Advantages And Disadvantages Of Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis filters are a type of water filter that works by passing water through a membrane that has thousands of microscopic holes punched into it. These holes are small enough to allow for water to pass through but will block dissolved solids and other contaminants, like bacteria, from continuing through. This unique method of water filtration gives reverse osmosis water filters a distinctive set of advantages and disadvantages: understanding what those are can allow you to determine if a reverse osmosis water filter is the right choice for your home's plumbing:

Advantages of Reverse Osmosis Filters

Efficiency: The main advantage associated with reverse osmosis water filters is that they are extremely efficient, removing the majority of dissolved solids, bacteria, minerals, and any other contaminants from within your water supply. This will remove any odors and tastes, subtle or otherwise, which may be in your water supply, and can also act as an effective filter for hard water, preventing chalky buildup from building up on your faucets and making soaps and detergents more effective at cleaning your clothes, your dishes, and yourself.

Energy Independent: Reverse osmosis water filters do not use a power source to operate, instead using the water pressure within your plumbing to force water through the filter. This means that there is no operation cost associated with your water filter, and that your filter will be able to provide clean and safe drinking water to your home even in the event of an emergency or disaster that has left you without power.

Disadvantages of Reverse Osmosis Filters

Cleaning: Reverse osmosis filters can become easily clogged as dissolved solids, and other contaminants collect on one side of the filter. This will reduce their effectiveness over time: they will need to be regularly cleaned or replaced to ensure that they are operating at their peak efficiency. The rate of maintenance can be reduced by purchasing a traditional water filter to "pre-filter" the water before it goes through the osmosis system, but this will drive up costs.

Rate of filtration: Another downside associated with reverse osmosis filters is the fact that they have trouble filtering water quickly, which can severely restrict how much filtered water you may have access to at any one time. This may not be a huge issue for a sink that you only use periodically throughout the day, but may be an issue for other faucets.  

Contact a company like Travers Plumbing & Heating Inc for more information and assistance.