Reverse Osmosis
What Is a Reverse Osmosis System?
Reverse Osmosis systems are multifunctional water systems that preform effective filtration and treatment services. Reverse Osmosis systems, also known as RO systems, are fixture specific and use pressure forces to filter, clean, and decontaminate your fixtures water. Water treated by Reverse Osmosis filters is purified and refined to thoroughly remove contaminants in the water supplied to a specific fixture. In simple terms, a Reverse Osmosis system removes water contaminants by forcing water through a series of filters to trap and block contaminants while water passes through.
What are the Benefits of a Reverse Osmosis System?
Reverse Osmosis is very effective at cleansing water in that it has the ability to eliminate about 98% of water contaminants such as sodium, sulfate, calcium, lead, etc.
RO systems are extremely energy efficient as well, as they do not require electricity to function. Reverse osmosis systems simply connect to the water source of your fixture and utilizes your water pressure to function.
If you regularly purchase bottled water, the addition of a reverse osmosis system will save you of that extra expense.
Reverse Osmosis systems are very space efficient in that they can simply be installed and hidden under a cabinet below your preferred fixture. Water filtered through reverse osmosis also results in better-tasting food because of the removed minerals and impurities in the water.
Disadvantages of Reverse Osmosis:
Maintaining your RO system is a necessary factor in order to keep your system running at its optimum capacity. Reverse Osmosis systems should be replaced every 6-12 months, depending on the amount of usage and the sediment levels of your water source.
Water waste is another factor you should consider when deciding on your prefect RO system. A typical reverse osmosis system will generate about five gallons of waste/reject water from very one gallon of treated water produced.
How does a Reverse Osmosis System Work?
Reverse osmosis is accomplished by pressuring water through filtration and purification mechanisms designed to filter and capture contaminants. The typical RO system consists of the following stages: sediment filter, carbon pre-filter, semi-permeable membrane, and a carbon post filter.
◦ Sediment Filtration: During stage one of the RO system, particles such as dirt, sand, rust, and dust are reduced. These filters are capable of removing microscopic particles smaller than a grain of sand and serve as the pre-treatment stage of the reverse osmosis system.
◦ Carbon Pre-Filter: The function of the pre-filter is to eliminate chlorine, volatile organic compounds (common ground water contaminants), and other chemical elements that cause water to smell as well as taste unpleasant.
◦ Semi-permeable Membrane: The semi-permeable membrane is designed with pores engineered to allow only water to flow through and trapping dissolved solids.
◦ Carbon Post-Filter: The carbon post-filter polishes and enhances the quality of the water as well as works at refining the taste of the newly purified water.
Once the water has been filtered, refined, and purified it is housed in the RO storage tank. These tanks store the resulting treated water from the reverse osmosis filtration stages until demand for the water is commenced.
As the following steps describe the more typical process of a Reverse Osmosis system, there are various models of the system containing additional stages and extra add ons. The RO system model best suited for your needs are based on multiple factors such as the level of sediment of the water in your area, water demand of your fixture, and personal preferences.
Models of Reverse Osmosis Systems
3 Stage RO System:
◦ Carbon/Sediment Pre-Filter
◦ Semi-Permeable Membrane
◦ Carbon Post-Filter
4 Stage RO System:
◦ Sediment Filter
◦ Carbon-Pre Filter
◦ Semi-Permeable Membrane
◦ Carbon Post-Filter
Reverse Osmosis System Specifications/Add Ons:
◦ Want Alkaline Water?
The addition of a Remineralization Cartridge to your reverse osmosis system will result in Alkaline water by adding back beneficial minerals that were previously removed by the semi-permeable membrane.
◦ Do you have an Under mount or Over mount Sink?
The style of your sink does have an impact on the RO system installation process.
If you have an Under mount sink, our certified installer will need to create a hole through your countertop in order to install the faucet of the reverse osmosis system.
If you have an Over mount sink, you must be sure that there is an additional opening/hole (as seen in the image), for the reverse osmosis faucet to be installed through. If an additional hole is present, you’re all set!
Looking for a more organized approach to Reverse Osmosis?
If you are looking for a more contained version of reverse osmosis, Tankless RO systems are also available
These systems preform likewise functions to the multi stage systems described previously but minus the visible cartridges and tank.
View our shop for 3-Stage, 4-Stage, and 5-Stage Tankless Reverse Osmosis Systems.