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by Lauren Busser The House Designers’ Editorial Director
You want your new kitchen to look great but you also want the water that comes from your faucets to taste great. Installing a water filtration system like a Pentair® Everpure® system, delivers clean, crisp-tasting water that makes a difference.
Why Do I Need a Water Filtration System?
While the earth is made of 75% water, 97% of that is salt water. That means only 3% is fresh water and of that fresh water 2% is frozen in ice caps and glaciers. That leaves only 1% available for human consumption and this often means water with off-tastes, odors, chlorine, dirt, rust and other contaminants that could be a concern to you or your family’s health depending on where you live.
Membrane Filters or Carbon Block?
Membrane has nearly six times the filtering area of carbon filters. Instead of a solid carbon block, systems like Everpure® use an accordion-folded membrane and a very fine activated carbon coating called Micro-Pure® on both sides. The combination of the filter and the Micro-Pure® coating result in incredibly consistent performance that removes off-tastes, odors and particles as small as 0.5 miron in size. Some of the systems even protect against VOCs, THMs, and MTBE. Look for filters that include a biostatic that combats the growth of bacteria in the cartridge.
What Types of Systems are Available?
There are generally two types of systems available, filtration and reverse osmosis systems. Both have benefits and serve different needs. A filtration system leaves naturally found chemicals and vitamins in the water, takes up less room under the sink, requires less maintenance, offers easy installation and wastes no water.
On the other hand, a reverse osmosis system removes 99% of all contaminants and impurities found in water including minerals and vitamins. Reverse osmosis systems produce pharmaceutical grade water that allows you to truly taste the flavors of a beverage. In addition to providing high quality water, reverse osmosis systems are designed for regions with specific water concerns, such as arsenic.
Our editors here at The House Designers conducted a water tasting experiment to see if Pentair's® Everpure® EF-6000 really made a difference in standard, fresh well water. We were all surprised to notice a big difference in water taste, food taste and hot beverages like coffee and tea. The system was super easy to install in about five minutes, and the ability to fill a kettle or coffee maker in a couple of seconds from the main kitchen faucet rather than from the refrigerator dispenser was worth the system alone.
Determining Which System is Right For You
To decide which system is right for you, we recommend that you have your water professionally tested for contaminants. After you know your specific concerns, contact a trusted Everpure® Sales Partner to find the filtration or reverse osmosis system that effectively addresses your water concerns.
