Servicing Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, and Surrounding Areas
Water Softeners and Filtration Systems
No one wants to spend money on a water filter
only to find out that the filter solves a problem they don’t even have.
And yet, when faced with the multitude of water filtration options,
it can feel intimidating to find the right one for your home
– the one that not only makes your water taste great
but also rids it of the maximum number of contaminants.
Fear not. It is simpler than you think.
Below is a breakdown of the most popular types of water filters on the market to help you make an educated decision about what water filters make the most sense for your home.
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon water filters reduce chlorine, chloroform, agricultural chemicals, organic substances, sediment, and magnesium.
The key to understanding how an activated carbon water filter works is adsorption. As opposed to absorption, in which one material will take in or soak up another material, adsorption occurs when one material sticks to another while passing through. This is the basis of activated charcoal or activated carbon.
Activated charcoal is created when organic material with high carbon content (like wood, coal, or coconut shells) is heated in such a way that it does not burn, but instead results in char. The char is then treated to create a porous material that binds to certain toxins and impurities, thus pulling them out of the water flowing through the system.
This is the most common type of filter and is often used in conjunction with other filtration methods for maximum toxin removal.
Ion Exchange
Ion exchange water filters are good for the removal of hard water minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
As the name suggests, ion exchange filters consist of a substance that will exchange one ion for another as water flows through it. For example, ion exchange will replace calcium or magnesium ions, which cause water hardness, with sodium ions. This will soften the water. A home may be experiencing hard water if its water leaves stains on washed dishes. Hard water tends to build up in pipes, which may decrease the life of certain kitchen appliances.
Although ion exchange helps with hard water and some radioactive material, the filter does not remove organic material, particles, or bacteria as effectively as other filtration options. As a result, it should be noted that ion exchange is more commonly associated with water softeners than filters, though softeners may be included as a stage in whole house filters.
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet water lamps are a type of home water treatment system that’s good for the removal of bacteria and viruses.
An environmentally friendly option, UV filters will sterilize water using different frequencies of ultraviolet light.
UV filters work using UV light, UV light, which essentially sterilizes all bacteria and viruses when it’s absorbed into their DNA, thus sanitizing drinking water. It’s important to note that UV filters only rid water of bacteria and viruses so it’s important to use this filter in conjunction with other types of filters to remove prevalent contaminants like chlorine, lead, and pesticides, leaving you with clean, drinkable water.
Mechanical
Mechanical water filters are good for the removal of physical particles such as sediment or dirt and waste matter.
Mechanical filters are most often used as a pre-filtration method. They work as a barrier where water flows through a mechanical filter and waste material will get stuck between nylon floss, synthetic foam, or in pads. For example, in the case of a fish tank, the filter will trap plant materials, leftover fish food, and waste without trapping beneficial bacteria that are good for fish.
You may notice that mechanical filters have micron ratings which indicates how effective they are at removing certain sizes of particles. Common ratings include:
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5 micron: Removes most particles visible to the naked eye.
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1 micron: Removes particles too small to see with a microscope.
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0.5 micron: Removes cysts such as giardia and cryptosporidium.
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Reverse osmosis water filters are good at effectively removing a high percentage of toxins including fluoride, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, nitrates/nitrites, copper, radium, salt, and more.
Reverse osmosis systems are incredibly popular for a very good reason. Reverse osmosis filters are top of the line for removing a large percentage of contaminants from the water, potentially including dangerous bacteria associated with waterborne diseases.
RO filters work by pushing water through the reverse osmosis membrane using pressure. The contaminants remain on one side of the film while fresh water is pushed to the other side. It's one of the few filters that can rid water of water-soluble contaminants like fluoride and chromium +6. If a home has a water softener, an RO system will also remove the salt from drinking water.
While these are becoming a popular option, reverse osmosis systems use an inordinate amount of water when going through the filtration process — sometimes up to four times the normal amount. The process is also slow, causing a decrease in water pressure. That's why whole-home reverse osmosis systems typically don't exist. Further, the level of filtration isn't necessary for day-to-day activities like flushing toilets, taking showers, and doing dishes.
Water Conditioners
Most water conditioners are salt-free systems that are used to remove unwanted substances that alter the taste or smell of your water. These substances include chlorine, chloramines, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and organic gasses. Water conditioners are also used to remove lead from water.
How does a water conditioner work? It depends on what type of water conditioner you have.
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Some water conditioners filter out unwanted substances from water as it passes through, giving your water a better smell.
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Other water conditioners offer some soft water benefits by actually altering the structure of minerals in the water.
These systems rely on a specialized material known as template-assisted crystallization (TAC) media to provide the benefits of soft water around your home.
As hardened water passes over the TAC media, small amounts of hard minerals react with the TAC media and combine to form into crystals about the size of a nanometer. This process is known as nucleation. The crystals formed during this process are sometimes referred to as “seed crystals”.
Once these nanometer-sized crystals have formed on the TAC media they rejoin the stream of water. Not all of the hard mineral ions in the water have formed into crystals.
However, these seed crystals are sufficient to eliminate scaling. This is because the remaining hardness ions contained in the water will prefer to bind to the seed crystals over other surfaces such as the lining of your plumbing or your bathroom fixtures.
Water conditioners using TAC media are highly effective at reducing scaling from hard water.
Research conducted by the Water Reuse Research Foundation found TAC media reduced scaling by up to 88%.
At the same time, water conditioners that use TAC media don’t require external power to operate.
This results in lower utility costs when compared to other hard water treatment options.
The best water conditioner for you will depend on how you want to treat your water.
If you are concerned about exposure to chlorine or lead, a water conditioner is probably right for you.
Curious about how long water conditioners take to work?
Water conditioning occurs quickly, so you don’t have to worry about the flow rate being affected or having to wait for conditioned water.
If you are wondering about an electronic water conditioner and if they work, there hasn’t been conclusive evidence one way or the other that electronic or magnetic conditioners are as effective at removing scaling.