Water filtration within the home may not seem like an important consideration, but with numerous benefits, and many affordable measures available, there are plenty of reasons to invest in a domestic system in 2024. Accounting for the many unintrusive options you can have installed, or easily fit yourself, browsing through accessories and additions is certainly worth your time, whether you’ve recently moved into a new property or you’re simply looking for a solution in your family home.
At Hommix UK Limited, we’re proud to be recognised as a leading filtration company nationally, always happy to advise when it comes to specific water filtration products. Join us as we provide a comprehensive guide to water filtration, with all bases covered - from the advantages of installing measures, to variants, technical details on how systems work and much more!
Water Filtration Basics
Simply put, water filtration systems exist to eliminate any harmful elements within your water supply, be it dirt, bacteria or limescale. Though the mains water supplies throughout The United Kingdom are well-regulated, this doesn’t mean all chemicals and minerals are eliminated come the time you grab a glass of tap water or use the shower. Some geographical areas for example contain particularly high levels of limescale in water, and the presence of this substance can cause hard water to come out of your appliances, blocking and damaging taps, shower heads and other utilities such as kettles.
Microplastics and added chemicals and chlorine are other commonplace additions to the domestic water supply in many areas, and though not directly harmful, can add an unpleasant taste to the water to consume. For these reasons many people choose to install a water filtration system, while in some cases are strongly advised to filter their water due to inadequate piping. Installed either in specific areas of the home or attached directly to a mains supply to act as a filter to affect the water output of your entire system, the growing popularity of these systems is testament to their quality.
Why Use Filters?
The benefits of using a filtration system are assorted, and can make a real difference within your daily life, as well as improving your general health. Clean water produced by your home’s water filtration system can ensure no harmful contaminants are making contact with the foods you cook and eat, with the same applicable to drinks. This safeguards your immune system, and ensures you aren’t ingesting anything that could be detrimental to your welfare.
Better tasting drinking water can be expected from your taps too when you choose an installation from Hommix UK, with many commenting that the taste of their water following an installation exceeds that of bottled water that can be purchased from shops. Filtered water tastes cleaner as there are no additional contaminants present within the fluid you’re putting into your body. Whole home and attached water filter systems are able to extend the life of your home’s plumbing system and appliances as an added bonus, and this includes hot water tanks, boilers, dishwashers and washing machines - not just taps and routine kitchen appliances.
Varied Filter Types
As no two homes are the same, with different issues affecting the water supply within each domestic property, plenty of filtration variants are available from Hommix UK, to address different shortcomings. From those that reduce hard water minerals in a pinch to mechanical systems which can remove dirt and debris, we’ll cover all bases below:
Activated Carbon
A common form of water filter to reduce chlorine, chloroform, agricultural chemicals, organic substances and more, activated carbon filters are among the most frequently installed in homes, operating in a fairly simplistic manner and requiring little to no maintenance.
Often used in conjunction with other filtration methods to maximise toxin removal, these filters have a recognisable effect on the taste of drinking water too, notably improving it. These filters function thanks to a chemical reaction, with positively charged active carbon within the device attracting negatively charged contaminants.
Mechanical
Mechanical water filters are perhaps the leading filter variant for the removal of dirt and waste matter. These specific filters are able to work as a barrier, in which water flows through a mechanical filter and waste material is forcefully stuck between floss, synthetic foam or pads.
Not as efficient for bacteria, limescale or similar nasties, mechanical water filters mostly remove larger forms of suspended material from water, including sand, silt, clay, loose scale, and other organic matter. For these reasons mechanical filters serve a specific yet crucial purpose.
Ion Exchange
Another worthy choice, ion exchange water filters are excellent at removing hard water minerals and lead content. They often consist of a substance that will exchange one ion for another, softening the water in response, and meaning hard water no longer flows from devices.
Although ion exchange helps with hard water and some radioactive material, the filter does not remove organic material, particles, or bacteria as effectively, therefore these filters are often used in conjunction with other types.
Reverse Osmosis
Serving a separate filtration purpose, reverse osmosis water filters can effectively remove a high percentage of toxins, including fluoride, copper, radium and salt. Removing a large percentage of contaminants from the water (including dangerous bacteria), these are among the most common filters within domestic properties.
Using pressure to push water through the filter, contaminants remain on one side of the system, while fresh water is pushed to the other side. Whole home reverse osmosis systems are not very common as they require a plant room to store the larger pre-filters, RO membranes, pumps as well as large tanks.
Installation Locations
The location of an installation will vary depending on your intentions, alongside what you hope to achieve by having a filter installed. Take a look through some of the most prominent system options, alongside variants we stock at Hommix UK:
Under Sink Systems
Moving on to look at the specific placement of systems, under-sink water filters are installed below a sink as the name would suggest, and can improve water quality by removing contaminants such as lead, mercury, chlorine, and more.
Designed to fit neatly under sinks, within kitchen cupboards or underneath any tap, the filter system within an under-sink installation attaches to the mains underneath your countertop for convenience, and can easily be installed by hand. Simple to set up, we supply ready-made kits, including the Hommix Verona Chrome 3-Way Tap & Advanced Single Filter Under-sink Drinking Water & Filter Kit.
Under-sink Reverse Osmosis systems, on the other hand, require mains connections as well as a wastewater connection, which are supplied with all of our under-sink RO systems. These can be installed by anybody who is DIY savvy but also a simple installation for plumbers.
Countertop Systems
Similar in functionality to under-sink systems, countertop models have a larger filter component that sits on the worktop in the kitchen, making them a less subtle option, but considerably more powerful and efficient in some instances. A countertop system is installed on the worktop, up to 5 meters away from the sink; the connections are just like the under-sink systems.
To install, often all you need to do is disconnect the cold water flexible pipe from the tap from the isolation valve, install the feed connector and simply insert the tube into the inlet. A Saddle valve/drain clamp is also supplied for the wastewater. Consider options including the Hommix spaRO 5-in-1 Countertop Reverse Osmosis Filtration System + UV.
Whole House Systems
Extremely compact and small, and sometimes simple to install, though this depends on the model in question, whole house systems are perhaps the most comprehensive of all. Usually, a whole house water filter system is installed where the rising main enters your property, so all water can be filtered by the system before the pipes divert around your house.
Whole-home water filtration systems cover your entire home and often filter out more harmful contaminants than the others on our list, with attachments also available for additional functionality. The BMB-1000 Hydra Whole House Water Filtration System is a good place to start if you’re browsing options.
Hommix UK Limited: From Whole House Water Filtration Systems To Shower Water Filters
Looking through domestic water filtration systems and trying to decide which to acquire? Discover excellence at Hommix UK. Our unwavering commitment is to provide the finest filtration products to assure you of clean drinking water at home - safeguarding your family and providing you with peace of mind that you’re only drinking the good stuff.
Our extensive selection spans high-quality drinking water filtration systems, to innovative 3-way taps, to ensure you find precisely what you need for a healthier, more sustainable future. Contact us today for further information on our growing range of filtration systems, or to learn more about how our products work.
