The benefits of a whole-house water filter

Undersink water filters have become increasingly popular in homes, effective in reducing  chlorine and sediment from drinking water. But what about the rest of the water used around the home? 

“Mains or town water is provided by local councils and because of that, it’s treated water. This means they add chlorine to it to kill bacteria and filter it to a safe drinking standard,” says Puretec’s Scott Marshall. 

“Over 90 per cent of Australian homes have access to mains water, but the standard of mains water varies. For cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, the water sources are typically a reservoir or underground and they’re very well filtered. Out in the country, the source might be river water that’s treated, but it’s only treated to a certain standard that’s probably less than what we’re used to in the city. So there can be a variation in mains water standards, but across the board, all mains water still has three things in it that are critical to reduce.”

Water hardness varies across the country, with water that is sourced from underground typically high in calcium and other minerals like magnesium. 

“Both of these things are good for your health and good to drink at certain levels, but they cause big problems for your home whenever that water hardness gets above 100 parts per million. There are some really high hardness areas, for example in Mount Gambier in South Australia and Albany and Esperance in Western Australia – everyone in those towns understands what water hardness is,” says Marshall.

“But it’s the areas that have water hardness between about 100 and 150, which includes Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, as an example, where people might not recognise that it is hard water causing issues. Many people in these areas think the buildup on their shower screens is soap, but it’s actually calcium in the water. It adheres to the glass and it doesn’t just wipe off – some cleaning products don’t even get it off. It builds up even more in appliances, particularly appliances with heat in them like water heaters, washing machines and dishwashers. It builds up and leads to the early failure of that equipment.”

Many can taste chlorine in water and it can also be seen by the blue colour of water when you run a bath. 

“The taste can be unpleasant and it doesn’t quench your thirst as much, so people are familiar with undersink water filters – there’s a huge amount of them sold in Australia every year,” says Marshall.

Beyond the taste of the water, chlorine can also  negatively impact skin and hair in the shower.

“Chlorine can be an aggravator of skin conditions like dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis, and can exacerbate  dry hair and dandruff. A lot of people that suffer badly from those conditions understand the impact chlorine has, and most likely avoid swimming pools for that reason.

“It’s also good to reduce chlorine before you water your gardens because chlorine can kill bacteria, and by nature plants feed off good bacteria. So if you’re watering your gardens or your lawn with unfiltered water, you’re killing that good bacteria.”

Small particles in water that can’t always be seen, sediment can build up in appliances over time and be ingested through drinking water. 

“It builds up and sits in pipes and can restrict water flow over time, particularly in appliances with hot water. 

“People don’t realise there is sediment in mains water, but there usually is,” says Marshall.

While individual tap filters are effective in reducing sediment, chlorine and water hardness, whole-house water filter systems achieve this on a larger scale. Installed at the beginning of a home’s water line just after the mains water tap, every drop of water used on the property is filtered. 

“It means you can drink water from every tap inside or outside of your house.”

A three-stage filtration system designed for mains water, Puretec’s freestanding FilterWall reduces up to 98 per cent of chlorine – improving the taste of water and the impact chlorine has on hair and skin, while simultaneously reducing sediment and chemicals for a more eco-friendly garden and prolonged life for home appliances.

Two different models are available to suit the flow rate of most residential applications, and the F4 and F6 include a ScaleProtect cartridge to reduce the impact of hard water.

Designed to be installed along a fence or the side of a house, the FilterWall F Series can be used for any house in Australia connected to mains water supply, and the four Colorbond colour options mean there’s a stylish option to suit every home’s exterior. 

Explore the range of whole-house water filters from Puretec on ArchiPro.

Disclaimer: FilterWall™ is a registered trademark by Puretec.