Rising in popularity in America, a carbon filter is a great way to improve water quality. But how does it work and what exactly does it do?
Carbon Filters
Water filters are usually effective at removing or lowering the amount of contaminants, smells, and bad tastes from water, but filters using carbon as a main filtration system are revolutionary in the efficiency of their function. A whole house carbon filter system is the most economical to purchase and maintain, lasting for 300,000 gallons before the main tank needs to be replaced. Most families of four only use about 100,000 gallons a year, meaning you’ll only need to replace your system in an estimated three year cycle. The most effective of these systems use a three-stage filter comprised of a pre-filter to remove larger contaminants, a copper-zinc blend for chlorine, lead, mercury, and other dissolved or liquid metals, and a carbon filter that removes organic compounds.
Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters remove up to 99% of total suspended solids (TSS), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sediment, heavy metals, chlorine, chloramines, and many other contaminants that stay in your drinking water even after regular filtering or basic carbon filters.
Most water treatment plants use chlorine to purify and disinfect water due its stability, with the byproduct of poor taste and smell of the water. An activated carbon filter fixates one chlorine removal through a chemical reaction, altering the particles and converting them to chloride instead.
Many compounds go into an activated carbon filter, but most importantly they’re made up of black beads or a solid black porous sponge that’s been processed to selectively trap impurities. The layer is injected with heat, steam, or chemicals that make small pores in the carbon, reducing the area size initially before the carbon is activated through a second process of pore-creation for carbon to trap and absorb a wider range of contaminants and debris.
Due to the complexity of the carbon filter makeups and the engineering expertise needed to properly plan a whole-house carbon and activated carbon filter system, it’s important to rely on a water treatment professional. That’s where Lehigh Valley Water Systems comes in! We’ll make sure that your water systems are specifically designed to fit your needs and go above and beyond to guarantee your happiness and safety even after we leave!
