Selecting the right water filter for your needs is a challenging exercise that needs careful study and research. There's always the risk that you'll purchase one that doesn't filter water adequately or safely enough for human consumption. With so many water filters available in the market, how do you choose the best one for you?

The secret to finding the right water filter for you is to know what you want your water filter to do for you. What aspect of your water quality are you aiming to change for the better? 

Understand the quality of your tap water to improve your chances of getting a reliable water filter that you can use regularly and for the long term.

What is Water Filtering?

Water filtering is a process that removes unwanted impurities from water. It's what ensures better quality water that's fit for consumption. 

We understand if you are unsure what water filter to purchase that works for you, as there are many options. Let's take a look at the best water filtration methods that are used by available water filtration systems in the market.

Common Water Filtration Methods

Activated Carbon & Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

Activated carbon is one of the most common water filtration methods. This method's usually integrated with another filtration method to maximize the benefits of activated carbon. It's typically used to remove agricultural chemicals, chlorine, chloroform, sediments, and magnesium, as well as other water-borne chemicals.

Most domestic filters in the market today filter water with granular activated carbon, reducing unwanted odours and tastes. Activated charcoal is made from a variety of substances, including wood and coconut shells. Of the two, coconut shells are more effective and thus more expensive.

Ion Exchange Filters & Deionization (DI)

Ion exchange is a process that swaps the magnesium and calcium ions found in water with sodium and hydrogen ions. It "softens" hard water.

However, it's important to remember that while ion-exchange filters remove hard water and radioactive materials, they're not much help in removing organic materials, particles, and bacteria.

The process is carried out by ion exchange resins which generally come in the form of tiny beads. Suppose you're looking for safe drinking water. In that case, you must look for a hydrogen-based ion exchange resin instead of a sodium-based one as the latter will increase water's salinity making it unsafe for consumption.

Distillation

Distillation is probably the oldest water filtration technique. It's not half as popular as other filtration techniques since the process is relatively longer.

The distillation process works by heating the water to its boiling point, capturing the steam, and condensing it to pure distilled water. The contaminants that are left are then discarded. The downside? You also lose essential minerals with the vaporizing and condensing process. 

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a highly effective water-purifying technique that removes a large percentage of contaminants from the water. It is often paired with activated carbon or sediment filters for optimum results. 

Reverse osmosis filters use water pressure to work by leaving the contaminants on one side of a semi-permeable membrane and fresh water on the other. This system uses no electricity but employs an excessive amount of water to work effectively.

The extra filters used in the process can make RO filters expensive, but if you're looking for a premium water filtration system, reverse osmosis may be what you're looking for.

Pressure Filtration

A pressure filter has a granular media bed that is enclosed in a cylindrical steel tank. Water is then pumped through the filter using pressure.

Pressure filter presses are used to separate safe water from liquid wastewater residuals, thereby producing a non-liquid material commonly referred to as a "cake." Dewatered cakes differ in inconsistency. 

While pressure filtration was initially used for large-scale operations like industrial applications and public swimming pools, it isn't generally used for municipal applications.

Importance of Water Filtration

Water is an essential and indispensable part of our lives. It's vital for our survival. In fact, we consume water more than any other substance on a daily basis. Since tap water isn't potable in many parts of the world, water filtration systems are crucial for filtering out bacteria and other harmful particles. 

Here are some ways in which water filtration systems increase the quality of life:

Keeps the Environment Safe and Clean

For most of us, drinking bottled water is the safest way to ensure we're drinking pure, uncontaminated water. However, the amount of plastic it generates puts a strain on the environment. 

Water filtration is an agreeable alternative since it encourages the repeated and recycled use of containers. It keeps plastic bottles out of landfills while giving us potable drinking water.

Minimizes the Risk of Cancer 

Filtered water is free from chlorine and chlorine by-products. Research has established that filtered water reduces the risk of certain cancers, including but not limited to colon cancer, bladder cancer, and rectal cancer.

Great Water Quality

Filtered water gives us access to clean water that's free from contaminants, pollutants, and chemicals. It also gives us water that tastes and smells good to make consumption easy. 

An excellent example is certain regions where tap water is considered drinkable but possesses an unpleasant taste and smell. In such cases, they still rely on water filtration systems to make drinking water more pleasant.

Removes Chlorine and Makes Water Potable

Chlorine or chloramine is usually added to municipal water to prevent microbiological contamination. They're both known to have strong chemical odours, which can make drinking water unpleasant to consume.

The chemicals that accompany municipally supplied tap water are known to cause skin irritation, liver and kidney damage and have carcinogenic effects. By removing chlorine and other chemicals from the water through filtration, water becomes safe for consumption.

Doesn't Damage Plants

Unfiltered water can harm the growth and health of your plants. If you notice the leaves on your plants becoming brown, it could be due to unfiltered water. Aside from this, your plants can sustain other types of damage that are detrimental to their health. If you want to make sure your plants are safe, use filtered water.

Ensuring Optimum pH Levels

Carbon water filters are designed to remove contaminants from the water while retaining essential healthy mineral deposits. This balances the pH level of drinking water.

Convenient to Use

A water filter is an effective means for drinking clean, safe water. It removes contaminants faster and more conveniently than older and more traditional methods of purification.

Drink Safer: Use the Right Water Filtration System for You

Water is a basic human right. However, we don't always have access to potable water. Even tap water has its fair share of contaminants and pollutants. 

These water filtration techniques have been effective in improving the quality of water we use and consume daily. We hope that the information in this article has sufficiently prepared you to choose a water filtration system that fits your needs.

If you want to learn more about filtration options, contact our friendly team at Argon to find the best solution for your application. To view all of the filtration products available at Argon, you can visit us in-store or online to find the perfect solution for you.