It depends, if you have brackish water laced with salt, then yes, one of the residential reverse osmosis systems is a good solution. But, if you are on a chlorinated water system, with no salt problems, there are simpler and far less expensive systems available. In this article we will look at why one of these systems, selective filtration, might be a better choice for you than reverse osmosis.
No doubt you have been hearing about our need to reduce our body's exposure to toxic chemicals; something now referred to as reducing the "body burden" or the total amount of toxins in our body.
Toxic contaminants in the water we drinks and bathe in has long been a concern to us all, and we should be concerned, but more and more the guys in the white coats are telling us the air quality in our homes is imposing even greater burdens on our bodies. The worst toxic contaminants in the air come from chlorine byproducts such as chloroform.
The EPA said, "Every home in America has an elevated level of chloroform gas (in the air) due to the vaporization of chlorine from tap and shower water." (Also, while the shower produces the most chloroform in the air, the dishwasher and the washing machine aren't far behind).
Since whole house units remove chlorine and other toxins from the water, at the point of entry into your home, they greatly improve both the air quality and the water quality.
One of the most compelling reasons to compare RO and SF systems before making your choice is the big difference in their purchase and operating costs.
Since quality residential reverse osmosis systems start around $10,000, compared to a quality residential selective filtration systems at about $800, the $9,200 spread can mean the difference between getting a whole house unit or not.
What causes the huge price difference?
There are areas of our country where the ground water has been infiltrated with salt water and RO was developed to solve that problem years ago, when both water and electricity were cheap. But, this is a very expensive technology today and here's why.
RO systems use the home's water pressure to force water through a membrane having pores so small only molecules the size of water molecules, or smaller, can pass through, leaving contaminants with larger molecules behind.
Some contaminants will pass through the membrane with ease, including chemicals such as chlorine and chlorine's toxic byproducts. To capture these pollutants, and to protect the membrane, a carbon filter is always included in these systems.
The small RO systems are very slow, taking two or three hours to produce a single gallon of filtered water. Whole house units, on the other hand, can filter upwards of 2,000 gallons per day. Large or small units require a pressurized tank in order to be able to deliver a larger quantity water quickly.
The minimum pressure required to operate most of the smaller countertop units is 40 psi (pounds per square inch) and older homes, or some well water systems, may need to add booster pumps. Since more pressure is required to operate the whole house systems, booster pumps are usually included with the unit.
These systems waste a large quantity of water that will not go through the membrane even with sufficient pressure applied. This water is often thrown out with the collected contaminants. The typical system wastes two to five gallons of water for each gallon that is filtered.
This waste water is recycled in some systems, however, the need for electricity, recycling, storage tanks and (maybe) booster pumps are the cause of the increased up front costs and they add to the higher cost to operate as well. And, all the extra equipment means it is more likely there are going to be additional maintenance costs too.
A good option to reverse osmosis, especially if you are on a chlorinated water system (which most of us are), is selective filtration.
Selective filtration uses mechanical filtration, the adsorptive power of activated charcoal, and redox (reduction/oxidation) in a multistage process that will quickly process water.
The relatively new redox filter uses a chemical exchange process to remove toxic metals, such as dissolved mercury or lead, from water. RO and distillation can also remove lead, but redox filters uses the first technology capable to remove these toxic metals by simple filtration methods.
The activated charcoal removes over 99 percent of the chlorine, chlorine byproducts and other organic chemicals. The combined stages remove odors, bad tastes, sediment, and perform similarly to a standard water softener, without adding sodium to the water.
All of this is done quickly, producing up to seven gallons of filtered water per minute, and install easily, without electricity, booster pumps or storage tanks.
For anyone looking to install a whole house water filter to improve the quality of the air in water in their home, selective filtration systems have a lot to offer. - 16463
No doubt you have been hearing about our need to reduce our body's exposure to toxic chemicals; something now referred to as reducing the "body burden" or the total amount of toxins in our body.
Toxic contaminants in the water we drinks and bathe in has long been a concern to us all, and we should be concerned, but more and more the guys in the white coats are telling us the air quality in our homes is imposing even greater burdens on our bodies. The worst toxic contaminants in the air come from chlorine byproducts such as chloroform.
The EPA said, "Every home in America has an elevated level of chloroform gas (in the air) due to the vaporization of chlorine from tap and shower water." (Also, while the shower produces the most chloroform in the air, the dishwasher and the washing machine aren't far behind).
Since whole house units remove chlorine and other toxins from the water, at the point of entry into your home, they greatly improve both the air quality and the water quality.
One of the most compelling reasons to compare RO and SF systems before making your choice is the big difference in their purchase and operating costs.
Since quality residential reverse osmosis systems start around $10,000, compared to a quality residential selective filtration systems at about $800, the $9,200 spread can mean the difference between getting a whole house unit or not.
What causes the huge price difference?
There are areas of our country where the ground water has been infiltrated with salt water and RO was developed to solve that problem years ago, when both water and electricity were cheap. But, this is a very expensive technology today and here's why.
RO systems use the home's water pressure to force water through a membrane having pores so small only molecules the size of water molecules, or smaller, can pass through, leaving contaminants with larger molecules behind.
Some contaminants will pass through the membrane with ease, including chemicals such as chlorine and chlorine's toxic byproducts. To capture these pollutants, and to protect the membrane, a carbon filter is always included in these systems.
The small RO systems are very slow, taking two or three hours to produce a single gallon of filtered water. Whole house units, on the other hand, can filter upwards of 2,000 gallons per day. Large or small units require a pressurized tank in order to be able to deliver a larger quantity water quickly.
The minimum pressure required to operate most of the smaller countertop units is 40 psi (pounds per square inch) and older homes, or some well water systems, may need to add booster pumps. Since more pressure is required to operate the whole house systems, booster pumps are usually included with the unit.
These systems waste a large quantity of water that will not go through the membrane even with sufficient pressure applied. This water is often thrown out with the collected contaminants. The typical system wastes two to five gallons of water for each gallon that is filtered.
This waste water is recycled in some systems, however, the need for electricity, recycling, storage tanks and (maybe) booster pumps are the cause of the increased up front costs and they add to the higher cost to operate as well. And, all the extra equipment means it is more likely there are going to be additional maintenance costs too.
A good option to reverse osmosis, especially if you are on a chlorinated water system (which most of us are), is selective filtration.
Selective filtration uses mechanical filtration, the adsorptive power of activated charcoal, and redox (reduction/oxidation) in a multistage process that will quickly process water.
The relatively new redox filter uses a chemical exchange process to remove toxic metals, such as dissolved mercury or lead, from water. RO and distillation can also remove lead, but redox filters uses the first technology capable to remove these toxic metals by simple filtration methods.
The activated charcoal removes over 99 percent of the chlorine, chlorine byproducts and other organic chemicals. The combined stages remove odors, bad tastes, sediment, and perform similarly to a standard water softener, without adding sodium to the water.
All of this is done quickly, producing up to seven gallons of filtered water per minute, and install easily, without electricity, booster pumps or storage tanks.
For anyone looking to install a whole house water filter to improve the quality of the air in water in their home, selective filtration systems have a lot to offer. - 16463
About the Author:
David Eastham has done extensive research on such topics as selective filtration to discover the best way to provide good, clean drinking water. Follow him for his picks as the best dollar for dollar buys, and the best products overall, in home water filtration systems
