Your home water filtration system could deliver better tasting water for your household and improve your day-to-day routines. Read on to learn more.
What Changes at the Tap?
Water from most taps is safe and treated, but may not taste very good. It can smell like chlorine, or have a muddy, metallic or earthy quality. Many homeowners assume that this is just how tap water is supposed to smell and taste and don’t consider that a home water filtration system can help.
Once installed, you’ll notice a difference when you prepare a meal with filtered water. It will change the way your coffee or tea tastes. Soups and pastas will taste better too. The improved taste of your filtered water may even help you drink more water each day.
Beyond just taste, a home filtration system can improve your household’s water quality in various ways, helping you reduce your bottled water use or protect your appliances from sediment and minerals in your water.
Fewer Bottles to Purchase, Store, Recycle or Throw Away
A filtered water tap in your kitchen means you no longer need to purchase cases of bottled water just to get through the week. It also frees up storage space in your home and saves you the effort of picking up and hauling home your purchases, then emptying, recycling or tossing empty bottles.
Having filtered water on hand to drink can help you remember to fill a reusable bottle for trips, errands or work and it makes it easier for children to keep a water bottle with them to school and extracurricular activities.
A good filtration system makes it easier to fill a reusable water bottle after a workout, without worrying about the taste of your water.
It also simplifies filling glasses, ice trays and cooking pots. Washing fruits and vegetables is easier too, as is making baby formula.
You no longer have to refill and store a pitcher of filtered water on your countertop either, freeing up space and ensuring that you never run out of filtered water again.
Better-Tasting Tap Water Means Cleaner Fixtures
Targeted water treatment can help improve the look and cleanliness of your household’s faucets, sinks, dishware and more.
Mineral deposits that build up on your sinks, shower doors and dishes or leave water marks that are hard to remove can be less of a problem with better quality water. Water filtration can protect your fixtures, while helping you avoid using harsh chemicals to try to remove these deposits or stains.
You’ll also have an easier time wiping down your shower door, faucets and dishes after use.
Filter Out Sediment and Protect Appliances
Sediment in water can make it harder to keep your fixtures clean but can also damage the internal parts of your appliances. A water filtration system will protect the insides of your ice maker, coffee maker, dishwasher and other appliances that use your home’s water, reducing the sediment that passes through your supply lines.
Before installation, get your water tested to find the optimal media and ensure the system meets your needs. For example, a standard sediment filter will not filter all dissolved substances. You also don’t want the filter system to be more complicated than necessary for your particular water.
Size the system to handle your needs, too. A common problem is that water pressure drops significantly when several fixtures are running, indicating that the system is too small for your needs.
After the system has been selected, shut off the water and install it according to the instructions, sealing the plumbing connections. After installation, run water according to the instructions, as the water may not be drinkable at first. You may want to call a plumber to install bypass valves so you still have water access while the system is being serviced. After installation, check the connections and make sure there are no slow leaks.
Finally, make a note of when the filter was changed, to make sure you don’t forget to replace the cartridge.
Choosing the Right Setup Before Installation
There’s more to choosing a home water filtration system than simply deciding you want one installed. The water filtration installation process starts with understanding your current water quality and what you’d like to improve.
Think about your current water quality and what you would like to change. Once you know what you want from a system, you can start thinking about the best location for the installation.
- Do you want to have filtered water in every fixture throughout your home? Or is one location enough? There are systems made for specific fixtures, like under-the-sink units that only supply filtered water in the above sink or whole-home systems that purify water before it enters your home.
- Do you have easy access to your main water supply line in your home?
- Where is the closest shutoff valve to the area where you want to filter the water?
- How far is the location to the nearest drain?
- How far are your plumbing fixtures from the installation location? Will you want to run more filtered water to specific locations?
- Does the area you would like to install the unit have enough room to accommodate your new filtration system? Many units require a 12-inch minimum clearance for the filter housings and cartridges, since they come out the bottom of the housing and some models require more.
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If your unit doesn’t have enough space below it, you could run into maintenance problems later. It’s best to plan this in advance of installation, so you know exactly what to expect during cartridge changes. You don’t want to have to take up shelves or disconnect water lines, only to make cartridge changes easier. You may ignore these maintenance tasks if it’s not easy to get to the cartridges, which could hurt your unit’s performance.
The best system is the one that’s right for you. You can find systems of various complexities and you don’t have to go with a whole-home model. Just keep your options in mind when you start looking at filters.
With a Master’s in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, Mitchell Green has spent over two decades dedicated to the study and practical application of home fixture design. His career started in an architectural firm, providing him a strong foundation in the structural and aesthetic aspects of home interiors. Mitchell brought his comprehensive knowledge to our platform, where he has been an influential voice in our home fixtures and fittings section. Since 2018, he has been guiding our readers through the intricacies of selecting and installing fixtures, combining technical know-how with design flair. In his spare time, Mitchell is a keen photographer, capturing architectural details and design elements, an interest that complements his professional focus.
