|
Whole
House Water Filters
Whole
house water filters can be expensive, but when
you add up the cost of drinking bottled water,
you may actually be paying more than the
initial price of installing the water filter
system.
Whole
house filters, also known as point-of-entry
systems, attach directly to the main water line
entering the home and before it splits into the
hot water heater.
This means that all of your homes water
will be filtered, including all faucets,
toilets, showers, baths, kitchen, and laundry.
The
type of whole house water filter you will need
depends on the types of contaminants that are
in your water. Therefore, if your water comes from a municipal city water
supply, then typical you will want to remove
any chemicals, sediment, and minerals that can
make your water hard.
On the other hand, if your water supply
comes from a private well, then typically the
contaminants you affecting the water are
sediment, iron, and minerals that can make your
water hard.
Whether you have well water or municipal
water, you should have your water tested to
know the exact contaminants in your water.
Most municipalities will provide you
with a water analysis upon request.
If your water on the other hand, comes
from a private well, then you will have to pay
to have your water tested.
In
addition to contaminates, you also need to know
the flow rate of the system.
Flow rate is measured in gallons per
minute or GPM.
The flow rate is the amount of water
required to operate an appliance, shower,
toilet, hot water heater, etc.
In order to purchase the right whole
house system for your home and family you will
need to calculate your flow rate requirements.
To do this, look at the demand ratings,
which should be printed on your water using
appliances and toilet.
Depending on how water conservative your
water using appliances are, and the size of
your family and home, your water flow rate
requirements could range from 10 to more than
40 gpm. This
means that if you purchase a whole house filter
system that has a flow rate less than what your
home requires will not supply enough water to
maintain uninterrupted, comfortable water
pressure during peak use.
Whole
house water filter systems require filters,
however if the filters are not changed on a
regular basis, your system will not function as
it should.
If your water comes from a private well
and your filter is to remove sediment, the life
of the filter will depend on the type of
sediment and the amount of sediment that it
removes. Typically,
a top quality carbon filter will usually last
approximately 100,000 to 150,000 gallons when
used with normal municipal water supplies.
Make sure that you read and follow the
manufacturer’s recommendations for changing
and maintaining your water filter.
|
