Water Filter Questions Continue. Help!

Hakim · Aug 24, 2005

To all the usual resident TBN water bugs & experts, /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I am still trying to decide on a whole house water filter system, mainly to filter out high chlorine smell added by the city. I will use this inline in front of the HW heater. I am not concerned about the “benefits” I may lose by removing chlorine after it has reached my house.

Some told me about the "Smart Water Treatment Systems" unit which is permanently installed for around $4,.000. The company calls itself “Smart Water” which is a trademark conflict with GE, which makes many filters under this trade name. It has nothing to do with the GE “Smart Water” line.

The company web site http://www.4smartwater.com/sw4.htm says :

“… carries the GenTech line of treatment systems for residential and commercial use. The GenTech 1252 is our residential unit which provides you with a smart solution to healthier and environmentally safe water. Through the use of high frequency, low voltage electrical impulses, the 1252 treats your water without removing valuable minerals like calcium and magnesium. Thus, the system provides you with treated water that does not require an ion transfer/replacement with salt or potassium.”

STATE OF THE ART FILTRATION

"The filtration system uses a three part "mixed media" concept to filter specific items from the water. The three parts are: Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF), Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), and Quartz.

1. KDF is certified for the removal of heavy metals and is also certified to establish a bacteriostat
2. GAC is the industry standard for chemical removal and is composed of Coconut Shell Carbon for great taste and clarity. Coconut Shell Carbon is the industry's highest standard of Carbon.
3. Quartz bed assures a high flow rate through the system.
The combination KDF and GAC combine to control algae, bacteria, parasites, and viruses while removing chemical pollutants, chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, industrial solvents, and heavy metals. As you can see, with Smart Water's filtration process nothing has been spared to bring you odor-free, great-tasting water throughout your entire house. "

Also, FWIW, I could not find a reference to a “GenTech 1252” unit any where on the web.

Now, here is another unit from a different company, which claims to have similar KDF filtering, but for about $499.

“An initial filtration preps your water by removing rust, dirt, debris and other particles larger than 5 microns. Then a combination carbon and KDF media filter then targets chlorine, VOCs, pesticides, and other chemicals and heavy metals while removing odors and improving your water’s taste. 100,000-gallon filters are easy to change and last at least a year before requiring replacement.”

http://www.realgoods.com/shop/shop2.cfm/dv/2/dp/202/ts/4400077

Am I getting 700% more value for the $3,500 unit? I would have to use the system 25 years, at the “no filter” versus $90 a year rate to makeup for the higher upfront cost. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

BlueRidge · Aug 24, 2005

( Through the use of high frequency, low voltage electrical impulses, the 1252 treats your water without removing valuable minerals like calcium and magnesium. )

Let's run that through the Truth-In-Advertising Translator-ama and see what we get...

( Through the use of completely unscientific, but pausible sounding techno-flimflam, the 1252 cons you completely while removing valuable deposits - from your bank account. )

Hmm. Yep, that's about what I thought it would say.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

KDF is a time tested technolgy for filtering water.

GaryQWA · Aug 25, 2005

Dittos on the Translator. And the one for $499 will be much smaller with very little KDF (KDF 55 or 85) of any kind in it and it won't have the electronic anti-scale and descaling (pretend softener) device part. AKA magnetic and/or physical water treatment usually spoken as non salt softeners.

KDF is a very heavy mineral, it takes a lot of water to backwash it successfully, it can clump with insufficient backwashing and that reduces pressure while causing failure of its abilty to 'filter'. It's a redox and really not a filter but it will filter down to invisible dirt which causes clumping and non-backwashable areas in the bed....

I'm not a fan of removing chlorine on a whole house basis, doing so can cause odor and bacteria problems and a better and much lower cost means to get rid of chlorine is a drinking and cooking water filter with it's own faucet at the kitchen sink and teed to the 'fridge and showerhead filters. KDF and carbon are used in the showerhead fiters and the kitchen sink filter would be a dual stage with 5 micron prefilter and then a high qualtty carbon block.

Gary Slusser

Hakim · Aug 25, 2005

Hi Gary,

Many thanks for your post. That was exactly the kind of insight I was seeking, and you have helped me a great deal.

Stick around, we need guys like you! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Junkman · Aug 25, 2005

For a nominal fee, I am certain that you could get Gary to deliver and install the best filtering system directly to you in CA. How "nominal" that fee will be, I will leave up to him. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif At least, you know it will be done right.

Hakim · Aug 25, 2005

So here is where I am at right now, my cobbed-together "system" that works, more or less,

What I am doing right now --

1) A Pur filter at the kitchen sink ($35 or so from Costco -- just get the “best” grade one, which filters the most junk);

2) Enviro carbon filter on shower heads (Amazon sells it for $35 with reviews: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006U10LW/002-9324463-8332016?v=glance;

3) “CuZn Bath Ball" (I got mine here for $39., from Canada, but came in 2 days) http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/bath-ball/.

4) And, if you really want it, a RO from Costco for around $150 plus install.

That is where I am at, until I own a house again and feel like making more significant investments.

Thanks to all posters on this & related threads. Much appreciated.

GaryQWA · Aug 25, 2005

You're welcome Hakim, thanks for the great forums. What you have should work well although may not give you a very long service run, but the cost for replacement consumables is probably high. Water treatment/conditionig dealers have high quality and longer lived less expensive consumables.

Yes Junkman, anything and everything needed in water treatment with shipping included usually shipped anywhere in the lower 48 in 6 days or less. And folks rave about the prices. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Gary Slusser