Water quality in our water pipes makes many people think about buying water purification filters. But their huge diversity in the market of modern water treatment devices often puts consumers at a dead end when choosing the right appliance. This problem can be solved quite simply if you know the criteria and parameters of the choice, the characteristics of the main types of filters, the features of their work.
What should I consider when buying a water filter?
Before you go to the store to choose and purchase a water filter, answer for yourself a few questions:
- What should the filter clean the water from? The water can contain many different impurities that have harmful effects on the body: chlorine, bacteria, lead, fluorine compounds, rust and others. To solve this issue, a sample of water should be submitted for analysis to the laboratory. The cost of this analysis depends on the number of required indicators: for a shortened analysis( 10-12 indicators) you will give 900-1200 rubles, for an extended( 15-40 indicators) - 1800-4000 rubles. Having received the results, you can show this document to the employees of the company where you will buy the filter, and they will help you choose the option that is optimal for the composition of your water.
- How much do you need purified water? This depends on the number of people in the family and the total need for clean water. Filters-jugs can quite provide a family of 2-3 people with drinking water. If the family is large or purified water is required not only for drinking, but for other purposes( washing, dishwasher and washing machine), it is better to install a stationary filter.
- What price can you pay for the filter and supplies to it? Filters for water of different types differ in their performance and cost. Think about how you prefer: invest in an expensive high-quality water purification system or buy an inexpensive filter and periodically change the cartridges there.
The main types of water filters, their characteristics
Filter jug
The jug-type device is simple in structure and inexpensive. It consists of the pitcher itself with a volume of 1-2 liters and a filter installed inside the water tank, which must be cleaned. A jar is inserted into the pitcher, water is poured into it, which gradually passes through the filter and, drained of impurities, flows into the pitcher's capacity.
This type of filter can solve the following tasks:
- clean water from mechanical impurities;
- to lower the hardness of water;
- to reduce the water content of iron, copper, chlorine. Advantages of filter-jugs:
- the lowest price;
- simplicity of operation;
- no installation problem.
Disadvantages of the filter-jugs:
- is not a very high degree of purification;
- cartridge life is small;The
- filter element can not be regenerated.
Flow filter
This filter can be connected to a water tap either permanently or as needed. By their functionality they stand close to the filter-jugs: purify water from mechanical impurities and chlorine. If activated carbon is the basis of the filter, then it removes water from bacteria, microorganisms, phenol. Filters with ion-exchange resins clean it of iron, heavy metals, aluminum, hardness salts.
Flow-through filters can be stationary( they are installed under the sink, built into the water pipe, purified water is supplied through a separate tap), desktop( the filter is placed on the sink and connected to the tap by a flexible hose) and the nozzles on the faucet( connected directly to the tap).
Advantages of flow-through filters:
- ease of use;
- compactness;
- is a fairly good degree of purification;
- easy installation.
Disadvantages of filter-nozzles:
- low resource of filter elements;
- quite high price of consumables;
- filter of this type will not save you from all water problems.
Multistage water purification systems
If the water in your running water requires serious and thorough cleaning, then you should consider purchasing a multistage system, which is based on a reverse osmosis membrane. Such systems are necessary, for example, in cases with very hard water.
Reverse osmosis filters may contain a different number of purification steps( most often 4 or 5):
- Cleaning from mechanical impurities.
- Cleaning of chlorine and its compounds, from gases.
- Fine cleaning of mechanical impurities.
- Thin film membrane cleaning.
- Coal post-filter. Advantages of multi-stage systems:
- water purification at a high level;
- solution of the whole complex of problems related to water quality.
Disadvantages of multistage systems:
- high cost of the system itself and of consumables;
- complexity of installation;
- high water consumption( to get 1 liter of clean water requires about 5 liters of water from the water pipe);
- larger sizes.
Too high degree of purification someone can attribute to pluses of system, and someone and to minuses. Indeed, the multi-stage purification system produces practically distilled water, purified of all impurities, including those that are useful for humans. To solve this problem, water can be enriched with microelements and salts or a filter with a mineralizer.
The main manufacturers of water filters
The most famous manufacturers of water filters in our country are Aquaphor, Ariete, Binatone, Brita, Nivona, Great Rivers, Barrier, Geyser, Novaya Voda, etc.
The cost of filters is very different. It depends on the type of filter, the life of the cartridges, the speed and the degree of filtration. For example, the filter pitcher Brita is more expensive than similar devices from other manufacturers, but the cassettes of this filter serve much longer than others. In addition, it has an indicator that shows what the remaining cartridge resource is.
So which filter to choose?
For one consumer or a family of 2-3 people, it may be quite sufficient filter-jug or nozzle on the tap. If a large amount of purified water is required, it is better to take care of a high-performance stationary filter.
If you need the most purified water from all impurities, you can not do without a membrane filter.The right filter for water will bring your family health and longevity, because water is the main thing for a person, and the quality of water largely determines the quality of life.
