The best home water treatment systems for the whole home are those that remove virtually all bacteria, heavy metals, viruses and other pathogens from your household water. Investing in this type of system offers the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family’s drinking water is free from harmful elements. It can also save the money you currently spend on bottled water, stop those bottles from entering the landfill and even help keep your bathroom and kitchen fixtures looking sharp by reducing the minerals in the water.
What is a Home Water Treatment System?
A home water treatment system filters the water from the city water system (or your well, if you live outside of the city) one more time before it’s delivered to you via the faucet. This type of system filters and treats the water at the point it enters your home, so you know that your water is clean and safe, no matter what fixture or appliance you use. There are a variety of home water treatment systems. The type that’s right for you and your family will depend on your water supply and how you use water in your home.
Some systems soften the water, remove iron, filter, and treat it. Others are designed for homes that use well water and remove sediment and minerals such as lime. And then there are systems using ultraviolet light to purify the water and remove harmful pathogens. The common denominator of all home water treatment systems is that they help to provide clean and safe water for your household use.
Types of Water Treatment Systems
Not sure what water treatment systems are? Don’t worry, that’s why we’re here. There are different options for water treatment systems, including reverse osmosis, filtered water pitchers, UV light purification, and water softeners. So, let’s break down these types of water treatment options so you can figure out which choice is best for you and your home.
Reverse Osmosis
First up, let’s talk about reverse osmosis. This form of treatment is going to be a whole home water treatment system. This gives you great tasting and clean water. This is the best choice for a home filtration system, and at ONIT, we professionally install this right in your home! These systems remove contaminants in drinking water, rather than just reducing them. So, how does this system work?
Reverse Osmosis Home Filtration System System Stages
Reverse osmosis systems clean the water through different chambers and stages. Let’s go through each different stage:
- The first stage is the Sediment and Activated Carbon Block Module. This stage removes traces of Chlorine and microscopic debris from the water.
- Next, the second stage is the Reverse Osmosis Chamber. This step removes the trapped tiny particles, pollutants, fluoride and trihalomethanes from the prefilters.
- Third, the water will go through the Granular Activated Carbon. This removes the organic and odorous chemicals, like hydrogen sulfide. However, the reverse osmosis system removes it and keeps your water smelling and tasting fresh!
- The last stage is the In-Line Polishing Filter. This removes any remaining foul tastes and odors in the water, boosting the pH and giving you water bottle quality tastes.
The reverse osmosis system in your household gives you and your family clean drinking water, straight out of the tap. This system is out of sight and out of mind, keeping your countertop clean and your storage space intact. Additionally, you never have to worry about filling up the system, it does it itself.
Maintenance wise, this system is as easy as can be. You only need to replace the reverse osmosis membrane every two to three years and replace the pre and post filters once a year.
Filtered Water Pitchers
Practicality wise, a reusable water filter seems like an easy solution to have clean water. Pitchers are an extremely popular choice for DIY filtration, with products readily available in both stores and online shops. These filters have a budget friendly appearance, but those lower prices also relate to lower functionality.
The filters in pitchers are forms of water treatment called activated carbon filters. According to Fresh Water Systems, activated carbon filters capture substances that contaminate drinking water. These filters work through absorbing the water and pushing it through different carbon layers to pull contaminants.
Carbon filters are porous with a large surface area, making them efficient in reducing tastes, odors, and particles. There are three main types of carbon filters:
- Bituminous, which is the least used option
- Wood-based, which resembles early Eygyptian forms of water filtration
- Coconut shell, which is the most renewable
UV Light Purification
Ultraviolet, or UV, light purification is a new form of water treatment. This method is extremely effective. This method helps disinfect the water and remove bacteria, using UV rays to penetrate the harmful pathogens and destroy any illness-causing microorganisms. The rays do this by attacking the microorganisms DNA, eliminating the possibility of reproduction of pathogens. This is a simple, safe, and effective way to disinfect the water in your home, as it destroys 99.99% of harmful bacteria and microorganisms without adding anything into the water.
Water Softener
A water softener combats hard water issues commonly found in homes. To make water “soft” you include a water softener to your home. A water softener replaces calcium and magnesium in water with salt. This is referred to as an ion exchange. One issue with hard water is the accumulation of magnesium and calcium in your home’s pipes. With a water softener, you don’t need to worry about this because salt cannot build up in pipes. Having a water softener helps with keeping dishes spotless and shiny, clothes brighter, and your hair and skin soft.
The Best Home Water Treatment Systems for the Whole Home
There are a lot of home filtration products on the market, but we’ve done the research for you and narrowed it down to the top five home water treatment systems.
1. Express Water WH300SCKS
We like this system because it has a three-stage filtration process and can process up to.25 gallons per second. We also like the twist-off housings that make it easy to change the filters. The first stage filter is designed to trap sediment, dirt, rust and sand. The second filter traps heavy metals and the third filtration process uses an activated carbon block to get rid of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, chlorine and chemicals that cause nasty tastes and odors.
2. SpringWell Water Whole House Water Filter System
This unique system uses a four-stage filtration system. The first three stages are similar to those in the Express Water system, with the patented fourth stage designed to give the water more contact time with the filtering process. This system can process between 9 and 20 gallons per minute, depending on the size system you choose.
3. iSpring WGB32B Whole House Water Filter
This system features a three-stage, five-micron filtering process and processes a minimum of 15 gallons per minute. This is one of our favorite water treatment systems for the whole home not just because it’s powerful, but because it’s affordable. This system is about half the price of most other systems.
4. Filtersmart Whole House Water Filter FS1000
The Filtersmart FS1000 is also a three-stage system that uses coconut shell-based activated carbon to filter contaminants, heavy metals and other elements from your water. It can filter between 12 and 15 gallons per minute, depending on the size system you choose.
5. Home Master HMF3SDGFEC Whole House Water Filter
Lastly, we like the Home Master HMF3SDGFEC system because it can deliver clean water to every faucet in your home without bringing down your water pressure. This system uses a three-stage process and has large filters that you don’t have to change as often as the smaller ones used in other systems.
It’s More Than Just Clean Water
A good home water treatment system is well worth the money. It not only pays you back by eliminating the need for bottled water, but it gives you peace of mind knowing that your family has access to safe drinking water right out of the tap. More than paying you back with health reasons, switching to a whole home filtration system can save you money every year.
To learn more about the best home water treatment systems for your home, speak to one of the water specialists at ONIT Home Service. We specialize in simplifying and demystifying home services, and we’ve been helping Texas residents improve the quality of their drinking water for more than a decade. Sign up for a free water test today to start enjoying cleaner, toxin-free water! To learn more, visit us online or give us a call today at 1-833-433-0331. Whatever your water needs may be, we’re ONIT.