How Reverse Osmosis Works

If you’re looking for an option to clean the drinking water in your Pontiac, IL, home, a reverse osmosis filtration system is a great choice. This type of system can filter out most minerals and other impurities which both cleans the water and improves its taste. Let’s now take a closer look at how reverse osmosis systems work.

Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment

Reverse osmosis is a passive water treatment system, which means it works without using any energy. The system contains a semi-permeable membrane that traps dissolved minerals and other impurities. Your plumbing system’s water pressure works to force water through the membrane.

As water passes through the membrane, the membrane blocks any dissolved solids from passing through. This is because the membrane has tiny holes that allow water molecules to pass through. Dissolved solids and other particles get left behind as they are too large to pass through the membrane.

After water passes through the membrane, the clean water then flows into a holding tank. This leaves all of the impurities behind, which the system then flushes down the drain.

What Types of Impurities Can a Reverse Osmosis System Filter?

The semi-permeable membrane allows reverse osmosis systems to filter out the majority of impurities and contaminants. It will filter out most chemicals such as lead, copper, sodium and chromium. Reverse osmosis systems will also filter out at least some arsenic, calcium, fluoride, magnesium and phosphorous.

The membrane can also filter out other harmful chemicals that are commonly found in drinking water, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the filter works to eliminate most bacteria, viruses and endotoxins from the water. As well, many reverse osmosis systems have a secondary carbon filter that can remove chlorine from the water, which will further improve its taste.

While the membrane is quite effective at filtering out most impurities and contaminants, it will only work for so long before it becomes clogged. Like most any other type of filter, you will need to change it regularly to ensure the system continues to work properly.

Types of Reverse Osmosis Filtration Systems

There are two primary types of reverse osmosis systems used in residential and commercial plumbing systems: point-of-use and point-of-entry. A point-of-use system is smaller and works to filter the water before it flows out of a single plumbing fixture such as a kitchen sink. This means that it only filters the water at that faucet or fixture.

Point-of-entry systems, on the other hand, are larger and designed to filter the water for the entire building. This type of system is typically installed just after the main water shut-off valve near where the water supply enters the building.

While a point-of-entry (or whole-house) reverse osmosis system may sound like the better choice, these systems aren’t all that common for a number of reasons. For starters, they take up a lot of space and tend to be quite expensive. Whole-house systems also require a lot of regular maintenance to continue working properly.

Another issue with whole-house systems is that they waste quite a bit of water. As the system works, it is constantly flushing the dirty water it filters out down the drain.

While opting for a whole-house system isn’t necessarily a bad idea, it is a bit of overkill. After all, there is really no reason that you need to filter the water that goes in your toilets or that you use for showering.

The whole point of a reverse osmosis system is to filter the water you drink or cook with, which is why most people opt to install a smaller point-of-use system at their kitchen sink. You can also use a point-of-use system to connect to the water and ice maker on your refrigerator.

To learn more about our home services at Popejoy Inc. or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today. we have been providing professional plumbing, water treatment and other home services to customers in Pontiac, IL, since 1984.

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