Water filters for washing — which is better, what you need to pay attention to

For example, hard water containing an excess of calcium and magnesium can exacerbate kidney diseases, water with impurities can cause gastrointestinal disorders, and scale in a kettle does not particularly please anyone. Even in ancient Greece, they began to try to filter water for its purification and desalination.

Today’s filters, of course, are more perfect and more diverse. Some of them are installed under the sink and used in the kitchen. At the same time, there are designs that are quite budgetary. And there are complex, producing thorough cleaning. But all of them to some extent protect our body from harmful substances and unwanted impurities.

Features of filtering devices

Before choosing a water filter for a sink, pay attention — for a sink, you need to understand the configuration of the device itself. And it includes three elements: the filter itself, a faucet that is mounted on the sink, and connecting hoses or tubes.

That is, it turns out that the filter is installed in the cabinet, on which the kitchen sink is mounted. A tap separate from the mixer crashes into the latter. And all these elements are interconnected, and the filter itself is additionally connected to a water pipe. It turns out that if it is necessary to wash the dishes, then they use an ordinary mixer. If you need to collect clean drinking water, then use a tap connected to a filter installation.

I would like to note that there are a huge range of filters on the market. And it may seem to many that making a choice will not be easy. In fact, filtering devices installed under the sink are divided into only two groups:

• flowing;
• reverse osmosis.

Therefore, when answering the question of how to choose a water filter, you need to deal with these groups and understand how they differ from each other, and then choose the best one.

Flow type water filter Source geekhard.ru

Where to buy?

Water filters better to take in official online or offline stores from manufacturers.

If there is no representative office in your locality, look at the list of distributors with whom the company cooperates.

By purchasing a water purifier in a trusted place, you will protect yourself from being deceived by scammers who pass off fakes as originals.

Attention! When buying, pay attention to the integrity of the box, the complete set (check the presence of each part according to the design), the absence of mechanical damage to the product. Also make sure that the warranty card is filled out and that the seller’s stamp is on it.

Flow filters for water

The name «flow filter» itself includes the way tap water passes through the filter elements. And it passes through the duct, entering one branch pipe and leaving the opposite one.

The device itself is a flask (module) made of food-grade plastic: transparent or opaque. It is screwed onto the head, in which two pipes are made: inlet and outlet. It is with these nozzles that the filter is attached to the water pipe. Connection method — pipe thread.

Attention! In order not to confuse the inlet and outlet pipes, an arrow is applied to the filter head. This is the movement of water inside the device.

Today, manufacturers offer two types of flow filters: with a removable flask and fixed. The second modules are gradually losing their relevance, the reason is the inability to replace the filter cartridge. That is, if the filter is clogged with dirt or its service life has expired, you will have to dismantle it, buy a new one and install it again.

Connecting the filter to a faucet and water supply with plastic hoses Source avatars.mds.yandex.net

Devices with a removable flask differ only in that they have the ability to remove the flask, remove the contaminated cartridge and install a new one instead. To remove the flask, manufacturers add a special key to the module package. That is, it turns out that the filter can be operated indefinitely. You just need to periodically change the cartridges, for which a certain period of operation is set. This option is of course cheaper.

As for the degree of purification, this issue is solved today simply. Here the position is as follows — the more modules are installed in the filter unit, the cleaner the water is at the outlet. Today, manufacturers offer devices in which three to four flasks are installed. And each of them performs its own functions in terms of water purification.

Filter modules

Filter modules today can be filled with different types of cartridges:

• intended for mechanical filtration (cleaning);
• for water purification, in which a large amount of metals is present;
• for hard water;
• purifying water from various harmful microorganisms;
• universal models.

Flow filter modules for washing Source stroy-podskazka.ru
That is, today there is an opportunity to choose a filter for the characteristics of water. This is very important for those private houses that consume water from wells and wells. To do this, you just need to do a water analysis, determine what is in it in large quantities, and then purchase the filter that can cope with all the problems. But keep in mind, the more problems, the more expensive the water treatment will cost.

There is a standard selection of modules that can cope with the main problems of autonomous water supply from wells and wells:

• mechanical cleaning is a module filled with polypropylene fibers;
• carbon sorbent filters, this module purifies water from organic impurities, heavy metals, salts, unpleasant taste and odor;
• modules that are called iron removers, that is, their task is to reduce the concentration of iron in water.

