Understanding Water Filters: How They Work and Why You Need One

When we think of health, we often think about the types of food we eat or the amount of exercise we get daily. Even though we can focus on these factors to keep our bodies in shape, it is also important to understand another factor that impacts our overall state of health every single day: water. The quality of your water directly affects the kinds of minerals, chemicals, and substances exposed to our delicate bodies. Water is an essential part of the human diet, and if it is contaminated, it can affect the entire body for the worse.

To reduce and eliminate the detrimental effects of these toxins, water filters have been used daily to improve the quality of life within every willing household. In this guide, we will describe different choices of water filters and their purposes to help guide you in the right direction for your personal household needs.

Water Filters

Shopping for water filters isn’t typically the most riveting activity on your to-do list, especially when you don’t know where to start. Many homeowners may buy the wrong system or purchase the correct mechanism yet struggle to install it, prolonging the detrimental effects of the contaminated water longer than they hoped. This is why NH Tap offers a water test to the residents of New Hampshire. With this test, a NH Tap professional will provide information on your water’s specific issues and insight into your options and their costs. Below, we have provided details for each option you must consider after your consultation.

Note: While they all have different purposes, the one thing they have shared is their professional installation and NH Tap warranty policies. NH Tap’s mission is to provide the best service to keep your filters running for as long as possible.

Basic Filters

Public water filter

While the name implies that this filter may be in a public building, public water filters are placed inside residential houses. If your home is supplied with city water, you may find your water with

more chlorine than usual. This is because the city’s water treatment plant uses chlorine to disinfect the water from waterborne viruses. However, while it can effectively kill harmful bacteria, chlorine is also a possible threat to human health in large amounts, especially in hot vapor form within the shower and bath. There is also no telling what other chemicals may find their way into the water before they reach your water supply.

After your public water test, you may be directed to the NH Tap Mainframe Whole House Water Filtration System. When water enters the system, contaminants are trapped and held back from the flowing water in a three-step process. After the toxins are captured, the water can be accessed from all points of your home, whether it is your kitchen sink, dishwasher, or washing machine.

Well water filter

Some homeowners may source their water from a well, which is quite different from what others may expect from city water. Instead of chlorine, your well water needs to be treated for minerals like iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide gasses, Arsenic 3 and Arsenic 5, and corrosive groundwater. For context, Arsenic can cause heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

If your well water test results show these issues, you should consider NH Tap’s Absolute Well Water Filter System. Like the Mainframe, the Absolute system separates harmful particles from the water by bonding them to the filter. Instead of a built-in three-step process, the well water filter is built with multiple filters. NH Tap’s Absolute gives whole-home well water treatment without harmful side effects.

Specialized Filters

PFAS filter

New Hampshire has quite a history with PFAS chemicals, so it would be in the best interest of all homeowners to consider purchasing and installing a specialized filter that combats these harmful “forever chemicals.” PFAS are artificial chemicals that cannot deteriorate naturally, meaning they can accumulate within your body as you drink more PFAS-contaminated water.

Health risks can include threats to your liver, kidney, and thyroid, among other conditions.

PFAS chemicals can be found nearly everywhere nowadays, so there is a good chance your PFAS water test will show higher levels of the contaminants. Your next step may be to install the NH Tap Pure PFAs Water Filter. Using active carbon to bond the harmful PFAs to the filter, NH Tap’s Pure removes the forever chemicals and sends the purified water to your household for your family’s use.

Reverse osmosis filter

Each New Hampshire resident has their preferences and needs for their water. While some need whole-home treatment, others may need their drinking water to be filtered. Reverse osmosis is often used to separate the water from contaminants using gravity. When water flows through the system’s porous membrane, harmful particles like arsenic, lead, and chlorine are left behind.

If you find yourself leaning toward installing a system that targets your drinking water, NH Tap offers a reverse osmosis system that not only includes a semipermeable membrane to sift the particles out of the water but also includes a sediment pre-filter, a carbon pre-filter, and a post-carbon filter. These parts work in tandem underneath your sink to ensure that your drinking water is the best it can be.

UV purifier

Otherwise known as ultraviolet light, UV light can be used to purify water differently than reverse osmosis and other filters. This is due to the target contaminant of UV purification: microorganisms. Exposure to UV light can eliminate bacteria, parasites, and even harmful viruses, thereby dismissing the threats of intestinal and respiratory issues.

If your water test returns positive for malicious bacteria, NH Tap’s Whole Home UV Purifier System is the best option. In a nutshell, water enters the system and is exposed to ultraviolet light. The light deactivates the bacteria’s harmful traits and frees your water from their potential diseases. One thing to note is your home’s specific flow rate; if your water runs too fast through your UV light system, your water may not be fully exposed, and therefore some bacteria or parasites can live. Ask a NH Tap professional for more information regarding your specific home situation.

Are water softeners considered filters?

The simple answer is “no,” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t helpful. Water softeners are used to combat the adverse effects of hard water. Hard water levels vary throughout the Granite State, affecting some more than others. If you have hard water, expect to find grimy stains in your sinks and extensive damage to your washing machine and dishwasher. NH Tap still recommends a water test to determine which kind of water softener you may need.

Why you need a water filter

The most important job of a homeowner is to take care of those living with them inside their house. Installing a water filter is not only the responsible thing but also the smart thing to do. If you research your land‘s water quality history and its water source, you can help determine what kind of filter you need and what types of contaminants you have already consumed. For example, houses with well water most need filtration due to the location of the water. Since it is a private stock of water, it is not purified by the city using chlorine, and it comes in contact with the ground and all of its harmful minerals, metals, and microorganisms. The smell of unfiltered well water may also become too pungent to bear once it enters the house. All in all, many factors go into well water that points to ordering a water filter.

Can’t you buy refrigerator filters, pitcher filters, and bottled water instead?

While these smaller options to water filters may seem more efficient, they are less effective than they seem to be. Refrigerator filters remove contaminants that impact the smell and taste of the water. Still, bacteria and other particles can often bypass the filter and enter your water cup. Pitcher water filters are known to remove more minerals and chemicals from the water, but the mechanism also often misses bacteria. Bottled water may seem like the safest bet, but it can be contaminated with chemicals because the company only treats it for taste. In this way, smaller filters and options for water often have gaps when it comes to complete water filtration.

Conclusion

NH Tap recognizes how hard New Hampshire homeowners work to keep their households running smoothly daily. Whether buying enough food for the whole family, maintaining the lawn and lush greenery, or repairing a damaged porch from a storm, we certainly have enough on our plates. The last thing busy families need is contaminated water to cause severe sickness. Understanding water filters can protect you and your loved ones only if you take the proper steps to understand your water quality and what kind of filtration you need.

Schedule a water test today and help secure your family’s health once and for all!