Protect the Whole Family with a Whole House Water Purifier
Public water systems are thought of as safe sources of potable water, but the fact it that, even the most sophisticated system conveys contaminants and toxic substances that can be harmful to health, degrades physical appearance, and causes damage to our homes.
Chlorine, for instance, is almost universally used to remove bacteria and other toxins from public water supplies. Yet, chlorine, when ingested or absorbed through the tissues, can cause serious health problems. In addition, as anyone who has used a chlorine-treated swimming pool knows, it causes dry skin and brittle hair. At high temperatures, chlorine evaporates faster than water and turns into toxic chlorine gas, that when inhaled into the body can damage the respiratory system. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that drinking or bathing in chlorinated water increases cancer risk by over 90%.
- In addition to chlorine, there are over 2,100 other known or suspected carcinogens in most water supply systems. It is estimated that because of the large number of carcinogens in our environment today, 1 in 2 Americans are at risk for cancer, compared to 1 in 50 just 70 years ago.
- Sediment and rust in the water entering your home can also damage pipes and appliances, and the scaly buildup of lime from unfiltered water is a cleaning nightmare in showers and bath tubs.
To prevent water-related health and appearance problems or expensive damage to your home, consider installing a whole house water purifier to ensure your entire water supply is safe.
What do whole house water purifiers do?
A whole house water purification system treats water at the main intake point to the house. Depending on the type of system installed, a whole house water purifier will remove sediment, rust, or dust particles; chlorine, chloramine, cysts, volatile organic chemicals, iron, hydrogen sulfide, certain heavy metals, and a wide variety of chemicals that cause bad taste and smell in water. Unfortunately, no system will do all these things, so it is necessary when selecting a system to decide what is most important to treat for, and consider point of source water purifiers (sinks, showers, etc.) for more complete purification.
The types of whole house water purifiers
Water purification systems range from relatively simple systems that remove sediment, dust, rust and other particles, to those that use activated charcoal to remove chlorine and other chemicals that cause bad odor and taste in water, to more complicated systems that remove volatile organic compounds and other toxic chemicals.
A water filter system for a residential water supply generally contains at least one filter housing, a filter cartridge and a mounting bracket. Most systems also come with a spanner wrench which is necessary for changing depleted filters. The principal filter is a sediment filter, such as the WH-1 Sediment Filter to remove large particles and sediment. It is highly recommended that a whole house filter system contain at least two filter housings in series, with the second containing an activated carbon filter such as the WH2 Carbon Block for finer filtration of particles and removal of chlorine and other contaminants that affect water odor and taste.
It is possible to add additional filters to reduce or eliminate other contaminants such as iron, hydrogen sulfide, or bacteria. The WH Chloramine, WH5 Iron Filter, the Trojan UVMax, and the Sterilight UV are examples of filters in this category.
Which filter system is right for your house?
Before deciding on the whole house water filtration system for your house, it would be wise to consult a specialist or the local utility company to determine what contaminants are in your water supply. Then, decide how much you want to spend for the system. If you use point of source filters for drinking and bathing/shower water, it might be advisable to go with a less expensive dual filter system. If the level of toxicity is high in certain chemicals, however, the extra margin of safety provided by the more complicated system might be worth the extra cost.
You must also consider filter replacement cost in making the decision on which system is right for you. Replacement filters cost from $140 to $500 and must be replaced after filtering from 20,000 to 150,000 gallons of water. It goes without saying, therefore, that you should also consider your water usage when selecting a system. Other factors that must be taken into consideration is the maximum pressure and flow rate in gallons per minute of your water system, as different systems have different ratings.
Whole house water filter installation
Unlike point of source water filtration systems, whole house water filter systems require a basic knowledge of and skill in plumbing for installation. Unless you are confident of your ability to properly install the system, it would be wise to use the services of a properly licensed and certified plumber. Replacing filters is relatively simple using the spanner wrench that normally comes with each system.
For your family’s water consumption safety and long-term well-being, a whole house water purifier makes a wise investment.