Choosing A Whole House Water Filter

A whole house water filter is something every home should have, regardless of how good your local water system is. Whole house water filters can ensure that the water your drink and shower with is as clean and pure as can be, removing harmful contaminants while leaving important trace minerals behind.

There are thousands of toxic chemicals in US drinking water, and more and more research is showing that over time they can do some serious damage to your overall health. You want to be sure that you get the very best water filter you can to ensure that all of the harmful contaminants are removed and the water is as clean, safe and pure as possible. Unfortunately, most of the water in public systems contains thousands of dangerous chemicals, including chlorine, lead, volatile organics and synthetics like pesticides and herbicides.

To solve the problem of unsafe water, many people rely on bottled to keep them safe. Unfortunately, bottled water is rarely adequately filtered and is not a well-regulated business. Companies can bottle what is basically tap water and package it in a way that makes it appear to be a cleaner and healthier option. Water from wells, though not tied into municipal water systems, can be full of unwanted chemicals, minerals, and bacteria. The good news is that quality home water filters are out there, and they can help you take control of the cleanliness of your water.

Although virtually any system will yield better water than from the tap or bottle, not all whole house water filters are created equal. In fact, some only remove a fraction of harmful chemicals while others remove necessary elements such as magnesium and calcium, essentially eliminating the health benefits of water.

There are many different companies selling what they claim to be the best water filter. All will promise to get the job done for you, but if you want to compare performance of specific units, you can review each system’s Performance Data Sheet. This report tells you what kinds of contaminants the system is capable of removing from your water. In some states, this info must be available on the packaging of the product. If you can’t find it there, check the manufacturer’s website. Companies that are honestly selling the best water filters will be proud to display the performance information of their filtration systems.

So How Do You Find The Right Whole House Water Filter?

With so many systems on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right one. So we've put together a short guide that will help you make the right decision:

Look for a multi-stage filtration system that removes chlorine, lead, VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) and cysts. Many filters leave these harmful chemicals behind.

Find the Performance Data Sheet so you know exactly what toxins are removed. Don't just rely on the manufacturer's claims.

Remember that reverse osmosis and distillation systems remove important natural elements such as potassium, magnesium and calcium from your water supply.  Although not the ideal choice, these systems are acceptable and warranted in certain situations.

One thing to remember as you learn about filtration is that quality home water filters are not designed to remove everything from your water. There are trace minerals such as potassium and magnesium that are naturally present in water, and to remove them from water may keep your body from getting what it needs for proper health. Distilled water, for example, that has no mineral content at all, is believed to cause mineral deficiencies and other health problems in those who drink it long-term. So, the best water filters you can find will effectively remove chlorine, biological and chemical contaminants, but allow trace minerals through the system.

If quality home water filters are on your list of projects, be sure to do some research and comparison shopping so that you purchase the best water filter you can find. There is no other way to make sure the water you use to drink and bathe is as safe as it can be.

AquaPro Solutions recommends that consumers address these additional questions before deciding on the final choice:

1. What is the problem with our water?

This depends primarily on the water source.  Water comes from various sources including surface water collected in water dams, as well as underground aquifers. The water quality from each source is different due to the characteristics of soil, ground minerals, and vegetation, as well as sources of contamination such as industrial discharge, farm wastes, pesticides, etc. Even excessive water disinfectant such as chlorine and its degradation by-products (Trihalomethane, Chloramine, etc.) are potentially harmful in excessive quantity. Different impurities and contaminants will require a different technology to address the problem. The uniqueness in local water quality also means that there is no standard water filtration device that can adequately address all the problems in the water. A thorough knowledge of your water problem is essential in choosing the right water filter.

2. What is the intended purpose of the filter that you are buying?

Point-of Entry water filters improve the water quality for general usage (cleaning, bathing, laundry etc) & mainly address the following problems:

· Turbidity - suspended solids, sediments, silt etc

· Color - tannin, lignin, industrial dyes etc

· Smell, taste and odor

· Chlorine

· Organic or inorganic chemical and matters

Point-of Use filters improve the water quality for human consumption /cooking purposes and mainly address the following problems:

· Turbidity - suspended solids, sediments, silt etc

· Color - tannin, lignin, industrial dyes etc

· Smell, taste and odor

· Chlorine & its degradation products

· Microbiological contamination- i.e. bacteria, viruses etc

· Organic or inorganic chemical and matters

· Heavy metals

3. Is the filtration system based on sound technology? Is there any way of measuring the performance of the filter objectively?

Each filtration technology is developed to handle only a selected range of impurities and contaminants in the water. Most technologies have their pros and cons. It is also important to note that the quality of water filters produced by different manufacturers can vary widely, depending on the material, quality control and manufacturing practices. The quality of filtered water irrespective of the filtration technology must be measurable in an objective way to demonstrate a marked improvement in the parameters that the filtration system claims to improve.

The following is a list of common water parameters targeted by a domestic filter system:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. What are the maintenances required and the cost involved?

All water filtration systems require maintenance. As a rule-of-thumb, the more advanced the technology a filtration system employs, the more maintenance is required to keep the system working properly. Some filtration systems, for example multimedia gravity filters (rocket filter, sand filter) are back-washable but the effectiveness of the back-wash and the quality of the filtration medium / media being used will determine the life-span and effectiveness of the filter. Some cartridge water filters (ceramic filters) are washable, but most are not; all cartridges have to be change at one point or another. For R.O systems, the RO membrane has to be serviced regularly to prevent bacteria growing on the membrane.

What is the recurring cost of the system and its consumables? What is the price of the parts that may need to be change? Some systems cost less on purchase but require frequent maintenance; so knowing what is the long term recurring cost is just as important as knowing the sale price of the system.

5. Is after-sales services provided? What are the charges?

A water filtration system is only as good as the quality of the after-sales services that a company or a brand can provide. As mentioned in the previous section, all filtration systems require maintenance and servicing; without good after-sales services, the life-span and effectiveness of a filtration system is greatly limited. Changing a poorly serviced filter or being highly charged for an existing unit will greatly increase your long-term cost.

Another important point to consider is the quality of the after-sales services. Can the company / brand solve all potential problems that may arise? Some companies can solve your leaking problems; some can solve your piping problems, but make sure they can solve your water quality problem if the system fails. Some brands of water filters conduct their sales through agents or distributors, so make sure you know who will service your filter when problems arise, and who will bear the cost and availability of replacement parts.

6. What warranties provided?

Warranties are given by companies to assure their customers of the quality of the company's products.  However, they can also be used as marketing gimmicks to fool those who are unwary. Find out if the warranty given is logical / responsible.

Equally important is to find out if the warranty is comprehensive. Ask yourself what is the main purpose of buying a filter? Improving the water quality... I'm sure that's what most people will answer, but strangely not many water filter companies provide a water quality guarantee. Instead, most will focus on warranties for filter casing and piping. This is like buying a car with no warranty on performance but plenty of warranty on the body works. Also find out if there are charges involved for the service and repair work. Finally, find out what the company will do if the filter fails!

7. What is your budget?

Ask yourself if you are willing to pay more for quality or settle for something more affordable. Remember to cost in the long term recurring cost as well.