Whole House Reverse Osmosis Systems

When are whole house reverse osmosis systems needed? Reverse osmosis (RO) systems for whole home water purification purposes are often referred to as an "ultra" or "hyper" form of filtration. If your water is contaminated with high levels of dissolved organics and solids and/or wastewater residuals, a reverse osmosis filter is a good treatment choice. Such systems are also very efficient at filtering heavy metals such as lead, asbestos, and bacteria, as well as significantly reducing turbidity levels. A reverse osmosis system performs best with soft water and a home with high water pressure. Individuals with compromised immune systems are also encouraged to invest in a reverse osmosis filtration system for their whole house.

How do reverse osmosis home systems work?

Such systems use a pump and high water pressure to forcibly-push water through a semi-permeable membrane. Contaminants that cannot pass through the membranes are simply flushed away. Filtered water is then stored in a separate holding tank. Many RO filtration systems are used in conjunction with a mechanical filter and an activated carbon filter to improve the reverse osmosis filter's overall effectiveness. Hard water potentially needs pre-treatment via a water softener for the reverse osmosis filter to function most effectively. Membranes must be routinely replaced as sediment residual can eventually hinder the system.

What else should I be aware of prior to installing a system?

The use of an RO system can be a slow process requiring three to four hours to produce one gallon of filtered water. For each gallon created, three or more gallons of wastewater are flushed away. While the initial cost of installing a reverse osmosis system for the whole house can be considered expensive, the quality of the filtered water is very high.