Steps in choosing a water filtration system for your home
Introduction
Water filtration systems have many benefits and can have a positive impact on your health, your finances, the environment etc.
Although an at-home water filtration system represents a wise investment for many reasons, the path to choosing one is not so straightforward and can be quite complex.
There are many questions to ask and many things to consider before deciding upon the one that would best suit your wants and needs.
This article will cover the most important questions, dispelling any confusion and guiding you seamlessly through the decision-making process.
The most important step in the process is understanding the quality of your water supply as this will ultimately dictate what type of water filtration system or systems you require for your home.
Quality of your source water
Why does the quality of your source water matter?
The water in your home is extracted from a natural source, such as an aquifer, lake or river and is delivered to your home via a private well or municipal water supply system.
Water can come into contact with many contaminants throughout its lifecycle and prior to reaching your home.
Whilst private well water may be expected to contain harmful contaminants, it may come as a surprise to some to learn that similar issues can apply to pretreated water coming from the municipal water supply.
It is important to note that municipal water supply systems were not designed with certain contaminants in mind and are not capable of removing them.
Our water sources are constantly being exposed to new and emerging contaminants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), pesticides, and pharmaceutical runoffs, all of which represent significant health risks.
Also, post-treatment, water can come into contact with contaminants as it travels to your home through an often ageing infrastructure which can include old lead piping.
A true understanding of your water quality is required in order to be able to understand how to effectively treat it.
Your water quality may dictate that you need both a whole home water filtration system and a drinking water filtration when you only had in mind one or the other.
How to understand the quality of your source water?
Although some contaminants can cause the water to look, smell or taste bad most are undetectable to the human senses. As a result, most people are unaware of any health issues being caused by such or only become suspicious after it is too late.
The most accurate method of testing water quality is through a laboratory by scientists who carry out checks based on the regulations that govern water quality standards. It is important that the laboratory in question is accredited by a relevant governing organization in order to ensure an accurate test is carried out, one that is free from any conflict of interest.
Untreated Well water should always be subjected to rigorous testing from a laboratory to check for unknown contaminants to ensure the correct water filtration system is chosen.
A quick general Total dissolved solid test can be carried out on-site with the use of TDS test strips or a TDS meter.
Total dissolved solids is a measure of the quantity of organic and inorganic substances present in a liquid and is usually measured in parts per million. Although a TDS strip or meter does not provide any specifics regarding the contaminants present, the reading they give is a good indicator of water quality.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_dissolved_solids
The Environmental protection agency Ireland states that 500 ppm is the recommended maximum amount of TDS for your drinking water. A TDS measurement over 1000 ppm is deemed unsafe.
It is important to note that water with a TDS value within the acceptable levels can still pose a significant health risk as the contaminants that are present in the water may exceed levels deemed safe.
Different types of water filtration systems
Whole house water filtration system
A whole-house water filtration system also known as a water softener is connected to the main water line as it enters your home, reducing contaminants and providing filtered water to the entirety of your home. This has a positive impact on the water you use to make your food and drinks, take a shower, brush your teeth, wash your dishes, do your laundry etc. It also has a positive impact on your plumbing system and appliances, increasing their longevity due to the reduction in the hardness of the water.
Drinking water filtration system
A drinking water filtration system is only connected to the water line of the cold water tap in the kitchen. This provides you with a source of water free from harmful contaminants and fit for consumption. In addition, it can improve the overall taste and odour of the water and prolong the longevity of appliances such as your beloved kettle and coffee machine.
Which type of water filtration system should you choose?
Whole house water filtration system vs drinking water filtration system
Ultimately you should allow the quality of your incoming water supply to be the deciding factor.
You may have in mind that you want a whole house water filtration system or a drinking water filtration system, however, the quality of your water may dictate that you require both.
Reasons for having both a Whole house water filtration system and a drinking water filtration system
Municipal water treatment is an important first step in eliminating harmful contaminants, however, the chemicals added during this process create issues within the plumbing of our home, corroding the pipes, and causing them to leach dangerous chemicals in the process. In addition, these chemicals are also harsh on our skin and hair.
Although a whole-house water filtration system provides an excellent first line of defence against harmful contaminants found in both well and municipal water supplies they do not provide the level of filtration that for example, a Reverse Osmosis drinking water filtration can. A Reverse Osmosis filtration system has the ability to reduce contaminants down to 0.0001 microns in size.
An obvious question to ask is, why wouldn't a whole home filtration system utilize the Reverse Osmosis filtration technology?
The answer to this question is one of practicality. Reverse Osmosis systems require a longer contact time with the water, whilst this is a non-issue for drinking water, it would create a significant issue when applied throughout the entirety of the home where the demands on water pressure are much greater for the use of the likes of the shower, kitchen appliances etc
Reverse Osmosis systems can reduce up to 99.98% of the total dissolved solids in water making it a worthwhile investment as your health is your wealth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_osmosis
A whole home water filtration system is needed to support a Reverse Osmosis system when the incoming water quality has a high level of both calcium and magnesium which can make your filtration really inefficient are they are two of the hardest minerals for the RO membrane to remove.
In conclusion
The best way to choose an appropriate water filter is by consulting with a professional who can help you determine the quality of your incoming water supply and which type of filter will be most effective for your needs.
YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH
Don't Delay Any Further, Contact Us Today For Your Free Water Quality Consultation