0 whole house water filtration system costs and benefits
Is a whole house water filtration system for me? Costs and benefits of a mains water system This article looks at the significant benefits of a whole house water filter and how the benefits outweigh both the initial outlay and ongoing maintenance cost of a whole house water filtration system. A whole house water filtration system will solve the problems you’re having with the water that’s coming into your house, whether that’s from a mains or private water supply. We have different types of whole house water filters in stock and ready to dispatch at Fountain Filters. We’ll clarify what those types are and how with our expert guidance you can decide on the best type of whole house water filter for you. Benefits of a whole house water filter The benefits of whole house water filtration systems are numerous if you have a problem to fix. The most advantageous benefits when you install a whole house water filter are that they: Can be tailor made to resolve the problems that you have with your water. This is a key benefit as you have control over what’s in your water and what isn’t. Will improve the smell and taste of your water. Extend the life of your household appliances, particularly if your problem is with hard water. Protect your households pipe work. Save you money in the long term because you won’t be buying water from supermarkets in plastic bottles. Give you peace of mind that you and your family have access to the cleanest, safest water you can. Types of whole house water filters A whole house water filter is a point of entry (POE) system. This means that the water coming out of every tap in your house will be filtered. It doesn’t stop there. All the water coming out of your shower heads will be filtered too, as well as the water used in your dishwasher, washing machine and other appliances in your house that use water. Even when you flush the loo, you’ll be flushing it with filtered water. It’s important not to confuse point of entry systems with point of use (POU) water filtration systems. A POU water filter only treats the water coming out of your kitchen tap, such as one of our drinking water filters. This type of drinking water filter would be complimented by one of our water filter tap. Now that we’ve clarified the difference between POE and POU water filter systems let’s look at the different types of whole house water filters. The main types of whole house water filters are: Whole house water softeners If you have hard water and the limescale is causing you problems, installing a whole house water softener system could be a worthwhile investment. Hard water can be a curse in many households. The high concentration of calcium and magnesium; the minerals that create limescale can leave a trail of destruction in your home. From scale floating on your hot drinks, hard to wipe away soap scum in your shower, to clogged pipes and broken down appliances. Luckily, for you limescale haters we have water softeners in stock that will kiss those scaly deposits goodbye. Our water softeners start from £677.99 (prices current June 2024 and may be subject to change). Whole house water conditioners Fountain Filters is leading the way with its range of salt-free whole house water conditioners using OneFlow media. Water conditioners are salt-free solutions to the negative impacts that hard water can have in your home. A whole house water conditioner requires minimal maintenance, much less than a traditional water softener. You can buy a whole house water conditioner from £356.99 (prices current June 2024 and may be subject to change). Ultraviolet water filter systems If parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi are a real concern for you; particularly if your water source is from a bore hole or well, then seeking advice from UV water filter specialists such as Fountain Filters will be necessary. The benefits of installing a whole house water filtration system that will kill potentially dangerous living organisms will far outweigh the cost. Peace of mind that you and your family can consume water that is free of disease is priceless. The cost of a whole house water purification system that uses UV light to kill 99.9% of living organisms starts from £427.00 (Prices current June 2024 and may be subject to change). Sediment water filters Whole house sediment filters trap contaminants in water such as sediment, dirt, sand, rust, and clay. Contaminants such as those above may make your water cloudy, which is referred to as turbidity. A sediment filter is a necessary first stage in a private water supply if you are thinking of installing an ultraviolet (UV) water filter system. If you don’t install a sediment water filter before a UV water filter system, then you are at risk of rendering your UV system useless. The cost of a whole house sediment filter starts from £216.99 (prices current June 2024 and may be subject to change). Carbon water filters Carbon water filters are an extremely popular choice when it comes to whole house water filtration. Whole house water filter cartridge types that use carbon are highly effective in the removal of chlorine from mains water. Your water will taste and smell better. Carbon filters also remove chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and trihalomethanes from water. The cost of a whole house water filter that uses a carbon block cartridge starts from £233.99 (prices current June 2024 and may be subject to change). Best type of whole house water filter If Fountain Filters charged £1 for every time we’ve been asked what the best type of whole house water filter is we’d be rolling in cash! The answer is very simple. The best type of whole house water filter is the one that solves the problems you have with your water. Whole house water filters vary in complexity, ranging from systems that improve the taste and smell of your water by removing chlorine to water conditioning systems that effectively treat hard water. How much does a whole house water filtration system cost? The cost of whole house water purification systems varies in price depending on what problem you are trying to resolve. It all boils down to what size and how complex the system is that you need to solve those problems. You have three main costs to consider. Initial cost of the system. Cost of installation if you need the services of a professional plumber. Annual maintenance cost for replacement water filter cartridges. Based on our years of experience at Fountain Filters we know that the benefits of solving specific water problems far outweigh the cost in the long run. We are very confident in making this statement because most of our conversations with customers focus on problem solving and finding solutions rather than cost. How Fountain Filters can help you get a mains water filter for the whole house No matter how complex the issue, there is a whole house water filtration system for you. We can help you decide on a whole house system that is going to meet your needs. We don’t suggest you purchase anything you don’t need and will provide you with our knowledge and expertise to guide you to making the best and most cost effective purchase decision. It’s easy to get in touch with us. Either call us on 01352 838 281 or if you want to provide more detailed information and prefer to write it down our helpdesk is waiting for your message.
0 How to easily change a water filter cartridge: pros and cons
How to easily change a water filter cartridge: pros and cons of doing so Changing water filter cartridges regularly will ensure that your water filter system is functioning optimally. This guide is all about how to change a water filter cartridge in different types of water filter system. We’ll also give you the low down on why changing a water filter cartridge is so important and troubleshooting tips on the common issues that people face when changing a water filter cartridge. When you buy a water filter cartridge from Fountain Filters, you’re in safe hands. As water filtration specialists we make it our business to understand everything there is to know about changing water filter cartridges, that’s why people come to us when they want to know when and how to change a water filter cartridge. What are water filters and why change the cartridges? Keeping it simple, water filters work by removing or reducing ‘things’ that may be present in water. These ‘things’ could include fluoride (if you’re in a fluoridated area), chlorine, chemicals, heavy metals, sediment, forever chemicals, microplastics, bacteria, and limescale, to name but a few. The continued effectiveness of your water filter is based on you changing the water filter cartridges every 6-12 months, depending on what type of water filter system you have. It’s important to understand that over time, the performance of the water filter cartridges diminishes. They get saturated with contaminants. So, changing water filter cartridges regularly is vitally important to ensure you’re getting the water that you want. Common issues with water filter cartridges Over time, under sink water filter cartridges and whole house water filter cartridges become less effective at keeping contaminants at bay. That’s why it’s important for you to learn how to change a water filter cartridge, and when. You’ll enjoy reading our in depth article on when to replace a water filter cartridge where we explore the common issues that tell you when time’s up on your water filter cartridges. From flow rate reduction to changes in water colour, clarity, and taste you’ll gain valuable insight into the benefits of changing your water filter cartridges regularly. How to change a water filter cartridge in 11 easy steps Follow our steps below for how to change a whole house water filter cartridge or under sink water filter cartridge. Wash and dry your hands to ensure they are clean before you touch the new water filter cartridge. Find the stop cock and turn off the water supply. Open the tap to release the pressure. If there’s a red button on the top of the housing cap, press this down. Using the spanner or wrench that came with your water filter system, slide it up from the bottom of the housing bowl until the lugs allow you to unscrew the bowl from the housing cap. Rotate from right to left looking straight on, or clockwise if you view it from above. If you haven’t mounted the housing to the cupboard wall you may need to brace the cap somehow. The housing bowl will be full of water so proceed carefully to minimise spillage. Once unscrewed lower the housing bowl away from the cap and remove to the sink or a bowl on the floor. Empty the water and remove the used water filter cartridge. Rinse and wipe out the housing bowl. This prevents build-up of dirt and debris. If the black O-ring is 2-3 years old this is the time to replace it. Otherwise, ensure the O-ring is not damaged or compressed. It’s worth coating the O-ring with food grade silicone grease if it’s a bit dry. Replace it in the groove, ensuring the O-ring is properly seated. Unwrap the new water filter cartridge and place it inside the housing bowl, making sure it slips onto the small standpipe in the base of the housing bowl. Handle the new cartridge at the ends. Screw the housing bowl back onto the cap, turning anticlockwise until hand tight – do not over tighten as it may damage the seal. Turn on the water supply and allow the water filter system to refill. Once done, close the tap and check the housing bowl to cap for leaks. If there are any leaks, use the spanner to tighten the bowl a fraction. You may need to either turn off the water supply and release the pressure again to do this. Finally, once you’re certain there are no leaks, open the tap and allow the water to run for 3-5 minutes to flush