Water purification in residential premises is becoming an increasingly important task, providing not only for domestic but also for commercial needs. Filtration systems installed in apartments and houses provide an affordable solution with outstanding economy and efficiency.
These systems consist of a tank with a control valve and filter material, including a salt tank for the regeneration process. There are several types of water purification systems, each of which is aimed at solving specific problems:
- Water softening filters;
- Iron removal filters;
- Filters for removing hydrogen sulfide;
- Chlorine removal filters;
- Mechanical filters for removing impurities.
Regeneration is a key stage of the system’s operation, allowing the filter material to be restored and the main element to be cleaned of contaminants.
When choosing a residential water filtration system, is necessary to consider various factors such as the size of the room, the required performance and the presence of automatic control. It is also important to analyze the characteristics of the water to select the appropriate system to solve specific problems.
The size and performance of the filtration systems also matter, and modern installations are usually equipped with control valves with an LCD display and additional features to improve ease of use. An effective water purification system will not only provide high quality purified water, but will also save water resources.
To select the right residential water purification system, it is also necessary to conduct a water analysis to determine its composition and level of contaminants. This will allow you to select the appropriate system and configure it to effectively remove specific impurities or contaminants that are present in the water supply system.
It is also important to note that the filter material in water purification systems requires periodic replacement. This is necessary to maintain the optimum efficiency of the system. It is also recommended to perform maintenance of the system at least once a quarter, especially in permanent residence, to ensure its smooth operation and long service life.
Water Filtration Systems For Home
Drinking tap water without additional purification or boiling is extremely dangerous. It may contain chemicals or microorganisms that cause serious health problems. In addition, water must be properly prepared for household use. Excessively hard water leads to the accumulation of mineral deposits on the heating elements of household appliances. Because of this, they work worse and sooner or later break down.
You can make water safe for humans and plumbing fixtures with the help of individual filter systems. These devices are connected to the water supply network and remove all contaminants from it. Correctly selected filters can clean the liquid from solid contaminants, dissolved substances, bacteria and viruses. They improve its organoleptic properties and make it pleasant to drink.
How Water Filtration Systems Work
In this article, we will look at how a water filter works. In short, the principle of operation is as follows: water enters the module, where it is purified using filter cartridges, which trap debris, microorganisms, metals and other harmful substances. Then, the purified liquid enters the mixer into a specific outlet or a separate tap.
Water filters are mainly used to improve the quality of drinking liquid. They can remove unpleasant odors, taste and color, ensure safety, reduce the content of chemical elements and microorganisms that can be harmful to health. It is possible to install them on taps, on the entire water supply system of the house, water machines or water storage containers. They become especially useful in places with undrinkable water, where they help to provide access to clean and safe water for consumption.
Using this device at home helps reduce the risk of diseases associated with the consumption of polluted environments and improve the general condition and well-being of people who use clean drinking water. In this section, we will talk about how this device works and what it consists of.
How a filter purifies water
The cleaning process includes several main stages:
- Water treatment
Before passing through the filter, the liquid may undergo various pre-treatments, such as sedimentation or flocculation, to remove large particles and sediment.
- Physical filtration
This step involves the use of physical barriers, such as mesh materials or porous membranes, to trap and remove particles of various sizes, including sand, clay, rust, and other mechanical contaminants. This process is called mechanical cleaning.
- Chemical filtration
In some cases, water passes through a bed of sorbents containing chemicals such as activated carbon or ash, which have the ability to attract and retain a variety of contaminants, including organic matter, chlorine, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other chemical contaminants. This removes dissolved substances that cannot be captured by physical methods alone.
- Biological Filtration
Many units also use biological processes to clean. For example, some media contain a layer of coarse gravel or sand, which creates conditions for the growth of biological organisms such as bacteria or aquatic plants that can break down and remove organic matter and some nitrates from the water.
- Ultrafiltration
These methods are typically used in more complex purification systems, such as reverse osmosis systems. Ultrafiltration uses membranes with very small pore sizes to remove bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and other contaminants that can pass through other devices.
All these stages together allow the filter to purify water by removing mechanical and chemical contaminants, bacteria, viruses, organic matter and other potentially harmful or unwanted components. The end result is water that meets drinking standards or meets requirements for specific industrial or domestic purposes.
