Water filter installs and service – Westford, Mass.

There are many types and sizes of filters available to address the various types of potential water quality issues experienced with Westford private well water or town water. There are cartridge style water filters and whole house water filters which will be reviewed in the balance of this write-up. Both matching the right technology and sizing the system to meet the water usage demands of your home are important to selecting the best approach for your situation.  Additionally, a professionally plumbed system is paramount as well as maintenance of the system throughout the years to optimize the useful life and proper functioning of your new water filtration equipment.

WATER FILTER CARTRIDGES

SEDIMENT  FILTER CHARACTERISTICS

Sediment Filters, as their name implies, are for removing sediment (particulate matter) from the water supply. The key characteristics relate to the micron rating of the filter to remove particles at or greater than a specified size and also capacity in terms of how long the sediment filter will work before it is no longer able to remove sediment. Specifying a micron rating too small at the water’s point of entry may cause  unacceptable drops in water pressure. Specifying a micron rating that is not small enough may produce unsatisfactory results in keeping sediment out of the water..

These filters are important because sediment can be abrasive to all of your water using appliances.  It can also negatively affect other types of water filtration equipment that you may have installed. Removing sediment is also a good step in providing better drinking water, although not the only step if a higher level of purity is desired. For more on high quality drinking water, see the link at http://reverse-osmosis-purification/.

CARBON FILTER CHARACTERISTICS

Carbon water filters use activated carbon to remove chemicals (such as chlorine, volatile organics and others) and some bad tastes and odors from water. These filters are also components of reverse osmosis purification systems to remove chlorine from water prior to flowing to the systems’ membrane which can be negatively affected by the chlorine. Water passes through activated carbon, which is porous, trapping certain particles that are attracted to the porous material in a process known as adsorption. At some point, adsorption capacity is exceeded and the filter must be changed in order to be effective.  As with sediment water filters, the micron rating and size of the filter must be matched to the specific situation.

There are also other types of water filter cartridges for very specific purposes such as pH neutralizing, pipe protection and others.  These may be introduced to you by your water treatment professional if your particular situation warrants them.

WHOLE HOUSE, POINT OF ENTRY WATER FILTERS

A water softener is a type of whole house water filtration system that is designed for removing hard water minerals (magnesium & calcium). It will also remove dissolved iron and manganese from the water.  For water with high levels of iron or manganese (“the stainers”), an “up-flow” water softener is recommended.  This will prevent mineral build-up in the bottom of the water softener.  Also, high efficiency water softeners that are more efficient with both water and salt usage are preferred.

POINT OF ENTRY, CARBON OR SEDIMENT FILTERS

In situations where there is high water usage and the use of cartridge filters doesn’t make sense, a point of entry system may be the solution.  These systems do not require the frequency of change-outs that cartridge filters do. Additionally, some have the ability to automatically clean themselves, extending the life of the media inside the tank.  Another example would be if your town supplied water is high in chlorine and you wish to eliminate it.  A point of entry carbon filter will have greater capacity to remove more of the chlorine.  This is due to longer “contact time” that the water has with the filter.

WHOLE HOUSE WATER FILTER – Radon & Arsenic in private wells

Other contaminants found in New England well water include Radon and Arsenic. A water softener will not remove these health threat contaminants. Radon in water is safely removed with an aeration system that agitates the incoming well water, releasing the gas from the water in a sealed chamber. This gas is then safely vented to the outside ambient air.  Do not use carbon tanks for radon removal.  The carbon captures the radon and holds onto it, accumulating and eventually becoming radioactive.  You do not want this in your house.

Arsenic in water can be removed at the point of entry into the home by installing tanks filled with arsenic specific resin.  This resin captures the arsenic before it can get into the home’s water supply. Point of use systems for drinking water can use reverse osmosis technology to effectively remove arsenic as well.  Speak to a water treatment professional to decide which system is right for you.

BAD TASTES & ODORS, SEDIMENT

There are many other types of systems to remove bad tastes & odors and many other contaminants from the water. Starting with a water test will dictate the right approach.  For more information on common bad odors & tastes in New England water supplies, see the link at http://bad-odor-taste-water/.

For a link to the Westford, Massachusetts annual water quality report, see https://westfordma.gov/DocumentCenter/Index/1331

H2O Care is an established full service water filtration and testing organization, originally formed in 1989 (with offices in Middleton, Stow & Lakeville, MA). See our published articles in Water Technology Magazines at https://h2ocare.com/pub/. Contact us at [email protected] or 978-777-8330.