There are different types of water filters – carbon filters, reverse osmosis filters, UV filters, etc. The one you need depends on usage & budget.

Water filters might be a simple tool for purifying water, but choosing the right one might be confusing. There are different water filters, and each has its own purification trait.

So, it gets difficult to select what filter you need. Some filters can be straightforward to install, some require proper maintenance, some are cost-effective, and some are a bit expensive but can purify better.

To select the perfect type of water filter, you need first to understand how many water filters are there and how they operate. Knowing so will help you decide which one you need to buy.

Types Of Filters & How They Purify Water

1. Activated Carbon Filters
Carbon Filters are ubiquitous all across the world. They purify the water by removing larger particles and silt from the water.

They absorb these particles and sediments as water flows through these filters. This way, the water is purified from odor, and it tastes good. They also largely contribute to lowering various contaminants by absorbing them, such as chlorine.

2. Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse Osmosis filters are the most popular type of filters and have a very high use rate. The main reason it is so popular is that it removes most of the harmful and toxic contaminants from the water, so it is also used as whole house water filters.

This is mostly a two-step procedure. The water first goes through a carbon pre-filter that clears out all larger particles like chlorine.

Then on the second step, water flows through the reverse osmosis filter, and this filter absorbs all the smaller particles such as arsenic and lead. The pure water that comes out is then stored in a tank for future use.

Absorbing all the particles is very complex, and this is just a simplified version of the whole procedure.

3. Alkaline/Water Ionizers
This is a pretty rare filter. These filters purify your water through electrolysis. In short, water first passes through a charged plate. This divides the water into two separate streams, one being alkaline and the other acidic.

This way, alkaline water gets purified of all acidic materials. This also creates softer and cleaner water that is beneficial for your skin and your stomach.

4. Infrared And UV Water Filters
This is the latest discovered filter and, so far, the most effective one. Intense UV rays and Infrared rays can destroy all sorts of microbes such as bacteria and viruses. This way, the water is removed from all sorts of harmful organisms that might pose a threat to your body.

This also creates softer water like alkaline filters, thus making the water beneficial for your skin. Since this method only uses UV rays, this is also environmentally friendly.

Other methods use chemicals that might harm the environment when disposed of. The UV water filters do not have any chemicals and do not pose any threat to the environment.

How To Choose The Right Filter
Now that you have understood the various types of water filters available, you will also be able to select the perfect water filter that suits your needs.

And as for your needs, you can also take into consideration two methods. One is selecting a filter based on your lifestyle and budget, and the other is choosing a filter to purify any specific contamination.

Most of the time, it is better to go with the latter choice. But if the budget supports you and the situation calls for it, you can also go with the first factor.

1. Filters Based On Your Lifestyle And Budget
This method will make you select a purifying filter set in your plumbing system and purify your house’s whole water system. As this purifies the water of your entire house, it can be quite costly, so be prepared to improve your home budget.

This method is not very popular for personal houses and sometimes even commercial apartments, as you do not need to purify the water for the entire house. Not all the water is used for drinking.

The drinking water can later be purified through smaller filters. And as the human skin can tolerate slightly acidic waters, the direct underground water is not threatening if used on the skin.

But if it is hard water and contains too many minerals, then it may slowly damage water pipes. However, directly drinking tap water without filtering may pose some risks.

The filters that can be used for this purpose include:

1. Reverse Osmosis Water Filter
A Reverse Osmosis Filter is installed right under the tap to purify the water as it comes out of the tap.

2. Faucet Water Filter
Mostly used in kitchen faucets or washroom basins. A Faucet filter is directly installed onto the faucet or the basins.

3. Water Filter Pitcher
This is the cheapest filter on this list, as it does not require any installation. Just pour water into it. The water will slowly pass through the filter, get purified, and be stored in the storage space below.

2. Filter-Based On Purifying Specific Contamination
This is a relatively cheaper method as you search for a specific filter that can purify specific contamination such as chlorine, lead, and so on.

As this is a filter designed to remove specific contaminants, you absolutely must know all the contaminants that lurk in your water to see if this filter will help you.

If you get the wrong filter, then it may end up being useless. Checking the water is also not that difficult, as there are many tools that can help you determine what contaminators are in your water.

The most common contaminators are chlorine and lead. Many filters can remove these specific contaminators.

For Lead Purifying
● iSpring RCC7 Reverse Osmosis Filter
● WaterChef C7000 Countertop Filter
● Filtrete Maximum Under Sink Filter

For Chlorine Purifying
● Aquasana Rhino EQ-400
● WaterChef C7000 Premium Countertop Filter

Final Thoughts
There is a wide range of filters to select from, and there will undoubtedly be one that fits your needs perfectly. This article has shown you different types of filters, how they operate, and how they purify water. Hopefully, this will
help you decide what water filter you are looking for.