How Do Water Filters Work?

If you’re reading this, the chances are good that you’re considering installing a water filter in your home. A water filtration system filters out particles, pollutants, harmful chemicals, organic matter, and unwanted substances from water. A whole-home water filtration system is installed where the main water line enters your home, ensuring the water that comes into your home is clean and filtered. On the other hand, point-of-use water filters are devices designed to filter and purify water at a specific location where they’re used, such as a kitchen sink or a bathroom faucet.

In this blog post, Neighborhood Plumbing explains how different types of water filters work.

• Mechanical Filters

Mechanical filters are the most basic and standard water filtration systems used in most homes. They are often used in conjunction with other filtration methods and work by physically trapping and removing larger particles like sediment, dirt, and debris from the water as it passes through a porous material or fine mesh.

• Ion Exchange Filters

Ion exchange filters are effective at removing minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, that cause hard water. These filters replace the unwanted ions with sodium ions, softening the water. If you have hard water in your home, it’s recommended that you opt for ion exchange filters.

• Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis filters use a semipermeable membrane to remove a wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals, chemicals, salts, nitrates, and microorganisms. Water is forced through the membrane, leaving impurities behind. These water filters contain two chambers: a primary chamber and a secondary chamber. The primary chamber is responsible for removing larger particles, sediment, chlorine, and organic compounds from the water before it enters the secondary chamber.

• Activated Carbon Filters

Activated carbon filters are known for their ability to adsorb organic chemicals, chlorine, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water. The porous carbon has a high pore count, which helps to trap contaminants, thereby improving taste and odor.

• Ultra Violet Filters

UV filters disinfect water by exposing it to ultraviolet light, which disrupts the DNA of microorganisms like bacteria and viruses, rendering them harmless. Here’s how ultra violet filters work in three steps:

Step 1: The water passes through an inorganic medium to remove impurities.

Step 2: The water flows through a chamber in the UV filter, where it is exposed to a UV lamp or bulb.

Step 3: When water passes through the UV chamber, the UV-C light penetrates the cells of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The high-energy UV radiation damages the genetic material within these microorganisms, preventing them from reproducing and functioning properly.

• Acid Neutralizers

Acid neutralizers are used to raise the pH of acidic water by adding a neutralizing agent, typically calcium carbonate. This helps prevent corrosion in plumbing and reduces the risk of leaching harmful metals into the water supply. Acid neutralizers are the solution if you have acidic water.

Choosing the right water filter for your home can indeed be a daunting task, given the multiple options available and the unique water quality concerns of each household. To make an informed decision that suits your specific needs, it’s important to consult with an experienced plumbing service. Plumbers in Monroeville possess the expertise to assess your water source, identify contaminants, and recommend the most suitable filtration system method.

Professional Water Filtration System Installation

If you want to improve your home’s water quality, the best place to start is to have a skilled plumber install an efficient water filtration system in your home. Here at Neighborhood Plumbing, we take pride in offering water filtration system installation for both residential and commercial customers. Call us today, and we’ll be happy to set up a consultation to discuss your home’s water quality.