Frequently
Asked Questions:
There
are so many choices of purifiers and filters on the market. Where
do I start?
Start by reading about the various technologies that are
available. This will familiarize you with the different technologies
that are available to treat your water.
Questions to
Ask When Purchasing Water Treatment Equipment. Here
are a few questions to ask your water treatment professional.
These questions should be used as guidelines.
1. What the water
analysis indicate? Are health hazards indicated? Should additional
tests be made?
2. How long has the
company been in business, and are there referrals you can contact?
3. Does the water
quality problem require the whole-house treatment or will a single-tap
device be adequate?
4. Will the unit produce
enough treated water daily to accommodate household use? If a
filter or membrane is involved, how often will it need to be changed?
How
does one know when to change filters?
5. What is the total
cost to buy and maintain the device? Will the company selling
the device also install and service it? Is there a fee for labor?
Can the consumer
perform maintenance tasks or must a professional be involved?
Will the unit substantially increase electrical use in the home?
6. Is there an alarm
or indicator light on the device to alert the consumer to a malfunction?
Does the manufacturer include in the purchase price a retesting
of the
water after a month or two?
7. What is the expected
lifetime of the product? What is the length of the warranty period,
and what does the warranty cover? The warranty may cover only
certain
parts of a device, so you should be aware of the warranty conditions.
What does a
water softener do?
A water
softener is plumbed into where the water enters the house. It
removes calcium and magnesium from the water and exchanges it
for sodium or potassium, depending upon which type of salt you
use. It can also ion exchange iron and heavy metals. It doesn't
raise or lower the Total dissolved Solids (TDS) level of the water.
Will Using a
Water Softener Damage A Septic Tank?
Water
softeners have not been shown to have adverse effects on home
waste water treatment systems.
How much maintenance
does a water softener require?
Water
softeners are self cleaning. They automatically measure the amount
of water used and regenerate by backflushing and running salt
through the system to remove the minerals collected. You add salt
once a month.
I have heard
a water softener will remove iron, is that true?
Water
softeners work on ion exchange. There are four type of iron in
water; dissolved, colloidal, oxidized, and organic. A softener
will remove dissolved iron in an ion exchange process. A softener
is ok for small amounts of iron, maybe 1 ppm, however when you
go beyond this it take huge amounts of salt to flush the iron
from
the softener resin. So the answer is yes and no.
What is the difference
between a water softener and carbon treatment system?
Both
units are plumbed into where the water enters the house. A softener
removes calcium and magnesium from the water and exchanges it
for sodium or potassium, depending upon which type of salt you
use. A carbon system has one cubic foot of carbon, or more, in
a tank similar to a water softener tank. The carbon reduces chlorine,
taste, odor, color, and any chemicals present from all the water
in your sinks, showers, and faucets. It is common to use a water
softener
and a carbon system in tandem.
What are the
differences between the various carbon filter systems?
The differences
are primarily in the filters and sumps used. Cheap carbon filters
use a couple of ounces of carbon sprayed on a wax-like paper that
is rolled up and covered in netting. There isn't very much carbon
present, hence a short effective life. Granular activated carbon
filters can channel (this is when the water creates a "channel"
through the carbon particles, thus going untreated). The best
type of filter available today is the extruded carbon block. The
carbon is ground into a fine powder, then pressed into a block
under millions of pounds of pressure. The pore size can be controlled
to the micron level. When one pore clogs the water has thousands
of other pores to travel through. This gives maximum water to
carbon contact and maximum use of the carbon.
What is Activated
Carbon?
Carbon
is an extremely porous material that attracts and holds a wide
range of harmful contaminants. Activated carbon has a slight electro-positive
charge which attracts chemicals and impurities. As the water passes
over the positively charged carbon surface, the negative ions
of the contaminants are bonded to the surface of the carbon granules.
What forms does
activated carbon come in?
Activated
carbon filters used for home water treatment typically contain
either granulated activated carbon (GAC) or powdered block carbon
(carbon block).
Is one form
of Carbon better than the other?
Both
are effective, however carbon block filters generally have a higher
contaminant removal ratio and are more resistant to channeling.
Are all carbon
filters equally effective?
No. Activated
carbon filters are usually rated by the size of particles they
are able to remove, and generally range from 20 microns down to
0.5 microns (most effective). The two most important factors affecting
the efficiency of activated carbon filtration are the amount of
activated carbon in the unit and the amount of time the contaminant
spends in contact with it. The more carbon the better. Particle
size also affects contaminant removal rates. The most common carbon
types used
in water filtration are bituminous, wood, and coconut shell carbons.
While the coconut shell carbon is typically 20% more in cost,
it is by far the best of the three.
How do carbon
filter systems compare to pitcher filters and faucet-mounted water
filters?
Pitcher
and faucet-mounted filters rely solely on activated carbon filtration.
While activated carbon is very effective at removing a wide range
of contaminants, the problem with these types of filters is that
they contain a very small amount of activated carbon. In addition
to small amounts of carbon, the time the water spends in
contact with the carbon, especially faucet mounted units, is too
little to provide full absorption. Counter top and undersink activated
carbon systems have removal rates of about 90-99%, while faucet
mounted and pitcher style units only remove about 30-60% (if the
filters are changed regularly).
