Finding the right reverse osmosis system for cleaner water at home
With reportedly more than 2,000 toxic chemicals in the water that we drink, if you want clean water at home, you must find the right reverse osmosis system to help produce ’safe’ purified water.
Reverse osmosis is a process that makes use of high pressure to force unpurified water through a semi-permeable membrane so that toxic chemicals are removed from the water. The only problem with this system of ‘cleaning’ water is that while toxins are removed, almost all other minerals (even trace minerals) are often also purged from the water, leaving water without any nutritional content.
Because there are so many types of water purification systems available, it is important to equip yourself with basic knowledge of their various designs and functions. For example there are two different types of membranes that a reverse osmosis filter system can be designed with. One is the CTA membrane or cellulose triacetate membrane, which is all natural and inexpensive. However, systems that use these membranes may require extra maintenance to prevent the cultivation of bacteria and this may result in a lower quality of purified water produced.
The other type of membrane is the FTC membrane, which is inorganic and more expensive than its CTA counterpart. A great advantage to this type of reverse osmosis system is that bacteria are not attracted to the FTC membrane. Unfortunately, chlorine in the water can damage the membrane and a carbon pre-filter might be required in addition to the reverse osmosis system with a FTC membrane.
FTC membranes, being inorganic in nature, are not as easily susceptible to the growth of bacteria. While these membranes are more expensive than CTA versions, they can easily be damaged by chlorine in water. A carbon pre-filter might be required as an add-on to the membrane in order to ensure its optimal performance in producing quality purified water.
If you want clean water at home, you must find the right reverse osmosis filter especially if there are a variety of units you can choose from. From systems that are designed with tanks to hold ‘clean’ water to the tankless that can dispense purified water directly to the tap. Units that use tanks are typically use plastic bladder to hold water until it is required for dispensing. These are cheaper than the tankless versions but take up more space.
When you’re choosing a reverse osmosis system for clean water at home, you should make sure that you have the budget to support and maintain such a water purification system because it can add up to a costly amount when you look at how much it will cost you per gallon of purified water.
Purified water can be expensive to drink however, if you want clean water at home, you must find the right reverse osmosis system. Take your time to look around and learn about the functions and different features of each system. While ‘clean’ water may be safer to drink, they are most likely mineral-free and ironically, unhealthy to consume in the long run without additional supplements to replace the vital minerals you may not receive in your purified water.
If you are looking to use your purification system for a long term, choosing a reverse osmosis system for clean water at home will be an important step in your long-term investment. Your initial payout may be costly but if you take the time to choose the right system, you will be able to find a good quality unit without having to pay top dollar.