You need a Reverse Osmosis System
You need a reverse osmosis system for your home. Why because it will save you money over bottled water and because this is a system that you will use every day over and over again. Think about it, how many times do you go for a glass/bottle of water a day? How many times do you reach for ice cubes for your drink? How many times do you boil some water a month? Each one of these times is another opportunity to save money and improve the quality of your life.
What does a reverse osmosis system do?
A reverse osmosis system scrubs your water clean of particulates and chemicals. It delivers clean water to your home all without any work on your part. It uses no electricity or gas to make clean water. The only waste products from a clean osmosis system is water. The quality of the water is so clean that most of the time the total amount of particulates in your water will be far less than those of most bottled water. Think about it, water that is cleaner than the bottled water you have paid for.
Can I hear it working?
The reverse osmosis systems are quiet. You may hear a soft water sound as the wastewater flows from the membrane to the drain if you are standing near the sink.
Can the reverse osmosis system supply all my drinking water needs?
The system delivers a number of gallons per day. The limiting factor here is the membrane. Membranes are rated in gallons per day. I bought my system at a very low gallon per day(less than 10 gpd) rate. I “upgraded” the system to a higher rate simply by ordering a different rated membrane and the matching flow restrictor when it came time to replace the membrane. The membranes have the same physical dimensions so a replacement was super simple. If you were to install a 75 gallon a day system it could generate up to twenty-three cases of bottled water per day.
How does it clean the water?
A simple reverse osmosis system will clean out the larger particles first. This is accomplished with a sediment filter that will remove the large particles(sand, silt, and things like that) and protect the membrane.
After the sediment filter, a carbon filter will remove organic chemicals and remove chlorine as well as improve the taste and odor of your water.
The membrane is the workhorse of the system this is where things get really clean. The membrane strains the water of organics and contaminants. Any water passing through the membrane is almost pure.
Carbon filters after the membrane will further polish the water of any tastes or odors.
Other Parts of the system
Storage Tank
Reverse Osmosis Storage Tank at Amazon.com
A storage tank stores the cleaned water until you need it. It is usually under the sink.
An Independent Faucet
The tank delivers the clean water thru an independent faucet. The faucet is provided.
Drain Valve
A special drain “valve” to drain the wastewater. This valve prevents any water from the drain pipes back flowing into the reverse osmosis system.
System Location
Normally, the installed system is under the kitchen sink. Your refrigerator and or your ice machine can be connected to your system.
So lets Recap
The reverse osmosis systems connect to the cold water line, drain line, and has an independent faucet. A storage tank stores the clean water until it is needed. It is possible to connect the system to the refrigerator or ice machine with a simple tee connector and 1/4″ copper line(best material, but plastic can be used) run from the system to the fridge and or ice machine.
What kind of maintenance is required?
Water usage and household size are the determining factors. A reverse osmosis system can last for many years. My own system has worked for nearly twenty years. Filters should be changed at manufacturer recommended times. Generally, the carbon, sediment and final polishing filters are changed out every 12 months and the RO membrane filter is replaced every two years. These are general recommendations. Occasionally, the holding tank will need to be replaced. Reverse osmosis systems are very simple and easy to keep up.
Related Article: Additional Reverse Osmosis Articles
