Your favorite wine glass ends up with water stains, or maybe your skin feels dry after a shower. The water flowing through your home may be responsible for these issues, but which water treatment system should you choose to prevent those sorts of things from happening? Ultimately, the decision will come down to either installing a point-of-entry (POE) filter, a point-of-use (POU) water filter, or both, but how can you tell them apart?
At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we've installed countless water filters and can succinctly fill you in on the differences between POU and POE filtration systems. We've helped homeowners all over Los Angeles and the surrounding areas understand the differences between these two systems so they can choose one that best suits their water needs.
Point-of-use and point-of-entry water filters share similarities and differences in the following categories.
- Types of filtration systems
- Cost
- Maintenance
By the end of this article, you will understand the difference between point-of-use and point-of-entry water filters to decide which or both systems best fit you and your family.
What Is the Difference Between Point-of-Use Filters vs Point-of-Entry Filters?
The main difference between point-of-use and point-of-entry water filters is their installation location and the amount of water they filter. Point-of-use water filtration systems are positioned at a single source where water is utilized, such as a faucet. Point-of-entry filters are installed right after a home's main water line.
Since POE water treatment is a more technical term for whole-house filtration, it only makes sense that it is installed at a point that can filter all of your home’s water, such as the main line. It is designed to treat thousands of gallons of water per day. On the other hand, POU water filtration systems can only treat several dozen gallons of water each use.
Although they vary in size, both systems can use the same features to treat similar water concerns. In the following section, we'll examine the type of POU and POE water filters.
Types of Filtration
Some water filters are functional as both point-of-use or point-of-entry, while a select few can only be found as a POU or POE filter. Most point-of-use and point-of-entry water filtration systems require a technician for installation. Some POU filters, however, are simple enough for any homeowner to install independently.
Homeowners can have both types of filtration systems in their homes. For example, a home can have a whole-house water softener and a reverse osmosis filter for the kitchen sink.
Regardless of your home's water filtration systems, you'll have easy access to filtered water. Here's a look at all the types of point-of-use water filters.
Types of Point-of-Use Water Filters
Here are the common types of point-of-use water filtration systems.
- Carbon POU filter: Carbon filtration uses activated carbon to attract certain chemicals such as chlorine and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg odor), similar to a magnet with metal filings. These types of filters help improve the taste and odor of drinking water.
- Sediment POU filter: Sediment filters use a filtration medium with tiny pores that allow water to pass through but stop physical and organic particles from flowing. These filters effectively remove sand, clay, dirt, and other debris from the water.
- Reverse osmosis (RO) systems: RO systems are mult-filtration units that include carbon and sediment filters. These systems have a special membrane that can effectively filter out up to 99% of contaminants.
- Ultraviolet (UV) POU filter: Although not as common as the filters above, UV filters are used in aquatic environments and as water filters. Ultraviolet POU filters use UV light to kill any bacteria in drinking water.
- Water Ionizer: These units affect the ions in water to alter its pH level. These filters produce alkaline water, which has a slightly higher pH level than regular water and may provide some beneficial effects.
Point-of-use water filters can have different setups depending on where they’re installed. Some faucets and showerheads come with built-in filters to automatically treat water as soon as it's used. Other POU water filters require assembly and must be attached to the plumbing under a sink or near the water source.
Other commonly seen POU filters include water pitchers with built-in filtration. Many filtration systems, commonly used as POU filters, are also installed as POE filters.
Types of Point-of-Entry Water Filters
Point-of-entry water filtration systems have the same filters as point-of-use units, only a lot larger in size. These whole-house systems use the following filtration techniques.
- Whole-house carbon filters: This whole-house system uses carbon filtration to ensure that all of the water in a home is free from contaminants such as chlorine.
- TAC Water conditioners: Water conditioners are only available as whole-house systems and specialize in treating hard water. They use special media resin to neutralize the minerals in hard water to prevent scale buildup.
- Whole-house sediment filters: Point-of-entry sediment filtration systems are suitable for beachside homes that may deal with cloudy water due to a high mineral concentration. The large filters are covered with measured pores that capture most physical contaminants.
- Water softeners: Like water conditioners, water softeners are only available as whole-house systems. Instead of neutralizing hard water minerals, this system softens water in the house, which has beneficial effects.
- Whole-house reverse osmosis systems: Reverse osmosis point-of-entry water systems are extensive filtration units that provide ultra-purified water for an entire household.
One factor to consider while you continue to research is that point-of-entry water filters are more extensive, so they tend to cost more.
Cost
The cost for point-of-use and point-of-entry water filters can range from a few hundred dollars to over $10,000. Various factors can affect the price of water treatment for your home.
For POU water filters, costs are lower than POE filters. Reverse osmosis systems are usually at the higher end of the price scale for POU filters. An RO system can cost between $400 to $1,200 without installation and $1,600 to $3,200 with installation.
Smaller point-of-use filters, like Brita water pitchers, are priced under $100. And a couple of under-the-counter filtration systems are about a few hundred dollars in average price.
Point-of-entry water filtration systems usually cost several thousand dollars without installation and over $5,000 with installation. Additional costs are also calculated if a home's piping system is old and unsuitable for a new water filtration system. This can increase the price of a whole-house water filtration system to over $10,000.
Another factor that ties in with cost is maintenance. POU and POE water systems require some maintenance to treat water efficiently, which will add to your total lifetime investment.
Maintenance
Maintenance plays a key role in point-of-use and point-of-entry water systems. Most POE systems require less maintenance than POU filters. Point-of-entry systems are designed to last between seven to 10 years and are fine with annual maintenance by a technician.
Point-of-use water filters may need filter replacements every three, six, or 12 months. Filter replacements aren't covered under the manufacturer's warranty, and failing to maintain a POU filter may result in a voided warranty.
Water filter maintenance may require shutting of water valves, and it is recommended to contact a technician for assistance in maintaining a POU and POE water filter.
Is a Point-of-Entry or Point-of-Use Filter Right for Me?
Now you're up to speed with the main differences between point-of-entry and point-of-use water filters and have the knowledge to tell them apart. This will enable you to decide which systems are suited to meet your household's water needs.
Having filtered drinking water is crucial, and water treatment systems help raise the water quality in Los Angeles. Since 2007, we've installed multiple types of POU and POE water filtration systems in many homes around Los Angeles County.
Contact us using the buttons below if you have any questions regarding water filtration. You can also book an appointment with a certified technician through our water filtration scheduler.
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