out any manufacturing debris such as residual carbon dust that was trapped in the new water filter cartridge. Discard this water. Do not use the spanner to tighten the housing bowl – this will make it very difficult to undo at the next water filter cartridge change. You only use the spanner if there is a small leak, to give it another nip. How to change a water filter cartridge in the Fountain Filters ECO3 If you have the standard model of the ECO3 Replacement filter system changing the cartridge is the same process as the 11 steps above. If you have the ECO3 Slimline replacement water filter, then follow the steps below. Turn off the water supply and open the tap to release the pressure. Remove the tubing from both ends of the inline filter cartridge by holding down the collets and pulling on the tubing or grey elbow out of the push-fit connector. Pull or slide the filter body out of the retaining mount. Push the new water filter cartridge into the retaining mount – inlet at the bottom. Push the bottom tubing or elbow into the push-fit connection. Push the remaining tubing into the outlet connection at the top. Turn the water supply back on and let the tap run for 3-5 minutes to flush out the system. How to change a Franke water filter cartridge Fountain Filters stock a screw in (M15) and push fit (PF) Doulton replacement water filter cartridges for Franke systems. Franke systems are either stainless steel or plastic housings. How to change a screw in Franke water filter cartridge Here’s how to change a Franke water filter cartridge in a stainless steel housing for the M15 screw in mount. It’s a straightforward and simple job. Trace the inlet tube from the filter housing back to the pipework. Shut off the mains water supply by using the stop valve that was supplied with your Franke filter tap. Turn the filtered lever on your tap to the ON position. This will release the pressure in the water filter system, making it easier for you to unscrew the filter housing from the cap. You’ll also see that the water is off. Place something suitable under the filter housing so you can catch any water. Lift the filter housing from its bracket. Grip the cap with one hand and with the other hand turn the housing bowl anti-clockwise so that it comes away from the cap. Pour the water out of the housing bowl and set the bowl aside. Grip the cap with one hand, and with the other hand unscrew the used cartridge. Wash the housing bowl in warm soapy water and rinse it well. Screw your new water filter cartridge back in. Only tighten it enough to make it seal. If you overtighten it you may snap the threaded section or break the ceramic cartridge. If you do, the cartridge is unusable. Reassemble the housing by screwing the filter housing back onto the cap in a clockwise direction. Ensure the housing bowl is fully engaged with the cap. Before, you do this, you can rub some food grade silicone grease onto the rubber seal that sits in the housing cap. Place the water filter system back onto its bracket and turn the water supply back on. Run the water for 10 minutes to condition the water filter cartridge and check for any leaks. Your water is now ready to drink. Here’s how to change a Franke water filter cartridge in a white plastic housing for the M15 screw in mount. Turn off the mains water using the shut off valve. Turn on the filtered water tap to release the pressure in the system. Leave the tap turned ON. Place a dish under the housing bowl as there will be water in the housing when you remove it. Grip the housing bowl and turn it anticlockwise; just enough to loosen it. Lift the filter housing off the two supporting screws. Hold the housing bowl over the dish and continue to unscrew it. Once the bowl has separated from the cap empty the water out and leave it to one side. Unscrew the used cartridge and discard it. Unwrap and screw the new cartridge into the head. Tighten it to create a seal. Do not overtighten as it may cause the threaded section to break off. Replace the housing bowl by screwing it back onto the housing cap. Tighten it firmly by hand. Re-mount the housing back onto the two supporting screws. Turn the mains water back on and check the system for any leaks. Leave the tap running for 10 minutes to flush the system. Your water is then ready to drink. How to change a push fit (PF) Franke water filter cartridge Here’s how to change a Franke water filter cartridge in a stainless steel housing for the PF mount. Turn the mains water off using the shut off valve. Turn on the filtered water tap to release the pressure in the system. Leave the tap in the ON position. Place something suitable under the filter housing so you can catch any water as the housing bowl will be full of water when you remove it. Turn the housing bowl anticlockwise and pull it down. The housing bowl and cartridge should come away together. If the water filter cartridge doesn’t dislodge with the housing bowl release it with an index finger by pushing down on the plastic rim. Tip the water out of the housing bowl into the sink and remove the used cartridge. Lubricate the O-ring with some food grade silicone grease. Unwrap and place the new cartridge in the housing bowl. Refit the housing bowl to the housing cap until it is fully engaged. Turn the water supply on and check for any leaks. Leave the water running for 10 minutes to flush the system. Your water is now ready to enjoy. How to change a UV lamp (UV water filter system) The system controller on the UV water filter system will tell you when to change the UV lamp, but basically you should change the lamp every 12 months to ensure your water remains safe to consume. The following steps are detailed in the Luminor Blackcomb manual on pages 9-11 and assume that you already have the complete UV water filter system installed. You would have received this manual when you purchased your UV system. The user manual comes complete with installation diagrams that make it easy for you to follow when you want to learn how to change a UV lamp. If you prefer visual instructions this video will take you through the lamp installation process. Troubleshooting after changing the water filter cartridge If you notice any problems after you’ve changed the water filter cartridge then it’s important to resolve them. These problems, while rare, could include leaks from the filter housing itself or the seal between the filter housing and filter cap, no water coming through the tap, and water filter cartridge damage. Leaks There are a couple of things to check here. Before you screwed the housing bowl back onto the housing cap, did you check the O-ring? O-rings are the little circular rubber seals that sit in a groove in the top of the housing, and they help seal the bowl to the cap. If they become cracked or compressed in any way, then your water filter system will be more prone to leaks. Or, you’ll have to tighten the housing bowl up more and more after each cartridge change, to the point where you’ll not be able to loosen it off again. Are any of the John Guest connectors damaged in any way? If so, they’ll need to be replaced. Is the water filter housing damaged in any way and leaking water? If so, you’ll need to replace the housing. No water coming through the tap There are a couple of scenarios here, but again they happen rarely. Water filter cartridge is upside down - We’ve only seen this happen when people put the replacement cartridge for Pearl DUC upside down in the housing bowl. Despite what people think this cartridge is not open both ends. Just take the cartridge out and turn it the other way around. Air lock in the system - It’s very rare this happens because the pressure of the water trying to come through would push it out. Try removing the water filter cartridges and then screw the housing bowl back on. Turn the water on and open the tap. The extra pressure should clear the air lock. Types of water filter cartridges Fountain Filters stocks a wide variety of water filter cartridges that vary in size and composition. Different types of water filter cartridge are suited to different filtration requirements. Let’s look at some of them. Sediment water filter cartridges – this type of water filter cartridge is made from either spun polypropylene (often called melt-blown water filter cartridges) or pleated polyester. They tend to be used for the removal of dirt, silt, sand, and rust from water, and as a pre-filter for ultraviolet water filtration systems. Different micron ratings are available, from 1 up to 50, depending on how fine the particulate matter is that you need to remove. The smaller the micron rating, the faster the water filter cartridge will clog up. Carbon block water filter cartridges – a very versatile water filter cartridge! Carbon block cartridges can either be solid such as our replacement water filter cartridge for our Pearl T or loose, like our granular activated carbon water filter cartridge which removes heavy metals. Carbon block is extremely effective at reducing chlorine, volatile organic compounds, odours, and generally improving the taste of household tap water. Ceramic water filter cartridges – the microscopic pores in a ceramic water filter cartridge allow it to trap pathogenic bacteria, most cysts, and suspended solids. Reverse osmosis membranes – you would generally replace an RO semi-permeable membrane every couple of years. When water is forced through this type of water filter cartridge, dissolved salts, heavy metals, fluoride, and many other contaminants are removed. Ultra-violet glass lamps – in the true sense of the word, a UV lamp is not a water filter cartridge as they don’t physically filter the water; they sterilise it. UV filtration works by using ultra-violet light to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microbiological contaminants that may be present in the water. Loose media – such as our OneFlow scale reduction or Fluoride reduction filter media. This is sand like media that we measure out and put into empty plastic canisters. Benefits of changing your water filter cartridge If you’re going to invest in a water filter system and benefit from clean, safe, fresh tasting water Fountain Filters urges you to keep it well maintained, and that means learning how to change a water filter cartridge every 6-12 months. When you properly maintain your water filter system you get a much more efficient system that lasts many years. You’ll benefit from improved water quality that’s cost effective because you won’t be wasting your money on bottled water. Not buying bottled water also helps reduce plastic waste. Cons of changing a water filter cartridge Fountain Filters cannot think of any downsides to changing a water filter cartridge regularly to ensure access to clean and safe household water for you and your family. How Fountain Filters can help you getting the water filter cartridge you need One of Fountain Filters core goals is to make changing your water filter cartridge easy for you. We do this by sending you a cartridge renewal reminder email every 6 months, with the aim of putting this on your ‘to do’ list. This email links directly to the product/s you need for your water filter system. Now, you may not need to change your water filter cartridge every 6 months, but this email acts a reminder so you can purchase one and have it ready for when you do want to change the water filter cartridge. If you experience any problems with how to change a water filter cartridge, Fountain Filters never leaves you high and dry. We are problem solvers, and we will always come up with a solution for you. Our feedback is testament to this. We also make it easy to get in touch with us. If you like to chat then our number is 01352 838 281 or if you prefer to write things down, our helpdesk is waiting for your message.