What is UV?
Ultraviolet
light (UV) is energy at the invisble violet end of the light spectrum.
Even though we can't see UV light we are exposed to UV rays from
all light sources,
including the sun.
How does ultraviolet
light purify water?
UV rays
penetrate the cells of harmful bacteria and viruses in our drinking
water destroying their ability to reproduce. Without the ability
to reproduce, these
organisms die and no longer pose a health threat. UV is a low
cost and highly effective process for destroying 99.99% of harmful
microorganisms.
Why not use
chlorine instead?
While
Chlorine changes the tastes and odor of water, Chlorination can
also produce harmful by-products called Trihalomethanes (THMs)
which have been linked
cancer.
Does a UV system
use a lot of energy?
No. A
UV system uses the same amount of energy as a 60 watt light bulb.
UV is an extremely cost effective way to treat water.
Why do UV purifiers
require sediment pre-filtration?
UV systems
require pre-filtation to maintain effectiveness as sediment and
other comtaminants in the water can create a "shadow"
which prevents the UV rays from reaching and disinfecting the
harmful microoganisms.
How often does
the UV light bulb (lamp) need to be replaced?
The ability
of the lamp to emit UV light decreases over time. You should change
the UV lamp annually. Remember - UV light is invisible! Even though
the lamp is still glowing after one year, there might not be enough
UV light reaching your water to be effective.
How often do
your need to replace the sleeve?
The sleeve
doesn't need to be replaced unless it is broken. However the sleeve
should be cleaned several times a year in order to keep the unit
delivering the purest quality water.
What is Reverse
Osmosis?
Reverse
osmosis is the finest filtration available today. It is the most
common treatment method used by bottled water companies.
How does a reverse
osmosis water purifier work?
Reverse
osmosis forces water through a semi-permeable membrane. The pores
in the membrane are so small they reject 92%-98% of all dissolved
solids. Reverse osmosis is usually combined with at least one
carbon filter to remove organic contaminants that cause taste,
odor and color problems.
Can Reverse Osmosis
be used on well water or water from other untreated sources (lake
or river)?
Yes. RO is generally an excellent choice for homeowners with well
water. However, it is important to note that reverse osmosis does
not provide foolproof protection against all microorganisms. You
should have your water tested for bacteria, virus, and cyst contamination
before relying solely on reverse osmosis. If microbiological contamination
is present or suspected you should combine reverse osmosis with
an ultraviolet system for maximum effectiveness and protection
against bacteria and viruses.
What is the
difference between all of the reverse osmosis systems on the market?
There
are a few primary components which vary from system to system,
including the membrane, storage tank, faucet, and type of sumps
used. Higher quality membranes remove more contaminants and last
longer. New membranes have a limited shelf life. Old style faucets
have lead containing materials that can leach into the drinking
water. Low quality sumps can crack and leak causing thousands
of dollars in water damage to your home.
How often does
the reverse osmosis membrane need to be replaced?
With
proper maintenance of your sediment and activated carbon pre-filters,
a reverse osmosis membrane should last about 2-3 years.
What is the
difference between reverse osmosis and carbon filters.
For tap
water it is a taste preference. Carbon filters produce water similar
to mountain spring water, whereas reverse osmosis is purified
water similar to distilled. Carbon filters do not remove dissolved
minerals which impart a unique taste on the water. To some people
this is perceived as a good taste, to others a bad taste. Reverse
osmosis removes over 90% of dissolved minerals. These minerals
can be both harmless and harmful depending on the source.
Why are reverse
osmosis systems always combined with carbon and sediment pre-filters?
Contaminants
that reverse osmosis is not highly effective in removing are organic
compounds, which must be removed by activated carbon filters.
The use of a
pre-filter is also recommended to prevent the reverse osmosis
membrane from fouling or becoming clogged by sediment, chlorine,
or other contaminants.
Are all reverse
osmosis systems equally effective?
Absolutely
not. Like all water filters, the effectiveness of a reverse osmosis
system depends greatly on the quality of its components, especially
its pre-filter cartridges, and the membrane itself. Lower quality
pre-filters will suffer from premature membrane fouling, reduced
performance, reduced purified water output, and reduced membrane
life.
What causes
my water to smell like rotten eggs?
Sulphur
or hydrogen sulfide is the culprit. It's not usually found in
surface water supplies because it evaporates into the atmosphere.
Thus the best way to treat hydrogen sulfide at high levels is
to have an aeration tank that fills under pressure from a compressor
pump, maintaining the tank 2/3 rds. full of water and 1/3 rd.
full of air. If you are using chlorine for iron bacteria or coliforms,
this will oxidize the hydrogen sulfide and it can then be filtered
using a multimedia filter. Also storing the water in an above
ground tank produces great success using a low level tank ozonator
to remove the hydrogen sulfide (it also prevents bacterial growth
and leaves
the water oxygen rich and tasting great).
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