How Does Reverse Osmosis Work?

Do you suspect your water source is contaminated?  Anything practical and economical that you can do to protect the health and safety of your family from harmful substances in your drinking water should be a high priority.   A reverse osmosis system may be the solution to your drinking and cooking water quality problems.

At the heart of the reverse osmosis system is the membrane.  The size of the pores in the membrane is .001 microns.  Many of the impurities found in water such as bacteria, pyrogens, viruses, pesticides, hydrocarbons, radioactive contaminants, turbidity, colloidal matter, chlorine, detergents, industrial wastes, asbestos, dissolved solids, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfates and cadmium will not pass this barrier.  Instead, they are drained out.  What passes through is pure water.

Various pre-filters and post filters connect with this membrane.  Pre-filters remove sand, silt, dirt and other sediment.  Carbon pre-filters may be necessary to remove chlorine which may damage membranes that are made of thin film composite TFC or thin film material TFM.  Carbon post filters remove remaining tastes and odors just before the water reaches the faucet.

Many of the reverse osmosis systems available consists of the same basic components and function in the same way.  The critical difference is in the quality of the filters and membrane used.  When making a decision on which system to install in your own home, the quality of these parts should be considered.  A RO system does require some maintenance and eventually replacement of parts, so finding the right one should not be based solely on the initial cost.  If you are a handy person, you can install it yourself.  However, if you don’t consider yourself mechanically inclined, then a plumber familiar with reverse osmosis systems can install it for you at a reasonable hourly or flat fee.