09/28/2020 | Aquaculture | 8 MINUTE READ

What are the Best Whole Home Water Filtration Systems?

Drinking clean water that’s free from contaminants is important for the health and well-being of every member of your household. It’s possible to filter out the contaminants in the water that gets sent to your home with a whole-home water filtration system. A water filtration system is any system that’s able to filter out pollutants, particles, and contaminants from the water. Keep in mind that there are many different types of filtration systems that you can use in your home. Different systems are able to filter out varying amounts of particles.
The top filtration systems are ones that are able to purify water, which ensures that the water has been rid of around 99.9 percent of all contaminants. When you’re searching for a water filtration system to install in your home, there are numerous whole-home options to select from. It’s important to obtain one of these water filtration systems because filtered water tastes better and is much healthier for you than water that consists of too many contaminants. Before you have a whole-home water filtration system installed, it’s recommended that you read up on the top water filtration systems at your disposal, which are detailed in the following.


Key Takeaways:

  • Water filtration systems filter out harmful contaminants, pollutants, and other particles.
  • People use water filtration systems to make their water not only healthier but also taste and smell better for a more pleasant drink.
  • There are four common types of household water treatments that are separated into two distinct categories that consist of point-of-use systems and point-of-entry systems.

Reasons Why People Use a Home Water Filtration System

There are plenty of reasons why you should consider installing a water filtration system in your home, the primary of which is that it will make your drinking water healthier by removing most of the contaminants. With the large amount of contaminants that can be found in unfiltered water, the water that you drink can have an odd taste to it. While these strange odors and tastes may not be harmful to your health, they can make it unpleasant to drink the water in your home.
When the water that runs through a home hasn’t been filtered, rust particles can settle and cause the water to become cloudy. For young individuals, senior citizens, and anyone with a weakened immune system, unfiltered water can carry parasites and bacteria that could be harmful and bring about various health concerns. If you own a home that was built before 1986, it’s possible that your home is outfitted with lead pipes. The lead from these pipes can get into your water supply. Even though lead is odorless and tasteless, it can damage your health.
When you have a water filtration system installed in your home, it will be able to improve the overall quality of your water, which should result in better taste and more clarity. With less contaminants in the water, you won’t need to worry about your health when you drink it. While unfiltered tap water is typically drinkable, it still contains enough contaminants to reduce the quality of water, which is why you should consider selecting a whole-home water filtration system.

Common Types of Household Water Treatments


There are four separate household water treatments that you can use within your home, which include:

  • Filtration systems
  • Water softeners
  • Distillation systems
  • Disinfection

The exact option that you select depends on the budget that you have as well as the amount of contaminants you would like to have removed from your water. While the EPA has set certain standards that must be met for public drinking water, it’s still recommended that you further treat the water to remove any remaining contaminants.
Water treatment systems for a home can be separated into two distinct categories, which include point-of-use systems and point-of-entry systems. Point-of-use systems are designed for the purpose of treating drinking water in batches before delivering the water to a tap. On the other hand, point-of-entry systems are meant to be installed once a water meter has been integrated. These systems will treat the majority of the water that enters the home.

Filtration Systems

Filtration systems are very common for getting rid of the contaminants in drinking water. These filters are able to remove various impurities and contaminants from the water via a chemical process, biological process, or physical barrier. If you decide to select a water filtration system, there are several options available to you. For instance, particulate filters are able to lessen sediment and different types of particles. Activated carbon filters can get rid of specific contaminants by bonding to the contaminants, which should improve the taste and smell of the drinking water in your home.
You could also choose a filtration system that uses reverse osmosis. which pushes water directly through a membrane that collects all of the contaminants that attempt to pass through it. The only thing that reverse osmosis is unable to remove is chlorine. The types of contaminants that reverse osmosis can eradicate include parasites, viruses, lead, and bacteria. There are several additional types of filtration systems at your disposal, which extend to:

