Everybody wants to drink good tasting water, but even more important, having pure water is vital to your health. That's why whole house water treatment is a hot topic. If you read the papers or surf the Internet you will easily learn how dangerous the water supply in many cities can be.
A way around this toxic water is to control the water filtration in your own home. As you may know, bottled water is also extremely inefficient, and can sometimes be of even lower quality than tap water. Still, tap water picks up contaminants on its way through the pipes to your house. But with proper water treatment equipment, municipal water can be made quite pure and safe.
First, you need to learn what THMs are and how they play a role in the filtration process. THMs are a byproduct of the chlorination process that most public drinking water systems use for disinfection. Chloroform is the primary THM that scientists are concerned about. Even the EPA does not allow public systems to have more than 100 parts per billion of THMs in treated water. However, some municipal systems have had difficulty in meeting this standard.
Second, make sure your system can filter water of the primary toxic culprits. Such bad boys of the water world includes: chlorine and chloramines, Volatile Organic Compounds (such as pesticides and herbicides), heavy metals like mercury, bacterial/viruses, and lastly fluoride.
Third, select a whole house water treatment system from a reliable manufacturer. When you're shopping around, ask the associate if the main filter unit can be easily replaced at least every three years. A dependable company will also offer you a complete guarantee and certification of their products.
Fourth, you need to know the details about installing water treatment equipment.
What many people do not realize is that most devices such as this need to be installed by a licensed plumber. Be sure and read the fine print when buying a system. They should come with all the installation instructions. But still many are hard to actually install and require assistance by a skilled professional.
After that, know what a system includes. The first important piece a system will include is the main filter unit. These will vary in size, but many companies are creating small to mid-sized units that are unobtrusive and still effective. The next items to look for are the pre-filter and installation kit. Also, make sure the pieces include a shut-off valve and the required hardware pieces.
Lastly, plan for the time it will take and the cost for the installation process. A whole house water treatment system normally takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours to install by a licensed plumber. Prices for plumbing services will vary from state to state but an average cost of $150 to $250 should be expected.
