5. Make your newly washed clothes softer, help them retain color, and last longer
Using chlorine-contaminated water or hard water in your laundry machine results in damage and mineral buildup on your clothes. White clothes and lighter colors can also come out of the wash looking dingy or sullied. In addition to reducing chlorine, some whole house systems come bundled with a softener or conditioner, which removes hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium to prevent color fading, stiffness, and damage on your clothes.
6. Get cleaner dishes with less effort
Hard water often leaves streaks or stains on dishes after washing, due to mineral deposits sticking and soap lathering issues similar to what happens when showering. Even after relentless scrubbing, you may find it difficult or impossible to get a spotless rinse because the water you’re using keeps dirtying the dishes. Installing a whole house system with a softener or conditioner removes the hard water minerals that leave deposits and streaks, so you can get cleaner dishes with less effort.
6. Increase the lifetime of household appliances by removing coarse minerals
Contaminants like sediment or hard water minerals cause your appliances to work harder, making them less efficient and reducing their lifespan. Whole house systems remove contaminants that increase the wear and tear on appliances like your washing machine, dishwasher, and anything else that uses water. The result is that your appliances will work more efficiently and last longer so you can enjoy their benefits as intended. You may even find that the cost savings of a longer lifespan for these appliances cover the expense of a whole house system in the long-run.
Problems that whole house water filters address
The drinking water in your home can contain many naturally-occurring impurities, like iron, magnesium, and calcium. However, city-treated water can also contain chlorine or chloramines — disinfecting compounds used before your water enters your home. Filtering city water can improve its quality, but filtering well water is more of a necessity because it isn’t tested or treated by the government. Here are the different problems whole house systems address regarding city and well water:
Common city water problems
Chemical Contamination - Public water is treated by the government, usually with a cocktail of chemicals and filtration methods. Not only can contaminants slip past these precautions, but the chemicals most commonly used by municipalities – chlorine and chloramines – are contaminants in and of themselves. Additionally, other contaminants may be picked up on the way to your home as the water travels through lines that may contain lead or other impurities. Whole house systems remove these contaminants added during the treatment process or during transportation to your home.
Well water problems
Unknown Contaminants - Because the EPA doesn’t place regulations on well water, testing and removing contaminants is the responsibility of the homeowner. A poorly constructed well could become contaminated by sewage systems or other sources such as waste runoff. Before using well water, the homeowner should have it thoroughly tested and may need to install a filter. There are several whole house systems designed specifically for wells, which target the contaminants associated with this water source.
Hard Water - Well water is more likely to be hard because it’s coming from the ground instead of reservoirs, and the water may absorb minerals from the soil surrounding it. Whole house systems can come bundled with a softener or conditioner to address this issue.
Options for whole-house water filters and their benefits
Whole house systems typically utilize several stages of filtration to remove contaminants, and there are usually several optional add-ons to enhance performance. Each stage of filtration targets specific impurities, and homeowners may be able to customize a whole house system to address their top water contaminant concerns. Aquasana Rhino® house water filters come standard with a four-phase filtration process equipped with the following filtration types:
- Sediment Pre-Filters: are the first line of defense for a whole home filtration system. They stop rust, sediment, and silt that can clog your filter and pipes, sparing you costly repairs later on.
- Copper-Zinc: clear out heavy metals and chlorine. Shower steam can have chlorine levels up to 20 times higher than tap water. Inhaling shower steam with chlorine can cause lung irritation and shortness of breath.
- Activated Carbon Filters: remove chlorine.
- Post-Filters: reduces any remaining sediment and organic particles.
The filters above effectively target contaminants associated with city water; however, if your water comes from a non-regulated source like a private well, you may need extra layers of defense. Filtration options available as upgrades to stock whole house systems include:
- UV Filters: can sterilize harmful viruses, bacteria, and cysts. If your water comes from a well, installing a UV filter and changing it once a year is highly advisable.
- Salt-Free Water Conditioners: reduce calcium and magnesium minerals to address hard water. Unlike water softeners, conditioners don’t require salt or electricity which is why they’re seen as a lower maintenance solution.
Overall, the particles and contaminants in our water influence our health on multiple levels – thankfully, whole house water filters have plenty of options for tackling these issues. A single whole house system may be more cost-effective than installing and maintaining a combination of under sink, countertop, or shower filters throughout the home.
WHOLE HOUSE
OptimH2O®
Tested and certified to reduce lead, cysts, and PFOA/PFOS, plus tackles chlorine and chloramines.
Get cleaner water with Aquasana
At Aquasana, we’ve spent hours researching and identifying which contaminants and disinfectants give your water an undesirable taste and smell, and have designed filters that reduce them. All of our whole house systems are independently tested to NSF/ANSI Standards to reduce contaminants, and our Rhino® systems are Water Quality Association certified to NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) Standard 61. Shop systems or contact us to learn more.
