A brief guide to water filter cartridges

If you harvest rainwater, you can drink the water from your rain water tanks but the water must be appropriately filtered – the article below briefly describes the qualities of some common water filter types. If you intend drinking rainwater, it is also important to ensure that you purchase water tanks that are rated for storing potable water. 

Below is a quick guide to some of the different types of cartridges available.

1. Carbon Water Filters

These cartridges are excellent for removing particles such as chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and sediment. However, they are not suitable for removal of salts, minerals or dissolved inorganic compounds.

Certain particles like nitrates, sodium, fluoride and other toxic metals would slip right through.

2. Ceramic Water Filters

These are an effective and reasonably cheap method of drinking water filtration. They operate by filtering dirt, bacteria and debris from the water by passing it through the small pores of the ceramic material.

They contain two cylinders, one for pouring the unfiltered water, which blocks anything that is bigger than the pores of the ceramic and the second one filters the clean water onto the other side. This filter is great for blocking protozoa, bacteria and microbial cysts, but viruses are small enough to slip through, so this form of filtration will not provide protection against the previously mentioned contaminants.

3. Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis is good filtration system for removing contamination such as arsenic, chlorine, fluoride, sediment, iron, bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, nitrates, many microorganisms, bad tastes and odor.

All Reverse osmosis systems operate in the same basic manner. However, there is a significant difference between the basic and the more advanced versions of this type of water filtration system.

4. Refrigerator Water Filters

Most water filters for refrigerators use a filter medium known as activated carbon water filters. The use of Carbon for filtration purposes is ancient and still very much in use. The simple reason for its continued popularity is that it is an extremely effective method of water filtration. Carbon has an amazing ability to absorb whatever it comes in contact with. The purified water passes through but leaves the contaminants behind in the carbon. These are also referred to as charcoal water filters.

Tips for buying and replacing water filter cartridges

1. There are a few things to consider before you decide on buying a filtration system. You must consider the frequency at which the cartridge needs replacement. This information can easily be found in the manuals.

2. Unless you are tracking every gallon of water used, it will be hard for you to know how much you have used before you need to replace the cartridge. It is not a bad idea to invest in a filtration system that comes with an indicator.

3. Avoid a lower capacity cartridge because that means more frequent changes, therefore will be more expensive in the long-run.

4. Figure out what other components would require regular maintenance and any additional costs of replacement e.g membranes of the reverse osmosis filters.

5. If you are buying a replacement water filter cartridge make your you have the exact model. Just because the same filtration method is being used by different manufacturers does not mean that any cartridge will do. make a note of its serial number and when it was installed.

6. Always change your filter cartridge before or on the recommended date. Never let it go past the change date. If the water starts to smell or taste bad before that, change it immediately.The same rules apply to refrigerator water filters, the health threat to your family is as real there as it is anywhere. As soon as the recommended time expires, or even sooner if you have any doubts, it is time for a refrigerator water filter replacement

7. Always look for warranties on your filter system, the longer the warranty period, the better. Usually a long warranty is an indication of the manufacturers faith in their product.

8. Only buy water filter cartridges that remove the contamination specific to your water. If you have not had a test performed on your water get it done as soon as possible. With this information you know what you need to get rid of and can act accordingly.

Source: Water Filters Reviewed

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