Posts Tagged ‘best water filters’

What Is RO Water System Is Right For You?

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

A reverse osmosis filtration device, or RO water system, can be a useful filtering device in the home. Other applications for reverse osmosis include aquariums, tap water purification, the production of hydrogen, dialysis and many different applications in the food industry. Let’s take a look at the various stages in the reverse osmosis water purification process to get an idea if it’s the right kind of filtration unit for your home.

A sediment pre-filter is used to extract larger contaminants like dirt, sand, dust, grit and rust particles from the water when present. An optional secondary carbon pre-filter is used to extract most of the organic chemicals and chlorine; providing enhanced taste and reduction of odor while helping to protect the reverse osmosis membrane, which can be vulnerable to chlorine.

A RO membrane is normally made from a thin film composite. An optional carbon post-filter is used to capture any chemicals that are still present. This step also helps guard against any tainting which might occur within the device’s water storage tank. Another option, an ultraviolet light (UV-C), is incorporated into the process to disinfect the water of any organisms that may have escaped the reverse osmosis membrane.

A RO water system can be bulky, which means it will take up a lot of cabinet space under or near the sink. Here are a few other shortcomings of reverse osmosis water filtering systems. Unlike faucet, countertop or carafe filters, reverse osmosis filters require plumbing modifications and need to be installed by a professional. If you don’t mind modifying your plumbing and giving up some cabinet space, then a RO filtering system may be the perfect choice for you.

A reverse osmosis water treatment system must occasionally be sanitized with chlorine, a chemical that is highly undesirable and which in many cases is filtered out by other systems. Though chlorine is nearly universally used by city and municipal water systems, it has been shown to cause cancer. Using it to clean the filter that you will use to filter out such things seems to be counter intuitive.

A RO water system may not be appropriate for everyone, since by its very nature it is a wasteful process; it flushes away three to four gallons of water for every one gallon of clean water that passes through. If your water has a poor taste or smell to it, then you could consider a carbon-based, multi-stage filtering system that incorporates reverse osmosis into the process. Whether you choose a reverse osmosis system or a system that incorporates several types of filters into one unit, do your research before you buy; water filtering systems can be very expensive.

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Story Behind the Downside of RO Water Filters

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Reverse osmosis or RO water filters seem to be a dying breed. Before you buy one, educate yourself on the facts, since there may be better options available. There are a number of things that a reverse osmosis water filter will not remove when used in the home, such as chlorine, chemicals, the byproducts of chlorination and other things that are lighter or smaller than water’s molecular structure. Let’s take a look at whether RO filters are worthwhile.

RO water filters are very efficient at eliminating toxic materials like lead, rust, salt, parasites, salt, sulfates and sediments, but unfortunately, there are some negatives that go along with a RO system. RO systems only partial remove viruses and bacteria, and require other types of water purification systems to back it up. The RO filtration system actually removes too many minerals that the body needs for good functioning, longevity and health; minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium for example. If those are eliminated, then it forces the body to draw from stores in the teeth and bones.

Sometimes home reverse osmosis water filtration systems are accompanied by an added carbon filtration device. Carbon effectively removes most of the chemicals that reverse osmosis cannot. But again, still other filters are necessary to remove all of the unwanted particles. For example, chlorine byproducts can only be removed through adsorption since the chemicals are gaseous. They actually just pass right through a reverse osmosis water dispenser.

Another downside is that reverse osmosis filtration systems take up a large amount of space, as the larger units seem to be the most effective. They use electricity and require extensive maintenance. The membranes can become contaminated with algae and bacteria. In order to kill the bacteria and algae, chlorine is used, but it can damage the membrane, and replacement membranes are expensive. Hiring someone to install the system is expensive, as well as the power and water it uses. There is just no advantage to installing a reverse osmosis water system with today’s technological betterments.

After considering all the cons of RO water filters, it seems apparent that a multi-stage filter that employs vital and essential purification processes like ion exchange, carbon and sub-micron filtration are more beneficial in removing all traces of contaminants such as volatile organic chemicals like herbicides and pesticides, lead, chlorine and other harmful materials than a simple reverse osmosis filter. A multi-stage filter also ensures that valuable minerals that are critical to body processes and contribute to better health aren’t filtered out as well.

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The Best Water Filters Today

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

For even the savviest of shoppers, buying a water filter in today’s marketplace can be confusing. Hopefully, this article can assist you in making the right choice when purchasing a new filtration system for your home or business. When it comes to water purification, there are quite a few different technologies to choose from, such as loose carbon, distillation, ultraviolet light, reverse osmosis and carbon blocks. Let’s take a look at what are the best water filters available today and how each of them works.

The first step is to decide what you want to accomplish with a water filtration; do you want to reduce chlorine, stop bacterial growth and cysts, or would you like to deal with a wide range of organic and chemical contaminants all at the same time? The best water filters can do all of these things at one time. You should also consider whether or not you want to remove the healthy minerals from your water, such as calcium and magnesium.

If you take a look at loose carbon filters, you will discover that they are actually bacteria factories. They allow oxygen to exist within the filter, which encourages and enhances the growth of bacteria. Although this type of filter is very cheap to purchase, it is expensive in the long run, since the filters must be replaced frequently.

Distillation is effective when filtering bacteria, solids, sediments and organic or chemical contaminants that will not evaporate. There are some chemical contaminants, such as MTBE, that will evaporate, so distillation is not effective in filtering that.

