Water Fitration Systems

[ffemt128]

Does any one have a water filtration system. We were considering purchasing one to install under the kitchen sink. Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated. Lowes has several to choose from. Below is what I'm referring to.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

One thing you have to watch is you must change the filters out on schedule. If not there is what is called dumping, where everything the filter has taken out passes through and you actually get more of what you want out than if you don't have a filter at all.
What are you trying to remove?

 

[jamesngalveston]

go with a whole house filter system...that way everything is clean..installed at the main water line to the house....i change filters about every 4 mos.
I was drinking my water when hurricane ike contaminated out water supply, never had a problem.

 

[ffemt128]

One thing you have to watch is you must change the filters out on schedule. If not there is what is called dumping, where everything the filter has taken out passes through and you actually get more of what you want out than if you don't have a filter at all.
What are you trying to remove?

To be honest with you, I'm not really sure. My wife and daughter keep a britta pitcher filled with water in the fridge. Guess we're just looking for an alternative.

go with a whole house filter system...that way everything is clean..installed at the main water line to the house....i change filters about every 4 mos.
I was drinking my water when hurricane ike contaminated out water supply, never had a problem.

That could be an option as well.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Before you consider anything you should have your water tested . Then you will know what you may or may not need for filtration system .

I have sulfur smell, so I had to purchase culligian super s

 

[jswordy]

The new fridges with ice and water dispensers have filters that are far more convenient that pitchers, and most have a timer that tells you when it's time to replace it. We use ours a lot.

Under-sink by most reputable brands, I'd think, would work just fine.

You might check this: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/water-filters/buying-guide.htm

 

[ffemt128]

Still toying with the options here. Considering having Culligan and another company come out to test the water and see what their suggestions are. I have a culligan water softener but haven't used it in years due to the valve leaking. That and my wife says she can taste the salt from the system in the water. We'll see what they have to say.

 

[jamesngalveston]

I have a whole house water filter, that filters everything coming it...
Does it work...
During hurricane ike we were told not to drink are use our water.
Mine was suppose to filter out ecoli, etc all the baddies.
I drank mine, cooked , showered with...Im still here after 5 years since Ike.
Nuf said.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Still toying with the options here. Considering having Culligan and another company come out to test the water and see what their suggestions are. I have a culligan water softener but haven't used it in years due to the valve leaking. That and my wife says she can taste the salt from the system in the water. We'll see what they have to say.

I think this is your best option so far - The typical spool valve repair kit is around 60 dollars if I recall. If she can taste salt - your settings on your softener are proubly not set right or that leaking spool valve can also be the suspect.

 

[ffemt128]

I think this is your best option so far - The typical spool valve repair kit is around 60 dollars if I recall. If she can taste salt - your settings on your softener are proubly not set right or that leaking spool valve can also be the suspect.

I sent in a request for a call, We'll see what they say. I could never taste the salt from the softener. I could feel a differnece in the water when it was functioning. Maybe a good service call would be in order and would likely be a heck of a lot cheaper.

 

[MrKevin]

Doug
I have that filter and it works great. Took about 1 - 1.5 hours to install. One thing to keep in mind with a reverse osmosis filter is it comes out like distilled water. So it is not good for making wine, but taste great. I buy spring bottled water.
You will notice that when you use this system the hard water build up (the build up on items with constant water in them) will go away.

 

[ffemt128]

We decided to vo with a whole house softener through Culligan. We will also be getting on of the RO filters for drinking water at the kitchen sink. Looking forward to them installing it.

 

[ffemt128]

Well the installation is almost complete. He's hooking up the RO filter for drinking water now.

 

[peaches9324]

I have the best drinking water (said by everyone who has tasted my water) it is simple tap well water and my friend told me that my wine would be even better if I added a filter. Now we argued over this a lil He thinks I should add a reverse osmosis but wouldn't that take away the vitamins and minerals needed for a proper fermentation?

thanks

 

[peaches9324]

I have the worse timing!

I tend to post questions on this forum when there are few people on it, I don't want to bump my question but can someone set me straight? On the post below?
thanks highly appreciated!

 

[richmke]

You are correct. RO will remove a lot.

The rule of thumb is: If you like drinking your tap water, then use it for making wine.

RO units are NOT whole house filters. Whole house filters remove larger particles, and leave in all the other stuff you mentioned. You can also get them with carbon filters that will take out chlorine and organics (a little more polishing). In either case, the minerals stay in.

So, if you get a whole house filter, the water is fine for making wine. If you get an RO unit, then you might want to use tap water, not water from the RO spigot.

However, if your water has nasty minerals (like arsenic) then you will want to drink the RO water, and use bottled spring water to make wine.

 

[cmason1957]

I can maybe add something to this discussion. Last year about this time I won a wine kit at the wine club I belong to. It was a winexpert coastal white, I think was the name. I had read about and done a presentation on water to use for winemaking. (tap or spring) so I took the kit split it in half and did three gallons tap water, three gallons spring water. There was a difference in the taste of the wines. Both were decent wines. I did no tweaking or extra additions to either. About half of the wine club liked one or the other. So maybe that is what you will need to try. Make a wine with both, do a blind tasting and decide which you like better. I decided to stick with spring water. If I were in well water, not city water, I would use that.

 

[peaches9324]

thank you both for confirming that!