Water Filtration, Softener, and Purification

Water is a basic need for any life form that exists, from plants to animals, to humans and entire ecosystems. We all need water for survival as we know for the fact that humans have a 60% ratio of water in their bodies. Without water, survival is impossible, but it is equally important that water is safe for drinking because it can contain bacteria or viruses, which can harm humans and animals alike. The consumption of water can vary from person to person based on their health, age, day to day activities, and the environment they are living in. On average, it is recommended that you at least drink an 8-ounce glass of water per day to ensure your body's need is fulfilled. To obtain safe water, the water goes through various tests such as clarify tests, taste tests, and smell tests. The source of a homeowner’s water, geographic location, and season are important factors when considering the quality of water.

What are the benefits of drinking clean water?

Scientists have researched over the years to find out the effects of water on humans, and they found numerous benefits that can eventually lead to a healthy lifestyle. Drinking the right amount of water can help you stay more active in your physical activities. It can boost brain function and prevent kidney stones, which can happen due to drinking less water than required. Furthermore, it is the best natural remedy to lose weight, deal with constipation, and help treat headaches.

What is hard water?

Water that contains a high content of minerals is known as hard water. It is formed when water penetrates through limestone, chalk, or gypsum as they contain calcium, magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates, and sulfates. Although this water is beneficial for drinking to some extent, this can serve as a considerable problem for industrial purposes as the minerals in water can cause salination in boilers, cooling towers, or other equipment that requires water. Hence, industries have to monitor the hardness of water closely. If you ever want to indicate hard water, the primary sign is that it won't form foam when you add to it, and it will leave limescale when heated.

There are numerous signs that the water that you might be using in your homes is hard. This could include soap layer on sinks, bathtubs and shower doors, limescale in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, and other appliances at home, which require the use of water. Moreover, there might be spots on utensils made of silver, glassware, and household dishes. Furthermore, when you do laundry, your clothes get dull very quickly, and soaps, shampoos, and detergents don't flap as they should.

What is water purification?

Water purification is a process in which we remove unwanted minerals, solids, gases, biological contaminants, and undesirable chemicals from water. The reason for the process is quite evident as the human body is sensitive to these unwanted substances in the water, which can cause major infections; hence, it must be purified before it is consumable by the human body. The purification process is not only for human consumption but also for pharmacological, medical, chemical, and industrial applications.

The purification of water has internationally-set standards of quality that must be met before the water is supplied to the public. If the water contains a small number of suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, or algae, it can cause major health concerns worldwide. That is why household water is not safe to drink as it may not contain these toxic materials, but minerals like calcium and magnesium are harmful to the body.

What are water filters?

Water filters are installed in many different areas of a city or region to provide people with safe drinking water. They do a great job of treating the water and making sure it is free of any impurities and contamination, such as lead. They are getting common in houses as well, which are installed in the kitchen to allow access to safe water within the boundaries of your home. The standard methods for the purification of water are activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and sediment filtration.

The filtration of water depends on the usage of it, such as agriculture, drinking purposes, reservoirs and ponds, and swimming pools. The process of water filtration is such that physical filtration acts as a barrier that removes large particles. Then it is passed through simple chemical filtering material such as active carbon to remove smaller impurities. This can improve the taste of water, providing you with a cleaner, safer and fresher source to drink from.

What are water softeners?

Water filtration plants can help you deal with impurity, but water can remain hard; hence the role of water softener comes into place. It removes minerals like calcium and magnesium, which are the primary source of hardness in water through the process of ion exchange. Water softeners work on spots on dishes and limescale on appliances. A softener tank is a connection to the main water supply in your home, which will help soften the water used for drinking and washing. By removing these minerals, the efficiency of water is boosted, which in turn enables you to save on your cleaning supplies. It can have a positive effect on your skin and hair, making it more hydrated and less irritated because hard water can make your hair rough and skin dry. It also helps you extend the overall life of your home appliances and pipes.

Are there any differences between water filtration and water softening?

A water filter can help you deal with particles like dust, sand, sediment, and other large particles. Depending on the filter level, it can also remove fluoride, pesticides, sulfur, chlorine, iron, and lead. All filters cannot remove all particles; there are specific filters for each particle.

On the other side, a water softener acts as an agent to soften hard water. It might seem repetitive at first, but a water softener is just a water filter that has to stop the calcium and magnesium from passing through. It can either be ion exchange or the way surfaces interact. So, in reality, a water softener is just another type of filter, but not all filters are water softeners.

Which water treatment option is right for you?

Choosing which type of filtration system that best suits your home depends on the specific problems you face. If you have dishes with limescale or white hard water spots or your skin is too sensitive for household chores, you are likely dealing with hard water, and a softener can help you solve this issue. On the other hand, if your water tastes or smells peculiar or if you have made coffee or tea and it has a strange taste, it was likely contaminated by some chemicals in your water supply. A filter will be the best choice for dealing with it.

Can you install both systems simultaneously?

Choosing both types of filtration is probably the best idea you can adopt because it will help you eliminate any calcium and magnesium and also further purify your water from chemicals like chlorine, parasites, and other contaminants, all while helping you improve its taste and odor 

In conclusion, water filters have different functionality, which is based upon the type of problem it will treat. All in all, it will come down to your personal needs and wants as to which one will you choose or you will go with both!

What is the cost of a water filtration system?

The major cost concern is the type of system to be installed. The cost of the water filtration system varies because of the contractor, water softener used, and the machine you choose to install. On average, the price of a water purification system ranges from $1831 to
$2785 depends on various factors, whereas a water softener costs somewhere between $300 to $4000 depending upon the type and quality of water softener and its installation cost.

DIY installations can cost you as low as $500, while bigger homes with greater demand and require a smart filtration system can be for $6000 or more. Regardless of the type of filtration system, the labor can cost you between $150 to $600 or even more for complicated installation.