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Water is one of the most essential resources in our lives. We rely on it for various daily activities, such as cooking, drinking, cleaning, etc. However, the quality of the water we use can differ based on location, and even municipal water can contain impurities that can impact our health and well-being. Filtration systems can help solve this problem. These systems use various physical, chemical, or biological processes to eliminate contaminants from the water.

One of the main benefits of a water filtration system is that it can improve the taste and odor of water, making it more enjoyable to drink. Filtration systems can also reduce exposure to contaminants that can have adverse health effects, such as chlorine, lead, and pesticides. Using a filtration system can be cost-effective in the long run, reducing reliance on bottled water, which can be expensive and contribute to plastic waste. Furthermore, filtration systems can help in environmental conservation by reducing plastic waste and the environmental impact of bottled water production.

Water filtration systems are an essential investment for any homeowner who wants to enjoy clean, safe, and great-tasting water. Understanding their benefits and the different types available can help you make an informed decision when choosing a filtration system. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth can help you choose the right system and install it in your home, providing you and your family with the peace of mind that comes with clean water.

What are Filtration Systems?

Water filtration systems are devices that remove contaminants and various impurities from water. They are typically installed at the point of use, such as under the sink or at the main water line coming into the house. There are multiple types of filtration systems available, including reverse osmosis systems, distillation systems, and carbon filters.

Carbon filters are the most common type of filtration system. They work by adsorbing impurities onto the surface of the carbon filter. Reverse osmosis systems filter out various impurities using a membrane, while distillation systems boil water and collect the resulting steam, which is then condensed and collected as purified water.

How Do Filtration Systems Work?

Water filtration systems work by removing impurities and contaminants from the water. This can be done through various methods, including adsorption, filtration, and distillation.

Activated carbon filters work by adsorbing impurities onto the surface of the carbon filter. As water passes through the filter, impurities such as chlorine, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are attracted to the carbon and held there. This results in cleaner, better-tasting water.

Reverse osmosis systems use a membrane to filter out impurities. The membrane has tiny pores that are small enough to block impurities such as bacteria, viruses, and minerals. Water is forced through the membrane under pressure, and the purified water is collected on one side while the impurities are left on the other.

Distillation systems boil water and collect the resulting steam. The steam is then condensed and collected as purified water. This process removes impurities such as minerals, bacteria, and viruses, leaving behind only pure water.

What are the Benefits of Filtration Systems?

Water filtration systems provide a range of benefits that make them a worthwhile investment for any homeowner. In this section, we’ll discuss some top benefits of filtration systems, including improved taste and odor, reduced exposure to contaminants, cost-effectiveness, and environmental benefits. Understanding these benefits can help you make an informed decision about whether a filtration system is suitable for you and your family.

Filtration systems offer several benefits, including:

• Improved taste and odor: Filtration systems can improve the taste and odor of your water by removing impurities that can cause unpleasant tastes and odors.
• Reduced exposure to contaminants: Filtration systems can reduce exposure to contaminants such as chlorine, lead, and pesticides, which can have adverse health effects.
• Cost-effective: Filtration systems can be a cost-effective alternative to bottled water, which can be expensive and contribute to plastic waste.
• Environmental benefits: By reducing your reliance on bottled water, filtration systems can help reduce plastic waste and the environmental impact of bottled water production.

A filtration system can provide numerous benefits for you and your family. Not only can it improve the taste and odor of your water, but it can also reduce your exposure to harmful contaminants, save you money, and benefit the environment. By understanding these benefits, you can make an informed decision about whether a filtration system is right for your home. With the help of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth, you can choose and install the perfect water filtration system that supports your unique needs and, ultimately, enjoy the benefits of clean, great-tasting water.

Is a Filtration System Right for You?

If you’re concerned about the quality of your water, a water filtration system may be right for you. Filtration systems can provide clean, great-tasting water, reduce contaminant exposure, and offer cost and environmental benefits.

When choosing a filtration system, it’s essential to consider your specific needs and the quality of your water. You may want to have your water tested to determine what impurities are present and what type of filtration system best suits your needs.

If you’re interested in learning more about filtration systems or would like to have your water tested, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth. Our team of experts can help you choose the right water filtration system for your needs and provide installation and maintenance services to ensure your system works properly. Contact us today to learn more!

Systems that filter water offer numerous benefits, including improved taste and odor, reduced exposure to contaminants, cost-effectiveness, and environmental benefits. With various types of filtration systems available, it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs and the quality of your water. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth can help you choose and install the right filtration system for your home, providing clean, great-tasting water that’s safe for you and your family. Don’t hesitate to connect with us and learn more about filtration systems, including how we can help you enjoy their benefits.