Ultraviolet (UV) light is sometimes used in conjunction with other filters to kill bacteria, and has been found to be a very effective tool. The light affects an organism’s DNA, so it cannot replicate. If it cannot replicate, it is harmless.

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a filter which reduces fluoride, radium and numerous other contaminants to a very high degree, although it does have its limitations. There are a large number of contaminants found in water that will easily pass through an RO filter. Reverse osmosis is also used in conjunction with other filters to be very effective, though the process does remove the healthy minerals as well. RO by itself is capable of reducing contaminants such as radium, arsenic, barium lead, nitrates and nitrites, as well as giardia and selenium that are found in tap water.

When choosing the best water filters, performance is the key factor and is actually the most important thing to look for in any water filtration system. Do your research and don’t waste your money on an ineffective water purifying system that simply does not work. Carefully read the packaging to determine which contaminants the filter will reduce, as stated by the manufacturer. The label on the product package should indicate this information based on standards set by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International (a public health and safety company).

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AWho Wants A Cheap Water Filter System?

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

You may be tempted by the lower priced water filter system that retails for around $50, since that sounds like a reasonable price alternative for a family on a limited budget. But, there are several problems with filters at that low of a price scale. Most are really only chlorine filters and not actual purifiers. Although chlorine removal is fine, that in and of itself is not enough anymore. Water contaminants include hormones, drugs, herbicides, pesticides, benzene and gasoline additives because they are present in groundwater and come through the tap, straight into your sink.

Among water filters, reverse osmosis is the most expensive choice for home use. RO filters are used in large industrial applications as well as in public facilities. In certain home applications, reverse osmosis filters are the right choice, but for the most part, the price and lack of filtration of certain contaminants means you are better off choosing another filtration method. The best application for RO systems is desalination, which is the process of removing salt from water.

An under-the-counter water filter system is very similar to the countertop units, in that they have small capacities and only provide treated water to one particular faucet. The real difference is that these systems don’t take up valuable countertop space. They do, however, require more sophisticated plumbing, which makes them slightly more expensive.

Many harmful contaminants, such as trihalomethanes and volatile organic chemicals, which have also been linked to cancer, are not blocked by the cheaper models. In some cases, lead, which is toxic, is not removed. Lead contamination is a big problem for many cities, not because the city water treatment facility isn’t doing the job, but because the pipes that run into homes are old and contaminated.

Bacterial cysts are another type of contaminant that a cheaper drinking water filters typically cannot remove. They cause parasitic infections in the gastrointestinal tract and have been know to cause serious health problems and even death in the elderly, children and people with compromised immune systems.

If those reasons are not enough to invest a little extra cash into a water filter system, then here’s another fact; cheap water filters cost more to use in the long run. They use, on average, more than 25 cents per day, as opposed to the 10 cents per day that more expensive filters use. The companies draw you in by charging a lower price up front, but then charge more for replacement filter cartridges that need to be replaced at a higher rate. They also manufacture the cartridge to have a very short lifespan. Either way you look at it, you end up spending more when you purchase a cheap filter system.

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What Is RO Water System Is Right For You?

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

A reverse osmosis water filter, or RO water system, can be an effective filtration device. The process uses pressure to force water through a membrane that retains contaminants on one side of the filter and allows the treated water to pass through to the other side. This process is more widely known for removing salt from sea water to get fresh water, also called desalination. RO is also used to purify fresh water for medical and industrial processes. Let’s take a closer look at the stages of RO filtration to give you an idea of whether it is right for your home.

A sediment pre-filter is used to extract larger contaminants like dirt, sand, dust, grit and rust particles from the water when present. An optional secondary carbon pre-filter is used to extract most of the organic chemicals and chlorine; providing enhanced taste and reduction of odor while helping to protect the reverse osmosis membrane, which can be vulnerable to chlorine.

A RO membrane is normally made from a thin film composite. An optional carbon post-filter is used to capture any chemicals that are still present. This step also helps guard against any tainting which might occur within the device’s water storage tank. Another option, an ultraviolet light (UV-C), is incorporated into the process to disinfect the water of any organisms that may have escaped the reverse osmosis membrane.

A RO water system can be extremely wasteful because for every gallon of water purified, three to four gallons are wasted in the process. And they are extremely slow. If you require a large supply of drinking water, then an RO water filter can never keep up. The tank generally holds one to two gallons of filtered water. Once you have used what is in the tank, you will more than likely be out of filtered water until the following morning.

A reverse osmosis water treatment system must occasionally be sanitized with chlorine, a chemical that is highly undesirable and which in many cases is filtered out by other systems. Though chlorine is nearly universally used by city and municipal water systems, it has been shown to cause cancer. Using it to clean the filter that you will use to filter out such things seems to be counter intuitive.

A RO water system may not be appropriate for everyone, since by its very nature it is a wasteful process; it flushes away three to four gallons of water for every one gallon of clean water that passes through. If your water has a poor taste or smell to it, then you could consider a carbon-based, multi-stage filtering system that incorporates reverse osmosis into the process. Whether you choose a reverse osmosis system or a system that incorporates several types of filters into one unit, do your research before you buy; water filtering systems can be very expensive.

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using outdoor patio heater, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His articles and work for market umbrellas and so on are widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.