Humans are more than 70% water, so it is important to consume a clean liquid that will maintain health. Unfortunately, tap water is not highly purified. The only way to protect yourself and your family from dirty liquid is to install flow or main filters to purify water in the apartment. They differ in filtration method, size, service life, but have a common goal - to preserve human health.
Why do you need water filters
Few cities in Russia can boast of a new water supply system, through the pipes of which clean liquid flows. Most of them are old iron lines with a thick layer of sediment on the inner walls. Because of this, the water in the tap has a variety of colors and smells. Worst of all, in such an environment, colonies of pathogenic microorganisms successfully develop, which can enter the human body and cause disease.
In some regions, the liquid is so saturated with metal ions that drinking it unfiltered can cause poisoning or even death. This occurs most often in places where iron ore is deposited, in marshlands, near iron ore processing plants.
If the liquid is saturated with copper ions, the intoxication process manifests itself in diseases of the nervous system, liver, and also leads to damage to the nasal septum. Before going to the doctor, it is worth checking the tap liquid for chemical elements and finding out what could have led to the loss of health, and taking measures to eliminate them. This will help you heal and recover faster, since some drugs are not enough for the full functioning of the body.
Chlorination, the usual way to eliminate bacteria, is also unsafe for humans. People with liver problems are especially sensitive to it. Moreover, the liquid has an unpleasant odor and taste. There is a way out - to buy clean bottled water in stores, but these are high costs compared to those that can be expected from a stationary installation of a filter system in an apartment.
The operation of household appliances and the heating system is associated with the quality of water, or rather with one of its indicators - hardness. Additional cleaning is required to remove lime. Most of these filters are installed by owners of private houses, since the liquid is supplied to the house directly from the well. In high-rise buildings, there may also be a problem due to which washing machines and dishwashers will break down, and metal-plastic pipes become clogged with lime deposits.
Filter types
The choice of a water purification system for an apartment depends on how interested all other residents are in this. With the consent of all residents, it is possible to completely protect the apartment building from dirty city liquid that is not usable. For this, there are multi-stage filters.
Flow devices
These are expensive dimensional filters that remove almost all impurities and dissolved chemical compounds. The disadvantage of the installation is its price, large dimensions. In addition, the system removes useful substances, which then have to be restored with the help of mineralizers. Such systems have storage tanks where the purified liquid is supplied.At the same time, the cleaning speed is not high.
To install a multi-stage filter in a high-rise building, you need a place to cut it into the water supply. The service life of stationary filtering units is up to 30 years, but depending on the quality of the water, consumables may need to be changed frequently. Installation is carried out by specialists of the manufacturer or service center.
Among the flow-through models, filters stand out, which are mounted under the sink or near it. They can be reverse osmosis or sorption. Disadvantage - they take up a lot of space.
Crane nozzles
A convenient way to purify water, in which the device is connected to any tap. These systems are more expensive as the filter elements have to be changed frequently. Despite the seemingly low cost of the nozzle, the cost of water will ultimately be higher.
If you decide to install such devices, you will have to buy several at once - for each crane.
Jug filters
The best solution to the problem of drinking water. A device is placed in a small container, into which the untreated liquid is poured. After 5 - 10 minutes, clear water flows into the jug. The method is suitable for a small family of 2 - 3 people. The downside is that household appliances will use untreated tap water and can quickly fail. You will also have to wash in ordinary industrial water.
The filter will have to be changed as often as the original quality of the water from the water supply allows.
Water filtration methods
- electrochemical installations;
- sorption;
- mechanical;
- reverse osmosis installations.
The electrocoagulation method is rarely used to purify water before it reaches the consumer. It is mainly used in large enterprises. The essence of the method is in the action of an electric field on a liquid, as a result of which the dissolution of chemical elements or their subsidence occurs. Installation is complex and expensive. To prepare a liquid for use in everyday life, you need to have a margin of time, since it cannot be used immediately after redox reactions due to its low pH.
