Water is the foundation of life. It directly impacts your health, safety, comfort, and productivity. Therefore, it's important to ensure that the water you use is clean and optimally beneficial. The most effective way to achieve this is by investing in a water filtration system — not just any system, but the right one tailored to your home's needs. Here's how to find the best water filter for your household.
Understand Your Water
The first and most important part of selecting the best water filter for your home is knowing exactly what's in your water. There are a couple of ways to go about this, but start with your local area's public water quality data. In 1974, Congress passed a law known as the Safe Drinking Water Act. It authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish minimum standards for drinking water quality and oversee water suppliers nationwide. As part of this regulation, community water systems must provide annual Consumer Confidence Reports, detailing the presence of contaminants such as bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, and other impurities. You can access this report through your local water provider or the EPA's website. One major shortcoming of this information, however, is that the vast majority of public water data reflects only water samples collected at the municipal level before the water travels through local distribution systems. The data might not account for contaminants introduced by aging pipes, leaks, household plumbing materials, or environmental factors specific to your home. Additionally, if your household relies on a private well, these reports won't provide relevant information. To get a more precise picture of your home's water quality, hire a plumber to test water from every outlet or section of your house. Professional testing can reveal localized issues, such as lead leaching from old pipes or sediment buildup from well water sources.
Water Treatment Technologies
The type of water filtration system you choose will largely depend on the contaminants identified in your water test. Different filtration technologies are designed to target specific impurities, ensuring that your water is not only safe but also tastes and performs better in your daily household activities. These are the common technologies used in homes.
1. Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is widely regarded as one of the most effective residential water filtration methods, delivering clean, great-tasting water. It works by reversing the natural process of osmosis to produce highly purified water. In any natural environment, water molecules move from a region of lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration via a semipermeable membrane, striving to achieve concentration equilibrium on both sides. Reverse osmosis, however, applies external pressure to force water molecules in the opposite direction. In other words, water molecules will move from a region of higher solute concentration to an area of lower solute concentration, leaving the dissolved salts, minerals, and other impurities behind on the pressurized side of the membrane. The remaining concentration solution of impurities (wastewater or brine) is flushed away for further treatment or disposal. The purified water emerging from the other side of the membrane is directed either to a storage tank or directly to a faucet, ready for consumption. Reverse osmosis removes:
- Dissolved solids like arsenic and fluoride
- Salts
- Chlorine
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Microplastics
2. UV Filters
UV water filtration utilizes ultraviolet light to remove microbial contaminants like bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and mold. UV light penetrates the cells of these microorganisms, disrupting their DNA and rendering them incapable of reproducing, consuming nutrients, infecting hosts, or functioning properly. Essentially, the pathogens are neutralized, making them harmless before they reach your tap. One of the key advantages of UV filtration is that it works without introducing chemicals into the water, preserving its natural taste and composition. The process is swift, disinfecting water instantly as it flows past the UV lamp, killing 99.99% of microbial threats. It is also very cost-effective in the long run, consuming only as much power as a 40-watt light bulb.
3. Carbon Filters
If your water test indicates the presence of chemicals, particularly organic compounds, a carbon filter is one of the most effective solutions for improving water quality. These filters use activated carbon, a highly porous material engineered to have a vast surface area. The extensive network of pores and surfaces acts like a sponge, attracting and binding to impurities as water passes through. The common impurities removed include herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, chlorine, and some heavy metals. Moreover, carbon filtration is the best method for improving water taste and odor. Two primary types of activated carbon filters exist: granular activated carbon (GAC) and carbon block filters. GAC filters contain loose carbon granules, allowing for faster filtration, whereas carbon block filters use compressed carbon for more thorough contaminant removal. GAC filters are often incorporated in point-of-entry systems, while carbon block is typically used in point-of-use systems.
4. Ion Exchange
An ion exchange water filter operates on a similar principle as a carbon filter, using a porous, bead-like material with an extensive surface area to trap contaminants in water. However, instead of merely adsorbing impurities, ion exchange filters actively replace undesirable ions with more beneficial ones. For instance, if the supply water contains high levels of calcium or magnesium (minerals responsible for water hardness), the filter swaps them for sodium or potassium ions. Ion exchange filters are predominantly used to soften water. You can also use them to take out heavy metals like lead and mercury, nitrates, and sulfates.
Household Needs
Your household needs will also influence the type of water filtration system you install. If your home requires a large volume of filtered water for drinking, cooking, or appliance use, you'll need a system with a sufficient capacity to meet demand without compromising efficiency. In this situation, a whole-house filtration system would be the appropriate choice, as it ensures every tap in your home delivers clean water. On the other hand, if you need filtered water at a specific location, like a kitchen sink or bathroom, a point-of-use (POU) filtration system would be a better choice. POU systems are low-budget solutions that still deliver excellent filtration performance. They are available in various forms, including faucet-mounted filters, countertop units, under-sink systems, and pitcher filters, allowing homeowners to target filtration where it's needed most.
Installation Processes
If you want a quick, affordable solution to your water filtration needs, point-of-use systems are among the easiest to install. Many require minimal effort, often involving only simple attachment to an existing faucet or placement in a designated water container. On the other hand, point-of-entry or whole-house filtration systems require a more involved installation process. Setup usually involves connecting the filtration unit to the main water supply. You'll need to hire a qualified plumber, who might make additional adjustments, including pre-filtration components, pressure regulators, and potentially a dedicated bypass valve for maintenance purposes. While the initial investment and installation are more significant, whole-house systems provide comprehensive water filtration for every tap and appliance in your home, ensuring consistent water quality throughout your property.
Contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® for More Information
The best and easiest way to select the best type of water treatment for your home is to work with an experienced and certified plumber like the ones at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing®. Our experts will assess your water supply, recommend the most effective filtration solutions, and handle installation to ensure optimal performance. We are also available for routine maintenance and repair services. Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® for water filtration services in Lafayette, LA.
