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Filtration methods are the most important concern because every water supply contains different types of contaminants.
The Spruce
What Contaminants Need Filtering?
That’s enough water to satisfy all the needs of a typical family of four for over eight months.
If your water supply contains a lot of sediment, 3M recommends installing a dedicated sediment filter.
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For those situations, we like theiSpring WSP50ARB(our best sediment pick).
There arent multiple complicated components, filter replacement is quick and easy.
That’s a lot less than the 100,000 gallons that ouroverall bestrecommendation can filter between replacements.
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Maintenance is easy because this system uses a single multi-stage filter held in a screw-on housing.
Its also an excellent choice if you have low-quality municipal water and need a comprehensive filtration solution.
This system provides comprehensive filtering, but maintenance is very easy.
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It does require professional installation, though, because installing it without a licensed plumber voids the warranty.
It has a digital display, an automatic flushing option, and a built-in housing scraper.
The touch screen is a little dim, but its a great feature that provides intuitive controls.
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We like that this filter automatically flushes itself for 15 seconds every 15 days without any extra work.
We also recommend pairing this filter with other water filtration systems to prolong the life of the other filters.
For basic filtration, we offer affordable, easy-to-install single-stage filters.
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If you require more intense filtration, we have options for that as well.
We’ve considered a range of water quality problems to ensure our selected filters can handle them.
Additionally, we chose options with strong flow rates that can supply water to many fixtures simultaneously.
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We also favored whole-house water filters with easy installation and low-maintenance requirements, scouring reviews and ratings.
Each method represents one stage of filtration.
The number of filtration stages you need depends on the contaminants present in your water.
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Our best for well water pick, theAquasana Whole House Well Water Filter System, has five stages.
Municipal water utilities often post water quality statistics online, and some provide a water report upon request.
Some systems, however, include several stages that all use the same method.
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The stages can involve separate filter units, or multiple filtration methods can be combined inside a single unit.
Systems with several filtration methods typically restrict the flow of water into your home.
You should check your system every year, but some filters need to be changed every six months.
Here are some common maintenance requirements:
