Water is one of our most vital resources. We need it every day in order to survive.
But what if we told you that the water you’re drinking may contain chemicals and compounds like PFCs, leads, pharmaceutical residue, heavy metal, and even pesticides that can be harmful to you and your family’s health?
Fortunately, there is a way to filter your water to ensure its safe for you to drink. The best solution is by installing a water filtration system
If you’re wanting to know more or perhaps you’re wondering which one suits you best, then take a look at our guide below. Here are a few things to consider before you invest in and install a water filter:
1. Private Well or City Water
First things first. You need to figure out whether you’re using water from a private well or the city well.
Your public water source may deliver fairly safe water, but still there are a number of pollutants that remains unregulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
People who are consuming water from private wells have their own concerns. Studies show that, at any given time 40% of private well water have E. coli or coliform bacteria – or both.
But in this modern era we can enjoy the privilege of having different water filtration system depending on the contaminants and pollution level found in our water.
2. Know Your Water
Before choosing a water filtration system for your home, you need to know what contaminants are in your water. You can get the details from your water supplier or whoever maintains and carries out the annual water quality reports in your locality.
You can also test the water yourself by using a home water testing kit, or with the help of an independent laboratory. This will provide you with a much better idea of the quality of your drinking water.
Take a look at the compounds that are polluting your water and decide which water purifying system to go for.
3. POE Vs. POU Systems
Consider whether you want to purify the drinking water or all of the water in your home. Home water filtration systems are available in one of two categories: Point-of-Entry (POE) and Point-of-Use (POU).
POE systems are installed to the water meter or a pressurized tank and filter all of the water that goes into your home.
POU water treatment systems are designed to treat the water right at the point where you need it most. In other words, a drinking water tap.
It’s installed on an individual water source that could be for any or all of the building’s taps, faucets, showers or any other dedicated water appliance used to dispense water for drinking, cooking, and bathing.
4. Check the number of People in Your Household
The type of water filtration system you’ll use depends on how much water you’re consuming. An easy way to gauge this is by looking at the number of people who live in your home.
Some water filtration systems are sized depending on the average total water used by the household on any typical day. Work out the average so you can choose the right size for your home.
5. Which Water Filter will Meet Your Needs Best?
You probably want to use a POE filter to purify all of the water that enters your home if the contaminants in your water are really toxic.
But if you prefer to filter only the consumption point of water, then a POU filter on the faucet will be sufficient for you. Choosing a water filter may seem daunting at first. In order to decide which water filter system meets your needs, you may want to educate yourself about the different kinds of POU systems available.
Pitcher filters, carafe-style filter, personal water bottles with built-in filters, refrigerator filters, faucet-mounted filters etc. are some very commonly used filters in different household. You can install them under the sink, inside a faucet, or on the countertop.
Pitcher Filters
You can purify the tap water with a pitcher-style water filter. It is the simplest way to treat your water. The water is purified by the granulated carbon filter which eliminates some sediment and chlorine. It also helps in improving taste and removing odor.
A single carafe-style filter may not be the best option for you if you have a family that consumes several gallons of water per day since you will need to refill them continuously.
There are quite a few models available in the market so make sure you do proper research before settling on one. Most people Either go for Brita or the Zero water filter system.
However, smaller carafe-style pitcher filters are quite convenient and sufficient to meet the needs of single persons or couples since this type of filters only treats small amount of drinking water at a time rather than purifying huge amounts of water.
Tap or Under-Sink Filters
Faucet-mounted filters comes with a switch. You need to turn on the switch for filtering drinking water and don’t forget to turn the switch off while washing dishes. The switch redirect the tap water through a carbon filter for a perfect purification.
You can install an under-sink filter if you want a more convenient water filtration system that allows for greater volume. This dual-filter system has its own gooseneck faucet.
Reverse Osmosis System
For the optimum point-of-use filtration system, you can consider a reverse-osmosis system. In this system, water passes through three filters, therefore the water becomes pure and extremely clear.
Sediment Filters
You can also choose sediment filters. It has a stainless-steel pre-screen filter. It also contains back-flush system and cleans the filter automatically.
Some people prefer filters that are not joined to the countertop or faucet. So, before choosing one check which POU filtration system you prefer to have.
6. Set Your Budget
Different water filters have different costs. Some are available for a few dollars and others are high-end models that can cost thousands to install.
It’s wise to think of your budget while deciding which water filter system to go for. Make sure you don’t forget about the maintenance costs. Filters need to be replaced after a certain period gap to serve the purpose properly.
You should also consider the manufacturer’s recommendations about when to change filters. These are almost always available, whether you buy from a shop or online.
We would suggest that you go for a filter that is affordable for you to maintain.
7. Consider the Manufacturer’s Instructions
Most filtration systems are not that difficult to install, but for some POE and POU system you may need to contact a professional. If you’re doing it yourself, don’t forget to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
To keep a better track of when to change the filter you can think of using a calendar or any other reminder. It’s important to keep in mind that if the filter is not changed on time, it will no longer clean your water properly.
Final Thoughts
Water is one of the most important resources that we need to survive. So it’s important that we do our best to preserve the quality of the water that we put into our bodies.
We recommend researching the different varieties of water filters before you buy as well as talking to a Certified Water Treatment Professional.
We hope our guide has been handy for you. We hope you now have a better idea of how water filters work and which one may be the best option for your home. Happy shopping!