0 Choosing installing drinking water filter guide
Guide on Choosing and Installing the Right Drinking Water Filter for Your Home When it comes to clean drinking water you have sole discretion of what is and isn’t present in your household water, and it doesn’t matter what the water source is. Our role as water filtration experts is to help you choose and install the right drinking water filter for your home. We’ve written this comprehensive guide on how to choose a drinking water filter as well as providing you with information about drinking water filter installation, so that you can enjoy fresh filtered water in the comfort of your own home. Types of drinking water filters Before you decide which water filter is the best for drinking, it’s important to clarify what we mean by a drinking water filter, as they can come in different shapes and sizes. A drinking water filter does not treat the water coming out of any existing tap in your home. That would be a mains or whole house water filter. With a drinking water filter you would have to install a separate drinking water filter tap or replace your existing kitchen tap with a 3 way tap. Under sink drinking water filters This type of drinking water filter is typically installed underneath your kitchen sink and the filtered water is dispensed via a separate drinking water filter tap or by replacing your existing kitchen tap with a 3 way tap. It normally comprises of one, two, or three 2.5 x 10” water filter housings which contain varying water filter replacement cartridges depending on what you want to filter out of your water. Pros and cons of an under sink drinking water filter Wide choice of water filter cartridges that cater for all filtration requirements. Easy to install and maintain. Filtered water is on demand rather than having to fill up a water filter jug. Doesn’t take up precious space on your kitchen bench. Cartridges are generally recyclable. Takes up more space underneath your kitchen sink than an inline drinking water filter. Inline drinking water filters An inline drinking water filter is essentially a water filter cartridge that isn’t contained within a housing. Pros and cons of an inline water filter Ideal when you have limited space underneath your kitchen sink. Easy to install and maintain. Lower initial cost than an under sink drinking water filter. Suitable for boats, caravans, and motorhomes. Limited choice of water filter cartridges compared with under sink drinking water filters. More regular water filter cartridge replacements – every 6 months as opposed to every 12 months. Generates more plastic waste. Water filter jugs You will also come across water filter jugs such as the Brita filter. Water filter jugs can seem a convenient and reasonable solution to filtering your tap water, but they are expensive to maintain. We came up with some excellent Brita water filter alternatives that will save you money in the long-term. Pros and cons of a water filter jug They are convenient and the filter cartridges can be recycled. Easy to clean but must be cleaned regularly. Filter cartridges must be changed every four weeks. Filtered water isn’t on demand. They are expensive. Before deciding, which is the best drinking water filter, we recommend you think about what it is that you want to change about your water. This is always one of the first questions we ask people before they choose a drinking water filter. What do you want from a drinking water filter? The benefits of drinking clean filtered water are numerous, but you need to work out what your own individual household needs are. By identifying what your needs are you’ll be well on your way to choosing which filter is good for drinking water in your home. Let us give you a few helpful hints when choosing a drinking water filter. Choosing the right drinking water filter for your needs Unless people have already identified specific contaminants they want to remove from their water or know the questions they want answers to because they have been reading the incredibly useful information on the Fountain Filters website, people often call us up and ask which filter is best for drinking water. Our focus is on narrowing the search for them by helping them identify what it is they want to change about their water. They find this very helpful before committing to purchase and install a drinking water filter. 10 helpful hints to help you decide which filter is best for drinking water Based on our experience of talking to people about their household water we’ve put together 10 helpful hints to help you decide which filter is best for drinking water in your home. The following are all key factors to consider, and we’ll also give some simple recommendations for different scenarios we know people come up against. Helpful hint 1 - Where does your water come from? If you are on mains water, your water is treated with a disinfectant such as chlorine to prevent bacterial growth. This ensures that the water travels safely through the pipe network to your kitchen tap. A private water supply means that your water most likely comes from a bore hole on or nearby your property. That water will not have been treated for any contaminants and its quality varies greatly depending on where it’s located in the UK. Helpful hint 2 - Have you been advised to install a water filter? There are a couple of scenarios where you would need to install a drinking water filter. If you are on a private water supply, you may have had your water analysed and the report throws up some issues where the level of certain contaminants is above the UK’s permissible levels. Installing a drinking water filter would reduce the contaminants and make it safer to drink. Or you may have become aware that your property contains lead pipes and the quickest and most cost effective option is to install a drinking water filter to reduce the lead in your water. A water filter is far cheaper than replacing your pipes. Helpful hint 3 - You don’t like the taste or smell of your tap water You may just decide that you don’t like the taste or smell of your water because of the chlorine that’s added to the mains water supply. Installing a drinking water filter from our chlorine and taste range will improve the taste and smell of your water. If you suffer from certain skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, you may also find that removing chlorine will have a positive impact on your skin. Helpful hint 4 - You live in a hard water area and are sick of the limescale Many households across the UK are located in hard water areas and they are desperate to get rid of limescale. You’ll know if you have limescale because it wreaks havoc on appliances such as boilers, kettles, and washing machines. Limescale also leaves hard scaly deposits on taps and shower screens, and it doesn’t wipe away easily. Thankfully, with one of our drinking water filters for hard water, we can help you minimise the annoyance and increase the life of your household appliances. Helpful hint 5 - Are you troubled that fluoride is being added to your water? If you are one of the many people who are opposed to fluoride being added to UK tap water, the first thing to do is check whether it’s added to your water supply. If it is and you want to remove it, you can. We offer drinking water filters that will address your fluoride concerns. Check out our fluoride water filters here. Helpful hint 6 - Heavy metals are a concern If you have lead in your drinking water, that is a legitimate concern and you should do something about it as soon as you can. Installing a drinking water filter that removes lead will ensure your drinking water is safe to consume. Helpful hint 7 – Install a separate tap or change your existing kitchen tap? When it comes to installing a drinking water filter you need to decide how you are going to access your clean filtered water. You can choose to install a separate drinking water filter tap that will dispense cold filtered water directly from your under sink drinking water filter. This tap will sit alongside your existing kitchen tap. Or you can replace your existing kitchen tap with a 3 way water filter tap, That way, you can enjoy hot, cold, and filtered water from the same appliance. Helpful hint 8 - How much space do you have? The amount of space you have underneath your kitchen sink is a determining factor when considering drinking water filter installation. While drinking water filters aren’t huge pieces of kit you may be considering a unit that has single, double, or triple housings. The height and depth remain the same at 34cm and 13cm respectively, no matter how many housings you have, but the width will be anything from 14cm to 36cm. Helpful hint 9 – Replacing the cartridges in your drinking water filter People start out by installing a drinking water filter and then when it comes to the 6-12 month cartridge change, life gets in the way, and they forget to order a replacement water filter cartridge. That’s why Fountain Filters have made it easy for people to remember. Our cartridge renewal reminders that drop into people inboxes every six months mean that at the touch of a button people can order new water filter cartridges to ensure they have continuous clean filtered water in their homes. Helpful hint 10 - Who is going to install your drinking water filter? When it comes to plumbing, people can get a little anxious about it. Unless you’re a competent DIYer or professional plumber, that is completely understandable. But our drinking water filters are easy to install, and we provide detailed fitting instructions with every drinking water filter that leaves our warehouse. We don’t supply a list of plumbers in different areas of the UK. We’ve found that it’s always best when looking for tradespeople to ask for recommendations from friends or family. People are always happy to recommend someone and give you their honest opinion of how they have found the service. How to install a drinking water filter system Installing a drinking water filter system is basically water in on one side and water out on the other. It’s a very simple installation for any DIYer or plumber. If you want to have a go at it yourself, we put this simple video together to show you exactly how to install a drinking water filter system. Maintenance of your drinking water filter Apart from the 6-12 month cartridge changes there is minimal maintenance required for drinking water filters. The only things that can become worn and compressed over time are the rubber O-rings that sit at the top of the housing. We recommend that these are changed every 2-3 years. Keeping your O-rings and threads lubricated is also important and therefore a handy tube of food grade silicone grease is a useful toolkit staple. How Fountain Filters can help you get the drinking water filter you need We hope that you’ve found the information in this article helpful. With our experience of drinking water filters, we are confident that we’ll have a drinking water filter to suit you. It’s important to stress that if you have any questions or aren’t sure which water filter is the best for drinking in your home, or any aspect of drinking water filter installation to get in touch with us. If you like to chat then call us on 01352 838 281 or if you prefer written communication our helpdesk is waiting for your message.
