Confused about the different types of water filter for house or office use? Which water filter is a worthy investment? To help you figure it out, the following are 10 key points to follow when selecting the best water filter.
1) Is the Water Filter Certified?
Since we are drinking the filtered water, choosing a water filter which is certified by common certification bodies such as NSF/ANSI, FDA, WQA, IAMPO is paramount. These certification bodies ensure that manufacturers comply with safety requirements making the filtered water 100% safe to drink. BlueHeale recommends that at the very least, water filters must be certified safe according to NSF 42 requirements.
2) More Filter Cartridges are Not Definitely Better.
Usually, the higher the number of filters coincides to greater number of stages in the water filtration. However, this does not mean that more filters cartridges will guarantee better quality of water. In fact, the addition of too many filter cartridges are redundant and will cost more during replacement. Hence the optimal range for the number of cartridges present is not more 4 stages.
In the 4 stages of Filtration,
- Sediment Filtration, which is the removal of sand, silt, heavy metal from the water.
- Carbon Filtration, which is the removal of Chorine, Taste, Odor (CTO) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) like pesticides.
- Ultrafiltration, which is the removal of micro-organisms and bacteria.
- Water enhancement, which is the addition of hydrogen into the water, producing a high antioxidant alkaline water that can provide excellent health benefits.
3) Are there Maintenance Packages to Commit?
Some companies will sell maintenance packages together with the water filtration system for higher profits. When this happens, the consumer will be locked to the same company for a few years. This is problematic when the company closes down, and there is no protection for consumers.
4) Does Water Filter Systems have any Proprietary Parts that can only be bought from a Specific Supplier?
The typical warranty for water filter systems is one year and replacement parts are very costly. Some companies will mention that their parts are proprietary and if replaced to another part not provided by the company, all services and support by the company will cease. This will only leave customers with a non-functioning filtration system.
5) Can I Install the Water Filter if my Kitchen has Limited Space?
This should not be a worry given most kitchens come with a space below the sink. Under sink filtration system can be easily installed at this place which will free up counter top spaces.
6) Installation Worries?
There are no major hacking and drilling to the counter top involved and the installation of the filter system be done after renovation is completed. This is because the filtration systems only require a small hole to be drilled on the counter top for the water to be connected to the filtration system. This would mean that the tap only needs to be changed and filtered water can be dispensed, making such systems possible even in rental units!
7) Service Support from Water Filter Company?
It is always recommended to pay a little more to purchase water filters from reputable companies where the products are certified and parts are easily available on the market. It would be such a hassle to resolve problems stemming from a cheap and unreliable water filtration system laced with issues.
8) Is it Easy to Change the Water Filter Cartridges?
Does changing the cartridges require special tools and difficult to change? This is important as it is recommended that water filter cartridges are changed out every 12 months or less, depending on the usage and the number of family members in the household.
9) What is a Reasonable Cost for Water Filtration Systems?
For an average household of 4 family members, it is only reasonable that the cost for each person should be an estimated $1 or less per day. When calculated, this means, the price range for the filter system should not be more than 365 x 4 = $1400. However, there's many factors that determine the price. Please check with the professionals before making a decision.
10) I want the Cleanest Water. Is Reverse Osmosis (RO) better?
The water in Singapore is clean enough for direct consumption from the tap. Reverse osmosis is a method that can produce very clean water no doubt, however this method removes all minerals – good and bad at the same time. Furthermore a reverse osmosis machine takes up a lot of space, a luxury not afforded by many Singaporean households. Hence, reverse osmosis is not recommended in the Singapore context.