The quality of tap water at your home will suggest how many stages of purification would go into the process to get the best clean water to drink. Water purification is a multi-filtration process where various harmful sediments are passed through several membranes to give clan water. There are many types of water filters for homes that offer several different purposes and requirements of their own. Some purifiers like RO+UV systems need electricity, and they can eliminate inorganic compounds and the smell of contaminated water. While the activated carbon and sediment cartridge purifiers can help get rid of foul odor and sand, they don’t need electricity. However, they are also ineffective in removing inorganic salts.
Here are some parameters which you must consider before buying a purifier for your home:
1. Quality of water:
Estimate the water quality you receive at your home and then decide on what type of water purifier suits your needs. The water quality varies from one place to another. Some are loaded with sediments, while the other has germs and viruses which can affect healthy life. Mostly the physical appearance of water will also indicate if there are any sediments present in the water or not. The odor and taste of water can also indicate the occurrence of any dissolved impurities. If the water leaves white patches behind when kept in a steel utensil, it signifies hardness or Calcium & Magnesium in the water.
In these cases, RO purifiers are the best choice for you and your family. It has a semi-permeable membrane that has a pore size of 0.0005 microns. These pores help to remove the tiniest of dissolved salts, metals, and impurities. You can also test the water to see if there are any impurities present in the water or not. Sometimes heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic present in the water can cause serious health problems. When you know the quality of water that comes to your home, choosing the best water purifier will be an easy task for you.
If you get water from bore systems, you must always opt for RO Systems because they have high TDS as bore water travels from below the earth’s surface with dissolved heavy metals.
2. Daily Usage
Try to analyze the daily consumption of water by your family. Understand the usage on whether you need water only for drinking or for the entire house. This will provide an idea of what kind of water purifier you need. If the daily consumption were too high, you would need a high-power and higher output rate model that can filter a large water supply. If the daily consumption of water is low, then you can easily go for smaller water purifiers. Consider the number of members using before purchasing the product. If you are in a joint family, the water purifier with less water quantity will be useless.
3. Know the budget
If you are looking for which water purifier is best for your home, you must plan to buy a water purifier. Once you are clear of your budget, you can look for the product that fits your bill. Water purifiers are a long time investment, so it is recommended to go for a high-quality brand. If you are looking for a UV+UF purifier, there are many options available in the market under 12K. If you are looking for a good quality RO system, then there are multiple options under 16K.
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4. Process of purification and technology
The best way to select among many brands of various purifiers is to compare their purification technology. The technology which is used can affect the quality of water. Every water purifier has a different mechanism that can filter the contaminated water. There are many labels for these specifications, like RO or Reverse Osmosis treatment which uses a semi-permeable membrane in order to remove hardness, metals, ions, molecules, and larger particles from the water.
Then there is a UV or Ultraviolet water purification system, which uses ultraviolet rays to kill germs in the water. Then later comes UF or Ultrafiltration which uses Hydrostatic pressure against any semipermeable membrane to purify bacteria and viruses from the water. TDS stands for purification technique which also controls the final TDS and taste of the water. The presence of pH Balance Technology in the Water Purifiers can balance the pH levels. Remember to check all the purification levels or stages involved before buying a water purifier.
5. Electricity
Mostly the RO+UV water purifiers need electricity. So if you live in an area where there are huge power cuts or have an insufficient electricity supply, then it is best to opt for an alternate water purifier that can cope up with all the power cuts.
6. Maintenance Cost
Before you settle down for a water purifier or an RO system, you must analyze and make sure that its maintenance cost fits your budget. Any water purifier needs services regularly. The servicing time can vary from three-four months to a year for filter replacement. Maintenance is good for the purifier and must be under Rs.2000/- per year. However, the maintenance of some purifiers might vary from Rs.2000/- to 5000/- per year.
