How Do Water Filters Work?
Clean water is a must for all people. It is the basis of life. Although the EPA states that tap water is clean, many people are not so sure and either use bottled or filtered water. It can be an important choice for you and your family. If you are thinking of having some type of water filter system in your home, then you need to know the different types of filters and how each works. Each filter removes different types of contaminants. It may be best to have your water tested so you know exactly what is in your water, and what you want to take out. The most popular types of filters are activated charcoal, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and distillation.
Most popular for its convenience and ease of use is the carbon filter. If you have ever seen a water pitcher filter, that is a carbon filter. The carbon filter uses charcoal that was created by burning something organic like wood in a reduced supply of oxygen. This creates a porous form of carbon. It is this process and its outcome that makes it such a good filter. A carbon filters is good for removing impurities such as chlorination, some pesticides, and some organic materials. Unfortunately, a carbon filter is not effective at removing microbes or heavy metals from water. One thing to remember is that carbon filters must be replaced. The more water you use, the more frequently you will have to replace the filter. Carbon filters are relatively inexpensive and easy to change.
Reverse osmosis sounds like it is very complicated, but actually it is very straightforward. Water is forced, using an electric pump, through a membrane. This removes the contaminants and leaves pure, filtered water. Reverse osmosis is the process of going from a more concentrated solution to a less concentrated solution. Reverse osmosis removes sodium, nitrates, and foul smells and tastes. It is not able to remove a lot of inorganic and organic materials. After the water is filtered by reverse osmosis, it is stored and often also run through a carbon filter. The major drawback for reverse osmosis is the large amount of water waste. In order to have one gallon of clean, filtered water, the system must use almost two gallons of water.
Ion exchange was first used in industrial situations before it was used in home purifying units. Ion exchange is often used with an activated charcoal filter. Ion exchange works by swapping bad ions for good. The filter is made of numerous zeolite beads containing sodium ions. Magnesium and calcium is trapped by the filter and it releases some of its sodium ions. This is a great solution if you have hard water. This process “softens” the water and most people find that the water tastes better after this process. The main drawback from ion exchange is that basically you are adding sodium to your water. Anyone concerned about their sodium intake may not want to use this type of filter.
The final type of filter, distillation, is a simple process, but very effective, especially when it is combined with a carbon filter. The combination of the two filters can produce water that is 99.9% contaminate free. Distillation involves boiling water to create steam. After the steam cools and condenses, the water droplets are collected in a separate container. Since water boils at a lower temperature than most contaminants, they remain behind after the steam is created. Not all contaminants are removed by this process. VOCs, volatile organic compounds, boil at a lower temperature than water, and are not removed by distillation. Distillation is also unable to remove heavy metals from water.
Be sure to do your research when you are ready to purchase a water filter. Each type removes different kinds of contaminants. If you are unsure of which type to choose, have your water tested. This will let you know what is present in your water and what needs to be removed. Having the right water filter will ensure that you and your family have access to clean, filtered water whenever you need it.
At Water Filters Fast we believe in complete customer satisfaction, we offer water filters for all manner of water filter replacements. We now carry culligan water filter cartridges.
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