Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Mar 09, 2004 08:00pm | #1

   I vaguely remember seeing RO discussed here. Have you searched the archives?

2. 
   goldhiller | Mar 10, 2004 06:29am | #2

   http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/iac/disasterresp/HomeImprovement/wq24.pdf

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
3. 
   mbmmd | Mar 10, 2004 03:03pm | #3

   what level is the hard water, the deposits ie calcium etc can kill the membrane if too high.  very expensive to replace.  your best bet would be to install a good softener and carbon filter to remove the chlorine.  then decide if you still want the r/o....remember it is only r/o water at that faucet. .... then again there are whole house r/o units but you had just better have won the lottery.

1. 
   PlaneWood | Mar 10, 2004 07:13pm | #4

   I just called our water district to get a hardness report sent out.  But, the source for our water is from underground wells and it is HARD!

   The problem with installing a water softner is that our outside water fawcets are not plumbed separate.  We have to do considerable outside watering here in the summer.   So, before I can get a softner I'd have to install a sprinkler system, and before getting a RO I'd have to install a softner.  Also, no out-of-way place to set a softner.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

1. 
   mbmmd | Mar 11, 2004 04:16am | #5

   If you dont have a basement in which to place a softening unit, how about an upstairs closet/utility room, the tanks are only about 9" diameter and a smaller salt tank can be ordered.  You might also check with Kinetico - they used to make a small softening unit (quite effective by the way) that did not need electricity to function and would fit even under a kitchen cabinet.  It might be less expensive to have someone come in and bypass your outside water than to have to wait to install an inground sprinkler system (though you may want that later on) 

   best of luck

4. 
   hasbeen | Mar 11, 2004 06:01am | #6

   I know a bit about water purification.  Is the clorine the main thing you want to get rid of or???

   Something is what it does.

1. 
   allenschell2 | Mar 12, 2004 04:18pm | #12

   My wife is really concerned about chlorine and floride in drinking water,  do you know if RO eliminates those?  We think the minerals are ok to drink but don't want the chems.

1. 
   hasbeen | Mar 12, 2004 09:17pm | #13

   If you want to remove salts i.e. IF you have a water softener and are thus adding salt to your water, you will do well to get an RO unit.

   RO IS NOT NEEDED BY MOST PEOPLE!  If you want to remove chlorine, cysts, voc's, and most other contaminants you will save money and water, plus having a more convenient system, by going with a solid carbon block type filter.  The two best brands are Multi-pure and Amway (both rated by Consumer Reports). Either brand sells for about $400 or less (for a stainless steel lifetime use unit with replaceable filter).  Replacement filters are about $50.

   We have used Multi-Pure filters for almost 15 years.  After the initial cost of the unit, purified water costs about 7 cents per gallon with a carbon block filter.

   RO units dump as much as ten times the water that they provide for your use.  They have a very limited production and at a summertime party you are very likely to run out of purified water with an RO.

   RO was initially developed by the Navy for de-salination.

   RO's are often puched by salespeople because they cost more and have a higher mark-up.  I think if you do a little research you'll find that what I'm saying here is easily verifiable!Something is what it does.

1. 
   allenschell2 | Mar 12, 2004 09:42pm | #14

   does your carbon flter take out chlorine and floride?

1. 
   hasbeen | Mar 13, 2004 04:39am | #15

   I'm sure it removes chlorine and I think it takes out flouride, too.

   A bit of Googleing should clear up the issue.

   One other thing:  Taste.  My brother and SIL in Cleveland bought a filter like ours due to chlorine and other concerns.  After he hooked it up they called and said, "Why didn't you tell us about the taste!"  Water from our filter tastes better than any bottled water, IMO. 

   Oddly, we've been told that there are some studies which suggest that PET plastic bottles may not be that good to contain water for consumption.Something is what it does.

5. 
   Duey | Mar 11, 2004 06:10am | #7

         We installed an RO system (undersink, one spicket), six years ago because we had very hard and heavily chlorinated water. We didn't mind bathing in it or doing the laundry, once you found the right soaps and detergents to get good suds, but it was awful for drinking, cooking, etc..This particular system consists of a holding tank(approx. 5 gals.), and the three filters;sediment filter, carbon filter, and the membrane filter(the expensive one)

         Long story short, it was one of the best investments we ever made. The water comes out like store-bought, and the filters last a lot longer than the manufacturers want you to believe. We have only changed them twice and have had no troubles at all. It cost 700$ installed ,which seemed high at the time, but was well worth every penny. Hope it works out for you!!

1. 
   PlaneWood | Mar 11, 2004 06:30pm | #8

   Duey -

   And, you don't have a softner system?  That's been one of the reasons I've held back on an RO system.  My brother in law has RO out in AZ but he also has a softner.

   Lately our water has been heavily laced with chlorine.  We've been spending about $10 a week for bottled water.

   How much do the filters cost?

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

1. 
   Duey | Mar 12, 2004 06:33am | #10

          Planewood,

          We do not have a softener. We thought about it once, but that was as far as it got. The way it sounds, you do have more chlorine than we do. Our chlorine level seems to fluctuate. We live in a rural area and the water is piped some twenty miles. They just add chlorine periodically, I think.

         As to the price of the filters, I have to rely on my slowly fading memory, but I think the sediment and the charcoal ones were about $20-25 each and the membrane around $75. My filters are approx. 2"x10". It has been about two years now since I changed them and the water still tastes great and there is no problem with the output.

         The one very small complaint that I might have is that we only have about a 2-3 gallon-a-day output and then it takes overnight to rebuild the supply. This is irregardless of whether or not the filters are new; it is just the capacity. But since it is only used for drinking and cooking, this is really not a problem.

          You may want to check out a couple of different brands and compare all the specifics, as all RO's may not be created equal.

1. 
   rwj47 | Mar 12, 2004 08:38am | #11

   If you want more water with most R. O. systems just add another holding tank inline with the original one.  Most systems will make more water than the tank will hold and then shut down until the tank is drawn down.   Also check your water presure as low output can be caused by low water presure from the incoming line.  You can buy presure boosters for a resonable price from R.O. manufacturers. 

6. 
   BillMcG | Mar 11, 2004 09:37pm | #9

   The strategy with RO systems seems to be to get everything out of the water that you can with a cheaper system first, then go through the RO system. The membranes cost more to run than paper, charcoal, etc. filters, so you want to clog them up first.