On Selecting a Filter

There are many misconceptions concerning water filtration— # 1 being that there is a “Best Filter” out there. It’s not unusual for a person to call me up and say “My water is horrible. I need the best filter you have.” Unfortunately it’s not that simple. And if you choose to ignore this you’ll most likely end spending a ton of money on a system you don’t need and might not even solve the problem.
First of all, filtration systems can be divided up into two main categories: Point of Use and Point of Origin. Point of Use refers to the actual place you will be getting your water from for drinking, cooking, ect. Point of Origin signifies the place at which water enters your home or building, usually the pipe coming from the city grid or your well.
When deciding to install a filtration system in your home you need to decide — Am I just concerned about the water I drink or am I concerned about ALL of my water. For instance, some people may have a well that brings sediment into their household water. It can get in the washing machine, drinking water, shower water, ect. If this is your problem, you’d be looking for a whole house or Point of Origin filter (and perhaps a point of use filter as well). On the other hand, maybe you don’t have any sediment problems. Maybe you are just concerned about the little nasties in your water that you can’t see, but that you know are there. In this case you would be looking for an under-sink or Point of Use filter system.
So, once you determine if you’re looking for POU or POO you can delve a little deeper into the problem. Let’s tackle Point of Use first since this is the most common concern amongst people who want to filter their water. By the way, if you’re reading this CONGRATS to you on deciding to look into home filtration verses bottled water. Home filtration really is the way to go, and you can read more about why here. But back to the point—of use that is.
So now you’ve decided you want a Point of Use filter and you go online and do some research. Now you’re even more confused than before — there are so many choices!!!! So how do you know which one is best for you? First thing you should do is get your water tested!!! Is a boxer ever able to connect with his opponent if he can’t see where he is? No. So what makes you think you can filter your water without knowing what it is you’re trying to filter out? We offer a variety of test kits for you to choose from that are quick, easy ways of finding out what’s in your water. By determining what the problem is before you solve it you can save yourself a lot of time and money!
I hear some of you saying to yourself, “But my neighbor said I need a reverse osmosis system. He says it’s the only thing that can purify my water.” ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNK! Incorrect. Thanks for playing. Reverse Osmosis is considered in the filtration industry to be a “Top of the Line” filtration system and it does indeed filter out solvents in the water that regular under-sink or mechanical filters cannot. However, these systems are quite expensive and personally I wouldn’t want to purchase and maintain one unless I knew for absolute certain that I needed one. People with medical conditions should consult their doctor before purchasing an RO system. Reverse osmosis can remove minerals and nutrients from water that may be needed as part of a healthy lifestyle or recovery.
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Do you need an RO system: Are you trying to remove Fluoride, Arsenic, or Cyanide from your water? Is what you are trying to remove actually dissolved into the water? Are you paranoid and will not be satisfied unless you know you’ve got a top of the line system? If you answered yes to any of these questions you need to go ahead and invest in an RO system because that is what you will need to meet your filtration requirements.
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Many people do not realize this but a good under-sink filtration system can remove TONS of common contaminants from your water. Another upside to these systems is that many of them take standard size filters, so when you need to change your filter you can find one to suit you even if your current filter has been discontinued or upgraded to a newer part number.
So let’s say that you’re on city water but you do have some really fine sediment in your water. Probably rust from old pipes. But you’re real concern is the massive amounts of chlorine that the city puts in your water. Yuck! It stinks and it’s undrinkable as far as you’re concerned. Well (assuming you’ve had your water tested and these are the only two things you’re concerned with) you wouldn’t need a reverse osmosis system at all. A filtration system such as the OT32 by Omni Filter could solve all of your problems. The OT32 is a dual housing system that comes with a CB3 carbon block filter and an RS2 string wound filter. Now honestly, if you know that chlorine is your only issue when it’s time to change your filter get a GAC1 and an RS2. The GAC1 is less expensive, but in this case would suit your chlorine removal needs just fine. Meanwhile the RS2 sediment filter is taking care of that light sediment problem you had. And what’s left you ask? Nothing but great tasting drinking water!
Although the scenario above is quite funny and informative the truth is most people have bigger issues with their water than chlorine & sediment. The fact is that EPA and local standards still allow trace amounts of contaminants into our drinking water. And bless your heart if you have a well—literally anything could be in there! Again—this is why it’s important to have your water tested. But let’s go through another scenario just for fun…
Let’s say that you’ve got a well. You’ve had it tested (as all wells should be) and your iron levels are ok but still causing some staining on your appliances and in the bath tub. Also, you’ve found some bacteria and pesticides have seeped into your water as well. What you’re going to want is both a whole house filter and an under-sink filter. Here’s why. Whole house filters are not designed to produce drinkable water. They are basically designed to reduce sediment or bad odors from your household water. They normally have a higher micron rating than an under-sink filter, such as a carbon block, which is designed to make drinkable water.
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.micron = A unit of length. One millionth of a meter or one thousandth of a millimeter. One micron equals 0.00004 of an inch. More specifically in terms of water filtration the rule is the lower the micron rating the more that is filtered out.
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Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there! Cysts such as Giardia & Cryptosporidium are commonly found in tap water but cannot be seen by the human eye. Point of use filters, such as the CBC-10 will remove over 99% of these cysts which would pass right through a whole house filter.
Back to the scenario above. Since they don’t have hard water but are having some issues with iron they can use an Iron Filter to get rid of the staining. However, this iron filter will have to be preceded by a sediment filter. The sediment filter is needed to extend the life of the iron filter. In other words, if you don’t want the iron filter clogging up every other week spend a little extra money up front to install a sediment filter. With these two systems in place you’ll be ready to install your under-sink system for drinking water. A system such as the US-1000 would be appropriate in this situation.
There are other factors to be considered when trying to pick the best filter for you such as how big your home is and how many people use the water there. If you have a large home with 3 to 4 people using water daily you need to look at 20” filter housings. These housings provide for higher flow rates than 10” filter housings and therefore don’t have to be changed as frequently.
If only 1-2 people live in your home you may be able to suffice with a housing that takes standard size small filters, such as the AP101T by Aqua Pure.
You may find yourself in a situation where you want filtered water but you do not own your home or cannot afford the filtration that would suit you best. Luckily you still have options for home filtration that are affordable and still less expensive than bottled water. For instance, the Brita On Tap Faucet Filtration System removes over 15 different contaminants, providing excellent filtration for a fraction of the cost. If you are over-dosing on chlorine in the shower try a shower filter, such as the AQ-4100 by Aquasana. If you’re clothes are coming out of the wash dirtier than when they went in try a washing machine filter.
All of these products can be easily installed and used to make the water in your life safer and healthier.
In summary—Get your water tested. Find out if you need a POU or POO or both. Consider the size of your home and your budget. And finally shop at www.filtersfast.com because we’re going to sell you what you need –not just the most expensive products on the market!
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