Water is one of the most precious goods available to humanity, to the point that it is essential for life. However, water can also contain and transport microorganisms and bacteria that can cause serious health problems (including high mortality rates in the third world). Fortunately, today there are solutions to clean the water of impurities, as is the case with water purifiers. Next we see what they are and what their advantages and disadvantages are.
WHAT ARE WATER PURIFIERS?
A water purifier is a device that is used to clean the water that we drink from the tap of all the impurities that it may contain. It is likely that the water we drink is drinkable, but this does not mean that it is completely free of potentially harmful substances or agents. Water purifiers deliver us precisely from these agents.
WHAT ARE WATER PURIFIERS FOR?
The water purifiers that we can find today mainly use technologies based on mechanical filters, activated carbon, separation membranes for microfiltration or reverse osmosis, UV disinfection systems, carbonation and electrodeionization.
In practice, they aim to soften drinking water and remove chemical elements and suspended particles that, through the water purification and analysis system, should already have been removed by the water system operator, who at the same time periodically guarantees controls on the microbiological, chemical and physical parameters in the quality of the water.
HOW DOES A WATER PURIFIER WORK?
Water purifiers are placed directly on the tap or in a container in the kitchen pan, and thanks to the use of various filters, they allow the water to be cleaned of microorganisms and bacteria, as well as harmful agents, dirt or unwanted substances. They are, therefore, very useful devices in those places where the quality of the water is lower. Drinking totally pure water is also the first step for those who want to start taking care of themselves.
There are actually several different types of water purifiers (we'll get to that later). The most complex involve installations throughout the home; the simplest are simple filter containers. In any case, they all serve the same purpose, although at different levels: remove impurities from water to improve its taste and take care of our health and that of those around us.
In the following points we are going to see some of the main advantages of water purifiers, and also some other more negative factors that must also be taken into account. Let's go there!
ADVANTAGES OF WATER PURIFIERS
If you buy one of these faucet diffusers that allows you to purify water or any of the other indicated systems, you will see that among its most outstanding advantages we have:
YOU DRINK PURE WATER
The most obvious advantage is that they allow access to pure water to anyone who wants it. This is especially helpful in those areas where the water quality is lower. It could also be said that they improve the quality of the water, wherever it comes from.
Now you always have to check the filters and change them regularly, otherwise the risk is that bacterial colonies will form and you will no longer be drinking such pure water. The lack of hygiene and care of the water softening devices favors the increase of the bacterial load. The regulation on such devices also underlines this aspect, focusing on the importance of informing the consumer about this potential risk.Best Water Purifiers
YOU REDUCE THE RISK OF DISEASE
On the other hand, also among the benefits of using water purifiers is the fact that they allow anyone to drink water without risk to their health. In other words, they increase safety and reduce the risk of suffering from diseases or infections due to the intake of contaminated water. For example, they completely eliminate the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses due to bad water.
But again you must take into account the hygiene of these devices or filters. This is the only way to ensure that the advantages are completely real.
RECOMMENDED FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN
In relation to the previous point, the use of these purifiers is recommended for any type of person, but especially for children or pregnant women, or for people who may be more prone to gastrointestinal problems.
THEY ARE EASY TO INSTALL
Water purifiers, especially those that are diffusers that we place on the tap, are simple devices that do not require large installations or complicated maintenance systems. Anyone can have a water purifier at home, at an affordable price.
YOU SAVE MONEY AND EFFORT
Another of the strengths of water purifiers is that, in the medium term, they are cheaper than buying bottled water. It is true that you have to make an initial investment in the water purifier and that some of its components will need to be replaced with use (filters, for example). Also that you need to use more tap water than the purified water you get. Still, the value for money is much higher.
On the other hand, buying bottled water to drink on a daily basis means loading our car or car with packages of bottles or with five or ten liter jugs, with the consequent effort that this entails. In some way, then, that the installation of these purifiers allows you to also rest a little, especially the elderly or elderly.
