When it comes to home water filters and water purifiers, consumers have many choices. You can choose from leading name brands such as Brita, Culligan, PUR, and Braun. You can go with counter top water filters, under the sink models, or whole house water filters. You can pick from systems that use carbon filters, reverse osmosis water filters, and ultraviolet (UV) light technology. It’s great to have so many options, but how do you know which home water purifier is right for you?

Do You Need a Home Water Purifier?

The first question to ask when considering a residential water purifier is whether you even need one. If you have a municipal water source then your water is already treated. But many people don’t want to drink the chlorine or other additives that city’s use to treat water supplies. And there have been many instances when city water supplies have become contaminated despite treatment procedures.

If you feel secure about your city water supply and enjoy the taste of chlorinated water, then you may not need a purifier. If you’re not sure what’s in your water, you can ask to see a water quality report that all cities are required to provide.

Although well water isn’t treated, it comes from an underground source that can often be cleaner than municipal water. But if you live in areas with farming, manufacturing, and other industries that may inadvertently or purposely dump chemicals into the water table, your water is at risk.

Additionally, well water may contain sediments, such as iron, that can cause discoloration and odor. These sediments can also build up in dishwashers and other appliances and cause malfunctions. Many home water filters and purifiers can help improve the taste and quality of well water. To find out what type of impurities are in your well water, purchase a home testing kit or for more reliable results, have your water professionally tested.

What Contaminants Do You Want To Target?

If you’ve decided you need a home water purifier, the next step is to decide what type of contaminants you want to filter out or protect against. Are you concerned about bacteria and other microorganisms? Do you want to remove chemicals and compounds such as chlorine? Maybe you know your water contains sediments and high mineral content. Or perhaps like many people, you’re concerned about all of these things and you want a comprehensive home water purifier/filtration system.

Bacteria and microorganisms

If bacteria and other organisms are your targets, then you want to consider home water purifiers that use UV technology. Of the three most common water purification technologies, UV is the only one that effectively immobilizes bacteria. However, it does not remove sediments, chemicals and other contaminants.

Chemicals and sediments

Home water purifiers that use either carbon filters or reverse osmosis technology will remove suspended solids such as sediments, dissolved chemicals, and many other contaminants. Of the two, reverse osmosis is effective on a wider range of contaminants. However, neither of these technologies is effective at removing bacteria.

For a comprehensive home water purification system, it is important to combine UV technology with one of the other options. A carbon pre-filer is the most common choice. It’s also critical that you change your home water filters regularly and follow manufacturers’ maintenance schedules. If you don’t routinely change the filters on your home water filters and water purifiers, you could wind up creating an even bigger problem with bacteria than the one you may be trying to avoid in the first place.

Where Will You Put Your Home Water Purifier?

Where you want to locate the filter/purification system can also influence your decision. Faucet mount and countertop water filters typically only come in carbon filter technology. You can usually find both carbon filters and reverse osmosis water filters in under sink systems. And both reverse osmosis and UV technologies come in whole house systems. Each of these can also be fitted with a carbon pre-filter for comprehensive treatment.

If your only concern is your drinking water, then you may prefer one of the many countertop or under sink water filters. They are less expensive than whole house systems, ranging from about $20 to $30 for a countertop pitcher or faucet filter to around $200 or $300 for an under the sink model. The under sink water purifiers are capable of processing water much more quickly, and the filters tend to last longer.

If you want to treat your bathing water and keep sediments and bacteria from building up in your appliances, then you will need to consider a whole house system. They start at around $400 for basic models and can cost upwards of $1000 for high-end systems. In the end, your budget may be the ultimate factor in your decision.

Installation and Maintenance

One final aspect to consider when choosing between different home water filters and purification systems is whether or not you want to install and maintain it yourself. Faucet mounts and countertop models basically require no or minimal installation. And the only maintenance is changing the filters, which is a simple process.

Depending on your mechanical aptitude, under sink models and whole house water purifiers may require professional installation and maintenance. Some companies require that their technicians perform all the work. The companies say this is to avoid mistakes and improper setup. Others say it is simply another means of charging more money.

