The convenience and benefits that come with filtering your own water at home makes it a worthy investment. You get pure and healthy water, a better choice than buying bottled water.
The big question many homeowners have to answer is the right type of water filtration system to use in their home. Whichever option you choose, whether a simple pitcher under the sink or a larger whole-house filter, it’s important that you know what to look for when shopping.
The following guidelines will come in handy when choosing a water filter that suits your needs. While doing so, remember that certification is one important factor that you don’t want to ignore.
Find out the contaminants in your water
The first and most important thing to know before choosing a filtration system is the contaminants you want to remove from the water. This will give you a starting point. The best way to do this is to get a water quality report, preferably from your water company, or test the water.
This may require you to go to a local lab, or use an at-home testing kit. The most common water contaminant is lead, but there may be others.
What kind do you prefer?
Once you know the type of contaminants you have to work with, the next thing to consider is the type of filter you will be using. Activated carbon filters are ideal for removing heavy metals, parasites, chlorine, some VOCs and pesticides. They are mostly found in under-sink and pitcher filter models. Other contaminants must be removed using reverse osmosis or distillation.
The good thing is that you can get a comprehensive list of water filters with the types of contaminants each can be used to remove from NSF International. It is an accredited organization concerned with water safety and system certification.
Decide where you will place your filter
Depending on your preferences, you may choose to have a whole-house filter, also known as a point-of-entry filter, or a point-of-use filter. The names can give you an idea of their location, with the former filtering water before entering a home, and the latter filtering water before use. Among the under point-of-use filter models are under sink systems, water bottles, and pour-water jugs.
Whole-house systems are ideal if you want to remove mineral, taste or odor deposits. It should be noted that you need to choose a location for the water filter without breaking the water pressure.
NSF certification confirmation
Before you trust any water filtration system to purify your water at home, you have to confirm the NSF certification just to make sure that you are dealing with the right product. This applies whether you buy a simple pitcher water filter or a whole-house filtration system.
You will know that a product is certified and safe to use if it has the NSF seal.