Sorption filters are the most diverse and cheapest method based on the use of activated carbon and various resins. Such a filter can remove any odors and turbidity, but does not protect against bacteria. Activated carbon is poured into a container through which water passes. It can be washed periodically to remove accumulated dirt, and at the same time loosened, so the bulk filter lasts much longer than the cartridges.
Ion exchange resins are designed to extract calcium and magnesium ions from liquids. This reduces the amount of limescale in the kettle and makes the water softer. When choosing a resin, the diameter of the granules, their chemical composition, and osmotic strength are taken into account.
Mechanical filters are capable of retaining large particles - debris, sand. They are not suitable for deeper cleaning. Such devices are placed at the entrance to the house so that garbage does not enter the pipes and does not clog them.
Reverse osmosis filters are especially popular. The principle of operation is the passage of a liquid through a synthetic membrane that is permeable to particles that are less than or equal to the diameter of a water molecule. In order not to clog the membrane with large impurities, 1 - 2 preliminary devices are installed in front of it. After the membrane, the water passes through the final filter and enters the consumer.
Reverse osmosis filters have a resource of 4 to 15 thousand liters. You can get up to 250 liters of clean drinking water per day. It is necessary to change the preliminary cartridges every six months, and the finishing cartridge once a year. In general, such an installation is enough for a family for 2 years.
Doctors believe that the complete removal of mineral impurities negatively affects the work of the cardiovascular system.If this indicator is extremely important, you can use mineralizers that restore the structure of water after purification.
Rating of the best filters
For the preparation of drinking water in offices and apartments, flow-through dispensers equipped with a tap are often used. The water is cleaned by gravity - it enters the filter from the top. The most famous model is "Source-Bio". This device is of the middle price category, lasts a long time, the crane is sold as a set. The filtration material is ceramic, which can be washed frequently and reused. The only negative is the slow flow of water.
Of the accumulative models, the most often bought is the "Barrier" of the jug type. There is a filter life indicator that indicates the need to replace the cartridge. Among the disadvantages is a small volume, about 1.5 liters, which may not be enough for a large family.
Of the nozzles on the faucet, "New Water" has proven itself best of all, when using it the fluid pressure does not decrease. Suitable for hot and cold liquids. Women report that their skin and hair are in good condition after using the filter pad. The device is expensive.
For installation under a sink, a filter from the previous series "New Water" is recommended. This is a 4-stage cleaning system. Compact model - suitable for kitchens where there is no space under the sink. The number of cartridges can be adjusted - the last of them is designed for ultrafiltration, but some residents do not put it out of the box.
The high cost of filters can be explained by the use of expensive materials that utilize the vast majority of harmful impurities. For example, when buying a reverse osmosis filter, you can count on 98% purity of the liquid at the outlet. Simple charcoal models are cheaper as they need to be changed more often. According to experts' estimates, flow-through stationary multistage filters have a lower prime cost of drinking water than accumulative household filters.
Consumer reviews
Sergey. We got out the rusty city pipes with pieces of garbage, so we decided to take the model under the Omoikiri sink. Surprisingly, the taste of tea and coffee has changed. Now it is clear that elite cafes are poured into the coffee maker - good water.
Anna. We have a chemical plant outside the city. Apparently, for some time now, they began to dump waste into the river. Many people complained of poor health, and the number of cancer patients increased. This is understandable - our water supplier did not have those reagents that would remove chemicals before they reach people on the table. I had to think for myself. There was no talk of washing and bathing - they would save health, so they bought "New Water" right away. A week later, the headaches disappeared and digestion improved. A neighbor with hypertension followed suit and took less medications. Let's see what happens in a couple of months.
Gennady. We have very old iron pipes in our city, so the water from the tap always comes out yellow, and in the morning it is generally brown. It is impossible to drink this without health consequences. Six months ago, the pipes in the house were changed to plastic ones, but the situation has not changed. I had to think about how to clean the tap liquid. After calculations, we decided to buy a general stationary filter. It was not expensive for each apartment. For 4 months now, everyone has been drinking from the tap without boiling, they even began to distinguish the taste of tea and coffee, before that it did not matter how expensive the variety was bought.
