Common Types Of Water Filtration Systems | Conway, SC
There’s nothing wrong with drinking the water in your Conway, SC, home, but what if you want cleaner drinking water that tastes a little better? Water filtration systems can be a great way to treat the potable water that you use in your home, removing things like sediment, bacteria, and other contaminants that can interfere with the taste and quality of your water. If you’re thinking about investing in a water filter for your home, here’s a breakdown of some of the most common types of filtration systems for residential use.
Sediment Filters
Sediment filters are the most basic water filtration systems, designed to filter out larger particles like sand, silt, and rust. These sediment filters are most commonly used for well water, where it’s important to filter sediment out of the water before it reaches a second filtration system. You might consider sediment water filtration systems if the water in your home has black particles in it.
Activated Charcoal Filters
Activated charcoal filters are an effective way to remove contaminants you can’t see from your water. In particular, activated charcoal filters do a great job of removing things like pesticides, heavy metals, and the chlorine taste from your water supply. There are two different types of activated charcoal filters: activated carbon blocks and granular activated carbon (GAC). Activated carbon block filtration systems are typically more expensive and need to be replaced more often, but they’re more effective. GAC filters aren’t as effective, but you get a longer lifespan and you don’t have to invest as much upfront.
KDF Filters
Kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filters use copper-zinc granules to remove contaminants from the water you drink and use in your home. These filters are effective at removing chlorine and heavy metals just like activated charcoal, and combining KDF filtration with granular activated carbon water filtration systems can help extend the life of your GAC filter. KDF filters are even recyclable, which makes this one of the best water filtration systems for the environmentally-conscious consumer.
There are different types of KDF granules available. Different granules come in different sizes, which means they’re effective at removing different types of contaminants from your system.
Catalytic Activated Carbon Filters
Catalytic activated carbon filters are similar to standard activated charcoal filters, but these filters are able to use chemical reactions as well as absorption to remove contaminants from your drinking water. These water filters are more effective than standard charcoal filters, plus you don’t need as much carbon because of the way they work. When you’re done with your catalytic activated carbon filter, you can recycle it so it can be reused in the future. Plus, you don’t have to worry about disposing of toxic filter material with a catalytic activated carbon filter, which can be a real pain.
Air Injection Filters
Air injection filters are specifically designed to remove iron and manganese from your water supply. These filters remove contaminants from your water using oxygen, which is allowed in through a venturi and sent through a pressure tank. The injection of air does a great job of removing iron and manganese, as well as hydrogen sulfide. That being said, air injection filters aren’t ideal if you need to remove high concentrations of iron from your drinking water.
UV Filters
Ultraviolet (UV) water filters use ultraviolet light to disinfect your water and remove any impurities. While other water filtration systems use absorption and other basic principles to trap contaminants before they reach your faucet, UV filters use UV light to get rid of the microorganisms that may be living in your water supply. When these microorganisms are exposed to direct UV light inside the filter, it affects their ability to live and reproduce. These filters are great if your water quality problem has more to do with microorganisms than sediment, but many UV filters have an included prefilter that helps remove some of the sediment from your water before it gets to the actual filter.
Reverse Osmosis Filters
If you want an especially effective water filtration system for your Conway, SC, home, reverse osmosis (RO) filters are a great choice. RO filters work by using water pressure to push water through a semipermeable membrane, which helps remove minerals, chemicals, and other particles from your water. RO filters are also effective when it comes to removing things like lead, radium, chloramine, and bacteria.
Many homeowners opt for countertop reverse osmosis water filtration systems, which can be a great way to filter all the water in your home. According to manufacturers, RO filters can remove up to 99% of solid contaminants from your water.
Ultrafiltration
When it comes to finding the best water filtration systems for your Conway, SC, home, nothing beats an ultrafiltration filter. These filters function like a reverse osmosis filter for the most part, only they’re designed to remove much smaller particles. Generally speaking, ultrafiltration water filters remove the highest percentage of contaminants from your drinking water.
Keep in mind that ultrafiltration water filtration systems aren’t without their drawbacks. Ultrafiltration systems are considerably more expensive and difficult to maintain than RO filters, plus they tend to have a shorter lifespan because the membranes are thinner.
Get a Water Filter for Your Home Today
Everybody deserves access to fresh, clean drinking water, and whole-house water filters are a great way to get it. Adding a water filter to your Conway home can make your water taste better and protect you and your family from potential contaminants. If you’re thinking about having a water filtration system installed in your home, the experts at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach can help. Give us a call at (843) 582-0670 or contact us online to get started today.