If you want to set up a water cooler or coffee machine in your business, you may be wondering what types of water filters are available commercially. Before you select a filter, make sure you understand what type of water filters are available commercially so you can pick the right one.
This is your complete guide to commercial water filters. Learn what these filters are, how they work, what types are available, and which one is right for your business.
What Are Water Filters?
Water filters are devices that remove contaminants from the water that runs into your business, whether it’s the water in the bathroom sinks, the drinking fountain, or the coffee pot. Their purpose is to improve the quality of your water, removing unwanted odors, tastes, and particles.
How Do Water Filters Work?
There are no one-size-fits-all water filters, and the options all work differently. Some use chemicals, others use light, and certain ones use physical “nets” to catch contaminants. Keep reading to find out how each kind of popular commercial water filter works.
Common Water Contaminants
Before we get into what types of water filters are available commercially, we want to talk about common types of contaminants in water.
1. Bacteria
While some bacteria types are good for you, some are harmful. Pathogenic bacteria are dangerous and can carry viruses, so they should be removed from your water. Bacteria, including salmonella, shigella, E. coli, and leptospira, could be found in drinking water because of system leaks or runoff. Water filters are the best way to eliminate these.
2. Chlorine
Chlorine is added to water to disinfect it. Many cities do this, and it’s helpful, but leftover chlorine compounds or too much chlorine can make your water taste funny or make you feel a bit sick. These compounds can also cause skin irritation, such as redness, dryness, and itchiness.
3. Fluoride
Like chlorine, fluoride is purposefully added to most water supplies. It helps strengthen teeth. However, too much fluoride can be bad for teeth and cause skin problems. The right water filter can bring fluoride levels back down.
4. Copper
Copper is one of the most common minerals found in water. It’s an essential element found in rock, so it makes its way into most water supplies, which usually is not a problem. However, corrosion from copper pipes or poorly filtered city drinking water can contain too much copper and cause water to have an unpleasant flavor. Consuming too much copper can also cause stomach discomfort.
5. Iron
Like copper, iron is also common in water simply because it exists in nature very close to our main water sources. It’s not harmful to consume or use water with small amounts of iron particles, but large amounts can be a problem. Plus, iron can make water taste bad, smell funny, or leave stains on your sinks and toilets.
6. Lead
The last common contaminant we want to mention is lead. It often winds up in your water supply when it leaches from lead service lines or plumbing. Healthy adults can consume trace amounts of lead without issue, but people with immune problems, children, and pregnant women are vulnerable to severe health issues.
What Types of Water Filters Are Available Commercially?
It’s best to speak with an expert when wondering what types of water filters are available commercially. However, if you want to know what type of water filters are available commercially, here’s an overview of the options:
1. Mechanical Filter
Mechanical filters are one of the most common filters you’ll encounter, and there are several types of mechanical filters to consider. They can be made of ceramic, metal, or other materials. These are masters of removing physical particles such as dirt, waste, sand, and sediment. Features like nylon floss, synthetic foam, or pads catch these contaminants and pull them out of the water.
They’re also rated for how effective they are at removing certain-sized particles. These “micron ratings” are important to think about when choosing a filter, and the right rating depends on the types of contaminants in your water.
2. Sequestration Filters
Sequestration filters are high-end filters that use chemicals to isolate unwanted substances and stop the water from causing corrosion and other damage. The most common sequestration systems use food-grade polyphosphate to create scale-inhibiting filters, isolating materials including magnesium, calcium, and other minerals that can cause corrosion and limescale.
What’s interesting is that these systems do not remove the minerals from the water. Instead, they trap the minerals in the chemical solution so they can’t cause limescale or corrosion. Therefore, if you want a water filtration system that will remove minerals and soften the water, this is not the right choice.
3. Ion Exchange Filters
Ion exchange filters are excellent at removing hard water minerals and radioactive materials from your water. This is especially important when it comes to reducing the amount of lead in drinking water. These filters consist of a substance that will replace certain ions with more desirable or harmless ones.
Hard minerals like magnesium or calcium can be exchanged for sodium ions, which don’t cause hard water. These filters soften water but don’t reduce the amount of organic materials, like particles and bacteria, as much as other filter options.
4. Reverse Osmosis Filters
A reverse osmosis filter is wonderful for removing toxins such as copper, radium, arsenic, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, nitrates, and salt. They work by pushing water through a membrane using considerable pressure. They take out large percentages of contaminants, making them one of the best choices.
All the contaminants you don’t want in your water stay on one side, while the clean water is pushed through to the other side to continue through your system. These filters can even remove water-soluble contaminants like fluoride and chromium. They’re effective, but they use substantially more water than other filtration methods and work rather slowly.
5. Activated Carbon Filters
A popular commercial water filter choice is an activated carbon filter, sometimes called a block carbon filter. These filters can reduce chlorine, chloroform, agricultural chemicals, organic substances, sediment, magnesium, and other contaminants in your business’s water. These filters work using adsorption.
Adsorption is when materials cling or stick to something, but they’re not fully absorbed. While it is technically incorrect, some people refer to carbon filters as absorption filters. Activated carbon filters are treated to have a porous surface that binds to the toxins and impurities mentioned. While this filter can effective, it’s often used with other water filter systems.
6. Distillation Filters
Distillation systems are a traditional option. While they might not be as fancy and futuristic, they are effective. The concept is simple — they heat the water until it turns into steam. The steam is captured and then cooled until it returns to its liquid form.
The process removes contaminants such as lead and mercury, purifying the water for use. Humans have been using this method to make water safe for hundreds of years, and it’s still an excellent option. However, it does nothing to soften hard water, so people might use it along with a water softener.
7. Ultraviolet Filters
Ultraviolet filters, also called ultraviolet water lamps, are highly effective, but only for bacteria and viruses. Using different frequencies of UV light, these filters sterilize the water as it passes through the system.
However, they aren’t as effective in removing particles and minerals. They’re commonly used with water filters that remove particles, such as a mechanical water filter. One pro of UV filters is that they’re one of the most environmentally friendly options out there!
Choosing the Right Water Filter for Your Business
Now that you know what types of water filters are available commercially, you have to decide which one is right for your business. Consider a range of factors, including:
- The quality of your region’s public water supply
- The number of people who use the water (do you run an office with six people or a warehouse with 100?)
- The types of contaminants you’re most concerned about
- The age and condition of your plumbing system (older buildings often have poor plumbing systems that release more contaminants into the water)
- The most common uses for your water (is it mostly for drinking, using the bathroom, or cleaning?)
In general, reverse osmosis water filters are a great option for small businesses, while UV filters in conjunction with carbon or mechanical filters are wonderful for large businesses.
Make Sure Your Water Is Crisp and Clear
At Prestige, we take pride in providing businesses with clean, healthy drinking water using Point-of-Use filters that purify water right before you enjoy it.
Our Everpure 4H filter is excellent for controlling scale, while both Everpure and 3M filters make for delicious water and coffee. Our Everpure OCS2 is tailor-made for certain coffee systems, while the 3M filters are compatible with a variety of machines.
With our options and expertise, we can help you find the commercial water filter that is best for your office. If you’re ready to set up water service to give your workers fresh water, contact us today!
