CONTENT
- 1 Why is it necessary to filter water
- 2 Flowing water filters for apartments and houses: device and types
- 3 Features of main water filters
- 4 Filter selection criteria
- 5 Rating of the best models and manufacturers
Why is it necessary to filter water
People living in their own home believe that an artesian well or well contains perfectly clean water. In fact, even in such a water supply system, a variety of impurities can be present, so the use of a flow-through water filter in a private house is also advisable.
The main reasons why you may need to purchase a flow filter for drinking water are the following factors:
- Purification. Water coming even from a well may contain various impurities that make it undrinkable.
- Improving taste characteristics. The content of hydrogen sulfide or iron in water, even in minimal concentrations that cannot harm the body, leads to a change in its taste.
Often the water flowing from the tap does not meet any hygiene standards - Mitigation. Most often, water that comes from natural sources has increased hardness, therefore the installation of a flowing coal main filter for water will help to normalize this indicator.
- Mechanical cleaning. Over time, various deposits (salt, sand, dirt) form on the pipes, which leads to their wear and the ingress of particles into the water.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION!
It is impossible to determine the presence of harmful impurities in the composition of the liquid by eye. This requires laboratory analysis.
Flowing water filters for apartments and houses: device and types
The catalogs of specialized shops selling cleaning systems contain a large number of options. To determine the optimal filter for obtaining ideal drinking water, you need to know what varieties exist.
A jug for obtaining clean water
The most primitive design that allows you to get clean water. In appearance, this device is fully consistent with its name. This is an ordinary jug that is equipped with a replaceable cartridge. During filling, impurities are retained.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION!
This cleaning method combines a mechanical, chemical and biological cleaning scheme at once, depending on the cartridge filler.
The following cleaning agents can be used in the jug filter:
- activated carbon with increased absorption, which leads to the removal of organic impurities;
- zeolite used to remove ammonia;
- shungite, the use of which contributes to the retention of chlorine;
- ion exchange resin used in water softening filters;
- antibacterial additives that use silver ions to help prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms inside the filter.
The advantages of this method are simplicity, compactness of the device, mobility, and low cost. The main disadvantage is considered to be insufficiently high quality of cleaning.
Table filter
The next option for obtaining a clean liquid is to use the benchtop version, which is easy to use. Structurally, this device is a replaceable cartridge with a filler, which is placed in a plastic container equipped with a tap for clean water.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION!
The use of this unit allows you to collect several containers with clean water or filter as needed.
The structure is connected via a flexible hose to the water tap. Next, you just need to turn on a low pressure and, after passing through the entire filtrate system, a purified liquid is obtained at the exit.
Attachment on the crane
A similar technology, which has a slightly different design. In this case, the manufacturers of such a device have reduced the distance between the cleaning cartridge and the mixer spout.
The nozzle has a universal mount and is installed on the water tap. One of the clear advantages is the ease of installation and the small amount of filter space.
Multi-level design for a sink
You can buy a flow-through water filter for washing, which is a more advanced design. It should be noted right away that for the installation of such a cleaning system, sufficient free space under the sink will be required.
On the one hand, the system is connected to the water supply, on the other hand, a separate tap is brought out to the sink, from which clean water will flow.
This technology is called multilevel, due to the presence of successive "glasses" with different filtrates. The passage of water through this cascade provides better cleansing. Design features determine the negative aspects of this scheme:
- the complexity of replacing the cartridge, since a complete dismantling of the entire system is required, which can only be carried out by a master;
- when cleaning too dirty water, the filter can quickly become clogged;
- untimely replacement of the cartridge leads to the complete unusability of the water;
- high price.
The Geyser Prestige 2 system, which is recognized as one of the best not only in terms of technical indicators, but also in terms of price-quality ratio, heads the rating of flow-through filters for water for washing. This filter can carry out retention of iron dissolved in water and reduce the amount of salts. The cost of this device is 4990 rubles.
Geyser Prestige 2
Main flow water filters
The backbone system is recognized as the highest quality and most convenient system. It is similar to the structure installed under the sink, only it is mounted directly into the water main. One flask with filtrate can be used in the system or several flasks can be installed at once, which ensures better removal of all kinds of impurities.
The advantages of this type of filter design are:
- achieving an improvement in water performance in all characteristics (retention of mechanical impurities, chemical elements and biological material);
- versatility that allows you to use this unit to meet any needs;
- compact size;
- long service life;
- improving the performance of the water supply system.
Among the disadvantages is the almost complete impossibility of installing this type of flow-through water filter with your own hands. Since there is a tie-in into the common highway, it is better to invite a specialist.
Inline water filters for summer cottages and apartments with reverse osmosis
You can often face the following question: which is better - a flow filter or a reverse osmosis system? The answer is clear. According to experts, the most perfect filtration system is the use of membrane filters or a reverse osmosis system.
The essence of the method consists in the use of a special type of membranes with holes, the size of which is sufficient only for the passage of a water molecule. All other components of the liquid, in particular impurities, are retained on the filter. Purification of the incoming water takes place in several stages.
