A Beginner’s Guide to Water Filters

Did you know that access to clean drinking water is not widespread? Domestic water sources in the United States are cleaner than in other countries, but they still contain numerous contaminants. This is a beginner’s guide to finding the right water filter from coway-usa.com for your home.

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For this reason, we have put together this complete beginner’s guide to water filters. Read till the end to obtain essential information that will help you make an informed decision for your own home.

Contaminants in Water

There are hundreds of contaminants that end up in your water supply, such as:

• Pesticides and Fertilizers from Agriculture

• Industrial pollutants such as chemical solvents and radioactive material.

• Urban runoff chemicals such as car emissions and oil from road surfaces,

• Urban pollutants including pharmaceuticals, and much more

• Water treatment chemicals and their byproducts

These toxins can be extremely harmful to your health. Well-respected research has proved that many of these contaminants cause various diseases such as cancer, liver disease, kidney problems, and nervous system problems.

The Water Department Can’t Do It All!

The water that is supplied to your homes contains contaminants that are not regulated at all by USEPA. In addition, there are numerous contaminants that are regulated but certain levels are allowed which have been shown to be harmful. For your local water department to remove everything would require expensive treatment systems which Congress is reluctant to require. Therefore you have to protect yourself.

Contamination between the Water Plant and your Sink

The tap water supplied to your house can be contaminated by the pipelines that lead to your house or the pipes inside your home. Although lead pipes are not used now, many older pipes are still in service. The pipes can leach lead into tap water when it passes through them. Lead, if consumed, is detrimental to your health. The controversy in Flint Michigan began when the city obtained a new water supply that leached lead into homes. As a result many children were permanently brain damaged. This could easily have been prevented.

Fluoride Levels May Worsen Health

Tap water may contain fluoride, which can also cause adverse health effects. In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency saw the concerning rate of deteriorating health among people, such as increased bone fractures and enamel fluorosis. This led them to set fluoride levels lower than before.

Unfortunately, the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) still set at 4 mg/L, which is an unsafe level.  A study conducted by experts says that the fluoride level is too high, and after all these years, it still has not been changed. The best level of fluoride for your water is none at all.

What type of Water Filter is best for you?

Now that you have information about the different types of contaminants and just how harmful they are to your health, we will give you some information about the different kinds of water filters available.

Almost all water filters use carbon filtration, while the most effective ones use more than one type of filtration media. Different types of filters are effective at removing different kinds of contaminants.

The most common types of media are carbon, ceramic filters, metallic alloy, resin, and reverse osmosis membranes. Each medium has its strengths and weaknesses. A particular medium may be very effective in removing one contaminant but may be totally ineffective in filtering out others.

Types of Water Filters

There are many types of water filters to choose from. Faucet Filters that attach to your water spout, while Counter Top Filters with a free-standing water filter unit sit next to your sink. Faucet and countertop filters have diverter valves that engage the filter when you want your water filtered. These are generally considered ineffective. While they may improve the taste of the water they do not contain enough media to remove harmful contaminants.

There are Under Sink Filters too that can be attached to your cold-water line and provide filtered water to a separate, dedicated drinking water faucet. These may be a simple set of filters or a more complex reverse osmosis (RO) system. The RO systems need an independent holding tank for filtered water. A handy homeowner or a plumber can install these systems for you.

Another commonly found type are the Whole House Water Filters. They are connected directly to your incoming water line and filter all the water that comes into your home. A Whole House Water Filter has a high water flow rate and provides healthy water for bathing. They may or may not provide healthy drinking water as they do not remove as many contaminants as Under Sink Filters. If you use a whole house water filter you may also need a drinking water filter. A professional may be able to advise you.

Let’s see each of these in detail:

Faucet Filters

These are attached to the end of a standard kitchen or bathroom faucet and use a diverter for filtered water. They are easy to install and move, which is convenient for those who change houses frequently. But they contain little media and are only used to improve taste.

Counter Top

These filters sit on the counter next to the kitchen or bathroom sink and connect via a small hose to the faucet. They are easy to install but a pain to use and of questionable quality.

Under –the-Counter Filters

These are plumbed-in systems connected to the cold-water lines under your sink and dispense filtered water through a small faucet rather than the main one. This filter is highly capable. Moreover, it is installed under the sink and hence, is unnoticeable. These are generally highly effective at contaminant removal.

Reverse Osmosis Filters

These systems are plumbed-in and connect to your cold-water line, and dispense water through a second small faucet rather than the main faucet. It can be located at the main sink or a secondary sink like a wet bar. It has a high degree of filtration and can cost more than the other water filter systems.

Whole House Filter

This system is plumbed-in through your main water line. It filters all the water coming into your house because it is installed at the entry point of the mainline.

To sum it up

The best water filters use different technologies in three stages to provide you with the complete protection available; removing chlorine, chloramine, all chlorine byproducts and reduces or removes arsenic and fluoride.

We hope you now have a clear understanding of how different water filters work and their purposes. Consider installing one in your home to enjoy pure and clean water.