Facts You Need to Know About Whole-House Water Filters

November 10, 2022 Ilya Herasimovich - Filterway - Blog

When you think about producing clean, pure water for your home, your mind probably jumps to a single point-of-use filter for water. These units are perfect because they’re smaller and more compact than a whole house system. However, if you want the best possible water throughout your home, you need a whole-house purifier.

A whole-house filter is exactly what it sounds like: a filter that services the entire house with clean water. It’s an upgraded version of point-of-use filters because it uses much more advanced filtration processes to remove substances that pollute drinking water coming into your home.

Let’s take a look at what is water filtration, and some key facts about whole-house filters that will help you decide if they’re right for you and your home.

What is a Whole House Water Filtration System?

You probably know that the liquid coming from your faucet is not 100% safe to drink, right? Apart from various contaminants, you don’t know what’s living in your drinking water. If you have a purifier it may get rid of some impurities, but how can you make sure that the water you are drinking is free of all contaminants?

That’s where more advanced filter systems come in.

First, what is a whole-house water filtration system? whole house purifiers are exactly what the name suggests, a water filtration system for your entire house. Their job is to filter all the water flowing into your home before you use it to cook, clean, drink, or shower.

Whole house 20 x 4.5 water filters remove pollutants and chemicals before you can consume them. Depending on your source, filtration systems can remove rock and debris from your supply as well as chemical and mineral pollutants while allowing only fresh water through. Whole house purifiers are considered point-of-entry (POE) filters because they remove contaminants before it enters your home.

Different Types of Whole House Water Filters

Like many home features, your filtration requirements are unique to you. The type of filter you install will depend on the type of water you get in your home and its source.

Overall, there are 5 main whole-house water filter types:

Ultra Violet (UV) Purification Systems

Ultraviolet (UV) purification kills pathogens living in your drinking water. They utilize UV light radiation to damage tiny cells and living organisms so they can’t harm you.

Ultra Violet filters work best when combined with other filtration systems like sediment filters. This is because particles and sediment shield harmful pathogens from Ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet purification systems are useful for both groundwater and municipal sources.

Sediment Filters

Sediment filters are used to filter out dirt and debris from your primary supply.

So, how does filtering work in a sediment filter?

Sediment filters work by physically removing debris, large particles, and soil from your supply system. Sediment filters are widely adopted in homes and offices to protect appliances, pipes, and high-pressure pumps from soil and debris buildup. They use a system known as mechanical filtration.

Sediment filters also protect other sensitive filtration systems like carbon filters, water softeners, and ultraviolet (UV) filters from particles that would otherwise damage them.

Water Softeners

Softeners are used to decrease water hardness. Softeners are particularly important for water with high mineral contents like calcium and magnesium. These dissolved minerals can lead to:

Stiff and faded laundry
Scum in your toilet and shower
Scaling leads to clogged pipes and therefore decreases your water pressure.

Softeners work to break down and remove these contaminants from your water supply through a process known as ‘ion exchange.’

The average lifespan of a water-softening filter is 15 years.

Carbon Filters with Activated Carbon

Carbon filters are used to remove chlorine and chloramines. Carbon filters are primarily used to remove chlorine and chloramines from your water. Chlorine is particularly present in municipal supplies because it is a common disinfectant.

While not harmful when consumed, chlorine can give it an unpleasant taste and smell. An overwhelming amount of chlorine in the supply is also a concern for people with sensitive skin.

Carbon filters use activated carbon along the filter surface to capture and trap pollutants – in this case, chlorine – in a process known as adsorption.

Acid Neutralizers

Acid Neutralizers are used to neutralize your water to a safe pH level. If you have a groundwater source, high acidity is a problem you’ve probably experienced. When carbon dioxide dissolves, it lowers its pH below 7 on the pH scale. Acidic water damages your pipes and appliances by corroding the metal. This then results in leeks and green-blue stains along surfaces.

Acid neutralizers work to decrease acidity with an alkaline compound known as Calcite. Calcite is a mineral salt with high alkalinity. An acid neutralizer filter is filled with calcite that dissolves into water as it flows through. The high alkalinity of the calcite neutralizes the acidity caused by carbon dioxide or other chemical runoff.

As you can see, there are many ways to get your water clean and safe. One of the most important things you can do for your home is installing a whole-house purifier. This will help reduce the risk of contaminants, as well as keep harmful bacteria out of your shower and bathtub.

How Water Filtration Systems Work

A whole-house purifier is what you need. It’s an advanced filtration system that removes harmful substances such as lead, arsenic, bacteria, and much more from your drinking water supply.

So, how does a whole house water filter work?

Whole house purifiers treat the entire supply coming into your home. Whole house systems are usually installed directly after your high-pressure pumps but before the water gets to your taps. The mode of treatment changes depending on the contaminants being filtered out. You can customize which filtration options suit your needs by better understanding what different filters do.

Components that Whole-House Filtration Systems Remove from Water

Generally, there are four main types of contaminants that affect the water we use. These contaminants are surprisingly common in treatment plants, water bodies, and shallow ground sources. These contaminants can be found naturally in some sources, but they can also be introduced into water systems artificially.

Physical Contaminants

Physical contaminants are impurities like sand and soil that affect the water’s “cloudiness.” Sediment filters are designed to catch and retain debris before it enters your home. This debris is troubling for sensitive home appliances like washing machines.

