Why Do I Need A Whole House Filter?

The tap water and well water Americans use for their daily household activities contain moderate to high levels of impurities, usually from environmental and industrial pollution. The same can be said for other water sources, including glaciers, rivers, lakes, and others. These contaminants are usually naturally occurring minerals and man-made byproducts and chemicals.

When contaminant sources like stormwater runoff, acidic rain, industrial wastes, or pesticide runoff find their way into surface water like lakes or rivers, it leads to contamination of water. Likewise, when disease-producing pathogens, toxic household products, agricultural chemicals, and leachates from landfills and septic systems find their way into groundwater like public water supplies or private wells, they contaminate the water.

Most contaminants are present at moderate levels, so they do not cause sickness instantly. However, if they are accumulated over time, they cause chronic health issues.

Microbial Pathogens, which are microorganisms that cause diseases, such as parasites, viruses, and bacteria.

– Organic substances

– Inorganic substances

The regular water treatment standards are effective against only a few of these substances. A whole house water filtration is required to ensure 100% protection against all of these impurities.

With a whole house water system in place, you can fix most issues around your water quality, taste, odor, or appearance. These systems are specially designed to get rid of impurities from your water, using a filter connected to your water line. The filtration occurs right at the main source of water in your home. So, the water coming out of your toilets, faucets, and other appliances is already filtered.

The specific impurities in your water often depend on the source. For instance, homes that rely on municipal water will need a whole house carbon filtration system to do a general whole house water purification. Carbon filtration can efficiently remove odor, chloramines, chlorine, and VOCs in your water, leaving you with chemical-free drinkable water. However, if you have identified certain impurities like iron, bacteria, sediment, or fluoride, you need a whole house system that is equipped to remove these contaminants. For instance, having brown iron or orange stains around your water fixtures signifies the presence of iron. So, you need a whole house iron filter to correct this.

Note that a whole house softener is not the same as a filter – it only helps to soften hard water. You should only consider a whole house softener if you want soft water that keeps your glassware spotless and your environment free of scale. However, the combination of a softener with any whole house filtration system will ensure you get clean and soft water from all your faucets.

We have three major types of whole house systems – the heavy-duty filtration system, the standard capacity water cartridge and spin down sediment filter.

As the name suggests, heavy-duty systems are the most powerful contaminant removal systems out there. They are equipped with large amounts of filtered water, installed in a tank of up to 50” in height. They deliver up to 5-10 years of consistent filtration before the media is due for a replacement.

The standard capacity water cartridges, on the other hand, are equipped with water filter cartridges that are installed inside durable filter housings. These cartridges treat the contaminated water directly at the source. Most standard capacity water cartridges are 10” or 20” in height with a diameter of 4.5”. They can work a whole year before they are due for replacement. And while they are more affordable, you may need to do a bit more maintenance.

Spin down sediment filter blocks impurities with its inner mesh. It houses a 50-micron 316L molybdenum alloy filter that blocks impurities such as rust or small objects. It is designed to not to cause drop in your water pressure. Reinforced housing has been subjected to rigorous voltage, pressure, explosion, and prolonged water hammer impact tests. With improved backwashing function, you don’t have to disassemble the housing and clean the mesh.

A lot of factors should be considered when choosing the right filtration system for your home. The water flow is one of these factors. Your filter system must deliver filtered water directly from the supply – a process that requires a higher flow rate capacity. Filters with flow rate capacities lower than your peak water flow will reduce pressure and limit the volume of water you get from your faucets. The minimum water pressure rating of most filters is 15 gallons per minute. However, you can look out for models that offer as much as 40 gallons per minute.

The sediment filter mesh has pores. The sizes of these pores are recorded in microns, and they determine the type of sediment particles the filter can remove. The finest meshes have the lowest micron ratings and are more efficient at reducing even the smallest sediment particles in your water. Considering this, it would be logical to go for a filter system with the smallest micron rating. But this assumption is not right.

If the water you want to filter contains large particles of metal or rust, going for a smaller mesh size means the filter will clog up faster. When this happens, it reduces your water pressure until you clean or changes the filter. If your filter is washable or reusable, this means you need to wash and replace it almost every day to keep the flow normal. If the filter is not reusable – as in a cartridge system – you spend more money buy new filters to replace the clogged ones.

In most cases, there are different types of sediment in your water, which may change with time or the age of your well. This is why you should test your water to know the contaminants present and use it as a guide to decide the best micron mesh size for you. Alternatively, you can try out different meshes until you find the most effective. If your water contains multiple sediment types, it is best to go for a multi-stage filtration system that is effective against all of them.

Changing your filter every time is stressful and expensive. Your water usage determines how frequently you change your filter. If you are staying alone, you will use less water compared to an entire family. So, your cartridges will last even longer than that of a family with heavy use of water.

You can determine the life expectancy of filters and cartridges by checking the product specifications. The lifespan often depends on the amount of water filtered, but it is not strange to see manufacturers provide an estimated timeframe.

However, these are only projections. If your water contains several sediment particles, your filter might expire before the expected timeframe. Likewise, if your water contains fewer sediment particles of the same size, your filter life may be longer than quoted by the manufacturer.

Your filter life is also affected by how frequently you flush or clean the system. When you flush a filter, you run water through multiple times while discarding the filtered water. There are various cleaning methods, depending on the type of filter. However, you can use mild detergents or a homemade vinegar solution for most filters. For detergents, make sure you get rid of all the detergent before replacement.

Cleaning your filter regularly will extend its lifespan and make it more efficient. It also minimizes environmental pollution because you are discarding less used filters.

With a whole house water filter, you get:

The water from your municipal water plant is treated. However, it still contains a few contaminants. Installing a whole-house system gives you the additional protection you need. It ensures the water from all your outlets is clean and safe for use. Filtered water keeps you healthy and immune to water-related diseases.

You can opt for a whole house carbon filtration system if your water has no unusual contaminant issues. The system provides a general multi-purpose whole house water filtration. However, it is best to go for a whole house system that is effective against such issues if you have special water issues.

Overall, whole house water filters will keep you healthy and give you the benefits and peace of mind you can expect from unrestricted access to clean water.