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Learning CenterStaying hydrated is necessary for people to survive, but are you drinking enough water? One method to encourage better water-drinking habits is to install a water filtration system in your home, like a reverse osmosis (RO) system or a whole-house carbon filter. If these two systems filter water, then what are the differences between whole-house carbon filters vs. reverse osmosis systems?
It’s a common question we at Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric have answered for homeowners for over 15 years. We’re constantly installing these systems and helping homeowners decide which option is best for their homes.
Reverse osmosis and whole-house carbon filters share the similarity of filtering water, but we’ll look at how they’re different in the following categories.
- Effectiveness
- Technology
- Environmental Impact
- Drinkability
- Warranty and Costs
- Maintenance
At the end of this article, you’ll feel confident enough in your knowledge of water filtration to tell a technician exactly what you want for your home.
What’s the Difference Between a Whole-House Carbon Filter and a Reverse Osmosis System?
When deciding between a whole-house carbon filtration and a RO system, you should first ask yourself whether you want filtered water throughout your entire home or at a single fixture, like the kitchen or bathroom sink. Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll have cleaner water available.
The drinking water in Los Angeles is deemed safe, but some people prefer other water sources. Many people drink water from bottled sources and giant refillable water jugs.
Everyone’s individual water intake is different, but according to Harvard University, four to six cups is the general amount of water people should drink. With a whole-house carbon filter or reverse osmosis system, you’ll no longer have to worry about refilling water jugs or purchasing bottled water.
You’re fully aware by now that both these systems treat water, but how effectively are they filtering it?
Effectiveness
Both RO and whole-house carbon filtration systems were designed to filter out impurities flowing in your water. The tap water coming from your kitchen faucet is regularly tested and meets strict regulatory requirements. Still, it can contain small amounts of contaminants and chlorine, which may adversely affect your health.
Reverse osmosis systems are highly effective in removing over 95% of contaminants flowing through the water. RO systems provide the most purified water out of all water filtration systems. Its ability to purify water mostly makes these systems popular choices in restaurants, for example.
Whole-house carbon filters may not thoroughly purify water like RO systems, but they’re still highly effective in filtering contaminants like volatile organic compounds (VOC), heavy metals, and chlorine. As seen in its name, whole-house carbon filtration systems filter water throughout an entire house, whereas RO systems only target a single entry point.
One thing to remember is that both systems will not combat hard water, which can cause scale and dry out your skin. A water softener or water conditioner can address this concern. Both systems are compatible with water filtration systems and can be installed in the same home.
RO and whole-house carbon filter systems treat water, but what’s the technology behind it? We’ll look at that closer in the following section.
Technology
The technology behind these two systems plays a vital role in how they filter water. Both of these systems have filters but operate slightly differently.
As mentioned in the previous section, RO systems have the ability to purify water, and that’s due to their multi-filtering system. Reverse osmosis systems usually have four or five filtration stages. Some of its filters are carbon; the other filter is a membrane that helps decontaminate the water further.
RO systems are much smaller than whole-house carbon filters and compact enough to fit under a kitchen sink. Whole-house carbon filters are much bigger and are usually installed outside near a home’s water heater. They’re much more extensive and better equipped to filter all the water entering your home instead of a single fixture.
Whole-house carbon filters are single-tank systems that can last around 10 years. The giant carbon filter can attract contaminants and keep them from flowing back into the water.
These systems are highly efficient in filtering water, but do they have any impact on the environment?
Environmental Impact
Both of these systems can help you become more environmentally friendly. You will no longer require plastic or canned water since you’ll have filtered water available with the turn of a faucet. A lot of plastic bottles still end up in landfills and oceans, despite individual recycling efforts.
Both of these systems produce wastewater. As water flows through these filtration systems, it leaves behind impurities. These systems will use water to wash away the contaminants through a drainage system so that the filters continue to operate without clogging.
The state of California has implemented regulations that increase water recycling efforts. The wastewater from filtration systems and your home’s drains is gathered and transported to a water treatment plant. The wastewater is treated to ensure it is safe for reuse for irrigation purposes.
With wastewater out of the way, let’s take a look at how drinkable filtered water really is.
Drinkability
A whole-house carbon filter and RO system will give your home better-tasting water. Some homeowners have both systems installed to ensure that their water is filtered, tastes great, and is ready for cooking at all times.
Some homeowners have reported that their coffees and teas taste much better, thanks to the filtered water. If you have pets, they can also take advantage of filtered water.
Better-tasting water is very enticing, but what do the costs and warranties for these systems look like? We’ll focus on both in the next section.
Warranty and Costs
These systems have different costs and warranties associated with them, although their pricing may overlap depending on where you purchase them, the brand, and installation costs.
A reverse osmosis system can cost you $600 to $1,500 for the system without installation. It is recommended to have a professional install the system for you, bringing the total cost from $1,600 to $3,200. There are a few factors that affect the price of an RO system which you can learn more about in the linked article.
Once it’s installed and running, the warranty becomes active. The warranty for an RO system is five years on average, with parts covered for one year. Refer to your RO system’s manufacturer for specific warranty parameters.
Since whole-house carbon filters are much larger than RO systems, they tend to be higher in price. Whole-house carbon filters can cost anywhere from $4,800 to $7,200 with professional installation. Without installation, this system can cost $800 to $2,000.
The warranty for whole-house carbon filtration systems varies by manufacturer. The average warranty for these systems is 10 years, although some companies offer a limited lifetime warranty.
Now you know what warranties and costs are associated with these systems, but how do you maintain them? The next section will cover focus on maintenance.
Maintenance
Water filtration systems require routine maintenance to provide your home with filtered water. Failing to maintain these systems will result in less effective water filtration.
RO systems require slightly more maintenance than whole-house carbon filters. It is recommended to replace RO filters every six to 12 months. The special membrane filter lasts longer and should be replaced every few years.
It is recommended to have your whole-house carbon filter inspected once a year to ensure it operates properly. These systems can last long and may only require replacement after about 10 years.
Which Water Filtration System Is Right for Me?
Reverse osmosis and whole-house carbon filtration are similar in their goal to provide better-filtered water. But knowing the differences in how they work, how much they cost, and their respective warranty terms will help you make the best decision for your home.
At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re passionate about water filtration and have installed them all over Los Angeles. If you’re interested in getting better-tasting water at home, understanding the differences between these two water filtration types is half the battle.
Contact us through one of our contact buttons below for more information on reverse osmosis and whole-house carbon filters. You can also book an appointment through our water filtration scheduler.
To learn more about filtered water benefits, check out this article on soft water benefits.
