Filtered Water Dispensers And Other Alternatives To Water Purification
To benefit from your water supply the most, you not only have to become aware of any contamination risks that the water may be exposed to, but also make sure to prevent any further danger it may possess, to the health of all people in your home or office. As pollution is so common these days, there are numerous ways to combat it when it affects the quality and purity of our water. Filtered water dispensers are gaining more and more popularity, but before you make a decision to purchase one you should get to know the most popular methods for purification that can be applied, either separately or in combination with each other.
Home water sources can be broadly categorized as two types - municipal public water and private water wells. For the majority of regions, public water supply is guaranteed to meet the necessary quality standards and does not need filtering. Wells on the other hand often only comply partially with local basic requirements for safety, so a filter would be necessary to ensure your safeguard from any contamination in the water. Before making any assumption, and regardless of your water source, it's important to contact authorities or trusted companies and labs, in order to analyze and provide detailed information for the status of your water.
Perhaps the most popular method of water filtration stands the use of activated charcoal systems. Easy and cheap to construct, these filters substantially improve the taste of water and remove any odd smell. Such filters also effectively prevent volatile organic substances and partially reduce inorganic chemicals like chlorine. The problem with activated charcoal based water purification systems is that they are unable to deal with industrial chemicals like most metals and other solids. Some modified charcoal filters are able to deter lead from passing through, so if that's the desired effect, it's important to check the system specifications to see if there is such support.
Reverse osmosis has received a lot of praise for years, but not long ago its disadvantages were quickly discovered. The way it works is by letting water pass through a filtering membrane and then storing the filtered water in a separate container. Although the procedure is very effective and removes most inorganic chemicals and substances, there is a huge water loss. About 75% of the water that goes through the filter is wasted, the flow rate of the separate tap leading out of the storage tank is very low and the membrane gets easily damaged, requiring regular replacement.
Distillation is and will continue to be a popular choice for many people and the units that utilize this method of filtration are quite effective. Such filter can remove most solids contaminating your water, but may be unable to deal with some chemical pollutants. Some forms of bacteria also survive after the vaporize-condense process. Another consideration here is that the continuous use of distillation units cause an increased consumption of energy and not the least -- the water becomes much too tasteless because it lacks the minerals it otherwise contains, some of which are actually beneficial for our organism.
UV ray based water purifiers are great in removing organic contamination but cannot cope with chemicals. Maintenance is required regularly as solids that the water may contain eventually build up onto the unit and thus prevent the UV light from doing its job.
Filtered water dispensers usually utilize a combination of the above methods plus some innovative technologies that provide extreme level of purity and quality of water. They also require less maintenance and come with multi-year warranty that includes professional servicing. Easy to install and not affecting the water flow rate by much, such dispensers are a great long-term solution that ensure the safety in your home or office.
Home water sources can be broadly categorized as two types - municipal public water and private water wells. For the majority of regions, public water supply is guaranteed to meet the necessary quality standards and does not need filtering. Wells on the other hand often only comply partially with local basic requirements for safety, so a filter would be necessary to ensure your safeguard from any contamination in the water. Before making any assumption, and regardless of your water source, it's important to contact authorities or trusted companies and labs, in order to analyze and provide detailed information for the status of your water.
Perhaps the most popular method of water filtration stands the use of activated charcoal systems. Easy and cheap to construct, these filters substantially improve the taste of water and remove any odd smell. Such filters also effectively prevent volatile organic substances and partially reduce inorganic chemicals like chlorine. The problem with activated charcoal based water purification systems is that they are unable to deal with industrial chemicals like most metals and other solids. Some modified charcoal filters are able to deter lead from passing through, so if that's the desired effect, it's important to check the system specifications to see if there is such support.
Reverse osmosis has received a lot of praise for years, but not long ago its disadvantages were quickly discovered. The way it works is by letting water pass through a filtering membrane and then storing the filtered water in a separate container. Although the procedure is very effective and removes most inorganic chemicals and substances, there is a huge water loss. About 75% of the water that goes through the filter is wasted, the flow rate of the separate tap leading out of the storage tank is very low and the membrane gets easily damaged, requiring regular replacement.
Distillation is and will continue to be a popular choice for many people and the units that utilize this method of filtration are quite effective. Such filter can remove most solids contaminating your water, but may be unable to deal with some chemical pollutants. Some forms of bacteria also survive after the vaporize-condense process. Another consideration here is that the continuous use of distillation units cause an increased consumption of energy and not the least -- the water becomes much too tasteless because it lacks the minerals it otherwise contains, some of which are actually beneficial for our organism.
UV ray based water purifiers are great in removing organic contamination but cannot cope with chemicals. Maintenance is required regularly as solids that the water may contain eventually build up onto the unit and thus prevent the UV light from doing its job.
Filtered water dispensers usually utilize a combination of the above methods plus some innovative technologies that provide extreme level of purity and quality of water. They also require less maintenance and come with multi-year warranty that includes professional servicing. Easy to install and not affecting the water flow rate by much, such dispensers are a great long-term solution that ensure the safety in your home or office.
