How to Compare Household Water Filtration Systems
Tap water varies from region to region and may contain contaminants. According to The Natural Resources Defense Council, these contaminants could even endanger the health of the elderly, children and pregnant women while also affecting the taste of the water. Water filtration systems can fix these problems, but these systems are not all the same. You will need to compare whole house systems with individual systems such as pitchers and faucet units to see which fit your needs and your budget. Then you will need to compare the available features within each system. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Request a water quality report from your water company. This is called a Consumer Confidence Report. It tells you which substances are found in your drinking water. Sometimes there is just a heavy chlorine content, which can impact taste, but there may also be contaminants such as asbestos and mercury that are dangerous to your health.
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Make a budget. Knowing what you can afford upfront will make the comparison process much easier. Tap-based filter systems and pitcher filters cost about $25 to $40 upfront. Under-the-sink systems cost between $300 and $500, while whole house systems range from about $1,500 to $3,000. The benefit of whole water systems is that water from all your sinks, tubs and showers is filtered.
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Factor in installation costs. Pitcher filters are essentially water pitchers that filter the water when you fill them up and don't require any installation costs. Tap-based filters, which are just hooked to your faucet, you can install yourself. However, under-the-sink systems, and especially whole house systems, will require professional installation unless you are familiar with the process.
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Check which contaminants the different water filtration systems eliminate. Whole house systems tend to filter out sediment, scale and rust. Organic chemicals, chlorine and industrial solvents are best removed with tap-based filter systems and pitcher filters.
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Limit your search to filters that specialize in ion exchange if you live in an area with hard water. This is water that contains an abundance of minerals that can negatively affect the taste of the water. Compare only ion exchange filters if your water needs softening, because other filters may only end up removing contaminants you don't have.
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Conduct a needs-based analysis. Determine the specialty of each kind of new water filter technology used in filtration systems and compare each based on your needs. Carbon filters, for example, work by using carbon to actually bond to the contaminants and can remove chlorine and metals, but not inorganic chemicals like fluoride. Reverse osmosis filters, on the other hand, remove many of the inorganic chemicals that carbon filters cannot, but the process also wastes a lot of water. Also, ceramic and mechanical filters can get rid of cysts and sediments, but not chemicals, while ultraviolet filters can remove bacteria but not chemicals.
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Research the maintenance involved in each filtration system you are considering. Different systems require different levels of maintenance, and this level will vary by type and model. For example, whole house filters require less changing than faucet-based systems. If you don't mind the maintenance, however, the faucet systems cost less upfront.
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References
- Photo Credit a glass of water image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
