Reverse osmosis units are usually more costly than ion-exchange water softeners, but much cheaper than distillers. Refrigerator water filters are a very convenient and economical way to get filtered water. The cost of installing a whole-house water filter depends on whether you plan to install the filter system yourself or if you leave the job to an expert. No filter system eliminates all contaminants, so you need to understand what's in your water, your budget, and what you want your filter to achieve.
If you don't want the expense and hassle of having a whole house water filter system, but still want cleaner drinking water, it's much easier and less expensive to use a point-of-use filter system. A whole-house water filtration system will filter water as it reaches your home, guaranteeing that all the water in your home is fully filtered and pure. You'll shower with filtered water, drink it, use it for your clothes, and even clean the dishes with filtered water. If reverse osmosis is equipped with a second carbon filter, the treated water is sent to a storage tank where it passes through a second activated carbon filter to further improve the taste and smell of the water.
I strongly suggest that you only install the filter yourself if you are a DIY expert and choose a whole house filter system with clear installation instructions, guides and videos (not all products have an easy to understand user manual). That's why most people choose to install a reverse osmosis filter as a point-of-use faucet water filter, rather than a point-of-entry filter for the entire house. However, they require regular filter changes and can only filter relatively small amounts of water. This price may be slightly offset by bottled water that you no longer need to buy, but there's no doubt that a whole house filter system will cost you much more than a filter for under the sink.
A whole-house water filter system, also known as a point-of-entry (POE) filter, filters water from the main entry point to your home. While you can opt for a small filter pitcher, a filter system under the sink or for the whole house provides much more convenience by allowing you to draw clean, filtered water directly from the faucet. Countertop water filters are significantly larger than pitcher filters, allowing you to filter more water in a shorter period. Depending on the quality of the filter and the contaminants you want to avoid, you may still need an additional POE water filter to remove other particles.
The capacity of a whole-house water filter is the number of gallons of water that can be filtered before the medium needs to be replaced. One of the reasons prices can vary so dramatically on whole house filter systems is that there are several different types of filters you can use. When considering purchasing a whole house filtration system, it's important to understand what type of contaminants are present in your home's water supply and how much they cost to remove. You should also consider how often you'll need to replace filters and how much maintenance is required for each type of system. Additionally, consider how much space is available for installation and whether or not you'll need professional help.