Standard equipment for a water filter for a flow-through type sink Source shop.geizer.com

Liquid Filtration

The quality characteristics of H2O vary by region. Unfortunately, in most regions of the Russian Federation, the indicators are far from ideal. In some places, the presence of foreign impurities in the aqueous solution is several times higher than the permissible limits.

Most often, the liquid medium contains an excess amount of iron, manganese, chlorine, and other metal components. Often it contains harmful microorganisms (viruses, bacteria), which pose a serious threat to the human body.

To get rid of dangerous components, it is necessary to use modern means that purify life-giving moisture from any substances that can cause harm. Only with the implementation of full-fledged water treatment, you can not worry about the condition of your loved ones, as well as protect expensive household appliances, communications and plumbing elements from damage.

reverse osmosis filter

So, let’s move on to the topic of which water filter is better, and begin to deal with the reverse osmosis filter. First, it is a membrane filter. Purely structurally, this is a steel container, which is covered with a membrane inside. The latter is located horizontally and divides the tank into two equal parts.

The essence of water filtration is that small holes are made in the membrane, the diameter of which is 0.00001 mm. Only water molecules can pass through them. Neither dirt, nor dissolved particles, nor minerals will pass through the membrane. That is, the output is 100% purified water. There is no harm from it, but do not look for benefits for a person either. Therefore, today manufacturers add a mineralizer to the device, which provides purified water with minerals necessary for humans, useful salts, and so on.

The only negative of the reverse osmosis filter is the rapid contamination of the membrane. And although a drain pipe is installed in the tank, which will be connected by a hose to the sewer. However, this cleaning does not last long. Therefore, modern reverse osmosis filters installed in kitchens under the sink are a complex installation assembled on a frame.

Reverse osmosis filter Source sde.in.ua

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This installation includes cartridge filters that provide pre-cleaning, the membrane filter itself for water purification and a mineralizer. As for cartridge modules, the standard set described above is more often used here.

A few important points:

1. A small pressure of water cannot create conditions under which liquid would seep through the membrane. For efficient operation of the filter, a water pressure of at least 3 bar is required. If water supply is provided by a pump from a well or well, then this pressure is present in the water supply network. If a private house is connected to a central water supply network, then a small pump will have to be inserted into the home water supply system.
2. Water filtration using reverse osmosis is a slow process. Therefore, the filter package includes a tank for filtered water. It can have a different volume, which is selected according to the needs of the residents of a private house. Most often these are containers no more than 10 liters.

Reverse osmosis filter mounted under the sink Source water-filter.by

Downhole pump

After drilling a well, we think about buying a pump (and generally before). The water purification system for a private house, cottage or cottage begins with a well and a pump. A borehole pump supplies water from a well or well (autonomous water supply) to the water treatment system (storage tank or accumulator) passing through a mesh mud filter.

ZDS borehole pump

The choice of pump depends on:

• from the depth of the well;
• from the required performance;
• from your budget.

Practice shows that the most popular from the middle price segment are manufacturers such as ZDS and Italian pumps Pedrollo and Lowara.

Of the budget options — Whirlwind, HAMMER, QUATTRO and others. But a borehole pump is not an element on which it is worth saving. And here is a simple approach — it is better to spend money once and forget for a few (ideally several decades) years.

GRUNDFOS and FORWARD pumps are also popular. The price for GRUNDFOS is usually higher, but I did not notice much difference (if we take into account pumps that have the same technical characteristics).

We will talk about the general choice of a borehole pump in a separate article.

The average budget for a borehole pump is 30,000 rubles.

For a system with a capacity of 2 cubic meters per hour, you need to select a pump as follows.

We find an online store of pumping equipment. We go to the pumps section — borehole pumps. We set the minimum capacity in the filter — 2000 liters per hour, the maximum — 3000 liters per hour.

We open the pump card that you like. We open the documentation (passport, instructions, etc.).

Graph of pressure characteristics of a borehole pump

We find a graph of pressure characteristics. In the graph, we find the maximum productivity at the head height we need (add the depth of the well and the distance of water rise after the well), and look at the performance indicator.

