House Water Filtration Vs. Drinking-Water Filtration: What Is The Difference?

home water filtration

House Water Filtration Vs. Drinking-Water Filtration: What Is The Difference?

A whole house water filtration system is a water filter, but not all water filters are created equal. While various home water filtration systems treat the water in your home, each type serves a distinct, albeit related, function.

Thus, it’s important to ask what the difference between a house water filtration system and a drinking-water filtration system is. Which system is more important and necessary for your home? Read on to understand the distinction between these two filtration systems and the benefits they have to offer your home.

If you’re looking to improve the drinking water in your home, contact Puragain Water today to learn more about our various water filtration systems and speak with one of our qualified specialists to receive an installation estimate for your home.

What Is A Whole House Water Filtration System?

Whole house water filters connect to your main water line to reduce contaminants throughout your home. Most house water filters begin with a sediment pre-filter, which traps rust, sediment, and silt.

The wter then flows through your copper-zinc & mineral stone filter, removing chlorine, water-soluble heavy metals, and scale while inhibiting bacteria and algae growth. The water then flows to your activated carbon filter. This filter works to reduce the presence of herbicides, pesticides, and other chemical compounds.

Some whole house water filters use a massive, ultra-dense carbon block to provide superior filtration over granular media. Ion exchange and submicron filtration are performed using a combination of catalytic and activated carbon. This process reduces contaminants like lead, cysts, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), chlorine, chloramines, and many others, resulting in clean and healthy water throughout your entire home.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Whole House Water Filters

Whole house water filters are highly configurable based on your water needs. They include a water conditioner to keep scale buildup in your pipes salt-free and a submicron post-filter to remove any remaining sediment and organic particles in your water. 

They also have a UV filter to eliminate the risk of bacteria and viruses during a boil warning. In simpler terms, whole house water filtration systems remove pollutants and contaminants from water. If you have a water softener but no filtration system, the minerals in your water will also be eliminated.

A whole house filtration system enhances the quality and flow of water by reducing sediment, chlorine, and other contaminants. Whole house filter systems can also neutralize acidity in water, lessening the cost of corrosion in plumbing fixtures and appliances.

It’s important to know that this type of filtration system is a fully integrated water purification system. Thus, it can be difficult to install and remove. While installation costs may or may not be included in the system’s purchase price, a whole house system will last for years with little maintenance. Once the system is up and running, maintenance is very minimal.

How Does A Whole House Water Filtration System Work?

In a whole house water filtration system, water enters your home and passes through a pre-filter, which removes larger impurities and contaminants from the water like sediment. The water is then filtered for chlorine and volatile organic chemicals, which can affect your home’s air quality after they evaporate.

Following that, the water is passed through activated carbon, which filters out contaminants such as pesticides, copper, and herbicides. Lastly, remaining sediment and organic particles are removed from the water through a polishing filtration phase.

What Is A Drinking-Water Filtration System?

A drinking-water filtration system reduces contaminants and dissolved solids in your drinking water. Undersink and countertop systems are available depending on filtration preferences and the available space. 

Many drinking-water filters use multistage filtration to remove sediment before filtering out other contaminants, such as chlorine, that affect the taste and quality of the water. 

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Drinking-Water Filtration

Drinking-water filtration systems can remove most contaminants based on their size, electric charge, and other characteristics. They can eliminate several impurities from water, improve its texture, taste, and consistency, and remove all pathogenic bacteria from water.

When it comes to water filtration systems, faucet water filters are probably the most popular choice. The price varies from affordable options to expensive ones. Regardless, this type of filtration system claims to purify tap water so you can drink straight from the faucet.

Unfortunately, the quality of this type of water filter varies, and it can be difficult to predict the water quality you will receive. Additionally, it comes with faucet filters, which often reduce water pressure. In contrast, others leave warm water after purification, and a few are unsightly enough to turn a sink fixture into a clunky eyesore.

Despite this, removing the bacteria does not guarantee that your water is safe to drink. Nowadays, dangerous chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers contaminate drinking-water sources. Such compounds can be harmful to human health since most are carcinogenic.

Moreover, costs may quickly mount if you wish to add purified drinking water to other fixtures in your house. Not only will you need to pay for water filters at every faucet in your house but you will also have to consider the cost of replacement filters.

Start Drinking Healthier Water Today

For anyone looking to improve the water quality in their home, home water filtration systems and drinking-water filtration systems are both great options to consider. While drinking-water filters are likely the most popular option, whole house water filters provide the best approach to ensure that your entire home’s water is completely safe at all times.

Is your household ready to experience the benefits of a water filtration system?

At Puragain Water, we’re proud to provide our customers with the highest quality water filtration systems on the market. With over 30 years of experience in the water filter industry, we understand what it takes to develop cutting-edge technology that allows us to provide you with the best in crystal clear, great-tasting water.

To learn more about our high-quality home water filtration systems and speak with a specialist to know which water filtration system best suits your household, contact Puragain Water today.

