Selecting a Home Water Filter System

The type of home water filter system you need depends on two factors: the source of your water and the contaminants that exist in it. If your whole house is on a municipal system, you are probably concerned with removing the chlorine and other chemicals used in treatment plants. Homeowners with a private well are most often concerned with metals like iron and biological contaminants, such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. In addition, private wells can be contaminated with pollutants from agriculture and industrial sources. It’s best to have well water tested prior to shopping for a filter system for the whole house.

Whole house water filter systems for use in homes with a municipal supply are designed to remove chlorine and its by-products. Some also remove heavy metals, such as iron and lead. If your live in an older house, lead filtration may be a concern. Lead solder was used in pipes prior to 1987. You can have your water tested for the presence of lead at any independent water testing lab. Both lead and chlorine can cause devastating health problems and it’s best to remove them with a system meant to treat the supply for the whole house.

If the water in your house is supplied by a private well, you may have multiple concerns. The first is heavy metals, most commonly iron. Iron not only smells and tastes bad, but it damages the plumbing, appliances, and stains sinks, tubs and showers orange. There are two options for removing iron: a drinking water filtration system or a softener for the whole house. Softeners remove the iron and soften the water in your home. Salt is used in the regeneration process, causing the water to have high sodium content. You shouldn’t drink it without separate filter systems under the sink to purify.

Other concerns in homes on a private well are microorganisms and chemical pollutants. A reverse osmosis system for the whole house will remove most of these contaminants. The main problem with reverse osmosis is that it wastes a lot of water and the process is slow. Another option is a home filtration system that uses ultraviolet light. The rays in the light are strong enough to kill biological contaminants. These should be used with a separate filter to remove particles.