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Water Filtration Systems Make Your Drinking Water Safer

Many people wonder if investing in home water filtering devices and systems is worth it. Aren’t the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) good enough? The simple fact is that contaminants and pollutants do get into the water, and there are many watchdog groups and environmental non-profits that believe the EPA’s standards don’t go nearly far enough. Once you know what’s been found in drinking water, you might want to increase your protection and start filtering your water too. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth can advise you about the best water filter systems for your household’s needs and budget. We offer a full spectrum of plumbing solutions. Customers throughout the region trust us for our experience and expertise.

What Do Water Filtering Devices / Systems Do?

There are different types of water filtration systems. Some are simple devices that you can attach to a sink faucet. There are also whole-home systems that filter all the water coming into your house. Not all devices and systems might filter the contaminants you most want to keep out of your water. Some systems are better at filtering bacteria than others, for instance.

To determine what type of system is right for your home, it’s helpful to consult with a plumber from our team. Generally, it’s a good idea to have your water tested. That way, you can assess its quality. Keep in mind that the quality of your water isn’t just defined by a report from the water utility. They test water at the reservoir. But what about your pipes? Could corrosion from your own plumbing system impact the quality of your water?

When you test your home’s drinking water, you’ll be able to get a clear picture of the contaminants found in the water. Then, you can shop for water filtration systems that are best suited to your needs as well as your budget.

What’s in the Water?

Most customers have seen scary headlines about the quality of drinking water in other states and cities. Overall, our area of Texas has had good luck with our drinking water, but that doesn’t mean that ‘scary’ levels of contaminants haven’t been found. For instance, recent headlines reported that high levels of a pharmaceutical drug prescribed to treat anxiety were found in regional water supplies. By filtering your water, you can add a layer of protection to your home’s water supply–or at least the water you drink.

Although the EPA provides federal mandates stipulating the safe levels of contaminants/pollutants allowed in the water, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with these elements. Knowing what winds up in water might persuade you to begin shopping for water filtering systems.

Arsenic

Arsenic is a toxic substance, and it has been prevalent enough in the water for the EPA to set a standard regarding allowable trace amounts. In 1996, the EPA reduced the allowable level of arsenic from 50 ppb (parts per billion) to 10 parts per billion. Knowing that arsenic can cause cancer might make you want to filter your water so that even fewer parts per billion wind up in your drinking glass.

Radium

Radium is a radioactive element. In recent years, the media reported that Texas topped the list for the highest levels of radium in regional water supplies. According to the national nonprofit environmental group Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than 3,500 Texas utilities (serving roughly 22 million people) found detectable levels of this radioactive element in water supplies. Radium poses a cancer risk, but just how much depends on how much radium is ingested over time.

Nitrates

Nitrates occur in water, and not only can they increase risks for some cancers, they can also cause birth defects, thyroid disease, and respiratory problems. According to Texas A&M University, drinking water is associated with roughly 5-10% of the nitrates people consume. To safeguard health, the more nitrates you can reduce in your diet, the better. Nitrates occur in foods, too. If you are concerned about this contaminant, you’ll want to shop for water filtration systems like reverse osmosis systems that are known to filter nitrates effectively.

Lead

Frankly speaking, there is no safe level of lead that should be consumed. Lead can leach into water from older pipes. By testing the water from your own tap, you can determine if and what amount of lead is winding its way into your water. Lead can produce neurotoxic effects and organ impairment.

Copper

High levels of copper can cause negative health effects that include vomiting and even kidney and liver damage. Does your water have a metallic taste? If so, it’s important to have it tested. Many people have copper plumbing systems, and while copper is an excellent material used to make long-lasting pipes, it will deteriorate as will any material. If your plumbing system is older, you might want to have your water filtered to reduce copper exposure. You may also want to consult with us about replacing aging pipes.

Bromate

Bromate is a contaminant that has been found in area drinking water supplies. Although the levels of bromate have been deemed safe by the EPA, they have not been determined as safe by groups like EWG. Bromate is associated with cancer risks. People who ingest large amounts of bromate will likely experience gastrointestinal complaints like nausea and vomiting. Exposure to bromate over an extended period is linked to kidney cancers.

Haloacetic Acids

Extended exposure to haloacetic acids increases the risk for cancers like colon cancer. As with many chemicals found in water, small exposure is not considered unsafe, but consider how much water you ingest from your tap each week, month, year? Chemical exposure over the years can increase the risks for adverse health effects. Remember, too, that adverse effects aren’t limited to ingested water. Many people experience skin irritation from water contaminated with haloacetic acids.