But for those who don’t want to deal with the fuss and possible mess, a service plan may be well worth the extra money. In addition, a service plan often covers the equipment if it malfunctions or breaks down.

There are several factors to consider when choosing between the various types and styles of home water filters and water purifiers. The best place to start is with an analysis of your water. Different water purifier technologies target different types of contaminants, and a water test will help you determine which technology will meet your needs. Considering how much we depend on clean water for drinking, cooking, bathing and other daily activities, a home water purifier can be an inexpensive way to provide safe and healthy tap water for you and your family.

About the Author:
C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Water-Filters-N-Purifiers.com, providing consumer information on water purifiers. She uses a system employing whole house water filters to remove iron and other contaminants from her well water. Her gifts of counter top water filters have been greatly appreciated by family and friends.

Author: C.J. Gustafson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

I am writing this article, not to promote any brand or particular water filter,
but to hopefully give the average consumer enough valid information so they can
make an educated buying choice when shopping for a water filter.

It is estimated that 80 percent of home owners in the United States have used or
are currently using a water filter. Many, I am sure, have purchased a filter
that is virtually ineffective and probably costing them an arm and leg in
replacement filter costs.

I have been involved in the water filtration industry for a number of years.
I have yet to find a water filter that produces PURE WATER! I am seeing more
false advertising as of late than I have ever seen before. Just last night for
instance, while watching television I noticed two different advertisements for
the latest and greatest water filters. They both claimed to produce pure water!
Neither one even mentioned being certified by the National Sanitation Foundation.
No water filter removes all of any contaminant, what a water filter actually does
is reduce contaminants.

There are hundreds of water filter manufacturers in the U.S. today, producing
thousands of different water filtration products. Only a handful produce a
water filter that is highly effective as far as contaminant reduction and cost
efficiency.

There is no point in purchasing an ineffective water filter. The old concept,
you get what you pay for, still holds true. Cheap water filters do very little
as far as contaminant reduction and soak the consumer when it comes to replacement
filters. Most high quality water filters effectively reduce a vast number of
contaminants to a high degree. The filter labeling should indicate which contaminants
the filter will reduce.

The labeling should also indicate the capacity rating, A high quality filter will
save you money in the long run. Filter life expectancy and capacity rating
determine how many actual gallons the filter is capable of producing. For example,
a filter that will produce 500 gallons or more as compared to one that produces
only 100 gallons is far more cost efficient.

Recently, while shopping at a local discount store, I took a look at the water
filters they had to offer. They had a number of cheap filters that would do little,
if anything as far as contaminant reduction. Most of these inferior filters are
only capable of reducing chlorine, lead, and particulate matter. Some may go so
far as reducing bacterial cysts depending upon the micron rating and possibly a
few other contaminants. None of the cheap filters are very effective on an over
all basis.

Most of these filters cost less than $50.00. One particular filter that comes to
mind had a $45.00 price tag. Replacement filters for this filter cost $8.50 each.
The capacity rating for this filter is 100 gallons. That amounts to 8.5 cents per
gallon. This particular filter only reduces lead and chlorine according to the
packaging.

Here, my husband and I use approximately 3 to 4 gallons of water per day for drinking,
coffee, iced tea, cooking, and watering our 2 dogs. Considering the amount of filtered
water we use, I would have to change the filter every 25 days. That is 14 replacement
filters a year! At $8.50 each, the annual cost would amount to $119.00. The initial
cost of the water filter plus the 1 year of replacement filters would result in an total
cost of approximately $165.00 for the first year. In just 2 years I would spend more money
than I would purchasing a much better quality system that would effectively reduce a vast
number of contaminants and provide much better, and healthier drinking water.

The drinking water filtration system we use is rated at 1200 gallons. It is hidden
out of the way under the sink and has an independent faucet mounted on the sink, not
hanging off my faucet. It is one of the highest quality systems on the market, reduces
a very wide range of contaminants and is NSF Certified. I have had this filter for a
number of years. If I remember correctly, the initial cost of the system was $320.00.
Once a year I change the filter at a cost of $59.95. That amounts to only 5 cents per
gallon of quality drinking water.

Obviously, dollar for dollar, the real value is in the quality system.

