If you’re looking to invest in your own and your family’s health, a whole house water filtration and softener system can make a big difference. Filtered water is free of common contaminants like fluoride and chlorine. Soft water is free of magnesium and calcium — the white buildup that tends to gather on appliances and cookware if you have hard water.
See the Aquasana Rhino Filter and Softener at Amazon.
Investing in one of these systems can get pricey, but it’s worth it in the long run. You get healthy, soft water that’s safe for drinking, cooking and bathing. You can rest assured that the water your family gets is top quality out of every tap with these whole house systems listed below.
Best All-In-One Product:
For superior whole house filtration and softening of your water, go with Aquasana’s EQ-600 Rhino Whole House Filter. It is lauded across the internet with shining reviews from users and plumbers alike. While it’s a bit pricey, it might be worth the investment for your home.
The Aquasana is superior for a variety of reasons. It has a 600,000 gallon capacity with a dual tank design and easy replacement. The filter won’t affect the water pressure in your home, which is a major concern for most people buying these types of products. It has a very high flow rate, meaning it cycles quickly and efficiently.
In terms of filtration, it has been proven to reduce chlorine by 97%. It’s also known to be durable with little maintenance required, but great customer service from Aquasana if needed. It’s a one stop shop for your water quality needs!
Best Filtration Systems:
If you’re only in the market for a filtration system without softening capacities, there are several options available.
Under the sink
For an under the sink model, the iSpring 75GPD 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filter is a comprehensive filter for safe drinking water every time. While it sounds very technical, it basically separates fresh water from additives and chemicals that contaminate it. The filter uses four different types of filters and a final “polishing” stage to ensure cleanliness.
This process removes both organic (chlorine, herbicides, and more) and inorganic contaminants like arsenic, lead, magnesium, and calcium. It can handle 75 gallons of water per day and won’t affect your water pressure unless your pressure is below 45 PSI, in which case you can buy a booster pump.
Are you on well water? Check out this post on the best Water Filter Pitcher for Well Water
Faucet system
If you don’t have space under your sink for a water filtration system, check out Culligan’s FM-15A Faucet Water Filter. This option is affordable enough to attach to every sink in your house, essentially creating a whole house filtration system! This attachable filter gets rid of common contaminants, as well as the unpleasant odors and colors that can come with them.
It can handle 200 gallons of water before the filter needs changing, so think about your water usage and needs when considering how many replacements to buy at a time. Culligan also recommends replacing the filters every 6 months regardless of how many gallons have gone through it.
Best Softener Systems:
Only looking for a water softener to deal with pesky limescale issues and hard water? Or want to buy the filtration and softener systems separately?
Aquasana also makes a great standalone softener system. It’s called the EQ-SS20 SimplySoft and it is relatively affordable compared to other options. It uses “SLOW PHOS” technology, which basically alters the charge of the minerals that cause hard water (calcium and magnesium), rendering them unable to stick together and create the limescale buildups.
See the Aquasana SimplySoft at Amazon.
The resulting soft water is easy on your pipes and appliances and much nicer to drink. As an added benefit, this SLOW PHOS system actually keeps the minerals in the water without allowing them to affect its softness. This is good because in small doses, the calcium and magnesium are actually good for you to consume. It has a 50,000 gallon capacity and will last at least 6 months.
Salt-based system
If you’d prefer a salt-based water softening system, the Fleck 5600SXT is another good option. The primary difference is that this type of system will completely remove the calcium and magnesium from your water. You’ll still get great soft water just without the added minerals. A plus of this option, though, is its automatic metering system.
It measures how much water you tend to use and only regenerates when you need it to. That means it saves energy and water, but keeps up with your needs! It also has an easy to use display monitor and power backup, as well as a 10 year warranty and a safety float to prevent overflows, which is difficult to find elsewhere.
This is another company with a great customer service reputation as well, so you can be assured that this is a good purchase if it seems right for your home.
Additional Resources
- How Stuff Works – Filtered Water versus Tap Water
- LiveStrong – Filtered Water versus Distilled Water
Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: 1917seven and Jack-Benny P.
Alexis DeAnda is a food fanatic, library card user, and cast iron hunter, in that order. She has been cooking for anyone that will taste it ever since her mom let her make doughnuts on Saturday mornings at the age of 7.