Water Filters 101: Which Filter Removes the Most Contaminants

whole house water filtration system

whole house water filtration system

We all want our drinking water to be safe, affordable, and pleasant to the taste. Since buying bottled water all the time can burn holes in your pocket, the most practical thing to do is to have home water filtration installed at your home.

Even though the U.S. has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world, there are those who may still need a filtration system in order to remove minerals or particulates, or simply prefer the taste of filtered water.

There are several factors to consider when choosing the right water filter for your home. One is the shape and size, which will depend on your filtration needs, budget, and lifestyle preferences. Another is the technology used in removing contaminants in the water. 

Types of Water Filtration Systems

Water filters use a variety of methods in removing impurities. In terms of filtration systems, here are the different types of filters to choose from:

1. Particulate or Mechanical Filter

These basic filters are made up of simple screens that block large particles in the water. They usually serve as the prefilters in multiple-step filter systems.

2. Absorption or Activated Carbon

Absorption is the process of removal of the particles in the water as they stick to the surface of the filter material, which is usually carbon—in powder or granule form. These filters are the most common in the market and come in various forms, such as faucet-mounted and pitcher systems. 

They can effectively reduce chlorine and chlorine byproducts, as well as dissolve volatile organic chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides. These are considered the most worrisome compounds found in municipal water. These carbon filters work well in reducing bad taste and odor.

3. Softeners or Ion Exchange Units

These water softeners reduce hard metals such as lead through the process of ion exchange. When water passes through the exchange unit, hard metal ions get replaced by sodium ions. This makes the water softer, but with a saltier taste. The ion exchange technology is usually combined with absorptive or reverse-osmosis filters. 

4. Reverse Osmosis

This involves a process that forces water through a membrane to filter out molecules that are physically larger than water molecules.

This filter type is effective in reducing minerals, but it doesn’t work as well in removing chlorine or volatile organic compounds. But manufacturers solved this problem by combining the reverse-osmosis units with pre-filters and carbon filters. 

5. Ultraviolet Treatment

This technology uses IV lights to kill germs in the water. This is the only treatment method certified by the National Sanitation Foundation International in reducing bacteria.

6. Distillation

This makes use of water distillers to heat water and turn it into steam. The steam is then collected and transformed back into its liquid form. When the water evaporates, the contaminants are left behind.

This type of water filtration is very effective in removing most bacteria and minerals in the water, although there are some units that do not remove volatile organic chemicals. Compared to other filtration methods, distillation often requires more energy to heat the water.

As for deciding which filtration system removes the most contaminants, this will depend on the type of impurity or water issue you’re concerned with. Here’s a list of the filtration methods and which contaminants or water issues they work best in removing:

  • Carbon or charcoal filter – carbon can remove lead—combined with charcoal, it works best in removing bad taste and odor, as well as chlorine and chlorine byproducts. It can remove some chloramines as well. Keep in mind that water filters certified to reduce chlorine in the water do not necessarily take out chloramine, so it’s best to ask your local water utility to find out which disinfectant is used in your drinking water.
  • Reverse Osmosis and distillation – reverse osmosis alone can remove perchlorates while Both methods can remove fluoride and arsenic. When it comes to arsenic, keep in mind that there are two different forms found in water, so find out first which type you’re dealing with before choosing a filtration system.

Bacteria can be removed by reverse osmosis method only while ultraviolet light and chlorination can kill bacteria by disinfecting the water.

Water filters are not really effective in removing viruses. However, there are some water treatment systems that can kill viruses via disinfection. Chlorination can kill bacteria and viruses even before it reaches your home’s water system, which in turn removes the chlorine.

Other Concerns in Choosing the Right Water Filter

Filtration products can be equipped with multiple technologies and often sold as two or more stage filters.

The forms that typically use a combination of ion exchange and adsorption are carafe, faucet-mounted, and countertop-style filters. Plumbed-in filter systems use this combination as well, plus reverse osmosis.

Prices vary widely as well. The most affordable filters are carafes and faucet-mounted types, ranging between $20 to $50 while under-sink, countertop, and whole house water filtration system can set you back between $50 to $900.

When it comes to considering the price of your water filter, you have to add installation, replacement, and maintenance costs along with the initial purchase price. Remember that you have to change the parts of your filter periodically to prevent clogging.

Last but not the least, make sure that the water filter system that you choose will reduce the particular contaminant you want to be removed from your water.

Most importantly, be mindful of the claims found on the ads or packaging with regards to the kind of contaminants that the filter will reduce and how much it will remove in terms of percentage.

Get the Best Water Filtration System for Your Home in California

Whether you’re looking for a whole house water softener or a reverse osmosis drinking water system for your home or office in California, we offer you the best options within your budget.

You will also get a lifetime servicing plan which guarantees that your filter system will always work without a hitch. Book your service now, contact us at Puragain Water today!