IMPROVEMENT OF WATER TASTE
Of course, it will also improve the taste of the water. We all know that the idea that water is tasteless is not true, and that pure water tastes much fresher and more pleasant than, for example, water with chlorine.
YOU COLLABORATE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT
Finally, it can also be mentioned that the use of water purifiers also reduces the production of plastic waste. Although plastic bottles are recyclable, there are still many people who do not recycle and, therefore, those bottles end up as waste everywhere. Water purifiers are already helping to reduce this problem.
BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE PURIFIER THAT SUITS YOU
The truth is that we can say that water purifiers seem to have become fashionable lately. In fact, we currently find on the market a wide variety of purifiers and accessories specially designed to meet your needs, which will allow you to choose the system that best suits your needs. In addition, it is in practically all cases of purifiers that are of high quality and high performance that, depending on the system, are also, as we have already pointed out, quite cheap.
These are the main advantages of water purifiers. Let us now see what are the disadvantages that they also have, and that we must take into account.
DISADVANTAGES OF WATER PURIFIERS
There is no doubt that the use of water purifiers brings with it many more advantages than disadvantages, but to try to be fair and objective, let's also see some of its less favorable or improvable points:
IT ALWAYS HAS TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION
It is not a negative point in itself, but for a water purifier to fulfill its function, it must be kept in perfect condition, which mainly implies checking and changing filters. Manufacturers usually incorporate specific instructions in this regard. This is very important, because if proper maintenance is not carried out, the filters could become a breeding ground for dirt and bacteria, achieving precisely the opposite effect to what is intended. It is estimated that a poorly cleaned filter could cause the existence of up to 2,000 more bacteria than in water without going through the purifier. Therefore, if you are going to use a purifier, use it well.
DIMENSIONS
Other disadvantages that can be found in the installation of purification systems are the dimensions, sometimes too cumbersome, of some devices, and the need for a filter change or maintenance every 10/12 months.
MAINTENANCE OF WATER PURIFIERS
As we have already pointed out in the previous point, water purifiers must be properly maintained to avoid the accumulation of bacteria and dirt. This periodic maintenance consists of checking and, if necessary, replacing the cardboard cartridge. It is advisable to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but it is also possible that, depending on the use we give the purifier, we need to do it more frequently.
This is all about water purifiers. We hope we have helped you understand a little better the pros and cons of these devices. Of course, for us, the use of water purifiers has many more advantages than disadvantages and we believe that, in many cases, their price is insignificant compared to the health advantages that they can offer.
TYPES OF WATER PURIFIERS
There are different types of water purifiers, adapted to the needs of each one or, of course, to the money that each one is willing to spend. There are from homemade purifiers, to small containers that are quite cheap and simple, to more complex installations and even purifiers at an industrial level. Let's see what are the most common types of water purifiers that we can have at home:
FILTER CONTAINERS
They are the simplest and cheapest option when it comes to cleaning water from bacteria and impurities. However, despite the fact that they fulfill their function to a certain extent and even make the water taste purer, their effectiveness is very limited and they are barely based on a simple filter that only serves to clean the most superficial impurities, but not to purify the water completely.
They are also known as filter jugs and it is, as I say, the most widely used water purification system for domestic water, because it is very cheap and can reduce the hardness of the water and improve its taste.
The device is in the form of a common jug, inside which there is a compartment containing an activated carbon filter, which has the task of capturing organic compounds and chlorine possibly present in the water.
Its operation is very intuitive: tap water is poured into the jug, usually equipped with a small funnel, and the filter inside acts immediately. After use, it is always best to store the pitcher in the fridge and not consume any water in the pitcher after 24 hours to prevent bacteria from forming.
Filters have a limited life: they must be changed every 100 liters of water consumed, or at least every month. On the other hand, another drawback is the limited amount of liquid that the containers can hold.Best Smart Water Bottle
COUPLED DIRECTLY TO THE TAP
This is possibly the most used option. They are based on a very basic installation on the kitchen faucet. An adapter is attached that connects directly to a purifying container. In this way, the water that comes out of the tap goes directly to the purifying container, which filters the water and, subsequently, acts as a tap (the water will no longer come out of the tap, but through the attached purifying container.