So, how do we determine a water filter’s capability? When reading the label, check
to see if the filter is NSF Certified. Never buy a filter that is not NSF Certified.
Manufacturers of quality filters have their filters certified by NSF and are proud
to advertise their certification on the labeling.

Only if a water filtration device is NSF Certified can a consumer be certain that
the product meets strict standards for performance. Tested to NSF Standards does
not mean NSF Certified. Any water filter that claims to be tested to NSF Standards
has not actually been tested and certified by NSF. Here again, this is a prime
example of these companies misleading the consumer.

NSF tests and certifies water filters to do what the manufacturer claims. Not only
that, they also monitor the manufacturing process by doing spot checks. NSF will
come to the factory unannounced and monitor the manufacturing process.

Consumers can go to the NSF website and view the actual certification which will
show exactly what contaminants the filter will reduce, indicate the percentage of
reduction and will also indicate the filter life expectancy. The NSF website is
http://www.nsf.org, just click on consumer and search water treatment devices.

Water purification and water filtration are two different things altogether. Water
purification is the introduction of chlorine or other chemical agent that kills
bacteria in water.

Infared lighting can also be considered to be water purification as its sole purpose
is to destroy bacteria. Water filtration is exactly that, a water filter of some type.

Another thing to look for when shopping for a water filter is which technology is
best for you.

Avoid loose carbon filters as they allow air to be present within the carbon and are
nothing but a bacteria factory.

Most mixed media filters can be effective on a few specific contaminants, but do not
reduce a wide range of contaminants.

Distillation is a process in which the water is heated to the point of steaming.
The steam passes from the container it is heated to another container as the
steam cools.Distillation is highly effective on removing minerals and salts, but is
somewhat limited on removal of chemical contaminants as many chemicals evaporate right
along with the water.

I have found, many people are confused as to the capabilities of reverse osmosis.
Reverse osmosis is a process where the water passes through a membrane which will not
allow certain contaminants to pass. Reverse osmosis can do an effective job on barium,
radium, cadmium, copper, fluoride, perchlorate, minerals, salts and a few other
contaminants but is not effective on a wide range. Many reverse osmosis units include
additional types of filtration technologies. Some of these are very effective
depending on the other additional types of filters used. This type of water filtration
system is usually identified as 3, 4, or 5 stage system.

What I recommend to the average consumer is the solid carbon block filter or the solid
carbon block coupled with reverse osmosis. A high quality solid carbon block that filters
to less than 1 micron is very effective on a wide range of contaminants and does not allow
oxygen to be present within the carbon filter therefore bacteria cannot be allowed to pass
through or be produced within the filter carbon. The solid carbon block alone will not
reduce healthy minerals.

For maximum contaminant reduction, consider a drinking water filtration system using
reverse osmosis technology coupled with a solid carbon block but keep in mind it does
remove the healthy minerals.

In conclusion, always compare the NSF Certification when shopping for a water filter and
avoid the dishonest tactics of unscrupulous advertisers.

Armed with this information you are now a savvy water filtration shopper!

I hope this article helps in your pursuit of a drinking water filtration system. If you
would like more information on drinking water or water filters please see my site at
http://www.supremedrinkingwatersolutions.com

Patti Wilson
Drinking Water Consultant
Supreme Drinking Water Solutions
St Augustine, Florida
http://www.supremedrinkingwatersolutions.com
Email – patti@supremedrinkingwatersolutions.com

Author: Patti Wilson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

A very good question, “are water filters important?” In today’s society, life is very fast passed, so much to do and so little time to do it. Between work, family and all the things in between, we sometimes overlook the simple things that can make a big difference in our lives. Most people are health conscious these days, we try to eat right and exercise and drink a lot of water, which is good. But most of the time, people end up buying very expensive bottled water and don’t realize how much they are really spending, a bottle here, a bottle there, it adds up quick! There have been reports that bottled water isn’t even all that good for you, having impurities and even toxins from being stored in plastic. There is an alternative to this highly expensive way of getting our drinking water and that is finding a good water filtering system.

