An effective water filter is an important element that goes into making a healthy home. There is a range of water filters available in the market for every home type. There are countertop units for apartments and full under-counter and whole-house units for use in bigger houses. Finding a good water filter has never been easier! Water can contain unwanted (and even harmful) chemicals and it is often preferable to filter these out before water is consumed.
These are the most popular some styles of water filters in homes:
Pitcher Water Filters
Pitcher water filters usually use granulated activated charcoal for removing contaminants present in the water. Generally less expensive to start with than other water filtration methods, these require frequent filling and cartridge replacement. As a result, they become more expensive in the long run because each gallon of water costs more to filter, but their entry price is very low.
Not all contaminants are removed however, the taste of the water is significantly improved. Pitcher filters remove chlorine effectively but fall short when it comes to removing volatile organic chemicals, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, and fluoride.
Faucet-Mount Filters
These are very similar to the pitcher filters above, but are mounted on a faucet. The pricing, filtering technology, etc. are usually comparable to a pitcher, though the filtration rate (as in gallons per minute) tends to be much higher because you can use water pressure to do the job, not simply gravity.
Charcoal Stick Water Filters
These make for a space-saving alternative to pitcher filters. Charcoal sticks can be used in any pitcher or water bottle and remove contaminants in the same way. They are reusable and last for months. They can even be used as a refrigerator deodorizer or in the garden, once they’re done being used for water filtration. They are seen as a “natural” alternative to other filters as they don’t require any plastic or commercially made parts, but they only filter for taste, or “aesthetic” qualities.
Reverse Osmosis Filtration
“RO” filtration uses a membrane usually along with other filters (like charcoal filters) to remove impurities. They can mount under a sink and contains a holding tank for clean water. A semipermeable membrane separates contaminants from the water but also wastes a large amount of water in the process. It also filters out many naturally occurring minerals in the water and therefore, is popular but many believe it is not the best filtration method for homes because of the water waste and large amount of space needed. That said, these are easily available, the installation process is not overly difficult, and many people swear by them for use in the home.
This is the most expensive method — from the perspective of initial cost — of the methods mentioned in this article.
Choosing A Filter For Your Home
There are many types of home water filtration methods that can be considered. It is important to choose wisely so you can have a reliable supply of clean water to drink and keep your health, but generally speaking, any method from a reliable vendor is better than nothing. Of course, not all areas require any filtering at all, but since you are reading this article, we’re guessing you are pretty sure you want one!
To learn more about how water is filtered in homes, check out our article on that subject.