Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration: Fresh, Clean Water for Your Home

People want to know that the water they’re drinking is safe and free from contaminants. While there are several water filtration systems for homes, none are as effective in removing contaminants as reverse osmosis. If your water source, whether from the city or well, is contaminated by bacteria, chemicals, viruses, or salt, reverse osmosis filtration systems might be a helpful solution for clean, pure water throughout your home.

What Is Reverse Osmosis?

Though you have heard the term before, you may be wondering what the exact definition of reverse osmosis (also known as an RO water system) is. To understand reverse osmosis, it might be beneficial to first learn about regular osmosis.

Water naturally wants to achieve a sense of equilibrium. Pure water, referred to as a solvent, is placed on one side, and water with contaminants in it, referred to as solutes, is placed on the opposite side. A semipermeable membrane, made of various materials, divides the two solutions and is used to filter out unwanted pollutants. The side with the contaminants has a higher concentration. Because water wants to equalize itself, the pure water with the lower concentration will pass through the membrane in order to weaken the higher concentrated side. 

Reverse osmosis water filters use pressure to create the opposite effect. 

Pressure is applied to the higher concentrated side, which counteracts water’s natural tendency to regulate itself. Instead of water from the side with low concentration moving to the side with the higher concentration, the movement is reversed. The pure solvent (water) is forced through the permeable membrane and leaves the solutes (dissolved materials) behind, clearing out nearly all contaminants from your water.

What Is Better: Reverse Osmosis or Filtered Water?

While both reverse osmosis and filtered water provide clean drinking water, there are key differences between the two. For example, when comparing reverse osmosis vs carbon filter water filtration, there is a clear winner in which gets rid of contaminants the best. Reverse osmosis gets rid of nearly all contaminants, while carbon filtration removes most but can let in some. 

However, carbon filtration does have the benefit of being cheaper to install and easier to maintain. So ultimately, it comes down to which is more important to you: ease and convenience or a fully filtered water supply. This is often up to personal preference. 

4 Reverse Osmosis Benefits for Your Home

Whether or not you’re actively looking for a new water filtration system for your home, there are several reasons why reverse osmosis is beneficial for you and your family. We’ll explain just a few of the key benefits we’ve seen from installing reverse osmosis water purification systems. 

1. Highly Efficient in Removing Contaminants

Reverse osmosis is one of the best systems to remove contaminants from water. It is easily able to remove any dirt or debris that has gotten into your water supply, and it can also remove harmful metal ions and chemicals. It can filter out and reduce—or completely remove—traces of: 

• Lead
• Arsenic 
• Chlorine 
• Radium
• And much more

There is even evidence that it can filter out dangerous bacteria like E. coli and viruses such as Hepatitis A. Generally, reverse osmosis can remove up to 98% of contaminants found in water, making it one of the most effective filtration systems available. 

2. Money Saving 

One key advantage of installing a reverse osmosis system in your home is that it’ll save you money over time. There are two main ways it does this. 

First, if you don’t already have clean water, you may be relying on bottled water for drinking water. While this is a good solution, bottled water can be quite expensive, especially if you need to purchase it for everyday use. With reverse osmosis purification, you are getting the same quality of water—if not better quality—without needing to add it to your grocery bill. 

Second, reverse osmosis is an energy-efficient method of purifying water. Unlike other water filtration systems, reverse osmosis does not require electricity to run. It simply uses water pressure to filter itself out. While it may cost a bit more to install than other systems, it will eventually pay for itself with savings in energy and peace of mind about what you’re drinking. 

3. Environmentally Friendly Water Filtration

As we mentioned before, the solution to not having on-demand, clean water is often buying bottled water. The world has become more and more aware of how damaging plastics can be to the environment, and bottled water can play a huge role in this. Being able to reduce the amount of single-use plastic water bottles while also providing clean drinking water makes reverse osmosis an environmentally friendly option for filtration. 

4. Gets Rid of Hard Water 

One of the common water problems we see in Florida is hard water. Hard water can cause a variety of problems for you and your home that can be costly to repair. There are a few ways to treat hard water, but one way to both get rid of hard water and filter your water is by installing a reverse osmosis water filtration system. 

Reverse osmosis removes most, if not all, of the minerals that cause hard water. This will help your water taste better, help your hair and skin feel soft, and keep your appliances from building up a potentially damaging layer of limestone and minerals. Rather than trying to find and install a water softener, reverse osmosis filters are a great way to achieve two goals with one system. 

Are There Any Cons to Reverse Osmosis Filtration?

There are a few cons to whole-home reverse osmosis water systems; however, you’ll have to decide for yourself if the pros outweigh the cons. A few of the disadvantages of this system include: 

• It has high upfront costs for installation. 
• Maintenance costs may be higher than other systems.
• While many appreciate the taste of reverse osmosis water, others describe the taste as flat.
• Reverse osmosis removes all materials in water, including good minerals. 

If you don’t have access to clean water already, these cons are usually minimal. But if you do have access to clean water, you’ll want to weigh your options to find the best system for your home. 

Is It Okay to Drink Reverse Osmosis Water Every Day?

People see that reverse osmosis gets rid of all materials, including good minerals, and become concerned. A common misconception is that because of the lack of minerals, it’s not good to drink reverse osmosis water every day.

In general, the minerals that reverse osmosis removes from water can be found in our diets, so it is generally safe to have reverse osmosis drinking water every day, as much as any other filtered water. If you have questions or are facing health issues, it may be wise to consult your doctor to see if there are any concerns your doctor has or to find supplements that help balance your diet no matter what you drink. 

Enjoy the Freshest Water with Perry’s Pump Repair

Whether you’re actively looking for a water filtration system or curious about the benefits a reverse osmosis system can provide, Perry’s is here to help. Our team of experts will answer any questions you have, test your current well for you, and provide quality service when installing a new reverse osmosis system for your home. 

After we’re done with installation, we offer regular maintenance to ensure your filtration system is working properly throughout the year. If you’re ready to have fresh, clean water, contact us today to discover more about our reverse osmosis filter system services.