Even though water is essential to our health & wellness, we often take it for granted. We presume that the water in our home is healthy & safe, when the truth is, it might just be reaching the minimum standards. The federal government has not updated legal limits for contaminants in tap water for almost 20 years, even though we have new data about the importance of good water quality & that is where RO System comes in.
WHAT IS A REVERSE OSMOSIS RO SYSTEM?
A RO system is a water filtration device connected to your sink, refrigerator, or both to ensure you are getting clean & healthy water & ice. It eliminates contaminants from water that is unfiltered by applying pressure to force it through a semipermeable membrane.
The fresh, clean water flows through to your plumbing system & the leftover waste, called brine, is sent down the drain to exit your home with the rest of your wastewater.
HOW DOES A RO SYSTEM WORK?
The main advantage of a reverse osmosis system is the RO membrane, which filters out even the smallest contaminants. However, RO systems also include prefilters & post-filters to create optimum water quality. Many systems offer either 3, 4, or 5 steps of filtration. Each RO system includes, at minimum, a sediment filter, a carbon filter & a semipermeable membrane.
The sediment filter eliminates bigger particles like dirt, rust & dust. This is especially important if you own an old water heater that can introduce rust & sediment into your hot water. The carbon filter reduces volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chlorine & other contaminants that give your water a bad taste or odor. The semipermeable membrane filters out just about everything else.
After your tap water achieves its multi-stage filtration, it moves into a RO storage tank that keeps the water until you require it. The storage tank is crucial because RO systems work a bit slowly. It takes up to approx one minute to create just a few ounces of water. The storage tank ensures that you have extra water ready at all times.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE RO SYSTEM?
We have already discussed the main advantage of RO systems – getting safe, clean water into your house. Many of our clients also love reverse osmosis systems because they like the taste of their drinking water.
If you don’t own an RO system, the only other alternative is to exclusively drink bottled water or to utilize cheaper, but much less efficient, water filters like those that are built into pitchers or connected to your sink. Using an RO system is much more suitable for the environment. It’s an investment that can help you save a lot of money in the long run.
RO systems are easy to maintain, can be installed without much interruption to your home & fits discreetly underneath your kitchen sink.
RO SYSTEM VS WATER SOFTENER?
It’s very easy to confuse reverse osmosis systems & water softeners, but they are different. Water softeners don’t filter dangerous contaminants from your water. They simply remove calcium & magnesium from your water so that the water is less harsh, or softer, for personal use, washing clothes, & showering.
Reverse osmosis systems can soften water but they aren’t a perfect treatment method if you have really hard water. If you have hard water above 7 grains, using a RO system will produce more wear & tear on its membrane, which means you will have to periodically replace it.
If you have hard water, it’s really a good idea to have both a water softener & a reverse osmosis system. They work well together to give you safe, healthy drinking water. The water softener can eliminate damaging iron and other contaminants from the water before it gets to the RO system. This ensures you have top-quality drinking water & the ideal water for bathing & washing.
READY TO INSTALL AN RO SYSTEM?
Call Lone Star today to set up an appointment for a RO system installation. Lone Star Water Services in Texas is a leading provider of water treatment solutions and we are ready to help you provide safe water for your family.
