Every day, we are exposed to a wide range of pollutants. Manufacturing, transportation and agriculture are major contributors to the pollution of air and water. Installing a whole-house water-filtration system can help reduce the amount of contaminants you and your family are exposed to. A water filtration system can improve the quality of your water as well as the air you breathe, reducing the amount of chloroform released in your home from municipally treated tap water.
A whole-house water filtration system provides clean water for everyday household uses, such as bathing, cooking, drinking and laundry. Higher-end water-filtration systems are capable of removing over 30 contaminates and carcinogens from drinking water. When combined with a water filter mounted on the faucet or under the sink, they are even more effective.
It is important to evaluate the many kinds of whole-house filtration systems — from inexpensive, do-it-yourself set-ups to more costly versions that require professional installation. Filter-replacement schedules and maintenance procedures will vary significantly among models. Home-improvement centers sell a variety of inexpensive, simple water filtration systems for removing sand, sediment and iron. You can install many of these yourself. Larger, more expensive systems that remove significantly more contaminants are available through plumbing contractors and water equipment wholesalers. Consulting a professional before purchasing a whole-house system ensures that you get the quality of water you desire.
The savings you can expect from purchasing a whole-house system compared to purchasing bottled water is substantial. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person should drink about 64 ounces (half a gallon) of water a day. A whole-house filtration system produces clean drinking water for just pennies per gallon.
A home water-filtration system also can benefit the environment by reducing the amount of plastic water bottles discarded. Every year, consumers in the U.S. alone purchase roughly 30 billion bottles of drinking water, which require 32 million barrels of oil to produce and transport to stores. Only about 25 percent of these bottles is recycled; the rest wind up in our rivers, lakes, oceans and landfills. This statistic becomes even more alarming when you take into account that it may take 100 years for a plastic bottle to decompose.