0 how to remove lead from drinking water
Can you filter out lead from water? Find out how to remove lead from drinking water. We receive frequent phone calls and messages about lead in water and people are genuinely concerned and want guidance on the best water filter to remove lead in the UK. If you’ve done the necessary investigative work and it turns out you have lead in your water we can help you find a lead water filter system so you can ensure your drinking water is safe to consume. So, the very easy answer to ‘do water filters remove lead’ is YES, water filters DO remove lead from water. We hope that alleviates your concerns and you’re ready to learn about how you can benefit from a lead filter for water. How does lead get into water? Lead is toxic. The widespread use of this naturally occurring metal has resulted in the problems we see today with contamination of some drinking water in the UK. The most common way lead gets into water is from existing lead pipes. The lead within the pipes dissolves into the water while the water stands in the pipe. If you know that there are connecting lead pipes between your local water authority and your house, or there are lead pipes in your house, then there is a high probability that you’ll have traces of lead in your drinking water. How much, we can’t tell you. You need to have your water tested to establish just how much lead is in your water. The concentration of lead in the water is determined by several factors which include: The condition of the lead pipes – the more corroded and worn the lead pipes are the greater the concentration of lead. The time of year – during spring and summer months more lead will dissolve into the water because the temperature of the water will be slightly higher. Water hardness - hard water produces scale, this scale can form a protective barrier on the internal surface of the pipes which means less lead can seep into the water. The amount of standing water in the lead pipe and how long it’s been there. There are other, less common ways that lead can be present in water. If you’re on a private water supply, your source supply may contain lead. Or lead contamination of ground water from industrial facilities, which would be a rare situation in the UK. Is lead in water bad for you? Yes, the presence of lead in water is not conducive to good health and you should do everything you can to minimise or remove it. It is particularly bad for infants and young children. If you are pregnant, and drinking water that contains lead, the lead can cross over the placental barrier and could harm your baby. Young children who are exposed to lead in drinking water may experience delays in their development and possible learning difficulties. For adults, drinking water that contains lead over prolonged periods of time will lead to a gradual build-up of lead in the body and is associated with conditions such as high blood pressure, renal disease, digestive diseases, circulatory problems, and cognitive decline. How do you know if you have lead pipes? If you live in a house that was built before 1970 then you may have lead water pipes. The use of lead pipework was commonplace in UK houses built before 1970. Then the use of lead was banned. Obviously, the UK is full of old houses, and we have a lot of conversations with people who are worried about lead in water. Most recently, we’ve been getting an increasing number of calls from people in Scotland, particularly Edinburgh, about lead in water. But to allay your fears, unless you live in a house that you know for sure has lead pipework, it’s highly unlikely that you will have lead in your water. Water companies in the UK are responsible for ensuring that people have access to safe drinking water, and in areas where there is a risk that lead exists they treat the public water supply with a food grade additive called orthophosphate. Orthophosphate forms a coating on the inside of the pipe which creates a protective barrier between the lead pipes and the water so that lead does not dissolve into the water. There’s a really easy way to do a home test to see if your pipes are made of lead. Just follow these three simple steps: Find where the water first enters your property. This is called the internal stop tap and it could be in or behind one of your kitchen cupboards or a downstairs lavatory. Unpainted lead is soft and dull grey in colour. The joint next to the tap can often be swollen. Scrape the pipe with a coin to see if there’s a shiny silver coloured metal underneath. In most cases your pipes are going to be made of other materials such as copper, iron, or plastic. Copper is bright, hard, and dullish brown. Iron is very hard, dark, and often rusty. Plastic pipes can be a variety of colours such as white, blue, black, or grey. It’s also important to remember that the use of lead-based solder to join sections of copper pipe together is illegal. A plumber or DIY enthusiast should never use lead solder on drinking water pipes. If you have lead pipes, who is responsible for them? We receive lots of enquiries about whose responsibility it is when you have lead pipes in or around your property. The best way to explain this is with an infographic. It’s all down to where those lead pipes are. The water company is responsible for the pipe that links the water main in the street to the stop valve outside your property. This is known as the communication pipe. You are responsible for the pipe that runs from the stop valve outside your property to the point where it enters your house. This is known as the private or supply pipe. You are also responsible for your home’s internal pipework. What are the legal limits for lead in water? The current legal limits for permissible levels of lead in drinking water are 10ppb in the UK. This limit was set in 2013. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) have stated that there is ‘no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects’ It’s an interesting read. It is hoped that the UK will drop the legal limit of permissible levels of lead further to 5ppb. How to test for lead in water? If you have done the necessary checks and believe that your drinking water may contain lead, the first port of call should always be your water company. Ask them to come out and test the water coming out of your kitchen tap. If the result comes back positive and it’s confirmed that you do have lead in your drinking water, and that you’re responsible for removing it, then you need to do something about it. Contacting us is the easiest thing to do as one of the first things you’ll want to know is: can you filter out lead from water? The easy answer is yes. We can talk you through some options as to the best whole house water filter for lead removal. How do you filter lead out of water? If you have lead pipework, you’ll probably have worked out that it’s time consuming and expensive to replace it with something lead free. Can lead be filtered out of water by another less expensive and more readily available means? Yes, and there are a few different water filters that remove lead. A water filter for lead reduction may be a short term solution for you, but we find that our customers are happy to install a water filter to remove lead as a longer term measure because it deals with the issue quickly at low expense so that you and your family are not exposed to lead toxins in drinking water. There are also some options that do not filter out lead from water. We’ll cover both in this article. While you are waiting to receive and install your lead filter for water, you can follow these two top tips to minimise your risk of exposure to lead. Clear any standing water in your pipework before drinking the water by running the tap for a while. You’ll know when it’s ready because the water will run cold as the fresher water comes through. This is always a good habit to get into whether you have lead in your water or not. Don’t be tempted to draw water from the hot tap for drinking and cooking. Always us the cold tap. This is because hot water dissolves and corrodes lead more than cold water, so you’d be putting yourself in more danger. Remember prevention is better than cure. And never use water from the hot tap to make drinks, mix baby formula or baby food. It’s important to note that human skin doesn’t absorb lead from water, so always treat your drinking water before anything else. Let’s move onto the different ways to filter lead out of drinking water. Distillation – not recommended by Fountain Filters In a nutshell, distillation uses precious energy to boil water in one vessel, catch the steam and condense it back into water in a secondary vessel. The boiling process filters the lead out of the water, as well as bacteria, parasites and viruses. There is no doubt that it works but drinking distilled water is not recommended in the long term and we will hazard a guess that there are not many households in the UK who have a distillation system installed. We certainly don’t offer these to our customers. Stepping away from lead for a moment, the reason we talk people out of drinking distilled water is down to the lack of minerals. From a health and well-being perspective, drinking distilled water messes up your body’s pH, electrolytes, fluid, and mineral composition. We’re just not designed to drink it and if you do, you’re effectively destroying your body’s healthy status quo. You may also be experiencing, and probably wouldn’t join the dots between the headaches, tiredness, muscle cramps, fluid retention, issues with heart rate, because water is healthy…isn’t it? Reverse Osmosis – Fountain Filters 2nd choice lead filter for water Reverse osmosis water filtration systems are an effective, but not necessarily efficient lead filter for water. Your household water pressure pushes water through a series of five or six filters. One of those filter cartridges is what’s called a membrane filter. It’s the membrane filter that will remove the lead from your water. A reverse osmosis system will also filter out the good minerals from your drinking water, that you may want to keep in there. Most reverse osmosis systems throw a certain percentage of water away. Do water filters remove lead? – Fountain Filters no. 1 recommendation We know that people search the internet asking ‘do carbon water filters remove lead? And the answer isn’t a straightforward yes or no. Let’s look at a few of our water filters that reduce lead in water: But before we do most manufacturers refrain from publishing exact performance data on just how much lead is removed from water when you install a specialist water filter. This is because the composition of water is different wherever you go, and reduction values can differ from consumer to consumer. The comfort is that you know it’s doing something, and something is better than nothing when it comes to lead in water. Pearl M lead filter for water Without going science mad on you our Pearl M heavy metals water filter will effectively remove lead and other heavy metals from your drinking water. Using a unique combination of granular activated carbon (GAC) and Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF) our Pearl M drinking water filter will remove chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, hydrogen sulphide, aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, copper, nickel, chromium, and any other water-soluble heavy metal. This drinking water filter will also remove sediment, dirt, rust, sand, silt, scale bacteria, algae, VOC’s, THMs and much more. Max-PB carbon water filters removes lead Another carbon water filter that reduces lead is the C Max MAXPB-975 .This cartridge is specifically designed for lead and cyst reduction. This is a high quality carbon water filter to reduce lead through 2,400 gallons of drinking water. It’s a 0.5 micron solid block activated carbon filter that will effectively reduce