If at the required height the efficiency of the pump is at the point of required performance, then this model suits us.

Summing up

So, the best filter for water under the sink of the two indicated is a reverse osmosis device. Because at the output it gives out completely purified drinking water, which is additionally useful for humans. In fact, this is the same bottled water that is sold in stores. Only it is much cheaper. But it should be noted the fact that of the two types of filters this is the most expensive.

And one more thing in favor of reverse osmosis technology. It’s about water hardness. If the analysis showed that the rigidity is high enough, then the cartridge modules will not cope with it. Or rather, they will cope, but the service life of such filter elements is low. They clog up quickly, after which they are subjected to restoration, and this is an expensive process. Therefore, if the water in the plumbing system is hard, then only a reverse osmosis device is the best water filter.

Basic requirements for treatment systems

Treatment means constantly interact with the aqueous solution. Therefore, devices should be made only from high-quality materials that are safe for human health. If the elements of the device made of plastic have a pronounced unpleasant odor, you should not purchase such a product.

For the production of filtering devices, high-strength reliable parts are used. They are made from glass-filled plastic.

When choosing a cleaning device, it is necessary to understand that the efficiency of devices is directly related to the features of their work and intended purpose. So, a conventional filter jug ​​is simply not able to effectively purify the liquid for 10 years. For a large family, it is advisable to choose a suitable stationary option.

The best manufacturers and models

Now the rating of water filters. It should be noted that recently domestic manufacturers have begun to produce competitive products. Therefore, the rating of water filters for washing includes mainly devices manufactured at Russian enterprises.

Let’s name the manufacturers first:

• Barrier. This is the brand name that belongs to . The company includes 4 factories and a research center. The brand has been present on the Russian market since 1993. The manufacturer produces both flow-through filtering units and reverse osmosis ones.
• Aquaphor. This is both the company name and the brand name. The brand has been on the market since 1992. In the model line there are also flow-through installations, and with reverse osmosis. The manufacturer is proud that its specialists have developed their own filter element based on carbon fibers, which works as a sorbent. The company has 2 factories.

Trade brands of water filter manufacturers Source www.avers-filters.ru

• Geyser. This is the oldest brand that has been operating on the market since 1986. During all this time, specialists have developed their own filtration technologies and filter materials. They boast 20 patents. The developed new ion-exchange polymer of microporous type received world recognition.
• Atoll. This is an American brand, but the filters themselves are produced in Russian, where American components are used. The manufacturer offers only four modifications of flow-through water filters for washing, which are used for different water pollution.

It is possible to add a Ukrainian brand called «New Water» to the rating of manufacturers. The company began its activity in 1996, and in 2006 became a member of the Water Quality Association, which already indicates the high quality of the filters produced.

So, having dealt with the manufacturers, we go directly to the question of which water filter to choose.

Geyser Prestige P

During the operation of the water purifier, the liquid filtered through a semi-permeable membrane. As a result, its properties are close to the melt water of environmentally friendly glaciers. Recommended for baby food.

The filter is equipped with a pump operating at a pressure of at least 2 atmospheres. The cost of the water purifier is from 9000 rubles.

The device provides five stages of cleaning. The design has a block of three cartridges:

• Polypropylene — 2 pcs;
• Coal — 1 pc.

At the stage of preliminary purification, water is freed from mechanical particles, impurities and active chlorine. Then the fourth stage of purification takes place in the Vontron 50 membrane element, which is considered the main one. After the purified water is fed into the tank.

The hydraulic accumulator serves to accumulate the filtered liquid. From it, water passes the fifth stage of the process — purification by a carbon post-filter.

Resource cartridges water purifier Geyser prestige P:

• The first stage of purification — 20 thousand liters;
• The second stage of purification — 7 thousand liters;
• The third stage of purification — 7 thousand liters;
• The fourth stage of purification — the resource of the reverse osmosis membrane of 50 gallons reaches 2 years;
• The fifth stage of cleaning — the resource of the carbon post-filter is 1 year.

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Buyers mostly respond positively to the filter system.

Water filter models

Probably, it makes no sense to talk about some kind of rating, that is, put one model in first place, another in second, and so on. Let’s just announce the popular models and designate their characteristics.

