Water Purifiers: A buying guide
Healthy Water at Home
Why should you filter your water? In addition to producing better-tasting water, water filtration can reduce the following contaminants that may be present in your family's drinking water.
- Bad odours caused by chlorine
- Cloudiness and discolouration caused by sediment and rust
- Lead, mercury and other metals
- Chemical contaminants (VOCs) that come from pesticides, dry cleaning solvents and other industrial sources
Elements reduced or removed are not necessarily present in your water system.
Choosing the Right Water Filtration System
Home Depot carries seven types of water filtration systems: household carbon, household UV, reverse osmosis, single/dual-stage carbon, refrigerator/icemaker carbon, faucet-mount carbon and carbon water filtration pitchers.
| Treatment |
Type |
Capacity |
Contaminants Removed |
| Carbon |
POU, POE |
Variable |
VOCs, pesticides, radon, some metals (lead, mercury), chlorine |
| Reverse Osmosis |
POU |
3 - 10 gallon/day |
Microorganisms, asbestos, fibres, metals, nitrate, some organics |
| UV Radiation |
POE |
Variable |
Microorganisms |
POU - Point of use (installed on tap, undersink, refrigerator water line or pitcher)
POE - Point of entry (installed on main water line)
Household Carbon
- Filters water at the main water supply
- Reduces: sediment, sand and rust
- Provides added protection for water-use appliances
- It is recommended that the household filtration system be installed on the main water line before your heater and softener.
Shop All Water Filters
Household UV
- Ideal for rural customers whose water supply is derived from a well
- Eliminates 99.99% of bacteria and viruses including chlorine-resistant cysts such as cryptosporidium and giardia
- Water is purified by passing through a watertight chamber containing an ultraviolet lamp
- Designed to be used with a household carbon filter (sold separately)
Shop All Water Filters
Reverse Osmosis
- Reduces: pentavalent arsenic, sulfate, tannis, chromium, cysts, cadmium, copper, lead, sodium, magnesium, chlorine (taste and odour), sediment and rust
- Water passes through two high-volume carbon filters and a semi-permeable membrane using the reverse flow of its natural pressure; this process separates the water from its dissolved impurities
- Reduces up to 99% of many common contaminants
Shop All Water Filters
Single Stage and Dual Stage Carbon
- Reduces: lead, mercury, atrazine, lindane, cysts, asbestos, turbidity, chlorine (taste and odour), sediment and rust - some filters are specifically designed to filter chlorine (taste and odour), sediment and rust only
- Single-stage is designed for families of three or less and dual-stage is designed for families of four or more
- Single-stage and dual-stage filtration systems are designed to be installed under your kitchen sink
- Filters should be replaced every six months
Shop All Water Filters
Refrigerator/Icemaker Carbon
- Reduces: lead, atrazine, lindane, cysts, turbidity, chlorine (taste and odour) and sediment - some filters are specifically designed to filter chlorine (taste and odour), sediment and rust only
- Can be installed on any brand of side-by-side or top-freezer refrigerator
- Built-in auto shut-off valve allows filter replacement without turning off water
- Designed for refrigerators without a built-in water filter, these easy-to-install inline filters connect directly to your refrigerator's water lines
- Filters should be replaced every 750 gallons (2,839 litres) or every six months
Shop All Water Filters
Faucet-Mount Carbon
- Faucet filtration systems reduce lead, cysts, chlorine (taste and odour) and sediment
- Filters should be changed every 3-4 months
Shop All Water Filters
Carbon Water Filtration Pitcher
- Water filtration pitchers reduce lead, copper, mercury and chlorine (taste and odour)
- Filters should be changed every 40 gallons (151 litres) or every two months
- These convenient filtration systems hold between 5 to 10 cups of water
Shop All Water Filters
Planning Considerations
- Look for the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) logo to ensure the unit is certified. NSF is an independent testing organization that measures the effectiveness of water filtration products.
- No single water purification system will filter out all microorganisms, VOCs, metals and chlorine from your home water supply. Instead, use a combination of these systems to achieve the most effective results. Also, each faucet used to provide drinking water should have its own filtration unit.
- Water softeners containing exchanged sodium ions may pose health risks for people with high blood pressure and heart disease.
Frequently Asked Questions |
It varies by manufacturer and model. Carbon filters generally last anywhere from two to six months; please refer to the manufacturer's manual.
No, a UV system able to treat the water for a typical house will consume about the same amount of energy as a 60-watt light bulb.
The germicidal energy of ultraviolet light destroys harmful microorganisms by attacking their genetic core (DNA). This powerful dose of UV light eliminates their ability to reproduce, and the organisms simply die.
|
|
