0
0
Choosing the best well water filtration system for clean drinking water doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s easier when you know which contaminants are in your water, as there are different filtration systems that filter out different contaminants. When looking for a well water filtration system, determining whether or not you have hard water and which water flow rate is best for your particular needs is also important.
While the right well water filtration system won’t be the same for every home, there are options that can be the most efficient system for your needs. Keep reading to learn about well water filtration system features, and check out the list below of some of the best well water filtration systems for your entire home.
Before You Buy a Well Water Filtration System
Before purchasing a well water filtration system, it’s a good idea to test the water so you know what contaminants, if any, are present. It also lets you know the amounts of those contaminants and if the levels are high enough to warrant filtering them out. You can contact Tassmatt Agencies Limited and they will be of great help on this via 0726-410068
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Well Water Filtration System
When looking for the best well water filtration system, it’s important to take into account a few factors, including what contaminants the system will filter out, filter size, flow rate, and filter type. Evaluating these factors will help you choose the right water filtration system for a home.
Water Contaminants
Different filtration systems filter out different contaminants for clean drinking water. Some filtration systems are designed to filter out heavy metals, while others are better for filtering out bacteria. This is why it’s so important to find out what contaminants you’re dealing with before investing in a well water filtration system for your home.
Common contaminants in well water include the following:
- Microorganisms. Bacteria in well water, such as coliform bacteria and E. Coli, are common. Most exist at levels that aren’t harmful, but some homes have higher levels that will benefit from filtration, as higher levels of bacteria can lead to disease and even death.
- Nitrate. Nitrate can naturally contaminate well water and doesn’t normally pose an issue, but high levels can be a concern. Consuming too much nitrate can cause headaches, nausea, and even an increased risk of cancer.
- Heavy metals. These can include copper, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and chromium. While trace amounts of these metals are generally not harmful, significant amounts of heavy metals can pose health threats, such as an increased risk of cancer, especially if consumed over time.
- Organic chemicals. Substances can include pesticides, pharmaceuticals, paints, dyes, and disinfectants that can contaminate well water. Organic chemicals such as these can cause liver and kidney damage as well as damage to the nervous and reproductive systems.
- Fluoride. Fluoride is often added to public drinking water supplies to help prevent tooth decay, but fluoride also can contaminate well water, and high amounts of fluoride can have adverse health effects, such as nausea, vomiting, seizures, and skeletal fluorosis.
- Iron. Iron plumbing pipes can contaminate water as it enters the house, but iron also can come naturally from the ground. Like many contaminants, low levels are generally not harmful, but high levels are of concern and can cause organ damage, acne, fatigue, and joint pain.
- Sediment. These are particles such as sand and dirt that naturally occur in well water, but removing them is important to ensure water is clean and to minimize wear on appliances.
- Sulfur. While too much sulfur, in and of itself, isn’t necessarily bad in drinking water, many detest the smell of sulfur, which can have a rotten egg odor.
Filter Type
There are different types of water filters that whole-house filtration systems use for well water. These include activated carbon, resin, reverse osmosis, water ionizer, UV filters, and infrared filters.
- Activated carbon. Carbon filters essentially absorb contaminants, preventing them from passing through the filter. These are best for removing pesticides and lead but can remove iron and bacteria as well. Coconut shell is a common material used in activated carbon fiber filters.
- Resin. Resin filters work well for removing iron and tend to last longer than other types of filters while providing adequate water flow.
- Reverse osmosis. Using pressure and a semipermeable membrane, reverse osmosis can remove heavy metals and fluoride, but it’s not the best system for removing pesticides and organic contaminants.
- Water ionizer. Water ionizers use an electrical charge to filter water and can filter out heavy metals and pesticides. Be sure to confirm what contaminants a specific brand can filter out to be sure it’s the right choice for the water.
- UV filters. Using an ultraviolet (UV) light, these filters are best for killing bacteria, but they don’t remove other drinking water contaminants.
- Infrared filters. These filters use light and heat to soften water, which is useful for homes with hard water. Although it can kill bacteria, it’s not ideal for removing other contaminants.
Some systems also allow the use of multiple filters to filter out contaminants. For example, if there is bacteria in the water, a UV filter can help. If there also are other contaminants, such as organic chemicals or lead, an added activated carbon filter would work. Filters also can use a series of stages to filter out contaminants for clean drinking water. For example, stage one will filter out sediment, while stage four will filter out organic chemicals. Many systems can add a UV light to the system to kill bacteria.
Filter Size
Different water filtration systems have different filter sizes. The size affects where the system can fit in a home, such as under the sink, as well as how much water it can filter at a time.
Some systems are more than 50 inches tall, while others are less than 30 inches tall. The filter size also determines how many gallons of water it can purify before the filter needs to be changed. Some manufacturers also specify a time limit for changing the filter.
As a general rule, water filters will need to be changed every few months. Some will need to be changed every 3 months, while others are fine to be changed every 9 months or a year. It depends on the type of filter as well as how much water it filters and the amount of contaminants that need to be removed.
Flow Rate
A water filtration system also will have a certain flow rate, meaning the amount of water the system can filter that is ready to be used at any given time. This measurement is typically given in gallons per minute (GPM).
Some whole-house filtration systems have 7 GPM, while others go up to 15 or 20 GPM. A home may require a certain flow rate, so this is worth checking into when looking for the best well water filtration system. The home’s flow rate can be checked by collecting and measuring water that comes out of a given faucet in a home. Collect full-pressure water from a fixture for 10 seconds in a bucket, and then multiply the number of gallons collected by six to find the fixture’s gallons per minute.
The average home requires a flow rate of 6 to 12 GPM, depending on the size of the home and how many people live there. However, it also can depend on personal preference, based on how fast water needs to be available from the filtration system.
Built-In Water Softener
Some whole-house water filtration systems have a built-in water softener. This is ideal for homes that have hard water. Hard water is water that has a high mineral content, especially calcium and magnesium, which can damage appliances and water pipes over time.
Filtration systems can use either a salt-based or salt-free mechanism to soften water. Well water filtration systems that have a built-in water softener typically use salt-free methods of conditioning the water. They don’t actually demineralize the water, but they do “soften” it to prevent mineral buildup.
Installation
Some whole-house filtration systems are easier to install than others. While some systems are easy enough to install yourself, others will require professional assistance. Some filtration systems have an installation kit to make installation easier. Other systems will recommend that a professional install the filtration system, if you’re not familiar with plumbing.
Although ease of installation is certainly a factor to consider when looking for the best well water filtration system, it may not be the sole deciding factor. After all, ensuring the system can filter out the water’s specific contaminants is more important than the installation process.
Our Top Picks
Our top picks for the best well water filtration system in Kenya are based on the contaminants the systems remove, the cost, certification, efficiency, ease of installation, and maintenance. The following options are some of the best picks for whole-house filtration systems that provide clean drinking water.
