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Budgeting for Water Filters You may have just started looking into water filtration options, or maybe you’ve been researching your options for the past few weeks and are starting to consider what exactly the process might cost you when you finally make the switch to filtered water. Whatever your situation, water filtration is an important step you should take in maintaining the health and welfare of your family. Today’s water supply is swarming with the left over metals of so many pipe systems and treatment facilities, and the pesticides and chemicals pumped into drinking water to make it safe. It should be well worth the cost to make sure those chemicals don’t enter your bodies. |
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Smaller Options Water filtration does not have to be a major operation, nor does it have to be incredibly expensive. For those merely looking to clean up their daily drinking water, or possibly their showering water, there are relatively inexpensive filtration options available. These smaller models are designed to be easy to install, minimize intrusion into your space and daily routine, and relatively simple to upkeep.
1. Countertop Water Filters Starting on your countertop you can make very simple choices that will help to filter the water supply that you depend on every day to keep you healthy. These simple water filtration units are often attached to the area around your sink and by taking the water from the faucet and filtering it, you’ll find the water has been cleaned of most contaminates. Drinking Water Filters will often require less maintenance and replacement parts than larger filters and can have much higher capacity over time. When choosing a water filter for your drinking water, you’ll find that the price does range substantially depending upon what size and level of efficiency you want in your filter. Looking for a quality countertop water filter, you’ll spend about $100-$150 before related maintenance costs. Of course, with any water filter, you must also consider the cost of maintenance over time. You will be looking at new filters every six months to a year or so as well as the added cost of maintenance per gallon of water. Replacement cartridges range in price, but will often cost you between $40 and $70, while the actual cost per gallon of maintaining your drinking water filter is slightly below ten cents per gallon. Compare that to the overall cost of bottled water though, usually upwards of $3-4 per gallon and you are cutting away a major daily expense. |
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H2O Easy Countertop Water Filter |
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2. Under Sink Water Filters There are numerous options available for your drinking water filtration in the kitchen. You can easily install a countertop system for a decent price. However, for those looking to keep their water filter out of sight and out of mind, a $50 or so conversion kit will put that water filter beneath the sink instead. Sitting atop your sink, right alongside your current faucet is another faucet, attached to your filter system through special hoses. When thinking of price, the under the sink model is directly on par with the counter top water filter because it is essentially the same thing with a few extra parts thrown in for the conversion. Water filters will still cost you between $40 and $70 and the cost per gallon is still slightly below ten cents. The only other costs you might incur are related to the cosmetic appeal of your filter system. If you decide you would like a nicer faucet, your options are not limited, with larger and more aesthetically appealing models selling for an additional $50 to $100. |
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3. Shower Water Filters Your shower water can be just as chock full of unwanted pesticides and chemicals as your drinking water and if you’ve ever spent any time in a public pool you know how little you enjoy chlorine in your hair. Home shower filters are designed to fix just that, overcoming the pitfalls of tap water in the shower for a fairly decent price. A shower water filter will cost a relatively small amount in the long run, considering what you’re getting in return. Right off the bat, the filter costs around $75-$100. For that you will receive six months worth of clean, filtered shower water. After the six months is up, you’ll need to replace the filter, which in and of itself will cost you between $40 and $60. The filters are designed to last six months and so are only a twice a year investment. Like any other filtration system, you will have to deal with maintenance and upkeep fees, in this case running around twenty cents a day, depending upon how many showers, how many people, and how long your showers are each day. |
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AP-SM ShowerMate |
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Larger Options For those that have decided that they want every ounce of water in their home to be filtered each and every day, not only as a necessary health endeavor for your family but because it is a more financially viable solution than bottled water, whole house water filter units are the best choice you can make. |
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4. Whole House Water Filtration First off, by purchasing a whole house unit, you’re eliminating the need to purchase separate units for your shower and your drinking water. Not only that, but now you’re filtering the water that washes your clothes, dishes and pets as well. A whole house water filter will require a decent initial investment, but the long term benefits derived from having one of these units are easily worth it. The unit itself will cost between $650 and $1000 and because of the size and nature of the filter itself, it is recommended that a professional install it. At typical plumbers’ rates, that might cost another $300 or so. But after that initial investment, you’re looking at a system that will cleanse every ounce of water that enters your home, and with filters that last for upwards of 3 years between replacements, the $600 cost of that replacement filter works out to less than 60 cents a day for clean, filtered water for everyone in your family. |
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The Bottom Line Filtered water is almost a necessity these days. From chlorine to lead and copper, our water is brimming with contaminants picked up in water treatment facilities every day. Bottled water is one of the biggest industries around these days for that reason, but at a dollar a bottle, it can add up very quickly. Filtration systems are simple and relatively inexpensive installations that offer months of fresh, clean water for your entire household. |
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Duncan Whitmore is a regular contributor to Fresh-Water-Filters.com, providing readers with information on the health and economic benefits of drinking water filters, whole house water filters and many more. |
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H2O Easy AP-G600UV |
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The World’s First Choice for Drinking Water Filters. |
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No backwashing required! |
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Call us at (828) 255-0772 |
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1. Countertop Water Filters Starting on your countertop you can make very simple choices that will help to filter the water supply that you depend on every day to keep you healthy. These simple water filtration units are often attached to the area around your sink and by taking the water from the faucet and filtering it, you’ll find the water has been cleaned of most contaminates. Drinking Water Filters will often require less maintenance and replacement parts than larger filters and can have much higher capacity over time. When choosing a water filter for your drinking water, you’ll find that the price does range substantially depending upon what size and level of efficiency you want in your filter. Looking for a quality countertop water filter, you’ll spend about $100-$150 before related maintenance costs. Of course, with any water filter, you must also consider the cost of maintenance over time. You will be looking at new filters every six months to a year or so as well as the added cost of maintenance per gallon of water. Replacement cartridges range in price, but will often cost you between $40 and $70, while the actual cost per gallon of maintaining your drinking water filter is slightly below ten cents per gallon. Compare that to the overall cost of bottled water though, usually upwards of $3-4 per gallon and you are cutting away a major daily expense. |
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AP-G20UV Under-Counter |