If you are looking for the best whole house water filter system, this article is aimed at helping you out, with a short buying guide and reviews.
The importance of having clean drinking water is paramount when it comes to maintaining the health of a family. That is why, there can be no compromises when it comes to choosing the best whole house water filter for your home.
Function
This is a complete water filtering solution for your home. Instead of putting up filters at various water outlets, it is connected to the main water inlet of a home. That way, all the water that enters your house through various dispensers, in toilets, showers, faucets, baths, laundry, and kitchen is prefiltered before it’s used. Generally, they are connected to the primary water line, before the water gets distributed to the heater. So, the water gets filtered right at the source, before it is subjected to any usage in the house.
Choosing One
There are many different types of these filters, available in the market. Which would be the best filter for your home, will be decided by the kind of contaminants that exist in the water you receive. So, one needs to determine the type of contaminants before choosing the right filter. The most common kinds of impurities or contaminants, found in water, supplied by municipal corporations are iron, sediments, chemicals, and hardened minerals. These contaminants can vary from being just nuisance to toxic kinds.
A water analysis report can be had from the municipal authorities, which will give you an idea about what kind of filter would be the best for your home. Best filters and softeners can remove hardness, as well as a range of other contaminants. Some types of contaminants require specific filters, while others require more number of filtering layers. A water analysis of your area will help you decide what type will be the best for your use.
The most common filters are carbon-based. Here are the important points you should look out for, while choosing the best one:
- Filter Type and Layers: See to it that the type of filters and the number of layers they have, are enough to remove the primary contaminants from your water supply.
- Flow Rate: This will decide how much water is filtered out, every minute. It is measured in gallons per minute (GPM). See to it that flow rate capacity is more than 10 GPM. A flow rate in the range of 15 – 40 GPM will be adequate for most homes.
- Filter Size: The size denotes the dimensions of a filter. It affects the water pressure and flow rate. The standard size that suits well for most homes is 4.5″ x 20″.
- Life: With progressive sediment deposition, the life of a filter diminishes. It is usually mentioned in gallons of water that it can handle, before it goes into redundancy. Normally, standard carbon filter cartridges will last for 100,000-150,000 gallons, with exposure to normal municipal water supply. Standard carbon filters, with back washing valves, last longer.
- Port Size: This is the diameter size of the pipe connected to the filter. A 1″ port, with appropriate filter size works fine for most homes and provides water supply without pressure drops.
Best Filters: Reviews
Rating whole house water filters is all about evaluating them on the basis of the parameters mentioned above. Here is a list of some of the best products available in the market.
- Pelican PC600 Premium Whole House Water Filter: Priced at USD 699, this water filtration system is built to last long. It provides filtered water for small homes, at adequate pressure.
- Rhino EQ-300 Whole House Water Filter: Priced at USD 799, this product provides three-stage filtration and has a life of about 300,000 gallons. It can remove contaminants down to a size of 5 microns.
- Kenmore Heavy-Duty Whole House Water Filter – 38448: This heavy duty filtration system comes at a price of USD 56. It delivers a high water flow rate and high pressure, without drop.
- Pelican PSE1800 Premium Whole House Filter: Priced at USD 1944, this is one of the best filters on the market. It comes with a 10 year warranty and offers excellent filtering service, removing chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, industrial solvents, and organic compounds.
So, this was a representative list of filters available in the market. There are many products, designed to suit varying requirements. Select one, after carefully considering the water analysis report, filtering requirements, and flow rate.