How to install a water filtration system?

Specific Inspection Topics Plumbing Inspections
1

I am interested in installing a water filtration system to my home.

I have public water.

We drink a lot of bottled water and it is expensive and even though I recycle I would like to add a filtration system.

I was thinking about the cooler water stand but that doesnt seem the way to go.

My questions are would you install just to the cold water under the kitchen sink or the whole house by the water heater.

What types would you install.

I have heard of the Water Boss.

I could probably do myself if I had directions.

I have an unfinished basement and it would seen easier to install in the sub floor.

Would the filter need a shut off for maintenace?

Any info or suggestions is appreciated.

Thanks

2

Maybe you need both.

If you want drinking water, install a reverse osmosis system for your icemaker and a drinking water tap at the kitchen sink.

If you want to condition all water except irrigation water install a water softener.

If your water is quite hard the R.O. unit will last much longer if it is supplied with soft water.

3

David,

I get all my drinking water from a local well, I can’t stand the taste of municipal water.

If I were in your situaton, I’d install a filter at my kitchen cold water supply only. Your hot side supply gets boiled anyways and this boiling of water will be suffice.

4

I have a standard carbon filter w/separate tap at the sink for all our drinking water. Works great for chlorine and other contaminates typically found in municipal water. Undersink RO’s work great too, a bit expensive, but worth it if you find yourself buying a lot of bottled water.

5

Sounds like Mr. Macy should have his water tested to see just what he has and how to treat it before he spends big bucks on water treatment. IMHO

6

Dave…check out the PUR 3 stage system…available in home centers…attaches right to the faucet with easily replaceable cartridges…turn to use turn to by-pass…the wife fills a pitcher and keeps it in the fridge …their literature is quite impressive and You can be up and running in 15 minutes for less than 100.00…Me i drink the plain tap water…Lake Erie water tastes great…anyhow a good inexpensive way to get started imo…jim

7

Why should he test municipal water? The city does that already.

8

For dissolved minerals(hardness) and chlorine etc.

9

The city water results are public information.

Why test again? Get ahold of the cities tests.

10

as Dave is in the next county over, i’m not sure how it is there but here in Lorain county we get a water quality report every year…very extensive and our water tests as good as many of the bottled waters we are all spending our money on…jim

11

OK.
The testing is simple and free in many places that sell water softeners.

12

Please don’t fall for any of those WATER TESTING SCAMSeither.

13

If a softener salesmen tests your water and then demonstrates how soft water is better why is that a problem?

That’s not the free testing I was speaking of anyway.

Just don’t by the magnet systems that I see advertised again.

14

I have not heard of the magnet system…can You elaborate Mike ???

15

http://www.conditionwater.com/

Good luck finding credible support for these things. they might do something but they don’t remove the Calcium ions that cause the hardness in the first place.

http://www.csicop.org/si/9801/powell.html

http://www.chem1.com/CQ/magscams.html

16

Thanks Micheal…I had not heard of this system before but as hard water is not a problem here i have not done any research either…sure looks a bit funny though…probably not to those people that wear the magnetic bracelets though…jmo…jim

17

I found that by placing the water magnets in my shoes, well you get he idea.

18

In the interest of full disclosure, I used to work for Ecowater when it was Lindsay over thirty years ago. My dad installed softeners for them for many years.

I have always had a softener installed in my homes as once you get used to 0 grain hardness water everything else feels different and scummy.

A lot of detergent is required to make hard water suds up. Soap will suds great in soft water but not at all in hard water.

I have a relative who spent several hundred dollars on the magic magnets and they wouldn’t give him his money back.

He got to spend hundreds more for a real water conditioning system.

19

Trust me, most of those water testing companies are pure hard-core scammers. They show you how bad your water is so you will purchase their product.

20

You can pick up simple hardness test strips at several retailers.

I’m sue your right about many of the “free” test you water outfits.
They are there to sell their product which has a fat commission built in.
That by itself doesn’t make them bad but I’m sure there are plenty of scammers.