Which Water Filter Will Work Best for You
Water keeps you healthy, energized, alert, hydrated and looking good, and experts recommend that you drink a lot of it each day — and even more when you are physically active, have an illness, are pregnant or live in a hot environment. But people are becoming more and more concerned about what is in their drinking water. As a result water filters and filtration systems are becoming increasingly popular in homes across the country. Safety is one concern, but taste is another problem that water filters address. With all of the reasons you have to drink plenty of water, a home water filtration system can be a sound investment.
The type of water filter you chose will be based upon a few factors.
- If you own your home you can pretty much install any water filter you chose.
- If you do not own your home then you are limited to water filters that are non-evasive or easily removed.
- There are hundreds of makes and models that determine the costs which can vary from under $100 to over $1000.
- The amount and type of filtration also varies from filter to filter. The two most common and practical types of water filter systems on the market today are carbon filters and reverse osmosis systems. These different types of filters are available to remove many different types of contaminates and sediment from water.
Charcoal-based water filters are also known as granular activated carbon filters. They’re the most common and are dependable, economical, and, if they carry a micron level of 1 or smaller, will filter out the majority of the contaminants. They’re also effective in deodorizing water. But carbon water filters become less effective over time. Since carbon filters collect the unwanted contaminants and debris, it’s important to change the filter regularly to insure its effectiveness.
The following are the most common types of water filters available.
1. Whole house water filters
are attached to the main water line that comes into the house. This type of water filter removes contaminants from all the water entering your home. A whole house system is good for removing particles like rust and sediment as well as all the other types of contaminants.
2. Under sink water filters
come in a variety of styles. There are filters that take multiple cartridges or only one. Each type of under sink filter is designed to remove different contaminants. Some may only remove particles while others may have additional cartridges to remove odors and taste problems. These can be bought according to the particular needs based on the contaminants in your water. Obviously this type only filters the water going to the area where the filter is installed.
3. Faucet mounted water filters
are easy to install and remove. For mounting these simply screw onto the faucet. There are a variety of types of filters which can be chosen based upon the contaminants in your water. Again they only filter the water coming out of the faucet where it is installed.
4. Pitcher water filters
are the simplest form of water filter. These filters are basically just a pitcher with a filtration system in the lid. Water is poured in, goes through the filter to the reserve tank (pitcher bottom) and then can be consumed. The only water filtered is what is put in the pitcher.
When looking to invest in a water filtration system you’ll want to consider what your budget will allow. Your needs and the contaminants in your water will help you decide which water filter will work best for you.
Want to Reduce Up to a Quarter of Your Home’s Energy Loss?
The basement is usually the last place people think to insulate, yet it can account for up to 1/4 of heat loss in a home. Upgrading basement insulation can significantly cut down on energy use. It creates a comfortable living space and extends your recreation and living space for very little cost.
Many people don’t insulate their basement walls because they mistakenly believe that the soil outside does the insulating for them. Unfortunately, traditional masonry basements, whether they’re poured concrete, concrete blocks or even stone have very little insulating value. Basements lose so much heat because of large, un-insulated surfaces above and below grade level. There is also a lot of air leakage through basement windows and penetrations, through cracks, and at the top of the foundation wall (sill area).
Done properly, basement insulation will not only reduce heat loss, but it will make your basement warmer, drier and much more comfortable.
But before installing any kind of basement insulation, you need to ensure that any cracks, leaks or other moisture problems are dealt with properly. Moisture can seriously damage your finished basement and the problem is far more difficult and expensive to fix after a basement is finished. So just make sure that any water leaks or seepage problems are solved before you start insulating.
There are two main ways to insulate your basement – interior insulation and exterior insulation.
Here we are just going to talk about interior basement insulation, as doing it from the outside is major and would cost big dollars. Though if you have to dig up around the exterior of your home in order to properly damp proof your basement, I would make sure I added insulation to the exterior of the foundation before it was filled back in.
When you insulate the interior of your basement you can use any of the main types of home interior insulation, including fiberglass bats, rigid foam board and spray foam.
Having a metal or wood frame of studs will help support the insulation and give you a place to attach drywall or paneling.
I think the best solution is building wood framed stud walls, up against the concrete or block walls, and then adding insulation in-between the studs. If you create standard 2×4 walls you can install an R-13 (3.5” thick) insulation in-between the studs which meets the code in new construction today. 
You must also not forget to insulate the rim board or header joist of your basement to the same standard. This is the space between the bottom of your joist and the bottom of your floor.
To insulate this way you should first install a moisture barrier over the bare concrete foundation wall before adding the stud frame and insulation. 
Then after the wall is insulated a vapor barrier needs to be installed before the walls are finished with drywall or whatever. Moisture and vapor barriers will help reduce condensation, and the problems related to it.
Many basements have no insulation at all, and for most homeowners this means there is great potential for improvement. Insulating a basement isn’t a difficult job, and un-insulated basement walls account for a substantial amount of heat loss, so you can quickly see why adding insulation to your basement walls (whether you want to finish them or not), will help make your basement warmer and the floors above more comfortable while saving you money on your heating bills.