Comparison of Various Drinking Water Filter Systems

It is true that the tap water in any developed nation is far better than regular water of the rest of the world. However, what’s more true is that due to the perils of development so far, such as rampant increase in pollution of water bodies and unchecked seepage from sewage systems, the drinking water we get today is definitely more contaminated when compared to earlier years. Today’s drinking water is polluted with any or all of factory wastes, agricultural chemicals, new pharmaceuticals and microbes.

Thus, effective drinking water filters are definitely necessary in eliminating these dangerous contaminants from your water to safeguard you from their harmful effects. As there are numerous drinking water filter systems in the market, one needs to educate themselves on each filter’s plus points and flipsides to decide what’s best for them.

Reverse osmosis filter systems are a common sight in most kitchen sinks. They force water to run under high pressure through a ceramic or metal filter. Big molecules of chemicals get caught in the filter first, and the nearly pure water is sent through. Though effective up to this point, reverse osmosis systems have their dead ends, as they can’t remove all harmful substances from tap water. They are also slow, and though they remove most organic chemicals or toxic minerals, they fail in eliminating radon, chlorine and some microbes.

Carbon filters use a cake of activated charcoal, which is carbon chemically infused with oxygen, attracting all molecules from the fluid. They effectively remove organic chemicals, chlorine, radon, as well as bad tastes and smells. These filters need to be changed more often than other filter types as they get clogged with absorbed contaminants.

Sediment filters remove large sand-like particles, metal bits and dirt. These are most effective when used as a step in multi-stage drinking water filter systems or in combination with water softening systems.

Pathogen filters remove micro organisms like bacteria and giardia, which cause dangerous diseases in humans. These filters use a ceramic or other firmly-sealed membrane to trap micro-organisms and send out clean water. Portable pathogen filters are used by travelers and adventure enthusiasts during their long stay outdoors.

Distillers purify water by boiling it into steam and turning it into liquid again, hence leaving behind chemical contaminants and killing microorganisms. The downside of distillation systems is that they’re slow, use lots of energy and remove many useful minerals along with harmful chemicals from water.

Ultraviolet systems use UV light to kill microorganisms. UV light is so effective in eliminating microorganisms that it’s used to sterilize medical and scientific tools in a hospital or lab. UV lamps emit this high-spectrum light, through which the water is allowed to pass for some time. UV light kills microbes within 20 seconds, but is ineffective on hard-shelled microbes like giardia cysts. Also, since UV light doesn’t eliminate chemicals from water, it needs to be combined with other drinking water filter systems.

Therefore, each drinking water purification system has its own benefits as well as shortcomings. Henceforth, a multi-stage drinking water filter system that integrates different filtration techniques effectively is essential to be completely safe from all kinds of drinking water contamination.

The source of common ailments is mostly unhygienic water. Follow the links to install water filters and water purifiers by experts for sound health.