Alkaline bottled water can be found in aisles in most stores, yet it's not the only way to get alkaline water. A water ionizer can be installed in homes, usually under the kitchen sink, providing alkaline water. But what is a water ionizer, and how does it work?
Since 2007, we at Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air have seen all sorts of water filtration systems and have gained valuable knowledge by servicing these systems throughout the Los Angeles area. After installing hundreds of water filtration systems, we've seen how water ionizers work and believe in sharing this information with homeowners who might be interested in this particular system.
In this article, we'll review what alkaline water ionizers are, how they operate, and include some maintenance tips too. By the end, you will gain insider knowledge on water ionization systems and be better informed on whether a water ionizer is right for you.
Let's dive right in!
How Does a Water Ionizer Work?
Water ionizers are water filtration home appliances that alter drinking water's pH (potential of Hydrogen) levels to create alkaline water. The pH scale is numbered from 1 to 14, and regular water has a pH level of 7, which is considered neutral. The higher the pH level, the more basic the substance is; lower pH levels indicate it's acidic.
A water ionizer provides homeowners with water containing pH levels ranging from 8 to 9.5. Although natural alkaline water exists, it can only be possible to buy it bottled from companies that source their water from there or visit that location itself.
People seek and drink alkaline water based on its potential health effects. By drinking alkaline water, a person may experience the following possible benefits.
- May prevent certain illnesses, such as osteoporosis
- Improves stomach digestion
- Impacts natural pH levels inside the body
Drinking plenty of water yields benefits that aren't just unique to alkaline water but water in general. According to research, drinking a lot of water, whether it's alkaline or not, can support physical and mental activity, among other things.
Most water ionizers are point-of-use systems, meaning that they're installed in a single fixture, like under the kitchen sink. These systems provide alkaline water at a single source but not the entire home.
Once tap water enters the ionizer, it goes through different processes before it becomes alkaline. We'll start by examining what happens to the water when it enters the ionizer.
Pre-Filtration Stage
Most water ionizers have built-in pre-filtration to help trap contaminants that an ionizer isn't designed to remove. Some ionizers have a single or more than one filter. The filters are usually carbon water filters and/or sediment filters.
Regular water can have contaminants such as sediment and volatile organic compounds like chlorine that can affect water's appearance, taste, and even odor. The pre-filters target these impurities before the water is ionized, so its quality is further improved when it comes out of the ionizer.
It is still possible to have a water ionizer produce alkaline water without any pre-filters, but it may contain trace amounts of contaminants. If the alkaline water ionizer has pre-filters, those filters may need to be replaced every couple of weeks or months to efficiently filter water coming in.
Once the water entering the system is filtered, it then goes through the most crucial phase of alkaline water ionization, electrodialysis.
Electrodialysis
All water ionizers rely on electrodialysis to produce alkaline water. Electrodialysis is a process where water is run between two charged titanium platinum-coated plates that separate the minerals in water. The two charged plates have an ion-permeable membrane in between that can keep the different ions (minerals) separated.
The alkaline minerals and other positively charged ions like calcium and magnesium are attracted to the negatively charged plate. These ions remain unstable in water until they absorb a hydroxyl (-OH) ion from water (h2O). The result is water with a higher concentration of Hydrogen, which increases the water's pH level and becomes alkaline.
Any negatively charged minerals are attracted to the positively charged plate inside the water ionizer. This separation of ions produces acidic or electrolyzed water. Acidic water shouldn't be drained through a home's plumbing system since it can oxidize and cause greenish-blue corrosion stains on copper pipes, for example.
Water ionizers usually come with a stream for alkaline and acidic water separately. Alkaline water can be drunk, while acidic water can be used for hair or skin care or diluted with salt to create a natural antiseptic for cuts.
Although the process of creating regular water into alkaline water is complex, it takes only a few seconds. The ionization process happens on–demand but will require maintenance to remain efficient.
How to Maintain a Water Ionizer?
Like most water filtration systems, water ionizers require routine maintenance. For water ionizers, the most important way to maintain them is by descaling the systems either biweekly or every month.
In areas like Los Angeles with hard water, home fixtures and appliances like water ionizers will develop scale. Scale is a white, sometimes greenish, chalky substance left behind from hard water minerals.
Built-up scale inside a water ionizer can affect the water flow rate and may affect the components inside the system. To combat scale, most water ionizers have instructions on cleaning the scale off the system without damaging it.
Installing a water softener or an anti-scaling system like Flow-Tech is one way to decrease and potentially eliminate scale from forming inside the ionizer. These water treatment systems target the minerals responsible for scale and significantly eliminate them from the house, preventing them from clogging up a water ionizer.
Is a Water Ionizer Right for Me?
Water ionizers provide quick access to alkaline water without making trips to the store where bottled alkaline water is sold. Now that you're aware of how ionizers produce alkaline water, you can decide for yourself if this system is suitable for your home.
At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we know that every home in the Los Angeles area has its own water needs. Whether it's a water softening system or an alkaline water ionizer, we've installed hundreds of these units and understand how they work from inside and out. We share this knowledge with homeowners looking to improve their water quality.
If you have any questions regarding alkaline water ionizers, contact us using the buttons below. You can also book an appointment through our water filtration scheduler.
