What Makes a Good RO System?
Functionality
A good RO system is more than just the brand name. It boils down to functionality. Is it for domestic purification or do you need it for commercial purposes? How well does it purify your water? A good filtration system gives you at least 99 percent purity. Filtration is done in various stages, which determines the final product.
Certification
Any good filtration system should be certified by FDA to ensure that it meets the required standards. The organization only certifies systems that deliver what the manufacturer promises. Additional certification by NSF ensures that products from your filtration system are deemed for consumption. A Gold Seal from Water Quality Association also says your RO system complies with the allowed decibels.
Maintenance
RO filtration systems need some work from time to time. Like any machinery, it will need maintenance to purify your water to the high percentages you require. The ideal RO system is easy to maintain and does not cost you a fortune to keep it working at its best.
Generally, Pre-filters should be changed every 6 to 12 month to remain effective
new article. The membrane will go for 2 to 3 years depending on the type. As for carbon filters, 12 months would do. An annual sanitizing process for the entire system will keep it productive for longer. A well-maintained RO system lasts 10-15 years.
System Installation
We might not all be super handy, or have a lot of time on our hands to put together a system, but a good RO filter should give you the option should you prefer that. You can always pay someone to install it in your home or business, but it should be possible to do it by yourself.
Filters are a great deal in an RO system, as they do all the work, and so it would be ideal to get a system whose filter can be replaced with little effort. Pro Tip: US made systems are best as you can get your spare parts (such as filters) quickly should you need to replace them.
Productivity
You are certainly interested in knowing how many gallons of water a typical reverse osmosis water system can produce in a day. It all depends on the size of it since an industrial make will filter more amounts than a domestic one. An under-the-counter 12In diameter, 15In tall kind will generate 10-75 gallons a day.
Why Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse osmosis is not your common filtration process. To explicitly talk about RO, we have to talk about osmosis. The process oversees the movement of a less saline liquid into a more concentrated liquid naturally, without any pressure. Reverse osmosis is exactly the opposite of this. Think about water and its penetration into the soil. That is probably the best way to explain RO.
RO removes unwanted impurities from water, through a semi-permeable membrane. Unlike osmosis, the process is not naturally occurring, and so the pressure has to be applied.
It would surprise you to note the amounts of impurities there are in your seemingly clean water, and so this filtration process takes it through several stages to capture the smallest of soluble solvents. Your final product is not only pure but also distinctive tasting and oxygenated.
Undisputed Benefits of RO
Good For Your Health
Contaminated water is a health hazard. As much as dehydration is not good for you, drinking water loaded with dissolved salts, metals such as lead, and other substances is equally bad, if not worse. RO filtration rids your water of lead, which can result in anemia in children. It can also lead to hypertension, infertility, and even interfere with nerve development.
Disease-Free
Regular tap water contains contaminants that can cause gastrointestinal problems. Filtering you drinking and cooking water using RO filtration, you reduce the chances of these diseases by up to 23 percent. It is especially beneficial to little children with their young and developing immune systems. Additionally, cancer patients who suffer from weakened immune systems need correctly filtered water to keep them safe from possible infections.
Parasite-Free
Cryptosporidium is a small parasite that affects small intestines and causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. You find it in contaminated water. Thanks to the semi-permeable membrane used in RO, water filtered through this method is free of this notorious parasite.
Prevents Cancer
Long-term consumption of chlorinated water could lead to bladder cancer, according to a WHO report. Your regular tap water potentially has some level of chlorine, just enough to make it look clean. That seemingly harmless amount could bring you health complications if you consume or use it for long. Having a whole house reverse osmosis system will certainly prevent that from happening.
Stages Of Reverse Osmosis Filtration
There are mostly five stages of filtration through RO.
- Stage One: Sediments such as clay, silt, and small stones are separated from the water through a 5-micron filter to prevent them from damaging the membrane. These invisible particles are suspended in the micron.
- Stage Two: Chlorine goes through stage one, but not through two. Here, chlorine and its by-products are filtered through the carbon filter.
- Stage Three: At this point, your water is almost clean. However, there are microscopic substances that will pass through the carbon filter. They are removed at this point, as the third stage involves passing the water through intense pressure. After this, more than 90 percent of impurities will have been removed.
- Stage Four: This is a crucial stage where the heavy metals and radioactive metals that survive the third stage are removed through the osmotic membrane. Only water membranes can go through this membrane. The impurities are drained out of the system too, and clean water separated from the waste.
- Stage Five: This is the last step in reverse osmosis filtration, where the unpleasant odor and other remaining and unwanted sediments are completely removed through the carbon post-filter. The clean water comes out through the reverse osmosis faucet, completing the process.
Some RO processes end at stage four, which is also okay since about 98 percent of the impurities will have been removed.
Where is RO used?
This filtration process is the preferred method of water purification for most commercial bottlers. If you look at the water bottle next time you buy some, check the label to see whether RO was used to filter the product. Municipalities have used these methods for eons and still do. Companies that deal in bottled water that you buy religiously also use this filtration method.
Save Some Bucks, Filter Your Own
With your own RO system, you could save that money for other essentials. Most RO systems are surprisingly small and noiseless, so you will not hear them as they gurgle under the sink. They also do not use electricity if they are residential, and if they do, it is minimal. The industrial kind utilizes power, as the pipes that transport the waste water, as well as clean water, need powering.
Other users include large-scale purifiers who use this process to soften hard water for processes such as aquariums and car wash businesses. They mostly end the process a stage three, where the water is already free of crucial contaminants. However, water for drinking and cooking as to go beyond this point, and preferably to the fifth stage.
What Gives Us The Edge?
Our reviews will look at the different makes of RO filtration systems on the market, break them down, and offer you insight that others may neglect. Additionally, we look into the products that come out of these systems and give an unbiased view of each of them. We solely base this on our extensive experience and interaction with various RO systems.