Mesh, hollow fiber and other filters and systems are offered by shops and specialized manufacturers to remove harmful impurities from tap water. But how to find inexpensive equipment that will last a long time without high associated costs? We will find the right solution to this problem with the help of a detailed study of specialized technologies.
The main pollution of tap water in an apartment and a private house
Depending on where you live, you can get water from different sources: a centralized water supply system, a well or a well. Unfortunately, none of these sources guarantee impeccable purity and high quality.
Water from a centralized network usually goes through several stages of purification at special stations. It is controlled according to sanitary and epidemiological standards and must meet certain quality requirements. However, this does not exclude the possibility of pollutants getting on the way from the station to the consumer.
Typical causes of problems:
- old or damaged pipes;
- insufficient chlorination;
- emergency situations.
Water from a well or well has a more natural composition and does not contain chlorine. However, it is also at risk of pollution due to its proximity to sewage sources, agricultural land, industrial areas or landfills. It may contain an increased amount of iron, manganese, hardness salts and other mineral compounds. Therefore, to use such a liquid, it is necessary to conduct a regular analysis of its composition. To do this, you can contact a specialized laboratory or use home tests.
The water that comes to us from the tap goes a long way from the source to the consumer. Along the way, it can be exposed to various pollution factors.
Water is used for washing dishes, showering, cleaning and other household needs. It mixes with detergent residue and ends up in the sewer. If the wastewater treatment system does not work properly, natural sources become polluted.
Water is used in various industries for technological processes. It may contain heavy metals, radioactive elements, petroleum products, pesticides and other hazardous chemicals. These contaminants can be detrimental to human and animal health. They cause poisoning, allergies, cancer and other negative consequences.
Water that is used to water plants or livestock may contain nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, and other nitrogenous compounds. These contaminants can enter the human body and cause diseases such as methemoglobinemia, hypothyroidism, stomach cancer, and others.
The above information explains the need to use household filters to purify tap water. We will study in detail what technical solutions are offered by manufacturers of the respective types of equipment.
The best main (flow) filters for water purification
Main cleaning systems are installed at the inlet of the water supply in a house or apartment. They allow you to clean all the water that comes to the consumer, and not just individual taps or points of analysis. These devices can perform various functions: coarse and fine cleaning, iron removal, softening, disinfection, and others. There is no ideal universal filter, so you need to choose a set of several functional blocks, depending on the composition of the source water and quality requirements.
1 place. hollow fiber
2nd place. Electromagnetic
3rd place. Coarse and fine cleaning
4th place. Reticulate
hollow fiber
The hollow fiber filter is designed for fine cleaning. It consists of a membrane made of hollow fibers that have microscopic pores. This technology provides a high level of cleaning (up to 0.01 micrometers) at a high processing speed. The principle of operation differs from reverse osmosis systems in that it does not require pressure and does not create waste water.
The hollow fiber filter is suitable for water with a high content of mechanical impurities, as well as for removing bacteria, viruses, cysts and other microorganisms. It is able to remove some of the organic compounds.
Electromagnetic
Specialized equipment creates an alternating electromagnetic field around a pipe with water. This effect affects the structure and properties of impurities. The electromagnetic filter does not remove hardness salts from the water, but only prevents them from settling on the walls of pipes and equipment.
The technology effectively protects against scale with high power and a wide frequency range of the operating signal. Replacement of consumables is not required, the chemical composition of water is preserved.
Coarse and fine cleaning
This is the first stage of protection against mechanical contaminants: sand, rust, clay, organic particles and others. They can clog pipes and plumbing, impair the taste and smell of water, and reduce the effectiveness of other filters.
Coarse cleaning removes large particles ranging in size from 50 to 500 microns. Fine - smaller (from 1 to 50 microns). For water treatment, various types of main filters are used: mesh, hollow fiber, cartridge and others.
Reticulate
The most common type of coarse filter is a stainless steel or plastic mesh that traps large particles of contaminants.
The main differences between this category of equipment:
- simple design;
- low cost;
- long service life.
It is easily cleaned of accumulated debris by washing. When worn out, the mesh is replaced.
