8 Most Common Types of Whole House Water Filters

Did you know that there are different types of whole house water filters?

With all the options available when it comes to choosing your home’s filtration system, it’s important to know the difference between them, as well as the pros and cons of each filter so you pick the one best filter for your home. 

Let’s look at these types of whole house water filters.

1. Activated Carbon Filters

Out of all the types of whole house water filters, activated carbon filters are the most common in most households. Activated carbon comes from natural materials such as wood and charcoal. When water passes through this part of your filter, it absorbs chemicals from the water and ensures only purified water makes it to you. 

If you’re looking for a filter that works well with higher water pressure, granular activated carbon (GAC) filters are the best type of whole house filter compared to activated block filters. This is because GAC filters contain loose carbon particles instead of “block” filters.

Pros

• Affordable
• Great at removing chlorine
• Improve water’s taste and smell

Cons

• Aren’t efficient at removing metal contaminants.

2. Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filters

Reverse osmosis filters are capable of impressive filtering capabilities. Reverse osmosis whole house water filters use semipermeable membranes that only let water molecules pass through, removing bacteria, viruses, and even heavy metals. With this type of filter, you’ll get highly purified water, perfect for drinking. If this is your primary objective, you can’t go wrong with an RO system.

Pros

• Reduce up to 99% of contaminants
• Improve taste and smell of water
• Perfect for purifying water for drinking and cooking

Cons

• Requires more maintenance and replacements than other systems

3. UV Filters

UV water filters are great as an add-on to a dedicated water filtration system. These types of filters use ultraviolet light to eliminate dangerous microorganisms like E. coli, giardia, and other types of fungi and bacteria. 

If you rely on private well water, these can be a reliable option. 

Pros

• Easy to maintain, they only require a lamp replacement once per year.
• Can sterilize up to 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and cysts in water.

Cons

• UV filters need to be connected to a power source at all times.
• They don’t reduce organic particles or chemical contaminants.

4. Ceramic Water Filters

Ceramic water filters use mechanical filtration; as the water flows through the ceramic filter surface, particles larger than the ceramic’s pore size are blocked. As one of the oldest methods of water filtration, ceramic filters have been a staple of the water filter market since their invention in 1827. 

Pros

• Since ceramic pores are so fine, this type of water filter can reduce or eliminate microscopic contaminants that include sediments, protozoa, microbial cysts, and bacteria.

Cons

• Ceramic filters are often fitted with a center core of granular activated carbon (GAC) or carbon block, as they are not an effective method of filtering out chemical contaminants and viruses on their own.

5. Alkaline and Water Ionizers

As a whole, alkaline and water ionizers bring a ton of health benefits to your home’s water supply. These filters use a process called ionization to separate water molecules into acidic and alkaline components to increase pH levels.

They also reduce harmful contaminants like fluoride, chlorine, and heavy metals.

Pros

• Alkaline and water ionizers can enhance your water by adding essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, improving its taste in the process.
• Alkaline water has a higher pH than regular tap water, which can help neutralize acid in the body.

Cons

• Alkaline and water ionizers come with a higher initial investment compared to other filters.

6. Gravity Filters

Gravity filters rely on the simple mechanics of gravity to draw water through a filtration system. Your standard gravity filter setup comprises one or more filtration cartridges housed within a container, a lower storage tank, and a spigot. 

Different types of gravity filters can range from countertop units to portable, bottle-based models.

Pros

• Affordable option.
• Low maintenance.
• Efficiently removing bacteria, viruses, and chemicals like chlorine and heavy metals.

Cons

• Can take up more space on countertops.
• Gravity filters are not “on-demand” systems, so once the water in the holding tank runs out, you have to refill it.

7. Ozone Water Filters

Since ozone is an oxidant, it reacts with other substances and their electrons, including water. 

Ozone water treatment reduces contaminants in water through the oxidative strength of ozone. These contaminants include bacteria, viruses, parasites, hydrogen sulfide, and metals like iron, manganese, and copper.

Pros

• Ozone filters are highly effective in neutralizing bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
• Can eliminate metals from water.
• Don’t add any chemicals or pollutants.

Cons

• More expensive compared to other filtering options.
• Potential for corrosion in pipes and toxicity if installed incorrectly or if there is a generator leak.

8. Sediment Filters

This type of filter typically works during the pre-filter stage and reduces larger particles from the water before it is filtered for chemicals and other contaminants.

Sediment filters can work in different ways depending on the system you have installed. Sediment cartridge filters (spun filters) push water through layers of filters, which golf onto larger particles but release the water. Spin-down sediment filters flush trapped particles out through a valve, making it so they don’t need to be replaced as often. 

Pros

• Great for removing large particles—such as dirt, rust, silt, clay, and sand—in your water and prolonging the entire filtration system’s lifespan.
• Easy to install.
• Affordable option.

Cons

• Need to be replaced often.
• Not as effective when it comes to removing chemicals, bacteria, or viruses.

How To Choose The Best Water Filter For Your House

Choosing the best whole house water filter for your home comes down to many factors, such as house size, what contaminants you need to filter out, and whether you’re going to be drinking the filtered water or not.

Another factor to consider is where you’re getting your water from. Public water supplies like city water are safe for the most part but can contain hundreds of contaminants not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

If you own a private well, you’ll need to make sure you have the proper whole house water filter installed to address a new set of water concerns specific to private wells. 

If you need help narrowing down the best types of whole house water filters for your home, Kind Water Systems can help. Our water filters are designed to protect you and your family from harmful substances. We can also mail you a test kit to identify the contaminants in your water. Contact us today!