chlorine, lead, VOC’s, giardia, entamoeba, toxoplasma and cryptosporidium cysts. It drops perfectly into any 2.5 x 10” water filter housing. Nano filtration The NanoCeram cartridge reduces particulate lead. However, when you combine a NanoCeram water filter cartridge with a carbon block you can reduce total lead content by over 98% according to Argonide. Does a Brita water filter remove lead? After doing some research of our own, the only Brita water filter that would remove 99% of lead is the Brita Elite. The bad news is that the Brita Elite water filter is only available in the US and only designed for US waters. So, we got in touch with the Brita UK customer care team as we wanted to see if the Brita Maxtra Pro, which is available in the UK would reduce lead. There is reference made to the Brita Maxtra Pro reducing lead, but it doesn’t give by how much. Their website simply states ‘reduces chlorine, lead, and copper. However, the customer care team told us that the reduction rates for metals are at least 90% and for chlorine 85%. This is a generalisation for all metals, so no specific data for lead. This is not an unusual situation when you can’t get specific data about the % reduction. To be honest, the Brita Maxtra Pro water filter cartridge just uses natural carbon from coconut shells and ion-exchange pearls for the metals reduction. And they are expensive to run. You can read all about how much money you can save to one of our easy to install and more affordable drinking water filters that do the same job (and more!) than the Brita water filter jugs will ever do for you. Why pay more when you can install one of our heavy metals drinking water filters. Does a water softener remove lead? No, a water softener does not remove lead in water. Water softeners deal with calcium and magnesium, the minerals that result in hard water. Does boiling remove lead from water? No, don’t be tempted to think that this is a quick and easy fix. Boiling your water will not remove lead. In fact, it will do the opposite. Boiling water that is contaminated with lead will increase the concentration of lead. This is because as water evaporates during the boiling process, the ratio of lead to water is greater than when you started. Key takeaways on lead drinking water filtration For this topic, we feel it’s important to highlight four key takeaways if you have lead pipes in or around your property and are concerned about lead in your drinking water. Lead is toxic and particularly harmful to young children and pregnant woman, so if your water contains lead do all you can to reduce it by installing a water filter. Check your pipework using our simple coin method that we talk about in this article. Ask your water company to test your water. Speak to a water filtration expert before rushing off to buy anything. Why buy from Fountain Filters Let us help remove the lead in your drinking water. We’ve been in the water filtration business since 2011 and have had lots of discussions about lead and do water filters remove lead. It’s important not to panic because you can filter out lead from water, and we will help guide you to finding a lead filter for water that’s right for your circumstances. It’s easy to get in touch with us, either by calling us on 01352838281 or sending us a message on our helpdesk. Image by Nick Magwood
0 How to filter asbestos from drinking water - tips
How to filter asbestos from drinking water. Tips from water filtration experts! In the search for clean and safe drinking water, the leftovers of our industrial past hang around as hidden threats under our cities and towns. Asbestos, once praised for its fire-resistant qualities and widely used in construction and utilities, has been revealed as a dangerous material that can cause serious health problems when inhaled. But what about the presence of asbestos in our drinking water? This article looks into the not-so-talked-about issue of asbestos contamination in drinking water, focusing on its main source: old AC (Asbestos-Cement) pipes that have been used as water mains since the early 20th century. With tips from water filtration experts, we'll uncover how to filter out asbestos from our water supply. Learn about the historical use of asbestos, its risks, and the smart solutions available to tackle this important problem. The use of asbestos in the UK Have you heard of AC Piping? Not many people have heard of it. Invented in the early years of the 20th century, AC piping was used extensively for water mains from 1945 into the 80s. AC pipes are made from cement, nothing too controversial, and asbestos, a type of mineral. Now, I’m sure, the alarm bells are ringing in your head – “isn’t asbestos dangerous?” you may be asking. AC piping stopped being used in the 1970s when it became clear that asbestos, when inhaled, is incredibly dangerous to health causing lung conditions such as asbestosis, cancer, and mesothelioma. Asbestos has been used by people for up to 4000 years, primarily due to its fire-resistant qualities, but it’s use grew rapidly in the industrial era of the mid-19th century. By the 1930s it was becoming clear that asbestos dust, when inhaled, was the cause of early deaths of workers involved in manufacturing goods with asbestos in them. All sorts of things had asbestos in it, yarns, ceramics, and fabrics – even candle wicks! But as the built environment expanded quickly from the late Victorian era onwards asbestos became ubiquitous in the construction industry. Some of the most recent use in the UK was in Artex (small amounts of white asbestos) for decorative ceilings in the 1980s. It’s no longer used in most developed countries such as the UK, EU countries, Australia, New Zealand. However, the USA still makes AC pipes. India, Russia, China, and Indonesia still use asbestos extensively. We’re fortunate in the United Kingdom that asbestos was banned completely very much earlier than other parts of the world, but we still have a legacy of older buildings and infrastructure that contains asbestos. The effects of asbestos due to inhalation are now very well recognised, and all handling to remove it is very strictly controlled. That’s a good introduction to the history and risks of asbestos, but how does that relate to asbestos in the water? There’s a growing awareness that the working life of all those AC pipes carrying our public water supply is at or near its end. A recent article by BBC Future has recently highlighted how we may see this issue catapult up the public health agenda over the coming few years. Is asbestos in water dangerous? Let’s delve into some research here. The World Health Organisation (WHO) does not think that asbestos in water is of great concern currently. According to its scientific briefing document published in December 2021 (available for download) the UK water supply had asbestos concentrations between “nondectabale” and 1.5MFL (Million Fibres per Litre). 95% of the fibres are smaller than 2 µm (microns) in length mainly from naturally occurring sources such as underground water courses. Studies quoted in that briefing state that asbestos from AC pipes in the UK are considered very low, and the small size is considerably shorter and of greater diameter than the fibres found to be the cause of fibrosis. Having said that, asbestos fibres from AC pipes are longer than that form the natural erosion of rock. Researchers Ma & Kang (2017) found that the majority of these fibres were between 5 and 10 μm in length. The effects of asbestos in drinking water are considered by WHO to be very low risk, with most asbestos consumed, which is non-soluble, being excreted. Tests in rats found that small amounts of asbestos accumulated in the liver, and very few fibres remained in the stomach, intestines, and blood after 60 days. While it’s impossible to say there are no toxic effects of asbestos exposure through drinking water, the greatest risk is from inhalation. And the fibres found in water are of size and shape that are low risk even when inhaled. However, taking all that into account, the science is developing and understanding may change in the future. How does water get contaminated with asbestos? As we’ve already seen asbestos occurs naturally and gets into the water through the erosion of rocks. It can also get into the water supply through poorly maintained pipes and buildings where water may be exposed due to breaks in the pipes. As the BBC Future article referred to, there are old AC pipes that are beginning to break down having reached the end of their useful working lives. The risk is that as the pipes fracture small particles will be released into the mains water supply. Although the biggest risk is to the maintenance workforce who have to repair the pipes if dry asbestos dust becomes airborne and they inhale it. Possible health risks from asbestos in drinking water The risks from drinking water with asbestos remain to be clarified further than we’ve already covered, but of course that may change in the future. When larger asbestos fibres are inhaled, they cause scarring and other damage to the lungs. That can lead to asbestosis, which is unlikely to be possible in the stomach and gut. However, long term exposure to irritants is a common cause of some cancers so this may be a recognised problem in the future. Filtering asbestos out of water: can water filters remove asbestos? Asbestos is not soluble in water; it remains a particle and therefore is easy to filter out if you know what size the particles are. The good news is that the dangerous types of asbestos fibres are bigger than 5 microns so a filter of that rating is going to do a good job for you. That also means you have a huge amount of choice of various types of water filters that will also improve the quality of your water in addition to removing asbestos. How to filter asbestos from water Filtering asbestos from water is relatively simple if you have the right water filtration system, so let’s give you a few options. First, just about any filter with a micron rating of 5 microns or smaller is what you need. But you can go much smaller relatively inexpensively. We’ll group our recommendations of water filters that will remove asbestos into three types of application: whole house, kitchen tap, and drinking water filter. Whole house Find here our recommendations for whole house water filter systems designed to effectively remove asbestos from your water, ensuring a safer home environment. Doby Sediment Filter – 1 micron - this is a very simple whole house filter that removes all particles, including asbestos, bigger than 1 micron. Suitable for a home with up to 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Doby Sediment Filter – 0.2 micron - a nanofilter that removes all particles of asbestos bigger than 0.2 microns. It also removes lots of other things. Also suitable for the bigger home. Doby Water Purifier – 5 and 0.2 micron - cleans everything except good minerals from your water – a great choice for super quality water for you entire house (up to 4 bedrooms/2 bathrooms). Kitchen taps Here are our recommendations for water filters for your kitchen tap that will remove asbestos and other particles effectively: Moby Sediment Filter – 1 micron - this is a very simple filter for your kitchen cold tap that removes all particles including asbestos bigger than 1 micron. Moby Sediment Filter – 0.2 micron - a nanofilter that removes all particles bigger than 0.2 microns from the water to your kitchen tap. It also removes lots of other things. Moby Water Purifier – 5 and 0.2 micron - cleans everything except good minerals from your water – a great choice for super quality water from the kitchen tap that tastes great. Drinking water filters Find our drinking water filters recommendations to remove asbestos here: COMING SOON! How our water filtration experts can help with removing asbestos from drinking water At Fountain Filters we are water filtration specialists and not medical professionals, if you have any specific health concerns with regard to asbestos please consult your doctor. For any other guidance on how to remove asbestos or any other material from water, we will be happy to help. Please give us a call on 01352 838281, or send us a message on our helpdesk – we’ll be happy to be of assistance. Image by Monika: from Pixabay
