RO Purifiers

RO purifiers, or reverse osmosis purifiers, are the water purifiers of choice for many households. Not only do they guarantee safe drinking water but with bottle water costing an average of $0.79 a gallon and RO purified water costing $0.02 a gallon, you can see how water purification is many times cheaper than bottled water, as well as more convenient.

Reverse osmosis, RO or ultra-filtration as it is called in the industry, was developed in the late 1950s as a method to desalinate saltwater. Today it is known as the most thorough and convenient way to filter water. Water bottling plants use reverse osmosis, as do many industries that need ultra-refined water supplies.

How do RO Water Purification Systems Work?

Water pressure forces the water molecules through a 0.0001 micron semi-permeable membrane. The membrane is in some kind of housing so the pressure can be maintained. With RO water purification, the substances filtered out and left behind are diverted automatically to a waste drain so they will not build up in the filter. This is why RO purifiers last for a long time and perform well for many years with hardly any maintenance.

Are There Any Disadvantages?

The main disadvantage of RO water purification systems is the large amount of contaminated wastewater than is generated as a result of the process. This wastewater can be between fifty and ninety percent of all incoming water, depending on the pressure difference across the RO membrane. If there is a big difference in pressure, the wastage will be less.

With RO water purification, you can choose from whole house, under-sink or countertop models, depending how much of your water you want to purify, your budget and the space you have available.

Whole House RO Water Purification Systems

To find out which size of RO water purifier would suit your home, there are several things to think about. A person uses between fifty and seventy five gallons of water each day. This figure includes drinking, cooking, washing, toilet, laundry and more. When calculating how big your RO purifier should be, it is a good idea to use the upper limit of seventy five gallons. To conserve water, you can choose to bypass the toilet and washing machine.

RO Storage Tank

Reverse osmosis is slow compared to other water purification systems and it produces water more slowly than it is used, meaning that the RO purifier will be working even when no water is being used. This means you will need a storage tank to keep the water for later use. Most water is used in the mornings and evenings so you will want a storage tank which can hold at least half of your daily consumption but a full day is better.

If you choose a RO purifier which is too small, it will run all the time and that might increase the chances of premature wear. A unit which is too big will work out more expensive. Try to size your RO system so it produces your daily water allowance in eight hours. This allows for unanticipated peaks in water demand and reduces wear and tear too.

Bookmarks
Bookmark This |