Water Purification Guide

Complete guide to choosing a water filtration system for your home. Types, costs, and what to look for.

Test Your Water First

Before buying any filter, test your water. City water: request free annual report from your utility. Well water: $50-150 lab test. Know what you're filtering before you buy.

Types of Filtration

Carbon: Removes chlorine, taste, odor. $20-100. Reverse Osmosis: Removes 95%+ contaminants. $200-500. UV: Kills bacteria/viruses. $100-300. Whole-house: All water filtered. $500-2,000.

What to Remove

Chlorine (taste), lead (health), sediment (clarity), fluoride (debate), nitrates (well water), bacteria (well water), PFAS (emerging concern). Your test results determine your system.

Maintenance

Carbon filters: replace every 3-6 months ($20-40). RO membranes: every 2-3 years ($50-100). UV bulbs: annually ($30-80). Set calendar reminders. A dirty filter is worse than no filter.

Cost Comparison

Bottled water: $1,400/year for a family. Under-sink RO: $300 install + $80/year. Whole-house: $1,500 install + $100/year. Filtration pays for itself in months.