How does a water softener work? and why are they used in homes! Before getting into detail about how do water softerners work, let’s clear this one up first, a water softener is not a water filter and does not improve water quality. A water softener does one job, it removes the dissolved minerals calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) from water. These are often known as “hard ions”. An ion is an electrically charged atom or, in this case, molecule. How do water softeners work? A very simple explanation on how a water softener works is that water containing hard ions flows through a vessel containing resin beads that are high in sodium ions. These beads attract and hold the hard ions and release the sodium ions into the water instead. The water then flows out of the vessel having had the hard ions removed and so is “soft” and continues into the household pipes ready for use. Obviously, there’s a bit more to how water softeners work because after a short time the resin beads become saturated with CaCO3 and MgCO3 ions and the process stop working. This is when the water softener starts regenerating. Further down this article, we provide a detailed, step-by-step explanation of how water softeners function. Why do water softeners regenerate? Yes, water softeners renerate… but why? The explanation is that once the resin beads reach their saturation point, which usually only takes a few days, the softening process will become less efficient, until it stops completely. The consequence of this is that you will be left with hard water and will have to deal with all that limescale build up again. To make water softeners continue working efficiently they have a regeneration system built in. This is where a tank of highly concentrated brine is used to reverse the softening process and dump all the hard ions and salty wastewater to the drain. It usually takes about two hours and is programmed to happen in the middle of the night when no one is using any water. The great thing about this regenerating “backwash” cycle is that it means that water softeners can continue working for years and years – so long as they are maintained. Why do water softeners need salt? The reason why water softeners need salt is that the brine used to carry out the backwash cycle is highly concentrated salt in water. To maintain that brine concentration, salt pellets must be put into the system regularly. Adding salt in a water softener can be as often as every three days for some water softener systems; it varies depending on what type of regeneration system is used, and how big the reservoir is. There are two kinds of backwash processes in water softener systems: Counter-current regeneration system: In a counter-current regeneration system the brine solution is fed through the system in the opposite direction from the usual water flow. The counter-current water softener reneneration system is more efficient and therefore uses around 75% less salt and 65% less water to complete the cycle.These are often called “high efficiency water softeners”. Co-current regeneration system: A co-current regeneration system the brine flow is in the same direction as the normal water flow direction. How does a water softener works step by step? Having examined the principles of how water softeners work, let’s go into detail and explore how a water softerner works step-by-step: Hard water from your mains supply enters the water softener vessel. Resin beads in the vessel attract the hard ions – mainly CaCO3 and some MgCO3 – and keep hold of them, thereby removing them from the water. Soft water is released from the vessel and flows into the household water pipes. Next, there’s the regeneration (or backwash) cycle of the water softener, which proceeds as follows: A concentrated brine solution is created by adding salt to water in a brine tank. That brine then flows through resin which strips the hard ions, replacing it with sodium ions thereby rinsing away all the hard minerals. The brine solution which now contains all those hard ions are flushed away to the drain. The resin beads are now replenished and ready to continue their job softening the water. How do electronic water softeners work? Devices labelled as electric water softeners don’t truly soften water, as they do not eliminate the calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate dissolved in hard water. These type of water softeners claim to alter the ionisation properties of the dissolved minerals so that it prevents them causing scaling. The theory is that a coil of insulated wire is wrapped around the incoming mains water pipe. This is then connected to an electrical supply to create a magnetic field that passes through the water. How do magnetic water softeners work? Magnetic water softeners are very similar, or even the same as electronic water softeners. The main difference between magnetic and electronic water softeners is that magnetic water softeners wrap the water pipe in a magnetic sleeve; that may be an electromagnet that may require a power supply. Again, the theory is that the magnetic field realigns the charge in the hard ions so that they don’t form scale. There’s not much empirical evidence that categorically verifies that either of those systems actually work well. But many people who have them swear that they do. There are other salt-free systems that minimise, reduce, or completely eliminate scale formation caused by hard water. Sequestration using polyphosphate often works for medium hard water areas. Then there’s the media assisted crystallisation (MAC also known as TAC) which has been independently verified to be highly effective (see WateReuse Foundation’s study - page 43 shows the overall results). This is a fairly new innovation and has proven popular since it was introduced around 2015 as Watts OneFlow System. No matter what your requirements are, we can assist you in finding the appropriate solution for treating your hard water. As water filtration specialists, we have a wide range of water softeners to suit your needs. And if you get in touch with Fountain Filters, we will pay close attention to your needs and offer you options tailored to your specific circumstances.
0 Is reverse osmosis water good for you
Is reverse osmosis water good for you? How RO water affects your health? When it comes to water filtration, there are many types of systems to choose from and one of them is the reverse osmosis water system also known as RO. But if you are reading this article you want to know if the water filtered by a reverse osmosis system is good for your health. So, let’s dive into it by explaining first how the RO system works: The RO machines have a series of filters that remove various things, but the primary stage is a semi-permeable membrane through which about 20 to 25% of the water molecules are forced. The rest is sent to the drain, although some ROs now claim to be as high as 50% efficient. Water from a reverse osmosis water system, often called RO, has virtually everything but the H2O removed. That means that it’s fairly unnatural, but some people feel compelled to have as “pure” water as they can get believing it to be healthier. The reality is that no creature on the planet has evolved to drink water that’s been purified to such an extent, and that’s why there are so many conflicting views. Is reverse osmosis water safe to drink? For most people, you can drink reverse osmosis water everyday and it will be perfectly safe. There’s nothing in reverse osmosis water that’s bad for your health. It will still hydrate you, and staying hydrated is certainly good for your health. So drinking RO water is good for health from that perspective. Is drinking reverse osmosis water bad for you? Not really, although there are some conditions to that. Ordinary water contains all sorts of minerals and trace elements that are vital to health, so if you only drink reverse osmosis water then you could, potentially, have deficiencies of some of those elements. According the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations on water quality demineralised water such as from RO does not conform to standards. That’s because it recommends at least 10mg/L of magnesium, 30 mg/L of bicarbonate ions, 30 mg/L of calcium, and 100 mg/L of other dissolved salts and RO water fails those parameters. However, if you have a good, varied diet and “eat the rainbow” of different coloured, unprocessed foods then you’ll never have to question is RO water bad for health. That’s because all those mineral and elements will be provided by the rest of your diet. There is chatter online about drinking reverse osmosis water can reverse the process and it leaches the minerals out of your body. There is some medical opinion that supports the theory, although it hasn’t been categorically proven as far as we know. Going back to the WHO’s guidance; it states that “low-mineral content water — in the light of the absence or substantial lack of essential minerals in it — is not considered ideal drinking water, and therefore, its regular consumption may not be providing adequate levels of some beneficial nutrients.” In the UK our access to diets rich in minerals and other substances means that it’s less crucial to have the levels suggested by the WHO, but it could be a risk for people with underlying health conditions and pregnant women. Bearing that in mind, you may wish to reconsider whether there are any health benefits of reverse osmosis. What about the contaminants in tap water? If you’ve arrived at this article because you may have been worrying about the tap water in the UK having all sorts of nasty and dangerous chemicals, then you’re probably already considering getting a reverse osmosis water filter. If you’ve set your heart on that then we suggest that you should ensure you get an RO that has a remineralisation stage – these have a final filter that adds calcium, and sometimes magnesium back into the water. That will also lift the pH again so it’s not to acidic. However, there are many more minerals and elements that have been removed too that these do not restore. Alternatives to a reverse osmosis water system We always ask people who contact us what it is about their water that they want to improve – and you should ask yourself that before deciding that you need an RO water filtration system. The reason we do that is because there’s a very good chance there’s a simpler, more cost effective, and more environmentally friendly way to get the water quality that’s desired. The majority of “contaminants” that people want to remove are things like chlorine, lead, bacteria, hormones, chemicals, pollutants such as PFAS, and the like. The water in the UK is some of the best in the world, however it’s a legitimate concern. What you may not realise is that all of those can be removed to a great extent by water filters that are highly efficient and cheaper to run than an RO system. Better still, they leave the good minerals and elements in your drinking water and are much easier to maintain. There’s also less waste of water, fewer cartridge changes, and no electricity for the pump. Have a look at our water purifiers in stock that can be used for mains water and drinking water applications – they are especially affordable if you want to purify the water to your whole house. And if you’re still confused or unsure what you need at Fountain Filters we are always happy to speak to you about your specific requirements, you can call us on 01352838281 or ask us a question on our helpdesk.
0 Best ways filter water hiking backpacking
Best ways to filter water when hiking or backpacking. A real backpacker’s advice! Are you a keen hiker or backpacker and want to drink safe water during your travels and adventures? In that case, we would like you to meet Ann. Ann embarked on a six-week solo trip to Nepal and India and describes her hiking water filter as her ‘trusty companion’. Her Indian friends and other individuals she met along the way, some of which lived in very remote areas, were fascinated with her filtering water bottle for hiking and how it worked. They were fascinated at just how powerful Ann’s backpacking water filter was. The fact that her water filter bottles could filter contaminated water and make it perfectly safe to drink blew their minds. From Nepal’s Himalayan Pokhora and Kathmandu to India’s Almora and Ranikhet villages, New Delhi, Pune and the tropical Gaiwadi beach to Ratna Giri on the Koncan Coast, Ann didn’t buy one single bottle of water, didn’t add to the global plastics crisis, saved money, and to top it all off, didn’t get Delhi belly. Ann had a truly fantastic experience, and we are especially happy that she invested in the best hiking water filter in the UK and decided to share her on the go water filtration experience with us! Thanks Ann! We’d like you to grab hold of the best hiking water filter too, so sit back and read all about water filter bottles and other ways to filter water when hiking or backpacking. How do you filter water when hiking or backpacking? Firstly, if you’re away from home and out on the trails, never let your common sense be trumped by your thirst. And never be so gullible as to believe that the clear, pristine looking water in front of you is safe to drink. Use your imagination and think about what hazards could lie upstream. You do not want to run the risk of drinking water that contains parasites such as Giardia or Cryptosporidium while out hiking. You’d be doubled over in pain and popping the antibiotics in for a good few weeks. It would ruin any outdoors adventure. We know that you can just visit the supermarket and fill your backpack with bottles of water before you head off, but why do that when there are far easier, less heavy, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly ways to make the water that’s already outdoors perfectly safe to drink. Just like Ann did. Now that we’ve got your eyes wide open about the dangers that could be lurking in that clean, clear pool of water you’ve just stumbled upon, let’s look briefly at the commonly used ways you can make water safe before drinking it. As with everything, we recommend doing some of your own research on each of the different ways as you are the expert on what type of hiking, you’re going to be doing and how many are going to be involved on each trip. Ann did her hiking water filter research before deciding that the water filter bottle was going to be the best way to filter water when she was exploring India and Nepal. UV light to filter water outdoors It’s hard to believe that sticking a pen like device in your water bottle and swirling the UV light around for 90 seconds or so will kill nasty contaminants and make the water safe to drink, but it does. This easy-to-use gadget requires solar power or rechargeable batteries and will only filter one bottle of water at a time. A downside is that the UV light doesn’t work so effectively on water that’s cloudy due to the amount of sediment that’s present. The cloudiness will stop the germs being exposed to the UV light. This type of filter will also not work on water bladders. Gravity water filters for large groups of hikers or backpackers Use the power of gravity to push dirty water down through a filter to make clean water. Gravity filters are incredibly easy to operate, you just need to remember to hang the dirty water higher than the clean water pouch otherwise gravity can’t do its thing. If you have a larger number of people out hiking and backpacking, then gravity water filters are useful because you can filter larger quantities of water more quickly. Pumps for filtering large quantity of water You can give your arms a good workout and get the heart rate elevated with a pump filter. Water is pumped through a filter system that traps contaminants. Pumps are easy to use and quick at filtering larger quantities of water, so useful if there are more than a couple of people in the party. Liquids or tablets to purify water when travelling Using liquids or tablets to purify water is classed as a chemical treatment. The liquid must be measured out accurately and this can be a bit of a faff. You don’t need a lot, 1 ml per 10 litres of water is sufficient. Water treatment tablets, while not instant, are much easier to use than liquid. Chlorine dioxide purification tablets tend to be preferred over iodine tablets. As chlorine dioxide tablets dissolve, they purify the water with a highly active form of oxygen. Iodine doesn’t eliminate Cryptosporidium and can make the water turn yellow and taste horrible. That horrible taste would still be better than watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, and fever. After dropping one tablet per litre of water, you must wait at least 30 minutes to eliminate viruses and bacteria, two hours to get rid of Giardia, and if using Iodine tablets, up to four hours if there is a possibility that Cryptosporidium is present. Straw filters to filter water whilst hiking If you are out hiking and there is plenty of water around, then a very personal hiking water filter that you wouldn’t share with anyone else would be a straw filter. Not so useful if there isn’t a plentiful supply of water on your hiking trip. Boiling the water We’re getting back to basics here! Bringing water to a rolling boil in low altitude environments for 1 minute, or 3 minutes for altitudes above 2000m will ensure your water is potable as bacteria, protozoa and even viruses will have been eliminated. You’re going to need to boil water for cooking, so boil enough for drinking to, and fill up your vessels for the day ahead. Getting your camping stove out to boil water each time you wanted a drink wouldn’t be the best use of your time and it would also deplete your cooking fuel more rapidly than you’d like. But, planning to boil enough to drink when you’re cooking is a good use of time and resources. Just to keep you hanging, we’ve saved what we believe to be the best water filter purifier for backpacking until last. Water filter bottles for hiking and backpacking This is what Ann chose. Be like Ann! We all know that prevention is better than cure, so when you’re organising the essential items to fill your backpack make sure that at least a couple of 75cl water filter bottles are on your essentials list, plus an easy water bottle replacement filter. It’s a simple strategy that’s worthwhile adopting to avoid tummy trouble from drinking water that could be full of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. You should never have to worry about staying hydrated during any activity. Having access to clean water when travelling is vital, both to your body and to your overall enjoyment when hiking. Be prepared like Ann. We choose to offer water filter hiking bottles by Water to Go, a British company that started manufacturing water filter bottles in 2014. They are the best backpacking water filter because you don’t have to mess about with liquids, tablets, gravity, pumps, UV, or straws. Depending on how far you’re going, you just grab your water to go bottles and off you go. A 75cl bottle contains a filter that will be good for 200 litres of water, and the 50cl bottle will be good for 130 litres. That should last you for a good few hiking and backpacking adventures. A classic combination of boiling water when you’re in situ and a water filter bottle are the perfect double act when it comes to outdoor adventure. What is a water filter bottle? You’ve heard of NASA right?. Well, the 3-in-1 filter technology that sits inside this BPA free water filter bottle is based on that which was developed for the NASA space programme. These bottles will remove up to 99.9999% of microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source through a process of traditional and nano technology. What does a water filter bottle remove? A Water to Go filtering water bottle for hiking will remove: bacteria viruses waterborne parasites protozoa heavy metals e.g. lead harmful chemicals chlorine fluoride microplastics But it will retain: calcium magnesium sodium What makes water filter bottles so unique? A 50cl water filter bottle replaces 260 single use 500ml plastic water bottles and a 75cl bottle replaces 400 single use 500ml bottles. By choosing to use what we consider to be the best hiking water filter you’ll be doing crazy amounts of good stuff for the planet. You won’t ever have to buy bottled water again and considering that using a water filter bottle will cost you about 5p per litre, you’ll be wealthier to! Bottled water is SO EXPENSIVE. We are here to help on all your outdoor water filtration needs! Ann had lots of questions about the water filter bottle replacement filters and the efficacy of the filters. Instead of sitting and worrying about it, Ann called us to chat over her concerns and we were able to talk about the history and scientific development of nano water purification technology that led to the production of the Water to Go bottles. Ann’s now back in the UK and still uses her water filter bottle as in her words, “it transforms the unpleasant tap water taste to one like spring water.” If you’re looking at the best way to filter water when hiking or backpacking and have questions, then we’re easy to get in touch with. Call 01352 838 281 or send us a message and we’d be delighted to help you plan the adventure of a lifetime.
0 7 benefits drinking filtered water UK
7 Benefits of drinking filtered water in the UK Have you ever wondered what are the key benefits of drinking filtered water? This article gives you the all-important green light to break your own inertia and start enjoying the numerous benefits of drinking filtered water in the UK. We have lost count of the number of people that call or message us and one of the first things they tell us is that they’re tired of filling up their water filter jug or buying bottles of water from the supermarket. It’s costing them a fortune in time and money, and they’ve had enough! They have often been doing a bit of research and have a basic understanding of the benefits of filtered drinking water. They then want to back up their research with some expert and trusted advice and turn to us for help. Water is hugely important in our lives. In terms of survival, it is probably one of the most important and trumps food hands down. Our body’s cells contain up to 70% water. It’s the elixir of life. We would die without it. Water is the most thirst-quenching drink that exists. But sadly, not all water is equal, and this article highlights 7 health benefits of drinking filtered water. Our wish for you is that you and your family have 24/7 access to the cleanest and freshest filtered water in your home. People up and down the UK are turning to us to help them with all aspects of water filtration. What are the benefits of drinking filtered water over unfiltered water? We have this image in our heads of you sitting down in a restaurant and being offered a menu of different types of water you can enjoy with your meal. On one side of the menu is the unfiltered water selection with a list of all the possible undesirables it may contain and on the other is a list of all the benefits of drinking filtered water. Which one would you choose? Yes, we would too! Filtered water would win hands down for us as well. But what are the benefits of drinking filtered water? Let’s start exploring! Benefit 1 – Filtered water has had various impurities removed The removal or reduction of impurities from your water such as chlorine, microorganisms, pesticides, trace pharmaceuticals, fluoride, heavy metals, PFAS, and microplastics will give you and your family water that you feel safe and happy to drink. This is the number one priority and having peace of mind is invaluable. All, or a combination of these impurities puts people off drinking tap water and they either reach for bottled water, thinking it is safer, or seek help on how to remove what they don’t want in there with a simple drinking water filter coupled with a separate drinking water filter tap or a sleek 3 way tap for your kitchen that replaces their existing kitchen tap. Often, people opt for a whole house water filter so they can enjoy the benefits of filtered water from every tap in the house. The World Health Organisation (WHO) ruled that a Forever Chemical Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of 10,000 or so chemicals within the PFAS family have been classified as carcinogenic. You can read an article about it here. We have also written an article about how to remove PFAS or forever chemicals from water in the UK. This is concerning and all the more reason to choose to filter your own household tap water, whether with one of our basic systems or a more specialised water filter system. The health benefits of drinking filtered water are far reaching. Your digestive health, immune system, skin, and hair will all improve when you drink filtered water. It’s a cheap, natural, and convenient detox for your body. Before we go onto the next benefit of drinking filtered water it’s important to tackle something