Clean water is essential to live a healthy lifestyle. Having access to crystal clear water at home can reduce the risk of several medical conditions caused by impure water. It can also prevent other existing medical conditions from aggravating.
It is unfortunate that the water supply everyone gets in their homes does not bring the purest water. There are various impurities contaminating water supplies. Even if the water seems clean, it might have several dissolved impurities that can be harmful to your health.
Filtering the water in your house is extremely important to ensure better health and wellness for everyone in your home. There are multiple types of water filtration systems people use, and many homeowners might be overwhelmed about where to begin.
If you have been shopping for a water filtration system for your home, the most popular debate you might have come across is between reverse osmosis vs. whole house filtration systems. These are two of the most popular types of water filtration systems. Both of these systems provide you with cleaner water to use at home, but they both operate at a different level.
Are you unsure about which one you should get? We will provide you a better breakdown of each in the reverse osmosis vs. whole house filtration system debate to help you get on the path to getting better water.
What is Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse osmosis is one of the most popular water filtration methods that people use to filter tap water in their homes. It is an economical method of removing 90% to 99% of all contaminants in water. The process reduces a significant percentage of the contaminants by passing water through a semipermeable membrane – a barrier that lets water through while blocking most of the particles contaminating it.
Reverse osmosis requires pushing water through the membrane at high pressure so that it comes through the other side of the filter with the contaminating particles restricted to the other side. Reverse osmosis is a slow process, and it cannot cater to a larger quantity of water.
The membrane itself is rated at 0.0001-micron size. It means that it does not let most contaminants like nitrate, arsenic, chromium, fluoride, and radon through.
You can typically expect to see this system being used at the point of use. The filtration components are installed where the water exits the water line for use. It is limited to a specific part of the house.
What is a Whole House Filtration System?
A whole house filtration system is another popular choice, and it may be more suitable for most homeowners. As its name suggests, a whole house system works to provide the entire house with clean water instead of filtering the water at a specific point of use.
Working on a much larger scale than reverse osmosis filters, whole house water filter systems reduce fecal matter, disinfect any contaminants and their byproducts, clear the system of any waterborne bacteria, and filters the entire supply rather than concentrating on just one area. Whole house filtration systems also remove chlorine and chloramines that are typically added to water supply lines to kill bacteria. Additionally, these systems can also be more beneficial for your home’s plumbing system because the carbon filtration membranes also remove all the contaminants as the water supply enters the plumbing, cleaning the water supply flowing throughout your home instead of just at the water exit points.
More effective whole house systems like the Shell Water Whole House Filtration System use catalytic carbon filters to clean the water. Activated carbon filtration systems were a popular filtration medium. However, catalytic carbon filters like the Jacobi catalytic coconut shell carbon medium are becoming more popular for whole house filtration systems.
Catalytic carbon has a far better capacity to remove contaminants from the water supply because its structure has been enhanced to react with contaminants and block them actively. Catalytic carbon offers several advantages over activated carbon. For instance, it is better at filtering out chlorines and chloramines from the water supply.
Why Whole House Filtration Systems are Better
Whole house filtration systems can be far better for your home than a reverse osmosis system because it offers greater capacity to filter the water supply. A whole house filter is installed at the main water supply line before it enters your house. It means that the system cleans up the water before it begins flowing through the pipes and removes any contaminants that can interact with the plumbing and cause them damage.
Suppose that you have hard water problems in your area. You might also be using a water softener installed to prevent limescale buildup. If your water contains additional contaminants like chlorine and chloramines, they can cause more stress on your water softener. Additionally, the chlorine can enter your plumbing past the water softener and have chemical reactions with the pipes to cause oxidation that can lead to early pipe replacement.
Installing a heavy-duty whole house filtration system that comes with catalytic carbon and KDF media to remove contaminants can provide you with several benefits, including:
- It can filter the water before it enters your plumbing lines.
- It can reduce the load on your water softener by removing harmful contaminants.
- It allows for a faster flow rate of water.
- Whole house filters do not use any electricity.
- It does not require regular maintenance.
- It does not waste any water.
- Removes 99% of harmful contaminants in the water supply.
- Prolongs the life of your plumbing by ensuring contaminant-free water flows through the pipes.
- Provides clean water to the whole house instead of specific points.
- Enhanced removal of natural organic matter.
- Eliminates odor and improves taste of water.
- Cost-effective and long-lasting media.
- Removes chlorine and chloramines.
The Ideal Whole House Filtration Solution
Using the right filtration system can make a world of difference for you and your family. A reverse osmosis system can clean your drinking water, but a whole house filter can clean the entire water supply from the source. If you are looking for a system that can provide the entire household with cleaner and safer water, the Shell Water Whole House Filtration System can provide you the solution you need.