Water at Home: Renting a Cooler or Buying a Filter?

Everyone wants to arrange their corner as cozily and comfortably as possible. This applies not only to the atmosphere of the home but also to access to basic amenities — drinking water, the ability to wash and dry clothes, wash dishes, and prepare balanced meals. Let's try to figure out how to supply drinking water to the house conveniently, economically, and ecologically. We'll explain why a water analysis from a well or water supply is necessary, what types of filters exist, and how to choose the right one.

How to Choose a System

The choice depends on many details, from the source of water supply to the house to the number of people in the family. If you are buying a filter for the first time, it's better to trust the manufacturer's employees and mention the parameters they request. These can include:

1. place of residence — an apartment in a multi-story building or a private cottage;
2. method of water supply: from a well or a public water system;
3. the number of residents in the house, their allergies and other chronic diseases, bone problems, etc.;
4. available space in the dwelling.

Often, the employee suggests conducting a water analysis in the laboratory. This helps to better understand its current parameters and choose the ideal purification device. For those living in rental housing, there is another convenient offer — renting a cooler. This is more advantageous than buying and installing a system in an apartment from which you can move out at any moment.

How Water is Purified

Most manufacturers offer several models of filters:

1. pitcher — convenient and compact, processes the smallest volume of water, ideal for a family of 1–2 people;
2. cartridge filters — installed under the sink and consist of three types of cartridges for different types of contaminants, store purified liquid in a tank and supply it to the tap near the sink;
3. reverse osmosis — also installed near the sink and purify liquid based on the principle of reverse osmosis, the most energy-efficient model for home use, some models work without electricity;
4. column filters — more suitable for private homes with 2–3 bathrooms, purify all the water in the house, even technical water for household appliances, suitable for large families.

There are also models for reducing water hardness, from iron, hydrogen sulfide, and chlorine, removing scale, and mechanical purification filters. A separate category includes ultraviolet treatment. The water is subjected to UV radiation, which destroys the DNA of microorganisms, making them incapable of reproduction. These filters are installed after the main one for disinfection.