If you do not like the taste, color, or smell of your home’s tap water, a filter can help. There are many types of filters, each featuring different characteristics. An under-sink filter is one of the most convenient, mainly if you have limited counter space in your kitchen and do not like the appearance of a countertop filter.
Here is the complete guide on what you should look for when choosing an under-sink filtration system for your home.
Right Size and Capacity
Selecting the right size and capacity of an under-sink filter is crucial for effective water purification and long-term performance. A system with insufficient capacity cannot meet your family’s needs, and one with more capacity will be inefficient and costly. Therefore, you must select the filtration system that best fits your needs and preferences.
Here are some benefits of considering the right size and capacity of your under-sink water filters:
- It will prevent hindering access and storage.
- A filtration system with optimal capacity best meets your family’s needs and water consumption.
- It will operate at optimal efficiency, extend the life of filter cartridges, and reduce the frequency of replacements.
Effective Filtration Methods
To ensure the filter meets all your needs, you must verify what toxins it can remove and how it works. Below are some effective filtration methods commonly used in under-sink filtration systems.
- Carbon Filtration: It is effective at removing chlorine, odors, and other organic contaminants to improve the taste and smell of water.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO): It is highly efficient and removes a wide range of water impurities, including bacteria, viruses, dissolved salts, and heavy metals.
- Multi-Stage Filtration: It uses multiple filtration stages and combines different methods to achieve the best water purification.
- Sediment Filters: These are used to remove larger particles like rust, sand, and dirt from the water before they reach the other filtration stages.
- Ultrafiltration: It purifies the water by passing it through a hollow fiber membrane that catches all the debris and contaminants.
Good Water Pressure and Flow Rate
Water pressure and flow rate are crucial considerations when choosing an under-sink water filtration system. Generally, people think that higher levels of filtration mean a slower flow rate, but this is not true. By investing in the quality models of under-sink filtration systems, you can get a higher flow rate with multiple filtration levels.
On the other hand, you should also keep in mind that your home’s water pressure can significantly affect the flow rate of water. If your home has low water pressure, it will take a lot of time to fill a large pot with filtered water.
Ease of Installation
Many under-sink filtration systems are easy to install, but some with the larger RO (Reverse Osmosis) systems require professional installations because they require an additional hole in your sink for a separate faucet.
If you are well aware of how to install the system, change filters, and ensure its maintenance, you can do a DIY project. But, if you do not know about these, it is better to let an expert handle everything.
