Water Filtering Ideas for Better Drinking Water
Introduction
Have you ever noticed the bad taste of water from your faucet? You are not alone! Many people would love to have better-tasting drinking water but do not want to spend a lot of money on it. Luckily, numerous easy-to-implement methods can be used for filtering tap water. Not only will they improve the taste of your water, but they will also provide you with safe drinking water.
Water Filtering Ideas
The five most common types of inexpensive home water systems Tennessee sells are activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems, ultraviolet light units, distillers, and pitcher-style units. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, effectiveness in removing contaminants, water waste, and ease of installation.
- Using Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters are usually made from charcoal that has been treated to increase the number of available active sites on the surface. They are especially effective at filtering out organic compounds, chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). While this type of filter does not remove inorganic compounds, the taste of the filtered water generally tastes better than that of unfiltered tap water.
- Using Reverse Osmosis (RO) Units
Reverse osmosis (RO) units use a semipermeable membrane to separate many types of dissolved contaminants from your drinking water by producing highly purified water on the other side of the membrane. RO units are capable of removing suspended particles, dissolved salts, organic chemicals, and microbes (giardia, cryptosporidium). However, they are not very effective at removing VOCs.
- Using Ultraviolet Light
UV units use ultraviolet light to destroy harmful pathogens in your drinking water. These systems work best at killing cysts (such as giardia) and some bacteria; however, they are ineffective at killing viruses.
- Using Distillers
Distillers are units that heat your water to the boiling point and then capture the released vapor. The captured vapor is then cooled and turned back into liquid water, which is then collected in a storage container. Because distillers remove almost all types of contaminants, they are considered to be one of the best filtration methods for producing safe drinking water. However, distillers require a significant amount of electricity and are pretty expensive.
- Using Pitcher-Style Units
Pitcher-style units use granular activated carbon (GAC) or slow sand filters for removing a wide range of contaminants from your tap water. Unfortunately, these units do not remove many types of harmful organic chemicals, minerals, heavy metals, and other harmful contaminants. However, they are generally inexpensive and can be installed in just a few minutes if your tap has an available water line.
All of these filters should be replaced regularly to ensure that they will continue to provide you with safe drinking water. For example, activated carbon filters should be replaced every six months, RO filters should be replaced every 2-5 years, UV light units should be replaced every 9,000 hours, distillers should be replaced every 3-5 years, and pitcher-style units should be replaced every 6-12 months.
Conclusion
Now that you know about some of the most common types of water filters, you can decide which one is best for you. Keep in mind the cost, effectiveness, and ease of installation when making your decision. No matter which filters you choose, you will be able to enjoy better-tasting drinking water!
