What to consider before buying a water filter for your home – NBC 6 South Florida

Oct 29, 2024

Are you looking for ways to make your tap water safer?

Many people turn to water filters to help take out contaminants and heavy metals, but picking the best one for your home can be challenging.

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Experts suggest looking at your water quality report before picking out a filter. The water quality report will help flag what types of metals and contaminants are high in your area’s water. This can help you pinpoint the type of filter that will best address your concerns.

Keith Flamer with Consumer Reports suggests checking to find out which contaminants your filter is certified to remove.

“To find out exactly what it's certified to remove and just because it's certified doesn't mean it's certified to remove everything,” Flamer said.

He says you can verify whether your filter is certified with a reputable third-party organization like the National Sanitation Foundation or Water Quality Association.

He said words like “tested to” or “meets standards” sound great, but are a lot different than being certified, which means the filter has undergone long-term testing.

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Faucet-mounted filters and water pitcher filters are easy on the budget. Most cost less than $50.

“Faucet mounted filters and water pitcher filters tend to improve flavor or reduce odor. Some of them will reduce lead and chlorine, but you really want to make sure they're certified to do that,” Flamer said.

Countertop filters are a little bit more expensive but offer added convenience. Some include an adapter tube running to the faucet, allowing water to run to the filter from the tap. These typically start at around $80.

Under-sink filtration systems are considered more effective at removing lead, chlorine and forever chemicals called PFAS. These systems start at a couple hundred dollars to thousands depending on the system.

“Under-sink filters which are probably the most effective and those are bigger filters that fit under your sink, and they usually need an installation from a plumber, and they cost more upfront,” Flamer said.

Under-sink reverse osmosis water filters are considered best to filter a large range of contaminants. According to the EPA, they can filter contaminants, bacteria and viruses.

Keep in mind the cost to replace filters throughout the year. Some are cheaper initially but require filter replacements more frequently.

Regardless of which one you pick, make sure you do your research.