Many households are concerned about chemicals in tap water, frustrated with difficult to remove hard mineral deposits, or simply tired of buying expensive bottled water. If this applies to you then investing in a home water treatment system can be an incredibly smart decision.
But how much does water treatment cost, are the benefits really worth it and what type of water filtration system is best for your family’s needs?
Benefits of Home Water Treatment Systems
Every day, you use your home’s water for things like drinking, cooking, bathing and washing clothes. A water filtration system can provide your family with many advantages. Water safety is one of the primary benefits of a water treatment system.
Whether you get your water from your municipality’s water supply or your own well, it likely contains potentially harmful chemicals and minerals, from chlorine and fluoride to lead. Water treatment systems can remove these impurities leaving water safer for your health. As an added bonus, water that is free of these chemicals also tastes better.
With a whole home filtration system, the benefits can go even further. Removing heavy metals, chlorine and other chemicals from your water makes it less likely to aggravate skin conditions when bathing. Filtering the water you use to wash yourself and your clothes also help soften it, reducing deposits left behind by water hardened with impurities.
Lastly, a water filtration system can potentially save your family money. Aside from the obvious savings on bottled water, a whole home water treatment system can reduce home repair bills by removing minerals and chemicals that can build up, damaging pipes and appliances.
Now that you understand the benefits of home water filtration, let’s take a look at your water treatment investment options.
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3 Home Water Treatment System Types & Cost
When choosing a water treatment system for your home, you have several options, each with its own pros and cons.
Carafe and Faucet-Mounted Filters
The most basic type of home water treatment options include carafe and faucet-mounted filters. These are best-suited for renters who cannot make significant changes to their home, and homeowners who only need limited amounts of filtered water for drinking.
Both carafe and faucet-mounted filters are easily portable and require little to no installation. However, carafe filters work slowly and can only treat small volumes of water at a time, making them impractical for larger households or for filtering water for cooking. Faucet-mounted filters can process more water, but they do significantly reduce water pressure at the tap and may not work with all faucet types.
Although they may have limited functionality in comparison to other home water treatment options, carafe and faucet-mounted filters are affordable, with highly-rated options available between $25 and $50.
Under-Sink Filtration Systems
This type of system attaches directly to your home’s plumbing underneath the sink and offers a number of advantages over carafe and faucet-mounted options. Generally, the filtration offered by under-sink water treatment systems is greater and blocks more toxins and sediment from water that comes out of your tap.
The system’s location underneath the sink can also free up space without sacrificing water pressure as with faucet-mounted options. However, the reverse osmosis technology that most under-sink filtration systems use to treat water results in significant water waste, and these systems typically require professional installation as well as regular ongoing maintenance to keep them up-and-running.
The price of under-sink water treatment systems vary. Single-stage options can cost as little as $150, while under-sink systems that employ multiple water purification stages with UV decontamination can easily cost as much as $1,000.
Whole Home Treatment Systems
If you desire water filtration from every faucet and showerhead, not just the kitchen sink, a whole home water treatment system offers your solution. Such systems filter every drop of water that enters your home, allowing you to enjoy contaminant-free water in every room with no inconvenience.
Whole home filtration systems are designed to filter many gallons of water quickly and continuously, eliminating the need to store purified water. Like under-sink systems, whole home options do need to be installed by a professional and regularly maintained for optimal performance.
Including installation, whole home water treatment systems come at a wide range of price points. Systems start around $400 and can go up to $10,000 for more complex and complete options.
Choosing a Water Treatment System
With the variety of options available, choosing the right water treatment system can be challenging. Here are some factors that will help you decide on the best water filtration for your home.
Identify Contaminants
Oftentimes, the best first step is figuring out exactly what contaminants are present in your home’s water. Some chemicals such as sulfur are harmless and easy to remove, while others like lead can be toxic and may need more effective filtration to safeguard your family’s health.
Home water analysis test kits cost around $30 and can provide you with key information to help guide your choice.
Determine Water Filtration Needs
How much filtered water your family needs (or wants) and for what applications will also help dictate which system is right for you. For example, only a whole-home water treatment system can provide your kitchen sink, bathroom showerhead and washing machine hook-up with filtered water at the same time.
Investing in a Water Treatment System
Learning more about your home’s water filtration needs, and knowing your budget for water treatment are the foundation to selecting the right system. Whichever system you choose, your family will soon realize that the benefits of having filtered water in your home are worth every penny.
Let the experienced technicians at Robinson’s Plumbing help you decide what water treatment system is best for your family’s needs.
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