My wife is pushing for one of these very expensive home water treatment/filtration systems, but it all feels like a scam to me. No one I know has one, so turning to random strangers on the internet for opinions.
Edit: We’re on city water in a decent area. No well water. It’s more about removing the chlorine and microplastics than anything.
Get a water test done first to see what it is you need to target. Not all filters are the same.
You might be fine with a simple 2-stage filter for the home, and an RO filter at your kitchen sink/fridge for your drinking water and ice cubes.
a proper water test from a reputable lab that tests for dangerous contaminants like lead, not just a TDS test.
Total Dissolved Solids tests are what the filter companies to scare you into buying their filter systems. They’ll take your tap water, put their TDS meter in it, go “Oh my god, look at how high it is! you need filtration immediately!” and try to sell you an overpriced system immediately.
You know whats dissolved in water? All the minerals and other crap that makes water good for you. Thats why a TDS meter spikes even in bottled water. But its an excellent scare trap for the uninformed by the predatory.
The problem with removing chlorine at the home water source is that you then have nothing preventing bacterial and fungal growth in your pipes and water faucets.
You just need an under sink carbon water filter for drinking or cooking water.
city water here.
I installed a modest three stage filter last year.
first stage is particulate, second stage is active carbon, third stage is UV.
we have aging pipes in the area so main breaks happen at least twice a year, not to mention the possibility of lead pipes.
no filter will get you to absolute zero, but the levels of harmful chemicals and biological matter that get through after a good filter will be negligible.
just because you trust your water today, doesn’t mean you can trust it tomorrow.
Get an under-sink RO system. 6 stage is the sweet spot imo.
Water went from 750 TDS to 40, and that’s with minerals readded with a mineral adding filter. Tastes as good or better than bottled water to me.
If you have hard water, it’s true that water softeners can help with other issues in the house (scaling of faucets, dishwasher cleaning I effectively), and possibly if your family has skin issues from showering in it. I thought about it but for simplicity, we’re foregoing for now.
I’ll second that opinion. RO filtered water basically is the same as overpriced bottled water, but you can have all you want at home anytime in your own glass
You have to be specific to answer properly. Where do you live (how is your water) and what treatment/filtration are you considering.
Lots of folks on well water have hard water, bad tasting, etc… Other may have lead, or other pollutants.
The truth of the matter is you should get your water tested at an independant lab. Based on the results, you can tailor a system to your needs, if any.
We’re on city water in a decent area. No well water. It’s more about removing the chlorine and microplastics than anything.
Without a test you wouldn’t know. Cities have lead, pfas, god knows what. Older areas of cities may still be using lead pipes.
Why is removing the chlorine important to your wife? Why does she think a filter won’t introduce more microplastics than it removes? Is the entire filter system plastic free? (The answer to that is "no. ")
We’re on city water in a decent area
Could you just answer where you roughly live? US, Europe, Antarctica, the moon?
If you’re in Europe your probably fine because of EU laws…
Put it together yourself and it’s cheap af. The whole system package is the scam.
The water in my house tastes like crap. We used to buy gallon jugs of water not for health reasons but because of the taste. I bought a reverse osmosis system and I love it.
It wastes water to cycle (less than most) but still not great and it takes cartridges, but to me it’s still with it. I mean is it better to waste water or put plastic jugs in the landfill? The cartridges last a long time. So to me, the scam is worth it. One of the best things I’ve ever bought.
Yes I’ve used them. They are worth it. What the EPA says is safe still has stuff you should probably remove.
Not to mention that treatment plants are not infallible.
I have a full reverse osmosis system at home. On city water. Installed it when my ice cubes melted and left some sandy sludge at the bottom of the glass. I use it to make crystal clear ice and to fill up the aquarium with safe water. Also, for drinking water in the spring when the water smells like dead fish for some reason.
We had a guy out who specialized in this stuff and he said to install the RO system to the fridge and a tap and leave the toilet water as it comes from the city. Installed it myself for cheap when the system went on closeout.
Get tests from your water company. Mine sends me yearly tests they do of the water (yes, how truthful are they, whos to know, but I think its a legal requirement to tell you how much aresenic content there is). Ours tests great and our water tatstes great right out of the tap. I would like a softener though for some stuff.
Get your water tested. That will tell you what’s in YOUR water - including the city treatment, city supply pipes, and even the pipes running into your home. Do your research based off the values you see in those results.
If you do thinks it’s worth getting a filter, install one in the kitchen. That’s where you get your drinking and cooking water from. Not much sense in buying a huge system to treat the water that goes into your shower or toilet or waters your garden.
Spends $2000 on a water system…shits in it.
If you are just worried about microplastics and chemicals you probably don’t need an expensive whole house system. You can buy a much cheaper system that you install to one faucet and use that faucet as your drinking/cooking water and not worry about treating the water that will be used to wash your clothes.
