Did you have a glass of water today? Of course, you would have. Water is an essential element for survival. But how sure are you that the water you drink is pure enough for consumption? Well, you can never judge the purity of water from its color or odor. Even the water that looks crystal clear might be contaminated.
Of late, people have started installing water purifiers in their homes. One of the most popular purification systems in existence today is the whole house reverse osmosis system. Although, it might cost you some money, there’s nothing wrong in spending on things that’ll ensure the safety of your family.
What exactly is reverse osmosis?
Reverse osmosis, commonly called RO, is a simple process where the water is pushed through a semi-permeable membrane under high pressure. When the water comes out of the membrane it will get deionized or demineralized. This semi-permeable membrane will allow the water molecules to pass through it, but it’ll hold back most of the dissolved salts, bacteria, pyrogens, and other organics. However, this can’t be effectively done if you don’t apply enough pressure on the water that needs to be pushed through the membrane.
Reverse osmosis for in-house water purification
Water quality greatly varies from one water source to another, like well water, municipal water, or surface water. The water that you get from these sources might be contaminated with minerals and other organic materials. You can’t compromise on your health by drinking this untreated water. That’s where a whole house reverse osmosis system comes into use.
A reverse osmosis system is capable of removing almost all the impurities, like pesticides, fluorides, lead, salts, organics, and many other harmful materials. It’s the most effective and popular method of water purification. This can purify your drinking water to a great extent and make sure that you don’t end up consuming harmful components.
4 Stages of reverse osmosis water treatment
The modern RO system comes with a sediment pre-filter, which removes all the heavier particles in the water prior to the reverse osmosis treatment. The water is then subjected to reverse osmosis, and the resulting pure water is supplied for daily use. The reverse osmosis process occurs in the following stages:
- Sediment stage – This is the stage where the sediment pre-filter is put to use. It gets rid of the rough particles, like sand and dust, and allows only water and a few minerals to pass through it. Some particles, such as rust, calcium carbonate, and others also get picked up by this filter.
- Activated carbon stage – The actual semi-permeable membrane that’s used for reverse osmosis is a thin-film composite (TFC) membrane. Some particles, like chloride and other chemicals, will damage this TFC membrane. That’s why you’d need an activated carbon membrane to get rid of the chemicals in the water prior to reverse osmosis. Multiple activated carbon filters might be needed depending on the chemical contamination of the water.
- Reverse osmosis stage – This is the actual reverse osmosis stage where the water is pushed through the TFC membrane. It removes almost all harmful minerals from the water, and everything larger that the water molecule gets trapped here.
- Remineralization stage – The water that comes out after the reverse osmosis stage is highly pure. Some essential minerals, like calcium and magnesium, also get filtered during the RO process. During this remineralization stage some essential minerals are added to the water to maintain its pH balance.
These are the four main stages of whole house reverse osmosis system. The sediment and carbon filter has to be cleaned every 6 months, while the TFC filter can be replaced every 2-3 years. Depending on your individual preference and the water quality in your area, you can also install these additional features in your RO system:
An additional sediment and carbon filter – You can install multiple filters for trapping impurities during the initial stages of processing.
Optional UV filter – A UV filter can be added as a final stage to get rid of any small remnants of microorganisms and other harmful minerals.
The amazing benefits of installing a whole house RO system
- You get pure and healthy water
The multiple stages of purification involved in the reverse osmosis process makes sure that your water is highly pure. You don’t have to think twice before giving a glass of water to your infant. In fact, it’s highly safe and healthy to consume.
- Ultimately, it saves your money
If you’re buying gallons of pure water from the store, think about how much it would cost you in a year. You might not know, but in the end you would have spent a lot on it. But installing a RO system is a onetime investment. You enjoy continuous, undeterred water supply for your homes.
- Ease of access
A whole house reverse osmosis system means you get pure water whenever you want. You don’t have to get down to the kitchen each time to get water. Every single tap and shower in your house can supply pure water to you. You don’t have to worry about washing or taking a shower because the water you use will be in its purest form and safe for consumption.
- Environment and user-friendly
You get to save on the number of plastic water bottles and containers that are harmful to the environment. You also don’t have to struggle much to clean your drinking water. The reverse osmosis system itself will perform all the required filtering. It’s highly user-friendly, and all you need to do is open any tap and have a drink of pure water.
- No water wastage
Other water purifiers might cause some water wastage, but the whole house reverse osmosis system saves water to its maximum capability. With the increasing demand for water, you can’t afford to waste water on trivial things. Install RO water systems in your homes to reduce wastage and save water.
A reverse osmosis water filter is the ultimate solution to your water requirement. If you wish to enjoy undeterred, pure water supply for your entire house, install a RO system and start relishing healthy drinking water.
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