Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 How Much Does Reverse Osmosis Installation Usually Cost in Pittsboro?
- 2 What Are the Most Common Water Contaminants in Pittsboro?
- 3 Can Residents in Pittsboro Benefit From Reverse Osmosis Treatment?
- 4 How Often Should Residents in Pittsboro Replace Reverse Osmosis Prefilters?
- 5 Do You Need a Water Softener With Your Reverse Osmosis System in Pittsboro?
How Much Does Reverse Osmosis Installation Usually Cost in Pittsboro?
Reverse osmosis water filtration is also called RO by those in the plumbing industry. It is the most widely used system on earth because of its simplicity and effectiveness. Most ideas that work great are simple science and reverse osmosis water treatment is no different. It filters water by applying force to one side of a semi-permeable membrane, pushing water through. As water passes through the membrane, it leaves behind large particles that cannot get through the filter.
Reverse osmosis sounds like simple membrane filtration, but it is different since it involves diffusion, which is the act of transferring debris to a low concentration area. RO is also affected by the water’s stream rate and pressure.
Reverse osmosis water filtration is the cheapest and most effective water filtration system in existence. The average price range of installation in Pittsboro is around $90 if you’re using a small system. If you have a bigger system with more options, the costs typically run between $428 and $908, depending on a few factors.
Here are a few cost issues to keep in mind that can have a positive or negative effect on the final cost of an RO water filtration system in Pittsboro.
Cost Factor: Type of System
There are two types of reverse osmosis water treatment systems: point-of-use and point-of-entry. Point-of-use systems are used in one location at a time, such as the kitchen sink. They are compact and fit under the sink or on a countertop. Point-of-entry systems are whole-house systems that treat the water anywhere it comes into the home.
Point-of-use systems are less expensive because they are smaller and can be used in only one location at a time. There are a few types of point-of-use systems, such as under the sink and countertop versions. Most under-the-sink types have a tank, but they do come without tanks.
Countertop RO systems cost $300 to $500 generally. They are more expensive than tank-based systems because they’re extremely convenient. They don’t need pricey professional installation or require a connection to a waterline.
The tankless version of the under-the-sink option costs roughly $300 to $600. Pittsboro residents, and those in nearby cities such as Bynum, Gum Springs, and Blacknel typically chose an under-the-sink RO system with a tank. They cost $200 to $600. They are also more difficult to install, but you’re supplied with all the clean water you need to run a household.
A whole house RO system or point-of-entry system costs approximately $1500 on average. You can pay as much as $10,000 for a whole-house system if you have a huge house, choose an expensive brand of system, and choose a lot of extras.
Cost Factor: System Efficiency
Reverse osmosis efficiency is measured using two basic factors: how fast clean water is delivered and how much water is lost in the process. Unfortunately, losing water is part of it. There is no way to save 100% of the water, but modern systems are more efficient and waste less water than the old-fashioned type. This offsets the cost of the system and saves you money in the end.
The old-fashioned RO water treatment systems had a 1:4 ratio of pure water to wastewater, meaning one gallon of pure water is created for every four gallons of water wasted. Today, there are RO systems with vastly superior ratios of 1:2 or 1:1.
Cost Factor: Stages of Filtration
There are four basic stages of filtration in an RO system.
- Pre-sediment filter
- Carbon filter
- The semi-permeable membrane
- A post-filter
Reverse osmosis systems are more expensive if they provide more than four filtration stages. Four filter systems remove more than 99.9% of total dissolved solids from water and are perfectly safe to use. Some under-sink and whole-house systems double this number, or more, offering up to 12 filtration stages.
The water that’s been through extra filtration stages will be as clean and pure as possible, but that doesn’t mean the extra filters were necessary. Extra filters could be additional carbon blockers, GAC’s (granular activated carbon), or alkaline or mineral filters, bringing healthy minerals back into water that’s had them all filtered out.
Keep in mind, however, more filters mean more money spent on replacements. It sounds like a safe idea to have 12 filter stages, but it doesn’t change your water much, so consider whether it’s worth the cost.
What Are the Most Common Water Contaminants in Pittsboro?
Pittsboro gets its water from the Haw River. We have had our fair share of water contaminants over the last few years and even activated an emergency response in 2021 from Dioxane releases. We have had our scares, but contaminants find their way into a water supply even under the most rigorous of conditions. The scariest thing of all is that many dangerous water contaminants have no taste or smell. They don’t float or color the water. Other contaminants, however, are more apparent and leave the water with a vile aftertaste or brown color.
In the United States, public water supplies must be tested for contaminants every year. Some of the following contaminants show up in Pittsboro water on occasion:
1,4-Dioxane
This fairly new contaminant is a human carcinogen considered an ether. It has a faintly sweet smell and is colorless and tasteless. It isn’t easily biodegradable and very water-soluble.
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
These chemicals are called ‘forever chemicals’ because they are manmade and found in everything from cookware to firefighting foam, and food packaging. There are over 5,000 of these forever chemicals. They’ve been shown to increase the risk of asthma and thyroid disease, cause cancer and liver disease, and increase infertility.
Lead
Older homes can have lead pipes and plumbing because, before the 70s, most plumbing hardware was coated in lead. We now know how harmful lead can be and no longer use it in plumbing. Reverse osmosis removes 100% of lead from tap water.
Can Residents in Pittsboro Benefit From Reverse Osmosis Treatment?
Pittsboro residents definitely benefit from reverse osmosis water treatment systems. Worries about contaminants and clarity of ice and water disappear with RO systems. Some of the most favorite advantages include:
Safe for Cancer Patients
The weakened immune system of cancer patients keeps them from drinking, cooking, or bathing with untreated water. It can pose a health threat if it contains contaminants. Reverse osmosis filtered water is safe for cancer patients to use in any way.
Cryptosporidium Filter
Cryptosporidium are destructive parasites that thrive in untreated water. They attack the small intestines causing cramps, diarrhea, and high fever. Reverse osmosis filtering destroys Cryptosporidium parasites.
How Often Should Residents in Pittsboro Replace Reverse Osmosis Prefilters?
The filters in a RO must be changed regularly to keep it in working order. Mr Blue Plumbing recommends changing filters at least once a year, every six months is better, especially if you use a lot of water and it has a lot of debris.
The sediment filter helps keep the system performing its best for as long as possible. It should be changed every six to nine months to stay effective.
GAC filters protect the semi-permeable membrane. They are used to remove chlorine and should be replaced every six months, a year at most. The system will last longer if all the filters are properly replaced.
Do You Need a Water Softener With Your Reverse Osmosis System in Pittsboro?
You don’t need a water softener with your RO system in the sense that it will not work without it. An RO system will filter your water without a softener, but if you have hard water, it’s a good idea to have both. Both water softeners and RO systems are important for tap water, but they are not identical. Tap water with high sodium content and hard water benefit from going through a softener first. That type of water has more dissolved chemicals and minerals contained in it, so more filtering can preserve the life of your RO system. A reverse osmosis system filters out the hard water minerals, but they clog up the filters much faster and weakens the system. A water softener filters out the hard water minerals, making it easier for your RO system to do its job.