How a filter removes dirt from water
The filter works on the principle of removing excess impurities and contaminants from water to make it safe for consumption. It goes through several stages or layers, each of which performs a specific function.
- Pre-Filtration
The first stage is pre-filtration. Water passing through the device passes through a layer of fine sand, gravel or other materials that act as a pre-filter. This layer removes large contaminants such as dirt, sand, leaves and other mechanical impurities.
- Main Filter
The second stage is the main filter. After pre-filtration, the water passes through a layer of activated carbon or other absorbent medium, which traps smaller contaminants. The liquid passes through small pores in the material, which allows it to retain organic matter, chemical impurities, chlorine and other harmful compounds.
- Reverse Osmosis
The third stage is reverse osmosis. Some units may contain another layer, including an ultrafiltration membrane or a reverse osmosis system. These layers remove microbiological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, and other tiny impurities that may remain after the previous filtration stages.
- Disinfection
The fourth stage is disinfection. Some water filters may also have an additional disinfection system, such as ultraviolet light or a chemical process to kill any remaining bacteria or microorganisms. This ensures that the water coming out of the device is completely safe for consumption.
Depending on the type of water filter, such as kitchen appliances, countertop systems, or whole-house systems, there may be additional filtration stages. However, the four basic filtration stages described above are the most common and effective in removing various impurities and contaminants from liquid.
What's inside a water filter
The under-sink filter is a special device designed to clean water from various impurities and contaminants. There are several key components inside, each of which performs its own function:
- Mesh filter
Designed to trap large particles such as sand or gravel. It protects the finer cartridges from damage and helps extend their life.
- Carbon filter
Contains activated carbon, which effectively removes chlorine, organic compounds and unpleasant odors from liquid. It can also improve the taste of drinking water.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes
Used in some filters to remove tiny particles including bacteria, viruses, salts and other harmful substances. This produces high-quality purified water.
- Ion exchange resin
Used to remove water hardness based on ion exchange. It is able to reduce calcium and magnesium content, which helps prevent scale formation on household appliances and surfaces.
The combination of these components provides effective purification from various contaminants, making water safe and suitable for drinking, cooking and other household needs.
Pitchers and tap attachments
This type of filter is used to purify small amounts of tap water. Their main advantage is their affordable cost, small size and the ability to move from place to place. They are often used when you need to filter water on the road, on a business trip, or at a summer house. With the help of jug filters and attachments, you can remove:
- Chlorine compounds;
- Rust particles and mineral deposits;
- Solid undissolved matter;
- Unpleasant smell.
The main filter element is a cartridge, which contains various loads. You must change it at certain intervals depending on the intensity of use. Some models have an indicator that indicates wear of the filter material and the need to install a new insert.
A tap attachment is a modification of a filter that is installed on a water tap in an apartment. The device can purify water from chlorine, undissolved metal, and salts of various substances.
The nozzles usually use a sorbent in the form of activated carbon. The devices are compact in size and affordable. The main disadvantage is low productivity and the inability to purify water for the entire water supply in the apartment. That is, household appliances will be at risk.
Multi-stage filtration
The best option for an apartment or cottage with a central water supply would be filters with multi-stage cleaning. They consist of several cartridges with different loads. They can be equipped with reverse osmosis membranes for the highest quality cleaning.
Multi-stage filters operate at high efficiency and are installed in the water supply under the sink or in the sanitary room. With the help of such filters, it is possible to remove traditional contaminants in the form of solid particles and chlorine, as well as other hazardous substances:
- Heavy metals;
- Petroleum products and fuels and lubricants;
- Pesticides.
The downside of multi-stage systems and reverse osmosis is the need for separate installation and a relatively high cost when purchasing. Membranes are also expensive, but to increase their service life, preliminary filtration is performed.
Filtration of industrial water
The causes of breakdown of household appliances, taps, valves and pressure gauges are often solid mechanical particles present in water. Due to their size, they reduce the service life of other filter media, as they quickly clog them. Therefore, experts recommend using coarse mesh filters that are installed on the water supply.
In addition, the filtration system may include water treatment modules. They do not purify water, but bring its physical and chemical composition into compliance with certain standards.
