Safe and clean water is a priority for every family. You want to ensure the water you drink does not pose any health risks.
You do not want contaminated water getting into your food. You do not want utensils and clothes to spoil because of poor water quality. These are all understandable concerns.
A water purifier is an answer that can ease your concerns. The purifier is designed to remove contaminants and provide clean water. Further, it enhances the taste of the water and eliminates the odor that emanates from the pollutants.
Several water filters are available in the market, catering to the unique needs of every home. For example, there are filters that you can place on your countertop, under the sink, or attach to your existing plumbing.
So, how do you select a water purifier that works efficiently and meets your budget and space requirements? Let us look at factors that can help you decide.
How to Select the Right Water Purifier for Home?
Before going water purifier shopping, you need to understand your requirements. Please do not buy a water purifier because it works for your friends or family.
Here are factors that can help you know your requirement and choose a water purifier accordingly.
- Water Quality
There is no single water purifier that is a universal solution. For example, water can contain different types of contaminants. Sediments, lead, copper, fluoride, sodium, chlorine, bacteria, and parasites could contaminate your water supply.
It is not possible for a single water purifier to deal with all these contaminants. Thus, you should first assess the water quality.
You can visit the local government office to get a water report or use a water test kit available at home improvement shops. The results will tell you what type of water purifier you should buy.
- Water Consumption
Why do you need a water purifier? For example, the purifier can be used to get a supply of clean drinking water. Or, in cases where the water is ‘hard,’ you will need purifiers that can be attached to faucets or can be filtered at the source.
Depending on your requirement, calculate your total water consumption. This information is needed as some water purifiers have a slow output rate while others can be fast.
- Water Filter Types
Some of the primary types of water purifiers available in the market are:
- Water filter pitchers
- Faucet mounted
- Faucet integrated
- Refrigerator filter
- Countertop
- Under-sink
- Whole-house
If you require clean drinking water, you can opt for a water filter pitcher. You have to fill the pitcher that has a built-in filter. The filtering process can be slow, so it is not ideal for other applications around the house.
The same goes for refrigerator filters. They come built-in with the refrigerator and are ideal for applications like drinking water and making ice.
On the other hand, a faucet integrated with filters can provide filtering and good output speed. Then, you simply turn on the faucet and use the water for drinking, cooking, your humidifier, and other purposes.
Under-sink filters are another type that can efficiently filter large amounts of water. They do not take up any precious counter space and can be placed neatly under the sink. These filters can be expensive upfront but are low maintenance and durable.
- Treatment Type
All water purifiers come with a certification. The certificate will tell you precisely what the water purifier will protect you from. In the beginning, we asked you to test the water quality; this is why.
For example, if you receive ‘hard’ water, you should look at filters that use the ion exchange unit mechanism for filtration. This treatment mechanism can help remove contaminants like magnesium, calcium, fluoride, and radium.
Other treatment mechanisms like mechanical, activated carbon, reverse osmosis, sequestration, and distillation units are available.
- Budget
There are two aspects to budget when you have to choose the affordable filter. One is the upfront cost of the water purifier, installation, and plumbing charges. The second is the maintenance costs.
So, here is the deal – water filter pitchers aren’t costly, as you may have thought, and they require no installation. However, the filter needs replacement once in a couple of months.
On the other hand, under-sink filters can be expensive upfront. In addition, you may have to make plumbing changes and get an expert for installation. But these filters offer better capacity and speed and must be replaced once in six months.
Summary
The right water purifier for your home depends on your unique requirement. Start with testing the water quality and calculating water consumption.
Given the certain types of contaminants, the filters can perform up to their capacity, output time, and installation and maintenance costs. These factors can benefit you invest in the right purifier for your family.
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Are you looking for a water purifier? Let us explore five factors to help you select the right water purifier for your home.
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