Whole House Water Filtration System
Whole house water filtrations sytems come in various gradings, as the basic systems are designed to remove sediment, dirt, and rust particles. The more expensive systems we also remove chlorine, chloramine, cysts, VOC’s, iron, hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell), certain heavy metals, and a wide range of contaminants responsible for terrible taste and odors in residential water supplies. Well known types like the Trojan UVMax or Sterilight ultraviolet (UV) are water purifiers which are designed particularly to sterilize residential water to kill bacteria and viruses.
The whole house systems are designed for both low and high flow rate applications, but, it is always vital to note that as with all water treatment applications, the quicker you flow water through the system (higher flow rate), the less effective the filter will be. To make sure you select a water filter system that provides you with the best possible contaminant removal rates, please note the maximum flow rates specified for each system and select a model that suits the maximum flow rate needs of your home.
So what should you find in a excellent whole house filter system?
Basically it should have at least one filter housing, mounting bracket, at least one filter cartridge, and a spanner wrench. Besides the basic sediment removal, it is recommend that a whole house water filtration system be comprised of two housings in series. The first housing is a sediment filter to remove large particles and sediment like sand, dirt, debris, etc. from the water. The second housing is usually an activated carbon filter which provides finer filtration, which should take care of any chlorine or other contaminants that effect water taste and odor.
If you wish to add bonus elements to the system that reduce/remove special contaminants such as iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide then you need an Iron or Hydrogen sulfide reduction filter or when bacteria is an issue for you then a Whole House Ultraviolet (UV) System would be your preferred choice.
Whole house water filters can be installed without the need of a plumber, as long the person has some basic household plumbing experience. But if you prefer you can question any licensed plumber to install the system for you.
A lot of reviews written by experts in the field note that while the best pitcher, dispenser and faucet-mount water filters can handle the most common water contaminants in tap water, the sediment found in some water easily blocks them so they’re virtually unusable. The majority of common whole house water filters are better for filtering out sediment and rust, but if you need or want to filter out lead, terrible tastes or many other contaminants, you will need to look at the higher end water filter systems.
Comparison tests are the best source of in rank on water filters, combined with the in rank at the NSF. It can be very hard for buyers to know which one works or what filter they should choose. If you look at the Lotus Tersano LWT100 (average price is $150) , which is known as a pitcher water filter that costs six times more than most filters and gets very excellent reviews at Amazon.com, but one reviewer fascinatingly points out that some of the reviews may be biased, because they’re written by people who have only reviewed the Lotus water filters. The LWT100 model claims to sterilize water using ozone, but comparison tests show that it not only clogs very quickly, but also leaks which is extremely perilous since the device is electric and can releases enough ozone to cause lung irritation. And if you listen to the experts in the field, the best way to really safely sterilize the water is by bringing it to a rolling boil.