Home water filters help to protect you and your family against contaminants in your drinking water. Before buying one, learn about the types of home water filters so you can choose the best one for your needs. You’ll need to first determine your source of water and what contaminants are in it in order to pick the right filter for your home.
Reverse Osmosis Home Water Filters
Reverse osmosis uses water pressure to reverse the natural process of osmosis. This type of filter forces water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants.
This filter removes 99% of the contaminants present in water and the system is convenient. However, the upfront cost of installation is high.
Pros:
- Improves the taste of water
- Effectively removes a wide range of contaminants compared to other filters
Cons:
- Expensive
- Wastes water
Activated Carbon
This is one of the most readily available filters on the market. Activated carbon is used for pitcher filters, faucet filters, and refrigerator filters. It uses a process called adsorption to filter and extract contaminants from water. These contaminants are attracted to the carbon and trapped in the filter as water passes through.
Activated carbon filters are affordable and should be replaced periodically. It is one of the few types of filters to remove chlorine, which is added to most municipal drinking water.
Pros:
- Comes in different formats
- Easy to install and replace the filter
- Affordable
Cons:
- Doesn’t remove certain contaminants
Ultraviolet Filters
This is a less common type of filter that uses ultraviolet radiation to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms in water.
The installation process is expensive. However, it is easy to maintain. It only removes living organisms from the water and leaves other contaminants, so it’s often used with another type of filter.
Pros:
- Highly effective in removing viruses and bacteria from water
Cons:
- Requires an additional filter to remove non-living pollutants
- Expensive installation
- Uses energy
Water Distillation as Home Water Filters
Distillation is an old method of water purification. The process involves boiling water to high temperatures in one chamber while the steam cools and condenses in another chamber to form purified water.
When water vaporizes, it leaves behind contaminants like inorganic compounds and bacteria in the heating chamber. However, this type of filtration also removes healthy minerals from the water.
Pros:
- Kills pathogens and bacteria in water
- Removes heavy metals and salts
Cons:
- Removes healthy minerals
- Takes a long time to purify water
- Does not remove synthetic chemicals
There are many types of home water filters on the market, so it’s important to test your home’s water before choosing the best one for your home.
Cole’s Inspection Services offers home inspection services and home water testing to Statesville, NC, and the surrounding area. Contact us to request an appointment.