Chemical Contaminants

Chemical contaminants like herbicides, pesticides, and nitrates, can be found naturally, or they can be introduced into the water supply artificially through industry or agriculture. Reverse osmosis systems are especially effective at filtering out chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful substances.

Biological Contaminants

Biological contaminants like bacteria, viruses, and pathogens are harmful organisms that can be found in a lot of sources. Ultraviolet (UV) Filters are designed to eliminate 99.9% of all micro-organisms. However, to be effective, they must be used with sediment filters.

Radiological Contaminants

Radiological contaminants, through radionuclides, can exist naturally or through contamination of radiological material.

Whole house filtration systems are designed to deliver pure water directly to every tap in your home. They even remove dirt before it gets to your toothbrush and, generally, keep all the water you use in your home safe and clean.

Whole house purifiers vs. Under Sink Filters

The key difference between whole-house filters and under-sink filters lies in how much liquid they treat in your home. whole house purifiers treat all the liquid flowing into your home before it gets to your taps and appliances. This water can be used for cooking, drinking, and cleaning.

Whereas under-sink filters treat water from a single outlet or tap. Under-sink filters treat water intended for cooking and drinking alone. Whole house purifiers are point-of-entry (POE) filters. On the other hand, under-sink filters are classified as point-of-use (POU) filters.

Main Advantages and Disadvantages of Whole House Water Filtration System

There are several whole-house water filter benefits, but there are also some drawbacks you need to look into before buying a filtration system. Depending on your needs and budget, you may find one option more suitable than the other.

Let’s start with the benefits of whole-house filtration systems:

Pros:

Whole house purifiers help protect your family’s health, your appliances, and your plumbing. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to protecting your water supply. Depending on where you live, and your source, you may have very unique needs. Besides, the components of your whole house purifiers can be customized only to serve your unique needs.

Whole house purifiers also protect your entire supply from contaminants and debris. Access to safe and secure water is especially important during catastrophic events like flooding and chemical leaks. You can rest easy knowing all the liquid flowing in your home is safe to use and consume at all times. If you rely on a ground source, whole-house purifiers are essential in ensuring that your family is safe at all times.

Pollutants tend to damage, stain, and scale your appliances, sinks, and cutlery. Whole house purifiers protect your home from unnecessary and premature damage from corrosion, leaks, and staining by properly treating the supply entering your home.

Lastly, many people are sensitive to the taste and smell of drinking water. The taste and smell of chlorine are particularly dominant in municipal water, but whole-house filtration systems can help take care of that.

Cons:

Whole house purifiers don’t come cheap. A single unit costs between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. On the bright side, they protect your expensive appliances and equipment from unnecessary damage, which is a fair trade-off in the long run.

Because whole-house filters are sensitive and sometimes expensive machines, a professional plumber is required to install them. This service comes at an additional cost.

Whole house purifiers may also affect your water pressure because they can only filter a limited volume at a time. If you have a very high-pressure flow, then your pressure may be reduced when passed through a whole-house filter. However, high-pressure flows can be restored or boosted with a booster pump.

Installing a whole-house filtration system is an important decision if you’re truly concerned about the quality of drinking water. These systems offer numerous advantages over smaller point-of-use solutions, and they can also save you money in the long run.

Besides, many municipal systems are old and unable to remove contaminants completely. Those contaminants can include things like bacteria, lead, arsenic, and pesticides. Whole house purifiers add an extra layer of protection by removing these contaminants.

Is the Whole House Water Filtration System Worth It?

Whole-house filtration systems are handy for a number of reasons.

If you are concerned about the quality of water in your home or a particularly stubborn contaminant, then whole-house filtration systems are a viable option to consider.

If you get your water from the municipal supplier, then you may want the taste and smell of chlorine removed.

If you rely on a ground source, then you may want to remove soil and disinfect your water before you use it.

If you have acidic water, then the benefits of whole-house filtration are already clear.

Lucky for you, whole-house filtration systems can be designed to remove any pollutants.

However, if you trust your source and only need to treat the water you drink and cook with, a countertop or under-sink filter may be a better option for you. At the end of the day, your peace of mind is what matters. If you sleep better knowing every drop in your home is safe and filtered, then yes, whole-house filtration systems are worth it.

Does a Whole House Water Filter Reduce Water Pressure?

You might be under the impression that a whole-house filter reduces pressure because of how it is installed. Installing a whole-house filter does involve plumbing it into the house, which can result in reduced pressure for a little while.

But once your home’s usage is normal, you’ll only notice a slight fall in the pressure. The reduction in pressure comes from running multiple utilities simultaneously. But, it’s nothing to get worried about.

Conclusion

Do I need a whole house water filter? The only way you can guarantee you’re using safe and clean water is to install a whole-house filtration system. All the liquid you will drink, cook and clean with will be free of harmful, smelly, and dirty compounds.

Whole house filtration systems make use of advanced technology to conveniently deliver fresh water. They are tested and proven methods of reducing illnesses and financial implications from damaged appliances.

Furthermore, it is important to use a filtration system you can trust. Here at Filterway, we stock up on the best filtration equipment for your home. We’re happy to walk you through the best filtration systems to keep you and your belongings safe from toxins.