Water Filtration Systems--What to Look For in a Good Water Filtration System

Water filtration systems are necessary to ensure the best quality water in your home.  Whether your water source is from the municipal system or well water, we all need water to live, and the water should be as clean as possible.  Contaminants such as bacteria, cysts, hard minerals, and chlorine can cause short and long-term health effects.  Having a good drinking water filtration system can prevent negative health effects while giving you softer skin, hair, and even laundry.  Read on to learn the water filtration systems that are currently available and what makes a water filter effective.

Understanding the types of water filters available to you can help you choose the best water filtration system according to your needs.  Below is a list of the commonly used filters that are available.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis filters are one of the most popular methods of water filtration.  The best system for large scale water filtration,  reverse osmosis systems work by filtering the contaminated water through a semi-permeable membrane by force. The result is large contaminants on one side of the membrane, and clean water on the other side.  However, reverse osmosis systems are known to waste water in the filtration process.   This can lead to increased long-term costs due to higher water bills.

Carbon Water Filters

Carbon filters are the most commonly used filters of all the whole house water filtration systems.   Granulated activated carbon (GAC) removes toxic compounds by absorption, improving the taste, smell, and overall quality of the water.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named carbon filter as the best water filtration systems that helps to remove contaminants including chlorine, cysts, herbicides, pesticides, and volatile organic chemicals.  Carbon filters also help maintain the waters pH balance.

Water Distillation

Water distillation filters the water via condensation. The water is boiled, leaving solid contaminants while the condensation is captured in a clean container. Water distillation is not the most effective method of water filtration, and should be used in conjunction with other water filters.  Water distillation is most helpful for those who live in dry seaside areas where freshwater is insufficient.

Deionization
 
Deionization purifies the water by removing charged atoms from raw water.  Ions removed include cations from calcium, iron, sodium , and copper and anions such as chloride and bromide.

Ion Exchange Systems
Ion exchange systems are used to replace some trace minerals with other minerals. Ion exchange filtration cannot remove chlorine and other dangerous chemicals in the tap water.  This system is usually used with a carbon filter for best results.

Ultraviolet (UV) Systems

UV water filtration uses ultraviolet light from a high intensity lamp to sterilize harmful microorganisms. It does so by damaging the structure of the microorganisms.

Combination Systems

Combination systems are the best choice for whole house water filtration systems.  As the name suggest, combination systems combine different methods of filtration for the best water purification.  The most effective systems combine sub micron and carbon filtration with ion exchange, filtering out lead, heavy metals, hormone, pharmaceutical drugs, organic microorganisms, chlorine, and other harmful chemicals.  Combination systems improve the taste, smell, and quality of the water without removing the important minerals.

1.  A good home water filtration system will have a long filter life, lasting between 100,000 to 150,000 gallons

2.  The larger the filter the better.  A large filter will allow more water to flow with greater pressure.  A large filter also decreases the frequency of how often the filter needs to be changed.

3. A drinking water filtration system should be NSF certified and made from safe, non-toxic materials.  You can always request certification or proof of certification from a reputable dealer.

4. A whole house water filtration system should have a good flow rate.  The flow rate is measured in gallons per minute (gpm), and determines the amount of water available to run the different water sources in your home.  An average family would roughly need between 15 and 40gpm for uninterrupted water supply and effective filtering.

5.  Spare and replacement parts should be readily available.  You should also buy a water filtration system with a warranty and money back guarantee just in case something goes wrong with your system.