What is the Best Water Filter?

Steps for Making Sure You Make the Right Choice

Considering a water filtration system for a home can be a daunting task. One needs first to determine what is wrong with the present water supply. With contaminents being such a ubiquitous problem, it is not uncommon to be dissatisfied with water supplies, whether from wells or city systems. Then, following this assessment, the homeowner should investigate what the various systems promise in treating these problems.

Many inexpensive units simply remove particles from the water. In general, the more expensive a unit, the finer the particles it will filter out. The best water filter systems in this class use reverse osmosis technology, and claim to be able to remove microbes as small as a hundred thousandth of a millimeter in diameter.

Bacteria is another and often a more serious problem in water supplies. The best water filter systems deal with this, usually through ultra-violet light. If bacteria is a problem, a homeowner should not settle for a cheap filter system that only deals with sediment.

Naturally, the more a filter system promises, the more it will cost. But cost should not necessarily be the bottom line. Microbes can affect the taste, odor, and appearance of the water, as well as its safety. The best water filters provide the safest water. So to choose what is the right system, it is best that all sources of water used for drinking or cooking be tested. City water must meet a minimum standard for particulates. But well water also needs to be checked.

For some, cost is no object and only the best filter system will give them peace of mind. For others, simply running water through a Berkey filter is adequate for them to feel safe. Even water run through a filtering system should be tested. This is true because some water is so dangerous that even expensive systems cannot clean it sufficiently.

Odor in drinking water, often caused by excessive iron in the water, may or may not be a health threat. Simply filtering that water often will not remove that odor. Whether or not odor is a problem, an adequate filter will remove contaminants of .4 microns or more. However, the best water filters treat both sediment and bacterial threats.

Water softeners remove minerals in water that make it work poorly in cleaning. But softened water passing through a water filter may extend the life of the filter cartridge itself. What is the best water filter system? The answer to that can only be determined when the water is evaluated, and the minimum acceptable levels of contaminants is established.

One water filtration system has stood the test of time. Using a gravity filtration method, the Berkey water filter is able to filter out a much higher percentage of contaminants than filters where water pressure forces the contaminants through. Learn more about the amazing effectiveness of the berkey filter, including how they can filter up to 6000 gallons.