For those that follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or even here on our plumbing blog, you’ve likely seen us mention “water softeners” more than a few times before. Water softeners can be extremely beneficial to homeowners and are always worth the investment. Particularly in the Kansas City area, we have above-average levels of hard water, so a softener can be the perfect solution for taking care of all the adverse effects associated with this. However, this week, we’re going to discuss something that mistakenly gets tied in with water softeners and that is a whole-house water filtration system.
If this is your first time stopping by our blog, welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing! Based out of North Kansas City, MO, we are a full-service plumbing contractor, specializing in residential, commercial and new construction services. Here on our blog, our mission has always revolved around educating homeowners on how they can keep their plumbing system operating smoothly, while avoiding any major headaches along the way. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, this week is going to be centered on whole-house filtration systems. It’s not uncommon for people to confuse these with water softeners, but just know they serve their own purpose and are certainly an affordable investment.
What is a Whole-House Filtration System?
Whereas a water softener replaces hard minerals (calcium and magnesium) with softer ones, filtration systems are designed to remove sand, dirt, sediment, heavy metals and other contaminants from your water. As such, it will significantly reduce any chlorine odor and likely improve the overall taste. How does this purification affect your household plumbing appliances? Well, in short, it’s going to make them last a whole lot longer. By preventing all of these various contaminants from making their way in through your water lines, you’re ensuring your appliances are operating only with purified water and won’t be as prone to scale or sediment build-up.
What to Look For in a Filtration System?
As is the case with just about every plumbing appliance, the current market gives us more than enough brands and manufacturers to pick from. If you checked out our recent blog, The Many Different Sizes and Types of Water Heaters, we simply scratched the surface of available brands for water heaters and that list alone provided plenty of variables for homeowners to consider. Water filtration systems are no different. While we’re certainly open to providing homeowners with recommendations, I wanted to briefly analyze some of the factors that make up a solid whole-house water filtration system.
What’s in Your Water?
When comparing various filtration systems, the first question you’ll want to ask is “what’s in your water?” Depending on the location where you live, the known contaminants may vary. Likewise, the lines that are actually bringing the water to your house can vary as well depending on where you reside! As such, you’re going to want to look for a filter capable of removing a wide range of different contaminants, not just one that makes your water taste better (by reducing chlorine). Potential contaminants to keep in mind include lead, mercury (and other heavy metals), volatile organic compounds and pharmaceuticals.
Filtration Rate
The next item you’ll want to consider is the “filtration rate.” In particular, you’ll want to look at the maximum daily filtration rate. As you’d likely guess, this is simply the total number of gallons of filtered water that the system is capable of producing. Having said that, we generally recommend getting a filtration system capable of producing more gallons of filtered water than you’d consume on an average day. Not sure how many gallons of water you generally consume? Give our residential team a call at (816) 348-3481 and we can provide recommendations based on your household size!
Budget
A major determining factor in which water filtration system you purchase will revolve around your budget for the initial installation, as well as any ongoing maintenance, such as purchasing replacement filters. Having installed plenty of filtration systems over the years, our best piece of advice is to think of this purchase as an investment. In addition, keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need a filtration system with all of the bells and whistles. Yes, there are certainly some complex systems out there, but your primary goal should be to find a system that eliminates all of the contaminants, makes your water taste better and lightens the load on your household appliances. If you are having one installed, make sure to also discuss with your plumber the process of replacing the cartridges. From the actual cartridge you’ll use and where you can buy it from to how you physically replace it, all of this is important knowledge for homeowners!
Certified?
Last, but certainly not least, you’ll want to ensure the filter has been proven to remove contaminants. Nearly all reputable manufacturers nowadays will include a snippet about being certified by third-party organizations. Take a little bit of time to review this information prior to purchasing to make sure you know what it’s capable of.
How Difficult is it to Replace the Filter Cartridges?
With many of our new clients, one of the first questions we receive is about the process for replacing the cartridges. After investing in a system, most homeowners would prefer to avoid having one that has a cumbersome process in terms of ongoing maintenance. Luckily, with most whole-house filtration systems, the process is about as straightforward as possible. Take the one pictured below for example.
You’ll see there is a handle at the top of the filter. That piece comes off and you simply turn the cartridge to remove it. And then installing the new cartridge is just as easy. You’ll simply insert it and push the opposite direction as you did to remove the old one. As simple as that! Keep in mind that a lot of the whole-home filters will require you to replace the filters every 3 months or so. Meanwhile, for refrigerator models, you’re looking at more like every 6 months. All in all, it’s just important to keep the replacement process and timeline in mind when debating between different units.
Do I Need a Filtration System AND a Water Softener?
As we wrap up this blog post, I wanted to touch on one final question. As we’ve mentioned throughout this blog, water filtration systems and water softeners are not the same. They serve different purposes and as such, operate with differing goals in mind. However, if a filtration system removes all contaminants, you might wonder if that includes those taken care of by water softeners. In short, it depends on the individual filter system you purchase. There are some systems out there that also function as water softeners, thus taking care of the negative effects of hard water. However, that’s not always going to be the case.
On the flip-side, just purchasing a water softener and not a filtration system may leave you susceptible to some flaws in your water. Say your public water supply has some issues with bacteria or viruses. While a water softener likely won’t help out a ton with this, a water filtration system will help immensely in removing these biological contaminants. In the end, if your goal is to take care of ALL water issues, our best piece of advice would be to invest in both a water softener AND a whole-house water filtration system.
Get Purified Water in Kansas City
While the local water companies here in Kansas City do a tremendous job of reducing contaminants, there’s a reason why so many homeowners have reached out to us about whole-house filtration systems. They do exactly what they’re intended to do and more often than not, significantly improve the overall taste of the water. If you’re interested in getting a free quote, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form here. Our team services the entire Kansas City area, as well as all of the surrounding cities. We’re more than happy to provide you with recommendations on models we prefer and help you determine which makes most sense for your individual needs. We look forward to hearing from you!