Water softeners are most often used. These are devices with ion-exchange resin loads that make water less hard. This occurs due to the ion exchange of calcium and magnesium for sodium. Thanks to such water treatment modules, the operation of dishwashers and washing machines, boilers, coffee makers, teapots and other devices becomes more comfortable.
Cleaning complex in the apartment
Filters and additional equipment are individually selected for each facility based on design documentation. The most commonly required devices include:
1. Water Pressure Reducers
Reducers for reducing the pressure of water coming from cold and hot water supply pipes. They ensure the required operating mode of filters and taps. In addition, reducers prevent the occurrence of water hammer in the apartment’s water supply system.
2. Mechanical cleaning filter systems
They are in the form of cartridges or mesh inserts that trap mechanical particles of 5 microns in size. Thanks to these devices, the service life of other filters increases. The meshes last for decades and are easily cleaned by reverse flow of water.
3. Cartridge systems
The advantage of such devices is that as they wear out, you can change the filter media yourself, without involving the service department. Most often, carbon cartridges are used in apartments, as well as models with ion-exchange resins.
4. Thermostatic valves
Thermostatic valves maintain safe and consistent water temperature. Installed on hot water supply lines, thermostatic valves regulate water temperature to prevent sudden fluctuations. They enhance safety by reducing the risk of scalding and improve energy efficiency by maintaining a stable heat level.
5. Disinfection filters
Installed to destroy microorganisms in water. Such devices operate using ultraviolet radiation or reverse osmosis. Most often, water is purified only for drinking.
Untreated water: types of pollution and their consequences for humans
Despite the popular belief that well water is much cleaner than tap water, drinking it without first cleaning it is a very bad idea. Water is considered fit for consumption only if it does not contain any harmful elements and meets the following standards:
- Nitrates – 45 mg/l;
- Hardness – no more than 7 mg-eq/l;
- Turbidity – 1.5 mg/l;
- Iron – 0.3 mg/l.
In practice, these indicators are often several times higher in well water. In addition, it may contain:
- Impurities of a physical nature
For example, sand, silt, clay particles measured in microns. In water, they are often in dissolved form and therefore are not visually detectable. Sometimes their presence is indicated by turbidity.
- Chemical compounds
Nitrates, iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, hardness salts and even radioactive elements. You can only check whether these elements are in your water with a laboratory analysis.
- Microbiological substances
Bacteria, spores, microbes, which well owners often don’t even know about until their presence affects their well-being.
All these types of pollution have varying degrees of negative impact on human health. Harmful substances accumulate in the kidneys, causing poisoning and various diseases. Most harmful elements that regularly enter the body with liquid accumulate in the body and act gradually, leading to urolithiasis, joint pain, and vascular problems.
Sources of water pollution
Of course, now you can often hear, especially from older people, that well water is the healthiest. There is logic in this: after all, for centuries people drank natural water, not knowing about any filters or purification systems. However, it is worth considering that the environmental situation was different back then. Now there are many more anthropogenic sources of pollution, including:
- Car exhaust gases, which are becoming more numerous every year, are a mixture of harmful substances emitted into the atmosphere when fuel is burned in the engine;
- Soil fertilizers, which may contain aggressive substances;
- Industrial waste that spreads over hundreds of kilometers.
While apartment dwellers can afford to pay less attention to all these pollution factors, this problem is on the agenda for owners of country houses.
Water purification in urban networks: methods and techniques
In the city water supply system, water purification plays a very important role. It is regularly reviewed and improved, which is why the system is well-established and includes several stages.
- Filtration, during which large physical contaminants (grains of sand, foreign elements) are removed from water;
- Disinfection, including the destruction of microbiological contaminants and any viruses;
- Chemical treatment that removes all unnecessary compounds and unpleasant odors from water.
Thanks to such multi-stage purification, tap water reaches residents in a form that is available for use not only for hygiene purposes, but also for cooking. However, wanting to enhance the effect and get the most harmless and even tasty water at the outlet, apartment owners buy additional filters. They can be different in appearance, power and characteristics. At the same time, they have a similar structure and most need to change the cartridges regularly.
The need for cleaning in a country house
The main advantage of having your own wells is that you have water constantly and it will not be turned off due to repair work in the water supply system. However, in country houses you have to organize water purification yourself.
