When it comes to providing clean drinking water, carbon block filters are a great option. They are capable of eliminating a wide range of pollutants, including metals such as lead and microbiological contaminants like waterborne pathogens. The best carbon block filters can even reduce contaminants like arsenic, asbestos, mercury and radon. Charcoal-filtered water is healthier than unfiltered tap water because it removes metals, chlorine, and compounds that can cause certain health issues.
Carbon filters are also usually cheaper to buy, install, and maintain compared to more complex water purification systems. Usually, the smell and taste of the water is improved due to the minerals that carbon filters remove very well. In areas with lower Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels, a charcoal filter can be effective in providing better-tasting water. However, Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) is less effective in terms of removing pollution compared to carbon block filters. Regardless of the type of filter needed, it is essential to note that both filters must be replaced in time.
Keep an eye on your mineral levels, as reverse osmosis will filter out many useful minerals, and if too many minerals leak out, you'll need to supplement them. That's why, in areas with high TDS levels, such as Phoenix, a store-bought carbon filter can't make tap water taste like a water bottle. If you thought that carbon filters removed a lot of contaminants, reverse osmosis removes even more. Reverse osmosis is ideal for filtering water at high temperatures, as it offers smells, flavors, and safety, while carbon filters work great for simple tasks such as making water smell and taste a little better. Among the multiple filters in a reverse osmosis system, you'll filter approximately 95 to 99% of all dissolved salts, bacteria, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, calcium, iron and asbestos. Despite the more than 80 contaminants contained in activated carbon filters, there are also some materials that they do not remove.
For example, they don't work against bacteria and viruses so if you need heavy-duty filtration a charcoal water filter won't work. Additionally, they won't remove residual polyphosphates from drinking water so if this is something you need to avoid then you'll have to look for another type of filter. Commercial Filtration Supply offers a variety of carbon block and GAC filters that are economical and high performance. To ensure your filter works properly it is important to replace it in time as carbon wears out and creates channels that allow unfiltered water to pass through which will contaminate the water that you want to filter.
