton of impurities inside - Chlorine, pesticides, prescription drugs, heavy metals and bacteria too.

So if you install a simple faucet water filter, it should be able to take care of this problem.

But have you thought what happens when you shower with this contaminated water?

When we shower, the pores in our skin open up and absorb the water inside. This is an easy route for the chemicals present in the water to get inside our body and cause health problems later.

Chemicals like chlorine, evaporate easily and then form other deadly compounds which we inhale while showering.

So it becomes essential to install a shower filter too to get complete protection from contaminated tap water.

If you have more than one bathroom, then it begins to get complicated. You then have to install a faucet water filter in your kitchen, and a shower filter in each bathroom.

An easier way out is to setup a whole house water filtration unit. This unit is installed at the point where your home connects to the water supply. The water is filtered there only at the point of entrance to your home, and then all the taps in your home - be it the kitchen or the bathroom - get clean and pure water.

The hassles of separate installation and maintenance are avoided this way.

The only catch is - you have to use a good water purifier like those that use a combination of new technologies like Sub Micron filtration, Carbon filtration and Ion Exchange mechanism, otherwise all your efforts will come to naught. These filters can take care of all the contaminants of the water and can give you pure water that is safe for consumption.

So there you have it. Whole house water filtration systems are an easy way to get pure water in your home easily. Just do some research and choose the right one.

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Recent scientific reports have revealed that hormones are present in our water supplies, really I hear you ask? Think about it, chemicals and drugs are disposed all to easily and when you think that most water is recycled at some point is there any wonder that traces of hormones will be found?

If you and your family are concerned about the unwanted chemicals, minerals and bacteria in your family’s drinking and cooking water or if you are interested in just better tasting water, whole house water filtration systems are an excellent idea.

Since water is an essential part of good health, you must be sure that your drinking water source provides the healthiest water possible.

Filtration systems, purifiers and whole house UV systems can really increase the quality of not only the water you drink but the water used throughout the whole of your house.

There are several different types of whole house water filtration systems, some types use a single water filter, and some can be used in whole house auto flush water filtration systems as well.

Whole house water filtration systems are beneficial in the following ways:

This system provides almost 99 % pure drinking water for a lifetime depending on system design. It removes the bacteria, chemicals and salts that a comparable reverse osmosis system would allow to pass through and its purity is reliable.

These systems do not waste any water during the process of water purification. These can be easily moved from one place to the next, unlike reverse osmosis filter which is permanently attached to the waterline and drain under the sink.

This system helps in the removal of chlorine, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, dirt, sediment, parasites, bacteria and much more, and softens the water thereby eliminating odor from it. Thus safe drinking, cooking, washing, cleaning and bathing water is obtained from every tap in the house.

No matter what your whole house filtration needs are there are a number of companies which provide entire systems. It is recommended that if you are going to choose a whole house water filtration system that you should consider your sanitation needs as well. This is the only beneficial water treatment system that is complete in its package as it provides water of your choice from every tap of the house.

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Whole house water filtration systems can be a waste of money if you install the wrong system, or a real health boost to you and your family if you get it right.

If you’ve ever had to limit the amount of water you use in a day you’ll know how much we take water for granted and how much we need. It’s water we reach for when we’re cooking, drinking, washing, cooling down, bathing and cleaning up.

Good quality water is something we need through the day and not just when we reach for a cool drink or brush our teeth. So whole house water filtration systems make a lot of sense if your local water authorities are doing a poor job of getting clean water to your home.

And many municipal and rural water officials are delivering unhealthy water to their communities. It’s not all their fault, but tiny traces of pharmaceutical drugs, chemicals and other harmful contaminants are regularly found in tap water.

For example, official testing in Philadelphia has found 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in drinking water there, including drugs for mental illness, high cholesterol, pain, heart problems, asthma and even epilepsy. This is treated water that has been through the city’s water purification plant. It’s the water that has passed federal government regulations and is legally permitted to go to your tap. (Even worse, out in the water catchment areas of that city an alarming 63 of these pharmaceuticals and byproducts have been found.)

Officials defend their water quality by saying minute amounts of these things are not harmful. Well, is that correct? Male fish living in water with parts per trillion of pharmaceuticals become feminine — remarkable as it sounds, they begin creating egg yolk proteins, something only females do naturally. Why would this not be happening to people drinking contaminated water in the so-called safety of their own homes?

It is remarkable that complex, modern water purification equipment is not able to stop these dangerous contaminants. But this is a fact. And if you live in a community where chlorine is regularly added to the water after it has been treated you will know this is correct. Because chlorine is a last-ditch attempt to kill whatever got through the municipal filters.

Equally alarming is the fact that of the dozens and dozens of common pharmaceuticals found in treated water, officials will almost never test for more than five or six because this is all that federal government requires them to look for.

So, it is likely that your household is being drenched in contaminated water. Whole house water filtration systems suddenly become good investments.

Actually, decent whole house water filtration systems can be a rather small investment because you don’t need to go high-tech, rather you just need to install equipment that will do two things: first catch the drugs and chemicals, and second keep the natural essential minerals like calcium that are removed by some systems like reverse osmosis. You can do all this for a modest price with a small collection of different filters, each doing a different job.

Let me recommend you look around on the Internet and find the whole house water filtration systems that will remove chemicals and retain healthy minerals as I’ve just described. But whatever you do, seriously consider investing in a set of filters that, together will give you one of the whole house water filtration systems that can truly protect your and your family from the harmful contaminants your water authorities turn a blind eye to.

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