There are a large number of devices of this type, from small containers with a capacity of 1 liter, to jugs of considerable size.
INVERSE OSMOSIS
This system must be directly connected to the water supply and can be more or less bulky, depending on the size of the compartment intended to accommodate the waste from the purification process.
The operation is based on the use of a special membrane through which the water is filtered: impurities from the membrane end up in a collector, while clean water will flow directly from the tap. Therefore, tap water will be better in both smell and taste as well as quality.
We can say then that this is the option for those who want a house with water totally clean of impurities. It is a more complex installation that requires more expensive equipment, although they can already be found from about 200 euros. In the following video you can see how the reverse osmosis process works and how it is used to purify the water in our home.
To assemble one of these reverse osmosis purifiers we are going to have to be a little handy or at least have some notions of plumbing (operations have to be carried out on pipes, possibly dismantling the sink, etc), and in addition, we will also need specific equipment. For this reason, we recommend that if you do not see yourself capable or do not have the possibilities to assemble it yourself, have a professional install it for you (many establishments that sell this type of equipment, such as Leroy Merlin, have an installation service.
WATER SOFTENERS
Water softeners are machines, not too bulky, capable of removing hardness from water. For best results, these machines are installed under the sink, connecting directly to the water supply, but there are also portable models. The operating mechanism is based on the transformation of calcium and magnesium ions into sodium ions, thanks to the presence of ion exchange filters that, in addition to softening the water, also remove barium, nickel, cobalt and other toxic metals.
These devices are useful if you have too much "hard" water in your home, which can cause, in the long term, premature wear on appliances, but also a greater consumption of detergents necessary to eliminate the characteristic white halo of fabrics and dishes. Drinking water that is very rich in mineral salts can also cause problems with stones.
HOME WATER PURIFIERS
There is also a last variety, the cheapest and, probably, the one chosen by those who are truly more committed to the environment and water quality. Making your own homemade water purifier is not too complicated, and you will only need a bottle that has a container, and a mixture of fine sand, gravel, small and medium stones and crumbled charcoal or activated carbon. Do you dare to put it into practice or do you prefer to be given everything done?
These are some of the most common types of water purifiers out there. In the next section, we will see how we can easily install a water purifier attached to the tap by ourselves.
HOW TO PLACE A WATER PURIFIER
Next, we are going to explain how to install a spout filter on the tap, a process that is much simpler.
First of all, we must get the necessary materials, which consist of the purifying container, handles or connecting tubes, screws, wrench and, of course, adapters for the tap spout and the purifying container.
On the other hand, it is important that before starting the "installation" we close the stopcock and open the taps to eliminate all the residual water that has remained. Once this is done, we can comment on the installation without problems.
Actually, the tap water purifiers that exist today already come with very simple systems that are attached directly to the water purifier, and from this, to the tap. In any case, the installation simply consists of connecting the adapter placed on the tap to the adapter placed on the purifying container. The purifying container can be attached and placed in different ways, but the most common is that the container is practically attached to the tap.
Most of these systems, as we say, are already "plug and play" and do not require us to have any knowledge of plumbing.
The truth is that these purifiers are quite cheap and have a fairly good quality / price ratio. The quality of the water improves remarkably and they do not require initial investments or carry out any complex works.
This is all about water purifiers. We hope that the INFO will be of help to you and that you decide to put purer water in your lives. To finish, we leave you with a video and some links that you might find interesting to complement the information in the article.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE WATER PURIFIER
Although exact data is not handled, or at least we have not found it, the filters of water purifiers last for many years but they are not infinite. You will have to take into account the type of purifier that you are going to buy or the type of filter, so we recommend that you ask before purchasing it so that you can assess its durability.
Similarly, depending on the type of filter your purifier has, you will find that you have to do a simple maintenance every three months, that is, remove, clean and reposition.