Which coarse water filter to choose for a summer residence

Water from country wells and wells is not always suitable for drinking. It contains a lot of salts, suspensions, sometimes harmful to health. If you don't feel like stocking up on bottled water, you should consider cleaning filters. There are many options for such devices, and among them there will definitely be something that will help to put the water in the country in order.

Classification of filters for summer cottages

Pure water is extracted from artesian wells more than 100 meters deep. Conventional wells and wells rarely reach even half of this value. The liquid comes from a clay, limestone or sandy layer and absorbs various suspensions. If there are many inclusions, the use of such water threatens the appearance of stones in the internal organs and damage to the teeth. In addition, equipment will quickly fail.

Sometimes water has to be taken from natural reservoirs - ponds and rivers. It also requires cleaning. Owners of country houses, whose garden plots are located close to industrial facilities or fields of agricultural enterprises, are especially at risk of health due to fertilizers and herbicides. Even watering the garden with river water in such a situation is unsafe.

There are different types of filtering devices capable of returning purity to water.

Principle of operation

Mechanical devices built into the drainage system are divided into coarse and fine filters. The first include barriers that filter out large water-insoluble particles of dirt, silt, sand.

Coarse water filters for a country house are divided into three types:

• Mesh. Refers to flow-through trunk devices. Their meshes vary greatly in size - from 50 to 500 microns. The smaller the parameter, the more the device will catch dirt. There are washable and non-washable. The latter require regular cleaning. The former are cleared automatically.
• Cartridge. A periodically replaceable device in a plastic case is capable of retaining contaminants as small as 0.5 microns, including viscous elements such as sludge and clay suspension.
• Pressure. They work at high speed and trap harmful microparticles of different consistency from 30 microns. They are filled with filter material, have a regulator and a drainage compartment. Such devices are distinguished by their large dimensions. They can only be installed in warm rooms. If the site has a vast territory, such filters are suitable for purifying water from a well in the country, since they do not inhibit pumping equipment.

Fine filtration devices are capable of retaining microparticles from 5 microns. The most "sensitive" are membrane devices, but they are expensive, and few people use them in summer cottages. Sorption devices are preferable, where harmful substances are absorbed by the carbon filler.

Such filters are capable of absorbing both dirt and iron particles, compounds containing chlorine, and heavy metal salts. Need to replace the cartridge and have a rather slow throughput. But they easily cope with unpleasant odors, for example, hydrogen sulfide, which are often present in polluted wells. The absorber will capture the colonies of sulfur bacteria, the sulfur odor will disappear, as well as stomach troubles due to their activity.

Fine ion exchange units are used to reduce the hardness of water and get rid of lime. The metal or polymer case of the device is filled with ion-exchange resins.It needs to be changed periodically. It is recommended to use an ion-exchange filter first, and then a sorption filter. The latter will purify the liquid from the resins remaining in the water.

Purification degree

Membrane-type devices are in the lead. Their principle of action lies in the deep degree of purification at the molecular level. It is possible to purify sewage water, desalinate liquids containing salt, remove scale and suspended matter. The water passed through the filter can be drunk immediately, it is not boiled or defended. This is the best filter option for removing iron from water.

In second place is the cartridge-type flow-through main filter for water purification in the country. It has the ability to capture tiny impurities and suspensions, purifies from chloride compounds, removes iron. The main thing is not to neglect the timely replacement of the cartridge.

The next in quality is a complex system of ion-exchange and sorption filters. Together, they allow you to disinfect dirty water especially effectively.

There are less versatile models that may be suitable for purifying water from certain impurities in a specific area, so before choosing a device, you should test the water in a laboratory.

Installation method

On a summer cottage of six acres, there is not much space, therefore, connoisseurs of suburban recreation prefer small devices. The most famous models:

• The filter jug ​​is an inexpensive plastic cleaning dish. A smaller container is installed inside - where water is collected - and a place for the cartridge. The degree of purification is medium, suitable for low water consumption. Economical in cost. The filter will not protect against all impurities, but it will retain chloride compounds, rust and suspended particles. It is necessary to choose a cartridge device taking into account the composition of the water. The packages indicate which impurities it retains.
• Faucet nozzle - for summer cottages with a water supply system. This small plastic cleaning tool saves space and is very cheap. It is placed on the tap spout with clamps or screwed onto the thread. Such a filter removes lime, chloride compounds and rust, and reduces hardness. In doing so, it slows down the flow of water, which can damage the pump.
• Under-sink filter based on activated carbon. Also a suitable solution for a country house with running water. It cleans well from various types of dirt, but requires a systematic change of the cartridge.

And in the presence of a well and when powered from the central water supply network, an additional coarse strainer should be installed.

Characteristics of popular devices for country houses

For summer cottages, expensive devices are rarely purchased. If we talk about the principle of "price-quality", it is better to pay attention to the models of domestic manufacturers:

• "Barrier". The product line includes jug devices and attachments. Inexpensive and practical solution for owners of six acres.
• "Aquaphor". It has an extensive assortment: jug-type filters, a “sink” device, cleaning complexes. With an average price category, the quality is quite high.
• "Geyser". The devices of this brand have a three-stage cleaning system. There is a possibility of combining replaceable cartridges to get rid of typical suspensions.

Ecowaters System filters have proven themselves among foreign models. But their cost is as high as the quality.

Recommendations for choosing a summer cottage filter

First, determine the parameters of the device that you need to focus on when buying. Analyze:

• Water quality. You will need to take a sample for research in the laboratory. If the water contains a significant amount of large particles (rust, sand), a 400 micron coarse mesh filter is required. Otherwise, thinner devices will instantly become unusable.
• The amount of water consumed. A person needs 2.5 liters of fluid within 24 hours.This figure must be multiplied by the number of family members. An increase in consumption leads to more frequent flushing of the filter from contamination or replacement of cartridges. Sometimes it is cost effective to install two different types of devices at once.
• The cost of the system itself, consumables and its maintenance.

Summer residents who appear on the site exclusively in the warm season, when selecting a filter, also need to take into account the possibility of leaving the installation for the winter in the country without dismantling the entire system.

It is believed that after filtration, water loses not only harmful, but also valuable qualities. To return them, devices have been created to saturate the liquid with hydrogen.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are thirsty, the water is questionable, and there is no filter nearby, you can disinfect it with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. The medication is often used to improve the water in swimming pools and other artificial reservoirs.