  • Oxidation reduction filtration – This filtration method converts molecules that are contaminated into different kinds of molecules that no longer consist of contaminants
  • Ultraviolet filtration – This filtration method uses ultraviolet light for the purpose of getting rid of cysts, bacteria, and viruses
  • Ion-exchange filtration – This filtration method puts acceptable additives in place of contaminant ions, which is great for reducing zinc, copper, and other contaminants

Water Softeners

Water softeners are devices that are designed specifically to lessen the hardness of water. The hardness of water refers to the exact amount of magnesium and dissolved calcium that can be found in the water. While some of the minerals that are eradicated with a water softener can be beneficial to a person’s health, water that contains high amounts of dissolved calcium and magnesium can damage the pipes and other equipment in your home.
Water softeners work by replacing magnesium and calcium ions with potassium and sodium ions. Many homeowners will use a water softener alongside a standard water filtration system, which ensures that the hardness of the water and the concentration of contaminants are reduced.

Distillation Systems

Distillation systems can be very effective at getting rid of the contaminants that build up in water. The distillation process involves contaminated water being boiled. The resulting steam will be collected and further condensed into a separate container, which ensures that most of the contaminants in the water are left behind. These particular systems are considered to be very effective at removing protozoa, viruses, and bacteria. However, they are also designed to remove such chemical contaminants as arsenic, lead, chromium, sulfate, and sodium.

Disinfection

It’s also possible for you to use disinfection to treat the water that runs through your home. This is a chemical or physical process that involves harmful microorganisms being killed or deactivated, which automatically provides you with much cleaner water. The chemical disinfectants that can be used with this type of treatment include ozone, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide. On the other hand, the physical disinfectants that you can use include heat, ultraviolet light, and electronic radiation.
If you opt for chemical treatments like chlorine dioxide or ozone, you’ll benefit from a reduction in viruses and bacteria, continued protection against re-contamination, and low cost. However, introducing chlorine or other chemicals to your water can somewhat alter the taste of the water. These methods are also less effective at protecting against protozoa. When you use a chemical disinfectant, a substance will need to be placed into your water in order for the contaminants to be eradicated.
You could also decide to use physical disinfection methods, which include ultraviolet light, electronic radiation, and heat. When heat or ultraviolet light is applied to the water, a wide range of bacteria, chemicals, and other kinds of materials can be removed from the liquid. These contaminants include everything from viruses and chlorine to E. coli and salmonella. The main benefit of using these disinfectants is that they can purify your drinking water without needing to use chemicals. However, physical disinfectants aren’t as effective at getting rid of inorganic compounds or dissolved organics.

Benefits of A Home Water Filtration System

The benefits of a home water filtration system are many. If you worry about the amount of contaminants in your water or are concerned about how your water tastes, you should better understand the benefits of having a water filtration system installed in your home. These benefits include:

  • Cleaner and safer water
  • The water that flows through your home will taste better
  • Your vegetables and fruits will be cleaner
  • You will have protection from contaminants that could enter your home via your property or a private well
  • You won’t need to deal with the costs and frustration of purchasing bottled water
  • You should experience a boost in your health, energy levels, and hydration

It’s important to understand that the costs associated with water filtration systems are significantly less than the costs of purchasing bottled water.
Even though the EPA has set standards for public drinking water that must be adhered to by municipalities throughout the U.S., these standards likely aren’t enough to effectively purify the water that you drink. While tap water shouldn’t be too unhealthy, the only way for you to consume water that you know is free from problematic contaminants is by obtaining a water filtration system for your home that will get rid of contaminants and particles before you drink the water.

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Posted by Sensorex on September 28, 2020

Sensorex is a global leader in the design and manufacture of quality sensors for water quality and process applications. The company offers more than 2000 sensor packages for pH, ORP, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, free chlorine, chlorine dioxide, UV transmittance and other specialty measurements, as well as a full line of sensor accessories and transmitters. Its expert technical support engineers solve analytical sensor challenges with custom designs and off the shelf products.

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