Home water filter systems are becoming even more popular these days. People want an extra layer of water purification to ensure contaminants or microorganisms aren’t infiltrating their drinking water.
Determining Water Quality
Before deciding what water filter to install, find out what contaminants exist in your drinking water.
If your water source is a private well or cistern, get the water tested by a certified lab at least once a year. If your water source is from a public water system, it’s required by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to send you an annual report detailing any contaminants. This report is called the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), and should be sent by July 1st each year with your water bill. Some cities post these reports on their websites.
For those who rent or don’t pay their water bill directly, ask your landlord or building manager for the information, or check online for the report.
Why Choose a Water Filter
People want to install water filters for different reasons:
- The public water system report lists contaminants at a higher level than recommended by the EPA.
- Taste or odor problems (e.g. chlorine, sulfur, fishy).
- A weak immune system needing protection from germs.
- Colored water (e.g. yellow, brown, green).
- Presence of lead in one or all of the following: home’s plumbing system, service lines into the home, or main pipes used by the city.
- Removal of fluoride added during municipal treatment.
- Removal of “emerging” contaminants, such as: prescription and over-the-counter drugs, newer herbicides and pesticides, flame retardant chemicals, and detergents.
How to Choose a Water Filter
Not all water filters function the same way, and no filter type removes everything. Some make the water taste better, but don’t remove health-related contaminants. Others improve the taste and odor, as well as filtering out many germs and chemicals, but don’t remove the emerging contaminants.
Once you’ve decided what contaminants and microorganisms you want to remove, it’s time to choose an appropriate filter that also suits your budget. Look for an NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) International rating on the label that tells you what that filter protects you from. Often the NSF rating is paired with the ANSI (American National Standards Institute). Some filters have more than one certification. Examples of ratings include:
- NSF/ANSI standard 42 — Aesthetic Effects (e.g. taste and odor).
- NSF/ANSI standard 53 — Health Effects (e.g. heavy metals, bacteria, herbicides, pesticides).
Here is a list of the most common NSF standards you’ll find on filter labels. You can also search the NSF catalog of certified water treatment products by brand, standard, or type.
Keep in mind that even though a company shows a certification on its filter for a particular NSF standard, that doesn’t mean it can remove every contaminant under that standard. Check the filter label carefully to see the number of categories covered. For example, a filter certified to an NSF/ANSI standard 53 might remove lead, but not mercury.
Water Filter Pore Size
When looking at different filters you’ll also want to consider their pore size. This is the size of the holes the water runs through.
Filters with an “absolute” size of 1 micron have pores 1 micron in size and smaller. These will catch any contaminate or germ larger than 1 micron.
Filters with a “nominal” or “mean” pore size include pores that are 1 micron, as well as smaller and larger ones. Some contaminants and germs 1 micron in size will be able to pass through the larger pores in these filters.
Types of Home Water Filters
Filters commonly found in homes can be divided into two basic types: point-of-use and whole-house. Point-of-use (POU) filtration occurs where you drink the water. Whole-house/point-of-entry (POE) filtration occurs where the water enters the home.
Point-of-Use Filters
1. Water pitcher filter:
- Top basin is filled with tap water that runs through a carbon filter into the lower part of the pitcher.
- Water flows fairly quickly, on average between 40 and 90 seconds to filter an 8-ounce cup.
- Some carbon filters with more filtration layers take longer.
- Average replacement time for the carbon filter is every 2-6 months.
- Water pitchers are generally inexpensive and easy to use.
2. Faucet-mounted filter:
- Attached to a standard kitchen faucet.
- Filtering can be switched on and off.
- Easy installation.
- Relatively inexpensive.
- Carbon filter cartridges last from 100 to 1,000 gallons.
- Flow rate is usually 0.5 gallons per minute, which allows you to fill 7-8 glasses of water.
3. Countertop filters:
- It’s a filter cartridge inside a housing that sits next to the kitchen sink.
- Hose with a diverter valve at the end attaches the housing to the sink faucet.
- When the diverter is engaged, water runs through the hose to the filter cartridge and back out through a spout on the side of the housing.
- Activated carbon is used for filtering.
- Water flows quickly in real time.
- Filter life varies with countertop models.
- Countertops not compatible with all kitchen faucets (e.g. modern and detachable with spray nozzles).
4. Gravity Water Filter:
- Another type of countertop filter that can also be used outdoors or on camping trips.
- Takes up a lot of counter space.
- Consists of 2 tanks, one on top of the other, and water is poured into the top tank.
- Gravity moves water from the top tank down into the bottom tank, running through 1 or more filters.
- Reservoir capacities range from 2-6 gallons.
- Different filter combinations can be used, depending on the model. Examples: single mixed media filter on top, ceramic for the top and mixed media for the bottom, or 4 mixed media filters on top to speed up filtration.
- Flow rates can be slow.
5. Refrigerator water filter:
- Sits inside the refrigerator.
- Charcoal filter treats water for the fridge’s water dispenser and ice maker.
- Easy to replace, but can be expensive.
- Filter lasts about 6 months.
- Not universally compatible, so be sure to get the correct one for your refrigerator model.
6. Under-sink filter:
- Different types are available.
- The Simple type is where a carbon filter is attached to the cold water line, and the current cold-water faucet is used.
- With the Conventional type, the filter is attached to the cold water line, and a dedicated faucet is used for the filtered tap water. A new hole for the faucet may have to be drilled.
- A Reverse Osmosis (RO) system uses multi levels of filtration:
- One of the most effective under-sink filtration systems.
- Can be combined with carbon filters for even more effectiveness.
- Among the most costly under-sink systems to install, and replacement filters are expensive.
- Requires a dedicated faucet, can be extremely slow, and usually creates at least 3 gallons of wastewater for each gallon filtered.
- RO systems remove minerals (electrolytes) from the water so it does not hydrate well and requires adding minerals back into it.
Point-of-Entry Filters
Whole-House Filter:
- Water is treated as it enters the home.
- Variety of systems, including 1-stage, 2-stage, and 3-stage cartridge arrangements that can accommodate such add-ons as a water softener or UV (ultraviolet) water filter.
- Filtering chlorine can result in growth of germs in household pipes.
- All whole-house filtering systems are expensive.
- Reverse osmosis (RO) whole-house the most expensive to install and maintain, but the most effective.
More information
To find a certified NSF water filter or system for various contaminants, consult this list.
Knowledge regarding the safety of your household appliances helps you with a healthier life. For the very best in appliance repair and maintenance, you can count on C&W Appliance Service. Get in touch with us at (855) 358-1496 or submit our online service request form.
