Best Whole House Water Filters
Water filtration from your shower to your drinking water
Whole house water filters are a good safeguard against water contamination, especially if you live in a community where the water isn’t treated according to the Safe Drinking Water Act. Find out if you are in one of the 6,000 US communities that do not comply with the act. If you are – a whole house water filter is a wise choice for you and your children.
As you are looking for a whole house water filter, decide whether you really need an upscale model that takes almost everything out of your water or a bare minimum whole house water filter model? Is there anyone in your home with bad allergies or who is otherwise environmentally sensitive? Do you really need a large filtration system or can you get away with using a budget water filter, like the pitcher style water filters?
For those with well water, this is a whole other issue, addressed under Best Well Water Filters.
Whole house water filters are great for heavy water issues that can affect your laundry and skin but can also cause damage pipes, water heaters, softeners, etc. Two basic types of whole home water filters are UV sanitation systems and filtration and purification systems. An ultraviolet light system is the best at killing microorganisms and viruses, while other units are better at filtering chemicals and other contaminants.
Whole house filter systems usually have the following attributes:
- Three-stage filtering that removes all forms of contaminants. Carbon filters remove chemicals and minute particles; reverse osmosis removes many harmful contaminants that might include many viruses and other microorganisms.
- Some of these kits have tank ball valves and drain saddles.
- Filter replacement or filter status indicator
- Easy replacement of filters
- NSA certification
- Some systems come with a supply of filters. Factor that with your overall cost.
- An owner’s manual that will be very boring but very helpful to you if you patiently look through it for the information you need.
These should be installed by a plumber or licensed water filtration specialist.
Top line whole house filtering models can cost in excess of $300 and low end ones can start at $30 for the base filtration unit. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of replacement filters as well as other running costs.