It is important to understand that all water, without exception, needs purification. Even that which is collected from more than 100 m deep: it is true that dangerous microorganisms do not penetrate into it, but most often the threshold of salts, iron and manganese is exceeded in it. Do not hope that everything is definitely okay with your water: the filter has never harmed anyone yet, but how many it has saved!
Laboratory analysis, or where to start?
Before buying and installing a residential water filtration system, it is recommended to first conduct a water analysis. It will show the state of the liquid in the well and which cleaning system is right for you. It is better to order such an analysis in a specialized laboratory, where even the smallest harmful substances are detected.
After all, if, for example, hardness salts can be noticed without analysis by the presence of plaque on a kettle or other dishes, then other elements are hidden much deeper. Even visually clean water may contain nitrates, iron and bacteria. Modern laboratories do:
- Chemical analysis that determines the presence of nitrates, organic compounds and elements in water;
- Bacteriological, which allows you to find out whether there are microorganisms and bacteria in your well;
- Specialists will prepare the analysis results within a few days.
How to choose a water purification system for your home?
One of the main difficulties that many people face when buying a country house is the lack of centralized water supply. The best solution to this problem is considered to be drilling a well, which provides residents with water for drinking, cooking, hygiene needs, as well as performing household tasks: washing dishes, laundry, cleaning and other household chores.
It is almost impossible to overestimate the importance of water supply, but it is important to remember that it is not enough to just make a well, you also need to choose the right water purification system. After all, unpurified water does not meet either physical or chemical quality requirements and will only harm the body.
Recommendations for selection
When choosing a filter or installation, it is worth considering the approximate daily water consumption of your family, the size and parameters of the installation, as well as the need for its further maintenance. You should not take a huge system to a house where two or three people live. Likewise, it is better not to take a very complex installation if you are not ready to carefully look after it.
The choice of systems on the market is very large, you will certainly choose the right one for yourself not only in terms of characteristics, but also in terms of price. In any case, you can always consult a specialist in the store where you decide to buy the system.
Residential Water Filtration System At Aquaguard Solutions
At Aquaguard Solutions, our company offers a wide range of residential water filtration systems of various types and capacities in Royse, Frisco and Crandall TX. Our employees will help you choose devices based on the analysis of the object and laboratory water testing. They will calculate the cleaning system and draw up a project for the installation of the equipment. In addition, we can undertake subsequent maintenance and repair of the devices.
Water purification of apartment buildings: Our range of services
- Design and installation of stationary water purification systems for an apartment building;
- Design and installation of container water treatment stations for an apartment building;
- Maintenance of the home water treatment system;
- Reconstruction and restoration of abandoned and inoperative systems;
- Organization of storage of technical and drinking water;
- Water treatment for boiler room.
To solve the problems of water purification in an apartment building or townhouse, Aquaguard Solutions offers to use efficient and reliable residential systems. They may include filters for iron removal, softening, dechlorination, improvement of organoleptic properties and disinfection of water.
How do we organize work on water purification systems in apartment buildings?
- In each case, our experts conduct research, prepare a project, and create a detailed estimate;
- We purchase only proven equipment from leading global brands;
- All work on site is coordinated with other contractors;
- After installation and commissioning, we conclude a maintenance contract;
- We have our own service and emergency department;
- Our company installs water purification systems for apartment buildings in Frisco, Crandall and Royse TX;
- At your request, our specialists are ready to travel to any site in the above mentioned cities in Texas.
In conclusion
Choosing the right residential water filtration system for your home is essential to ensure the safety, quality, and longevity of your water supply. Whether you’re dealing with hard water, contaminants like chlorine, iron, or bacteria, or simply seeking to improve the taste and smell of your water, there are a variety of filtration systems available to meet your needs.
Conducting a water analysis is the first crucial step in identifying the specific impurities in your water and selecting the appropriate purification method. By investing in a high-quality filtration system and maintaining it regularly, you can enjoy clean, safe water for drinking, cooking, and everyday household tasks.
With proper care and attention, a well-chosen water purification system will not only enhance the quality of your water but also contribute to the efficient functioning of your plumbing and appliances, making it a valuable investment for your home’s health and well-being.