At the first stage, large mechanical impurities and heavy metal compounds are retained.
Then the water is passed through a membrane with a hole diameter of only 0.0001 microns. Thus, molecular purification is carried out.
Upon completion of filtration, the liquid accumulates in a special tank, and harmful components are sent to the sewer.
The main disadvantage of such a system is the need to maintain a stable pressure and water pressure.
Features of main water filters
There is a gradation of filtration systems not only by type. Trunk devices are divided according to the principle of operation and the characteristics of purification of the incoming water. Compliance with the selection criteria will allow you to always remain with a clean outlet fluid.
Flow-through main filters for coarse water
Before installing the filtration system, it is required to provide for mechanical cleaning from dirt, sand and other large impurities. For this, coarse flow-through main water filters are used, which must be purchased to obtain a complete purification system.
They also differ in design features, which affects not only the quality of work, but also the cost of the final product:
- Mesh filters, where the element that retains mechanical particles is a mesh with a mesh diameter of 50 to 500 microns.
- Cartridge models, where the main filtering element is a cartridge capable of retaining particles less than 0.5 microns.
- Pressure options, represented by a tank, inside which there is a filter element and a drain pipe. By means of this design, it is possible to retain particles up to 30 microns.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION!
According to reviews, flow-through filters for coarse water, made using a self-cleaning system, are better because they require less maintenance. Non-flushing options will require shutting off the water supply system and disassembling the entire structure for cleaning.
Fine filters
After preliminary purification of liquid from coarse fractions, it is required to carry out fine cleaning. For this, a reverse osmosis system is used, which cannot be used in a country house. In this case, the following options will be optimal:
- Sorption filter, represented by a separate tank, inside of which there is an absorbent capable of retaining metal salts and other chemical compounds.
- Ion exchange system used in the presence of hard water.
Inline line filters for hot and cold water
It is possible to install a main purification system for both cold and hot water. The choice of a particular type is dictated by the need. At the same time, certain requirements are imposed on such filters. To a greater extent, this applies to filtration of hot water. It must be made of heat-resistant materials to ensure reliable operation.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION!
Hot water filters can be used to clean cold water. Reverse replacement is not allowed.
Filter selection criteria
In addition to the type of filtering system, when choosing, it is necessary to pay attention to other indicators that are more related to the operational characteristics of the product.
Water consumption
Doctors advise drinking at least 2 liters of fluid per day. If we add to this the use of liquid food, which is also desirable to cook in filtered water, then the average amount drunk per person per day will be 3 liters.
To supply a family of three per month, you will need: 3 hours * 3 years * 30 days = 270 liters. This indicator must be compared with the declared resource and performance of a particular model. Based on these calculations, the purchase of a regular jug will be impractical, since it will need to be replaced monthly.
Availability of free space
With this indicator, everything is extremely simple. Adequate free space is required for installation under the sink. A similar requirement is put forward for the backbone system. The filter jug will take up no more than 15 cm³.
Flow filter price
Very often, the choice of a particular model is based solely on cost. It will depend not only on the model, but also on the manufacturer and the number of filtration systems used, as well as the filtrate. The most optimal cost is a simple tap attachment, which can be purchased for 600-700 rubles. Under the sink system has a price tag in the range of 4-5 thousand. Reverse osmosis with all the additional settings will cost 12-15 thousand.
Installing a flow-through water filter
Another criterion is the ease of installation. In this regard, the nozzles and the simplest filters for the sink benefit, which do not require intervention in the centralized water supply system. The most difficult to install are line filters and osmotic options, which require special skills and tools.
Rating of the best models and manufacturers
The most popular among buyers are budget cleaning systems, which have no more than 3 stages, in they lack mineralization and softening of water, but at the same time they have the ability to retain salts of heavy metals.
Flow-through water filter Aquaphor Crystal Eco
A model of a flow-through filtration system for a sink, which has three stages of cleaning, has the presence of ion exchange, carbon and ultraviolet filtration. The lack of a storage tank is compensated by a capacity of 2.5 liters per minute. The resource of the device is designed for 8000 liters. The advantages include ease of installation and low cost, which is only 3,500 rubles.
Flow-through filter Aquaphor
Flowing filter for water Barrier Expert Hard
Another budget model from a Russian manufacturer. One of the main advantages of this system is the increased service life, which is 10,000 liters. Additionally, you can highlight the presence of a filter for softening water. Also attracts the cost of the model, which is only 2,900 rubles.
In-line filter Barrier
Flow-through main water filter Geyser Prestige P
The only model on the market that has a built-in pump to create the required pressure. This is a kind of osmotic filtration system from a well-known Russian brand. Of the features, one can single out the presence of 5 stages of purification, a container for storing clean water for 12 liters, a system for retaining iron, softening water. The cost of the device is 11,900 rubles, while inexpensive replacement cartridges sold at a price of 2,000 rubles can be considered a plus.
Geyser Prestige
The purchase of a main flow filter for water or another purification system is a guarantee that there will always be clean water in the house. This means that one of the factors of health problems can be excluded. Once again, you can learn the secrets and subtleties of such devices from the video presented.