Anybody installed a whole home water filtration system? We have fridge with a filter... which needs replacement currently and about once every 9 months seemingly, maybe a year... so at I don't know $20-$25 bucks a year. Clearly a whole home filtration system is more expensive, but Aquasana seems to be highly rated and they seemingly have a nice sale going on now: http://www.aquasana.com/ That said, there are cheaper options out there, though many of which require more work, plumbing knowledge, filter changing. We are a family of six + pets, with the level of water usage you'd expect out of that, various places where water is taken from, including for some drinking (the kids will drink some tap occasionally, especially after teeth brushing), etc. I don't care for the taste of the tap compared to the filter out of the fridge, so know there is some random stuff in there. Not interested in softening, just want clean, better tasting water that doesn't require constant regular changing. Anyone installed any brand here, or have thoughts?
Just install under the sink filters in the kitchen and bathroom. Have a different spout in the kitchen so you are not using filtered water to wash dishes. Carbon changes the tastes and your refrigerator has a crappy particulate/carbon filter on it. Go with 10x2.5 filter or a 10x4.5 filter for under the sink. Larger filters require less frequent changes but more space. Whole house filters seem like a bit of a waste unless you have some chlorine problem with your water supply and want to shower in filtered water.
I don't really care much about the shower. I definitely get your piecemeal approach would be cheaper, but seemingly a lot more work involved on a continuing basis. We have a lot of sinks in use on a regular basis - would probably want on kitchen sink, plus 4 bathrooms. then as noted would have to get a new kitchen faucet. And continue to replace the refrigerator filter. Seems like a lot of filters to install, monitor and ultiamtely replace... though I suspect they would last a while as the bathroom sinks of course don't get a ton of usage. Again, we're a large family...
Then you use a ton of water. What needs more replacing, a 10x4" filter on a bathroom sink or a 20x4" whole house filter as part of the "Rhino Pro" line for 900 bucks? The entry model on what you linked is just a 10x4" I am saying to get on each sink. The monitoring is water pressure. When a particulate filter needs changing the pressure at the faucet drops. You don't "need" a separate faucet, it just reduced changes. If you don't want it, don't do it. It isn't like you are wanting RO/DI water using incredibly expensive membranes and resins. The problem with the aquasana.com filters are the main carbon filters are expensive and not industry standard. You are stuck in their system. If you get under the sink, just filter the water before the line to the refrigerator. No more filter needed there. I get all my stuff from McMaster-Carr but the housings and replacements are available pretty much anywhere. That is the point. Basically I think their life estimates are massively exaggerated, their replacements are expensive, and the quality isn't any better. Plus you are pointlessly filtering water with a whole house system.
Thank you. Quoted it all, but the part in bold was what I was really curious about. I hate it when those estimates are way off. If something was really going to last me 10 years, I was going to consider it. I wasn't only going to look at Aquasana, but they seemed to be pimping the long-lasting filter the most.. but sounds like that's a crock. many thanks! What exactly are you getting from McMaster? meaning I want to set up one 10x4 bathroom sink filter. What products are you buying?
There's a lot of learning that goes along with Reverse Osmosis systems (Under sink filters). Read up on it before you buy. I am good with my fridge filter, but if I were to put in my own RO system I would buy from here http://www.purewaterclub.com/. A lot of aquarium enthusiasts swear by this place.
There's a lot of learning that goes along with filtering in general. I've read a couple of places that don't really care for the reverse osmosis approach generally. They say carbon/microfiltration is still best. I mainly just want better filtered water out of 5 sinks (and hopefully including the line that goes to the fridge so I can eliminate that filter).... Whichever way is easiest, best and most cost effective there!
I see your point about changing five filters instead of 1. I am a big point of use guy though. Point of use filter going into a point of use tankless water heater is a great setup. Plus the total filter capacity is way higher. 10 years is basically impossible. Not gonna happen with a large house and family. That is where smaller filters are better. No need to filter the guest bathroom etc. Try a small under sink in the kitchen, see if it meets expectations from your refrigerator? Where would you even put a whole house filter?
No idea where we'd put it! There's a spot I can think of, but your point on point of use is valid - though we have the single whole house tankless water heater that was already installed when we bought the house - there is really no need to filter the water to shower, bath, do laundry or wash the dishes. Can you comment on the reverse osmosis vs. just filtering I'm reading about online?
I am not sure what you read online, there are many filtration systems for many different purposes. If you want drinking water , get a 5 to 6 stage reverse osmosis system and install it under your kitchen sink (very easy). Google "reverse osmosis" because it is too involved to explain. What I can tell you is a system that uses RO also uses carbon and several sediment filters .... (the other stages) . Houston tap water starts with 200+ ppm of sediments and various chemicals in it. After RO, you get 5-20 ppm. 0 ppm is pure water and you can get it it with another stage, the DI resin stage, but you don't you want to drink it. It's too pure. ( I use it to make water for a salt water fish tank). For comparison, water you get at the local store may go thru 2 stages and have 50+ ppm. Water from the fridge goes thru 1 little filter and is worse.
Curious, why not? We inhale the water we shower in, we absorb the chemicals in the water through our skin, we get the water in our mouth, eyes and ears. If you don't want to drink it, you probably don't really want to shower in it either.
By that logic, don't go into any swimming pool, lake, river or the ocean either than. Just because there are trace chemicals in the water don't mean it's harmful to you. Most people get water filtration due to taste preference.
Drinking water is much more critical than shower. Some people who have high chlorine or chloramine in their water (and are sensitive) so they pop a carbon filter to the inlet on their water heater. I'm a skin care addict so I like to shower in soft chemically filtered water. Most people REALLY don't GAF because it just doesn't matter. This entire health scare when it comes to water filters is shameful IMO.
Well, swimming pools is a good example, but Lakes, Rivers and the Ocean aren't being chemically treated to "clean" the water, most are however highly polluted with waste and chemical dumping. Yes I do avoid pools, and polluted bodies of water. Inhailing floride, chlorine and chloramine etc steam would be just as bad if not worse then drinking it no? When drinking water, our body at least has a chance to try to filter out the chemicals, but when inhailing and absorbing them through our skin it goes straight to the lungs and blood stream.
No. Unless you are showering in chlorinated water so bad that your eyes burn out of their sockets. You are some kind of paranoid. What is your filter system?
I'm a health nut who's just generally skeptical of most things that may be detrimental to health. Iv seen some studies and articles about THMs and adverse health affects, inhailing chlorine and floride steam, skin absorption etc. While skeptical, I live in a apartment and don't have the financial means to buy a serious filtration system, I would like one though lol. I just have a charcoal shower head filter, take warm not hot showers, and aim not to take a obsessive amount of showers.
Yeah I would say you aren't skeptical. A skeptical person would say taking a shower probably isn't bad for you. That for skin absorption to be at all effective you need some type of damage to the skins barrier or a carrier like DMSO. You seem to just completely believe it.
You wouldn't say I'm skeptical, a skeptical person would say taking a shower probably isn't bad for you? That confused me. Our bodies do absorb the chemicals, we do inhale them when the water is steamy, maybe its not proven to be a significant amount to you but like I said, I'm skeptical.
What is a good type/brand/model that you recommend for hard water? Hill country caliche/limestone in a place, and also sandstone/shale/sulphur in another? I've done a bit of minimal research but am about be serious once I decide where to put a couple of cabins. I do not know much of anything about in-house water purifying systems, so keep it simple.