Let’s start with the Barrier, or rather, with two of its modifications:

• Barrier EXPERT Ferrum;
• Barrier EXPERT Hard.

Advantages of the first:

• perfectly copes with mechanical pollution, chlorine and iron;
• low price;
• does not reduce the water pressure in the water supply network;
• replaceable cartridges;
• compactness, plus good design.

Its disadvantages:

• does not reduce water hardness;
• replacement cartridges are expensive;
• if the device is not used for a long time, a taste of coal appears in the water, which disappears if about 5 liters are drained.

Submix

After treatment, water enters the mixing unit, where water is mixed after softening and iron removal. By mixing, the original hardness is adjusted to the required value. Usually set the hardness of 0.5 — 2 °F.

The mixing unit in water treatment systems consists of two valves combined into one pipe at the end. At the inlet, two streams of water pass through the rotameters — from the softener and the iron remover.

Next, the water enters the fine filter.

Planning

After you have determined the quality of the source water, you can proceed to drawing up a water supply scheme for your home. To decide which system to choose, it is necessary not only to determine the budget, but also the location of the equipment.

Not everyone pays attention to this point, but the choice of filter should take into account the dimensions of the equipment itself, its operating noise, the possibility of installation in an unheated room, and access for maintenance.

When connecting, you must ensure:

• direct access to the water supply, the ability to turn off the filter and feed directly through the bypass;
• a place for dismantling cases and replacing cartridges;
• pressure in the system to ensure head pressure so that there is enough water for all points of consumption — an additional pump may be required.

Another nuance: if the house is large and the water consumption is significant, it is sometimes better to install two units, dividing the water supply for the kitchen and bathrooms. This will ensure uniform operation of the equipment and the absence of pressure drops in the system with a maximum analysis of water in the morning and evening hours.

Barrier EXPERT Ferrum effective iron removal

The model is an effective home water filter for the kitchen, which has the following advantages:

1. High degree of water purification from impurities of iron, chlorine and other substances.
2. Ease of installation and affordable cost.
3. No effect on overall pressure.
4. Ease of replacing cartridges, due to the special technology of their installation.
5. No leaks.
6. Compact dimensions and ergonomic design.
7. Compared to jugs, cartridges are changed much less frequently.

The disadvantages include low efficiency with scale from increased hardness. Replacement elements are quite expensive, and you can not find them in any store. To do this, you need to visit the manufacturer’s website or contact the official supplier by phone.

Selection rules

So, we have dismantled water filters for water purification in a private house. As you can see, the classification of devices is considerable, there is plenty to choose from. But here another question arises — what, in addition to the above, should be additionally paid attention to in order to make the right purchase. There are three positions here:

1. Number of cleaning steps. In this case, the more, the better. But this increases the cost.
2. Instrument performance. Everything will depend on how many people live in the house. The more, the more powerful the filter installations will have to be installed. And this will again affect the budget.
3. Filtration features. Again we return to the analysis of water. For each impurity, you will have to select your own filter. And the more pollution there is in terms of diversity, the more the water filter installation kit in a private house expands. And this again will affect the increase in cost.

How to cut costs

The obvious but wrong way is to buy cheap equipment. There is no direct relationship between the cost of buying filters and the cost of one liter. When calculating the cost, all factors must be taken into account:

• installation performance, comfort of use and sufficient water pressure at maximum parsing;
• resource of filter elements, frequency of their replacement, cost of cartridges;
• resource of the installation itself, requirements for its placement and connection (light, heat), service costs.

Behind an expensive filter is more cycles and longer life, which directly reduces the cost of ownership.

The project will help reduce costs. It is compiled taking into account the number of permanent residents, their age, habits. It is known that families with children spend more water on washing and washing than pensioners. And in a family where there are two adults and 4 children, consumption will be higher than in a family where there is a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather and two children.

Another line of losses is the underutilization of the resource. If the filter is much more powerful than consumption, you pay for expensive equipment, expensive cartridges, but do not use up their resource. All filters work for a certain number of cycles or years. Even if after the passage of time the number of cycles is not selected, the cartridge still needs to be changed, since bacterial environments develop in any system, which negates the filtration result.