Trihalomethanes

Trihalomethanes occur in water as a result of water treatment processes. In fact, they can occur naturally in reservoirs as plant life deteriorates. Even so, the EPA sets the legal allowable limit of trihalomethanes at 80 ppb. In nearby Fort Worth’s water supply, the level recently tested at 11 ppb. According to EWG, the safe level should be set at 0.15 ppb. Regardless, the more you can reduce your intake of contaminants such as trihalomethanes, the better for your health. These chemicals, which include chloroform, can cause adverse health effects to the heart, kidney, respiratory system, and more.

Dichloroacetic Acid

This contaminant, which can also occur because of water treatment processes, is associated with increased cancer risks and pregnancy complications. More than 4 ppb of this contaminant has been found in area water supplies.

Chloramine

Many area cities use chloramine (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) to disinfect water supplies. You might find, as many do, that this negatively impacts the taste of water. You might want to invest in water filtration systems simply to improve the taste of your drinking water.

Fluorides

The allowance of fluorides in water supplies remains a controversial issue. While the EPA has set guidelines regarding safe amounts, many groups believe the legal limit remains too high. Fluorides are known to cause joint stiffness and other health issues even though they’re known to enhance dental health–at low limits.

Bacteria

Although water coming from your tap is treated, dangerous and potentially deadly bacteria like E.coli and legionella could slip through. How? If the sewer system is overrun, for instance, bacteria and viruses can get into the supply. If you’ve ever experienced a water boil order in town, you know that issues like these can arise. To improve the safety of your water and filter out these contaminants, you should shop for water filtration systems that are good at filtering out bacteria and viruses.

Remember that these are just a handful of the contaminants and pollutants in water supplies. People with wells may also be exposed to many other chemicals, including industrial chemicals and pesticides used for agriculture. Monitor headlines to be aware of the contaminants that can wind up in water supplies. You may also want to check the water reports from your utility routinely. Utilities must report water quality reports. Check the contaminant levels against the EPA standards and standards recommended by EWG.

What Types of Water Filtering Devices and Systems are Available?

There are many types of water filtration systems available for residential property owners today. First, you’ll need to decide if you want to filter your drinking water or all of your water, including the water you bathe with, wash dishes with, or wash laundry with. Our plumbers can advise you about the various water filtration systems we sell and install.

Here’s an overview of some of the most popular water filtration systems used today:

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is a popular type of home water filtering systems. These systems force your water to flow through a membrane. The membrane filters contaminants while allowing clean water to flow through. Reverse osmosis membranes to an excellent job of filtering things like metals and parasites. They do need to have their membrane changed annually, and they tend to be more costly than some other water filtration systems. When considering cost, try to determine how much bottled water you buy. With a home water filtering system, you can eliminate the costs of bottled water, which often results in annual cost savings when it comes to water.

Ion Exchange Filters

These water filtering systems are known for good filtering, but not so much when filtering bacteria and viruses. They are great for filtering heavy metals and hard water minerals. If you have a hard water problem, you might consider this type of system.

Ceramic Filter

There are several pros of ceramic filters; they are inexpensive, don’t need electricity to operate, and they’re relatively easy to install. While they will filter many contaminants in the water, they’re not great at filtering viruses and bacteria unless you have them treated with silver.

Carbon Filters

Carbon filters are a popular inexpensive option. These are often the types of filters attached to sink faucets. They absorb contaminants like minerals, preventing them from winding up in your water glass. They are not very good at filtering organic materials like bacteria.

Where are Water Filtering Systems Installed?

The site of installation of your water filtering device or system depends on what type you select. For instance, you may attach a device to your sink faucet. This means that only the water flowing from that faucet is filtered. The rest of your home’s water will not be filtered. Some systems are under-counter installed. They usually feature two faucets in the kitchen. You’ll see your regular faucet that can be used for washing dishes, but there’s an additional faucet, usually smaller, that you use for drinking water. The drinking water faucet is, of course, filtered.

Finally, there are also whole-house filtering systems. These filter water as it comes into the house. That means all the water is filtered, including water used to bathe, launder clothing, and wash dishes. Water flowing from every faucet will be filtered. These are more robust filtering systems that do a great job of filtering out the contaminants discussed above. They’re more expensive than single-source filtering devices, but they are well worth the cost for many customers.

Get in touch with us to learn more about water filtering systems and to explore our options.

We sell, install, and maintain water filtering systems for our customers. If you’re interested, be sure to contact us to learn more. We also offer a complete lineup of professional plumbing services. Trust Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth to maintain your plumbing system or to complete repairs with the expertise we’re known for.

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