head on with you. Something that we are seeing increasing amounts of on social media, and it annoys us intensely here at Fountain Filters. That ‘something’ is fear-based marketing by dishonest online sellers. Please don’t be swayed by the hype on social media, that tap water in the UK is killing you. If you see adverts that scaremonger you into believing that UK tap water is a deadly chemical concoction, don’t get your credit card out, swipe on past the post and contact us. We don’t sign up to this propaganda (no matter how many white papers they claim to have!) and because we know that there is no one size fits all water filter system we would never sell you something that you don’t need. We work with you to determine what you want to change about your water and the best way, based on your individual needs, to achieve this. Benefit 2 - Filtered water tastes better It’s no surprise that one of the top reasons people enjoy the benefits of drinking filtered water is because it tastes and smells better. Human senses tend to avoid anything that tastes or smells unpleasant, so if we can help people drink more water, we’re doing our job correctly. There’s just something about filtered water that makes people want to enjoy more of it. The addition of chlorine disinfectant to the mains water supply is what’s causing your tap water to taste and smell awful. Water treatment plants need to add chlorine to kill bacteria as it travels through the pipe network to your taps. If they didn’t add it, your tap water would be unpotable. But chlorine is so easy to remove, and we get lots of messages on our help desk from people seeking one of our simple solutions to this problem. How water tastes will vary from person to person. No two sets of tastebuds are the same. You could have several people living in a household and only one thinks the water tastes horrible. That one person’s needs will trump everybody else’s, and they will seek to change it. So, we say ‘if in doubt, filter it out, and you don’t have to spend a fortune doing it.’ You’ll get superior tasting water without the need to buy bottled water. Benefit 3 - Filtering your tap water makes you buy less bottled water One wish Fountain Filters has is to remove people’s reliance on plastic bottles. We do this by offering a wide range of drinking water filters that satisfy a broad range of water related problems that people come up against. You also never have to worry about running out of bottled water again. You’ll have fresh filtered water available to you 24/7. Fill your own reusable bottles in an easier, faster, cheaper, and more convenient way. Benefit 4 – Filtered water can be tailor made just for you Investing in a system where you can drink filtered water from your kitchen tap or every tap in your house means you can tailor the water filter to suit your own needs, and those of your family. You are free to decide what impurities you want to remove or reduce in your water because you believe them to be bad, at the same time as retaining the essential minerals that are beneficial to your health and well-being. Impurities that you might consider to be bad could include fluoride (read how to remove fluoride in water here), chlorine, heavy metals, PFAS and microplastics (read how to filter microplastics from drinking water here). We can tailor a water filter system that meets your needs. The improved purity of your tap water once it’s been through a drinking water filter will make a difference to the overall health of your family. Benefit 5 – Say goodbye to limescale If you live in a hard water area and are fed up with the continual build-up of limescale in your household appliances, or sick of the layer of scum on the top of your tea then one of the key benefits of drinking filtered water is that you can remove or reduce the levels of calcium and magnesium in your water by looking for a water conditioning product unit or water softener that deals effectively with hard water. We help hundreds of households across the UK with hard water problems so that they can say goodbye to limescale. Even though hard water is not harmful to health, your household appliances will thank you for treating it. Benefit 6 – A water filter system requires minimal maintenance In busy households across the UK who have installed a water filter system, one thing they don’t spend lots of time on is maintenance of the system. It’s not like you must change the water filter cartridge every month like you do with a water filter jug. Try every 6-12 months and it’s a simple screw off, drop in, screw back on system. It’s super simple so long as you don’t lose the spanner or screw the housing bowl onto the cap too tightly! We’ve seen this happen a few times, but we always have a solution, so don’t worry. We make maintenance incredibly easy for you, by sending you email reminders every 6 months. These reminders contain links that take you straight to what you need to purchase so that you can continue to enjoy the benefits of drinking filtered water. Benefit 7 – houseplants and animals love drinking filtered water Would you believe it! We’ve had a few customers who own pets that won’t drink anything else but filtered water. Animals have sensitive tastebuds too. Because a basic water filter system will remove toxins, but retain essential minerals and nutrients, plants can also thrive on filtered water. The only type of water filter that we wouldn’t recommend for plants is from a water softener as that introduces sodium to the water. How to enjoy the benefits of drinking filtered water We’ve given a lot of information in this article about the benefits of drinking filtered water, but how do you go about choosing the right water filter system for your needs? An important factor to consider is whether you want to filter the water coming out of your kitchen tap only. If this is the case, then one of our drinking water filters will do the job perfectly for you. You can tailor a drinking water filter to your needs. That’s the beauty of home water filtration. Alternatively, you may want to enjoy the benefits of being able to draw filtered water from every tap in the house. Depending on your requirements this can be achieved with a home water filtration system. If you’re not quite sure what you want just yet, then on the go water filter bottles will bridge the gap perfectly while you are deciding which water filter to install in your home. No matter what filter you decide to go for they are all a simple water in and water out plumbing job, and each water filter system comes complete with an installation guide. Have the extensive benefits of drinking filtered water in the UK grabbed your attention? If you have been inspired by the benefits of drinking filtered water we have exposed in this article, we are here to make your life easier! It’s important that you think about what you want to change about your water before parting with your money. We want you to look at water filtration products that meet your needs and fit within your budget. Everyone is different and that’s why we are here to help guide you on all your water filtration needs. It’s easy to get in touch with us. Either by phone – 01352838281 or simply sending us a message on our helpdesk. Our motto is ‘if in doubt, filter it out, and you don’t have to spend a fortune doing it!’
0 Can You Drink Softened Water
Can you drink softened water? Is it safe? As specialists in water filtration, we are often asked these two questions “can you drink softened water?” and “is it safe to drink softened water?”. We like easy answers to simple questions like that, and in this case the answer is “yes, in most cases”. Important note: what follows in this article is our best advice and information as water filtration experts. We are not health professionals; if you have any doubts you should consult your GP or other medically qualified person. Let’s get some understanding of how water is softened and why it may not be good to drink it for some people. What is softened water? In simple terms soft water is water that has low concentrations of dissolved minerals – mainly calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), that’s below 100 milligrams per litre (mg/l). Water above that level may be slightly hard (100 - 150 mg/l), moderately hard (150 – 200 mg/l), hard (200 – 300 mg/l), or even very hard (300 mg/l and above). Softened water is hard water that has the hard minerals, also known as hard ions, replaced with sodium ions, in a process called “ion exchange”. Note that the sodium in softened water is not salt (sodium chloride, NaCL) so your water won’t taste salty if you install a water softener. The chemical introduced in water softening is sodium bicarbonate and it’s not a 1:1 ratio, in fact it’s closer to around 40%. So, if you have hard water of 200 mg/l you can expect around 80 mg/l of sodium to be introduced. If you’re in a very hard water area with 350 mg/l it’s 140 mg/l of sodium introduced. Now that we know that we can consider this further. Is it safe to drink softened water? For most people you can drink water from a water softener safely. Adults sodium tolerance in drinking water The UK’s drinking water regulations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) state that the maximum safe level of sodium in drinking water is 200 mg/l (or 200 parts per million – ppm). That’s based on WHO recommended maximum daily sodium intake of 2000 mg per day from all sources, which includes meals, snacks, supplements, and drinks. Having said that the NHS and British Heart Foundation say that the maximum daily limit is 6g of salt per day for adults (that’s 6000 mg/day!) which seems a bit high if the sodium content is 40%. Bearing that in mind it’s probably best to err on the side of caution and limit your intake to 4g of salt per day at most. Taking these figures into consideration, drinking softened water may be safe for healthy adults, but what about other people? Children sodium tolerance in drinking water Tolerance for sodium increases with the age of children: Age Sodium Salt Babies < 0.4g < 1g 1 - 3 0.8g 2g 4 - 6 1.2g 3g 7 - 10 2g 5g 11 and older 2.5g 6g As you can see from the table, you need to be much more vigilant with your children’s intake of salt and sodium to safeguard their health. It is probably best if children don’t drink softened water at all. Health effects of sodium Sodium in your diet affects your health by increasing blood pressure. While that may be fine for healthy adults who are reasonably active, it’s a big risk for some – it could even be life-threatening some. But what are the risks involved in drinking softened water? Given that sodium increases blood pressure, if you suffer from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, you’ll already be aware of what follows. If not, then it may surprise you to learn that high blood pressure significantly increases the chances of developing heart disease. And then add to that: Heart attacks Strokes Heart failure Peripheral arterial disease Aortic aneurisms Kidney disease Vascular dementia Why can’t you drink softened water? Think of this in terms of the health effects of softened water for at risk people. If you have normal blood pressure, it’s likely that it’s perfectly safe to drink softened water. However, if your blood pressure is already high, or of you have slightly elevated blood pressure then you really don’t want to add to the problem. So, it’s definitely not recommended to consume water with extra sodium added in by a water softener. Can dogs drink softened water? Water from a water softener is perfectly safe for most dogs, and other pets. Older animals are probably best not to have the increased sodium. However, hard water is likely to be a higher risk to dogs due to kidney problems it can cause. The same is true for cats and the best advice is to give your pets filtered soft water which reduces most chemicals that might have adverse health effects. The side effects of drinking softened are not severe for most people, but you still may want to prevent limescale, but without using a water softener. Salt free water softeners Strictly speaking salt free water softeners aren’t water softeners, but they do prevent or minimise the formation of hard scale. They can also be combined very cost effectively with other filters that will improve water quality overall. Salt free systems tend to be lower maintenance, have a lower purchase price, and be very much cheaper to install. The latest technology employs a system called template assisted crystallisation (TAC) or media assisted crystallisation (MAC). For whole house applications Watts’ OneFlow+ mains water filter system is a simple all-in-one solution that maintains a great flow rate while treating hard water and filtering out chemicals. Or if you’re happy with the taste of your water and only want to treat the limescale problem then a superb option that is also able to be fitted in a kitchen under sink cupboard is the OneFlow Hard Water Filter 30LPM . With this post we hope you are now more informed about drinking softened water. When it comes to treating limescale or softening water, everyone has different needs, requirements, and expectations so we really encourage you to contact us here on our helpdesk or call 01352 838281 to talk to us about your individual circumstances. Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians
Fountain Filters, Strowger House,
Sandy Lane Ind. Est.
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HE, UK.
https://w3w.co/pipes.ranked.dates
VAT Reg: 370859370
