Water’s appearance should be clear enough to see right through it, but what happens if it looks cloudy or you notice a layer of physical particles sitting at the bottom of a cup of water? That’s where sediment filtration comes in. Sediment filters help remove dissolved contaminants, but that isn’t the only benefit of these water filters.
Since 2007, we’ve helped install sediment filters in homes all across Los Angeles County and the surrounding areas. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, our technicians are experts in water filtration and have helped homeowners understand the benefits of sediment filters.
With a sediment filter, you can take advantage of the following benefits.
- Improves water quality
- Protects appliances and plumbing
- Helps enhance other water filtration systems
- Sediment filters are cost-effective
In this article, we will go into more detail about how beneficial sediment filters are. By the end, you’ll better understand sediment filtration benefits so you can feel more at ease when deciding if this system is suitable for your home.
Before jumping right into the benefits of a sediment filter, we will briefly explain how they work.
How Does a Sediment Filter Work?
Sediment filters are cylindrical cartridges containing pores that allow water to pass through while trapping dissolved physical impurities.
The water travels down alongside the interior surface of the sediment filter and then runs through the inside the core of a filter where sediment is trapped. The filtered water then flows out into either a home or a single fixed location.
These filtration systems can be installed at a single point of use, like a kitchen sink. They can also be large enough to be installed as a whole-house sediment water filtration system right after a house’s main water line.
What Are the Benefits of Sediment Filters?
Once installed, sediment filters can provide the following benefits.
Sediment Filters Improve Water Quality
The main benefit of a sediment filter is its ability to trap and prevent the following contaminants from flowing in water.
- Dirt
- Soil
- Clay
- Sand
- Rust
- Other dissolved physical impurities
By effectively filtering out sediment particles, these contaminants improve the quality of water. Higher-quality water eliminates any potential health hazards from sediment contamination.
Before supplying homes with usable water, local water treatment plants filter out most sediment and other contaminants. The issue is that tiny sediment particles are too small to be filtered out by these plants, so they remain in the water.
If the water from your kitchen sink looks cloudy, it may be due to sediment. These sediment particles are smaller than the diameter of a hair strand, so they may not be visible to spot whenever someone uses water at home.
Since these contaminants are measured in micrometers, micron ratings illustrate a sediment filter’s effectiveness. Sediment filter cartridges have a micron rating to help combat the microscopic particles.
A sediment filter with a micron rating of 1 means that all contaminants larger than 1 micrometer will not pass through the filter. For reference, a strand of hair is 90 microns.
With sediment no longer present in water, these filters can help protect plumbing systems and appliances that rely on water usage.
Sediment Filtration Protect Appliances and Plumbing
By removing dissolved physical impurities, sediment filters can protect plumbing systems and appliances from clogs and extend their lifespan. Although sediment is microscopic, it can build up over time and clog plumbing pipes or appliances that use water, such as refrigerators or washing machines.
Clogs from sediment buildup can impede water flow. Slow water flow can make showers time-consuming and affect how long washing machines take to fill up with water, for example.
Water heaters are another appliance that relies on water usage and is susceptible to sediment buildup, affecting efficiency. Sediment buildup can decrease the efficiency of a water heater, causing it to require more energy to heat water.
Sediment filters also help protect other water filtration systems, especially when used as a pre-filter in multi-filtration water systems.
Sediment Filters Enhance Performance of Other Water Filters
Sediment particles can impede the efficiency of other types of water filters. When used as a pre-filter, sediment filtration can prevent other filters from clogging up due to sediment buildup.
These water filters are designed to prevent other types of contaminants that aren’t sediment, such as chemicals and bacteria. If these filters become clogged with sediment, they cannot remove these contaminants efficiently.
Some water filters that can benefit from having a sediment pre-filter are water softeners, carbon filters, and reverse osmosis systems. Water filters with low efficiency are more likely to have a decreased lifespan, leading to constant maintenance.
By requiring more maintenance, homeowners may have to constantly pay more to replace these filtration systems. Sediment filters help protect and improve other water filtration systems, but can they help homeowners save money?
Sediment Filters Are Cost-Effective
Compared to other extensive water filtration systems, sediment filters are more affordable. Different factors will determine the final price of a sediment filter, such as installation fees, the size of a home, and more.
Sediment filters can help homeowners save money in the long run by protecting and extending the lifespan of plumbing and appliances. By extending the lifespan of fixtures and appliances, sediment filters may stop early breakdowns from occurring, therefore saving homeowners from purchasing replacements.
Cartridge replacements for sediment filters are also low. Single filter cartridges can cost a couple of dollars at hardware stores. Packs of filter replacements can run between $20 to $100 depending on the sediment filter size.
Is a Sediment Filter Right For Me?
Sediment filters keep dissolved physical contaminants away from water and provide other beneficial advantages that make them popular choices for water filtration. Now that you understand these benefits, you can better determine if this water filtration system is a good fit for your home.
For over 15 years, we’ve helped homeowners understand how sediment filters work and how they benefit homes in Los Angeles. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we know that not every home is built the same, so we’re fully prepared to help homeowners determine if a sediment filter is a right fit for their houses.
If you have any questions regarding sediment water filters, contact us using one of the buttons below. You can also book an appointment through our water filtration scheduler.
It helps understand the advantages of a sediment filter, but it’s even better to compare them with their downsides. Check out this article to compare the pros and cons of sediment filters to gain an even deeper understanding of sediment filters so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your home.