This filter is suitable for water with a low content of mechanical impurities. It is not able to remove small particles, as well as solve other problems: reduce hardness, retain iron and chlorine. Therefore, the mesh cleaning module is recommended to be used in combination with other filters.
The best household sink filters for softening tap water
These convenient and compact devices are installed in the kitchen furniture under the sink and connected to the water supply. They provide fine purification of water from various contaminants, make it suitable for drinking and cooking.
They produce several types of filters for washing, which differ in the principle of operation, the number of functional steps and performance. Consider the two most popular options.
reverse osmosis
The most efficient water treatment devices operate on the principle of forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane under high pressure. This technology removes almost all impurities: bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, chlorine, hardness, etc. The result is very clean and soft water with a neutral pH, without unpleasant odors and tastes.
A feature of reverse osmosis plants is that they have a relatively small capacity compared to other types of filters. This is due to the fact that the technological process requires a sufficiently high pressure and time. A separate disadvantage of the system is a significant water consumption: for one liter of purified liquid, there are 3-5 liters of sewage, which goes into the sewer. When choosing this option, you need to take into account the noted factors and the availability of sufficient space under the sink to accommodate all the elements of the system.
three stage
More simple and affordable filters for purifying tap water in an apartment work on the principle of successive passage of water through three cartridges with different loading materials. They are distinguished by a sufficiently high performance, so a storage tank is not required. The set takes up little space under the sink, is easy to install and maintain.
One of the advantages of three-stage filters is the ability to select cartridges taking into account the characteristics of water pollution. To combat rust, for example, a replaceable module with an iron-removing material is used.
System manufacturers
To choose the right filter for washing water softener, you need to consider the reputation of the manufacturer. Consider the examples of products of companies that provide a high level of quality of their products. They offer customers professional support for design, installation and other work.
Aquaris
One of the most popular models of the brand is the Aquaris 1000 system:
- productivity - 1000 l / h;
- membrane service life - 500,000 l or 60 months;
- fineness of filtration - 0.01 micron;
- membrane material – polyvinylidene fluoride;
- supply water temperature – from +5 to +45 °C.
The compact system (360 x 185 x 185 mm) can be placed on the inlet line or under the sink instead of a set of several cartridges or a reverse osmosis system.
Aquaphor
One of the leaders in the Russian water treatment market produces a wide range of filters and systems for various purposes and operating conditions.
One of the most popular models is the Morion reverse osmosis system:
- productivity - 190 l / day (K-50S) or 380 l / day (K-100S);
- supply water pressure - from 1.4 to 6 atm;
- case dimensions: 360x185x185 mm;
- weight: 3 kg.
The set of station is equipped with the built-in tank for accumulation of pure water of 5 liters. The installation saves up to 9 tons of water per year compared to classic reverse osmosis systems.
Geyser
The company offers turnkey solutions for different types of water and user needs.
One of the most versatile and practical options is the Typhoon main filter:
- productivity – up to 3000 l/h
- service life - from 3000 to 20000 liters (depending on the type of cartridge);
- fineness of filtration - from 1 to 25 microns;
- case material – polypropylene;
- pressure - from 2 to 6 atm;
- dimensions - 310x120x120 mm;
- weight - about 1 kg.
Depending on the quality and composition of the water, you can choose different combinations of cartridges that will remove the desired impurities.
Barrier
For water softening, you can choose a three-stage kit with the following technical characteristics:
- productivity - 2 l / min;
- service life of cartridges - from 1500 l to 3000 l;
- fineness of a filtration: from 1 to 5 microns.
This kit removes mechanical impurities, chlorine, organics, hardness salts, heavy metals and other harmful substances.
Which filter is better to buy and install?
When choosing a filter for a water pipe in an apartment, you need to consider:
- quality and composition of source water;
- user needs and preferences;
- reputation and reliability of the manufacturer.
The project budget is determined by the total costs for the purchase, delivery and installation of equipment.
Summing up
You can buy filters for tap water purification quickly, but you should not rush. Careful preparation will help to correctly formulate the project task, reduce unnecessary costs. This work is carried out independently or seek help from an experienced specialist.