When you take the time to look at what options exist for filtered water, you will see that it isn’t all that complicated to figure out and you will save a lot of money compared to what you spend on bottled water. Some people get scared when thinking of purchasing a water filter system. Maybe the price of the unit seems too high or the thought of having to install the unit and then do the maintenance turns people back to the easy way of just throwing their money away on bottled water. Let us examine this further and see if that way of thinking really makes sense or if purchasing a good water filter system is the way to go. We will ask the questions: How do I know what unit is the best for my situation? What are the costs of owning a filtration unit and how will it save me money? What are the benefits I will receive from using water filtration over tap or bottled water? Are there different types of water filtration? We will look at these questions and see that the difference is great and filtering your water is the way to go.

First, there are many different water filter manufacturers out there and it is important to find an established company that has a good reputation. Since there is such a great push to being healthy and drinking plenty of water, there are many companies getting into the market and copying what good manufacturers have already put out there. A little research will help you to know the difference. Once you have found a good water filter company, it’s just a matter of deciding what you want out of your filtering system. Do you want to filter all the water coming into your house with a whole house unit, or just filter at point of use, such as the kitchen sink using a counter top unit or faucet filter, maybe a shower filter or a combination of filters. Regardless of what you want to filter, a good water filter manufacturer will have what you need and be able to walk you through the process.

The cost of owning a water filter system can vary quiet a bit depending on the type of set up you want. Some people just want filtered water for drinking and cooking, in that case going with a counter top or under sink unit is a good way to go and there are many variations to choose from ranging from around fifty to a couple of hundred dollars. If you are just looking to filter your shower water, there are very good shower filters at very reasonable prices, most around thirty to fifty dollars. A lot of people are looking to filter all the water coming into their house; this is called point of entry. There are many types of units for this purpose and a lot depends on the home you are putting the unit in, such as what type of water comes into the house, well or city water. Also, how big the house is, number of bathrooms and so on. These units can range from as little as a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand. The money you will save by purchasing a water filter system is great! You will have an endless supply of clean filtered water for only pennies a gallon, the water filter will pay for itself in no time when you add up all the wasted money on bottled water. A whole house unit can save you an untold amount of money by protecting your water pipes and all the appliances that use water by keeping sediment, lime and calcium build up and rust out of the system.

Other benefits of filtered water over tap are many. Of course your water will taste better and be healthier for you by taking out the chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals that are added to city water, but there are even more benefits to talk of. A good shower filter will make your skin and hair softer and smoother, good for people with sensitive skin or allergies. The human body is made up of over 70 percent water and showering in unfiltered water allows the body to absorb harsh chemicals like chlorine and THMs that are harmful and the steam from using hot water causes chlorine to be inhaled if no filter is used. Also, your clothes will be brighter and softer especially if used with a water softener.

There are different kinds of water filtration, the most popular are a system that uses filters or a reverse osmosis unit. A traditional water filter system has the most options of filtration as there are sediment, carbon, fluoride and media packed cartridges. It is important to use a filter that has GAC (Granulated Activated Carbon), KDF-85 and KDF-55. It is easier to develop a system that will best suit your needs. Reverse Osmosis usually will cost more and does have some limitations. It requires more maintenance and is limited to a certain amount of water it can produce per day and may end up wasting more water than it produces. Although, many people say that the water has a better taste and this is because reverse osmosis water filter system also removes dissolved mineral contents which can cause a bitter taste in some water.

A water filter system can greatly affect your life in many positive ways, most importantly by giving you better health, it will also save you lots of money from purchasing bottled water and keeping your pipes and appliances in good working order.

http://www.ronjuneshop.com/ is a division of RonJun Inc. Our focus is to bring high quality products to the public at discount prices while providing valuable information to the customer.

Author: Ron Loeffler
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

It usually works but every now and then the water tastes like it is straight out of the faucet and I have to take the catridge out and slam it back in and then it will taste filtered again. This happens all the time and it gets annoying. Problem with the fridge or faulty catridge? This new filter’s only 2 months old by the way. Thanks.

Best reply by Bux – Type 2 Diabetic (NIDDM):

I think it’s time for a new cartridge. The old one must be plugged up.

Read the original question here
Why does my Frigidaire refrigerator’s water filter only work off and on?