Everyone knows that the use of untreated water can have a detrimental effect on health, and therefore few dare to drink from open sources. A faucet is a completely different matter. Hoping for water treatment facilities, people, without fear, use water in unlimited quantities. Meanwhile, in addition to microorganisms inhabiting water bodies, there are various impurities that are also dangerous for the human body. In addition, they cause damage by disabling household equipment. That is why additional purification devices have been developed that can be installed in an apartment, such as a water deironing filter.
The danger of a large amount of iron in water for humans
An excess of iron in water is not difficult to notice. It gives out a characteristic cloudy color, an unpleasant aftertaste, as well as rusty smudges on the walls of plumbing equipment. The only source of water in city apartments is the central well, which serves the whole area, in which only rough water purification from impurities is most often carried out. Water iron removers are rarely installed in such places. The focus is on water disinfection.
Water in which the level of iron exceeds the permissible limits poses a threat to human health. This can have serious consequences:
- damage to the cardiovascular system;
- violations of the liver and kidneys, urolithiasis;
- disorders in the thyroid gland;
- problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- all kinds of allergic reactions.
For equipment, water with a high iron content is the cause of breakdowns. The formation of scale, precipitation, the consequences of oxidation in the form of rusty water coming from the tap and many other problems appear due to the fact that there is no filter for deferrization of water in the apartment water supply system.
Iron compounds in water and allowable limits
Iron contained in water reacts with other substances, forming various chemical compounds:
- iron oxide. Colors the water red, makes it cloudy. Removed by settling.
- iron hydroxide. It has the appearance of a finely dispersed suspension that does not precipitate, the water with its content is constantly cloudy. Such water can be used for medicinal purposes, but only as prescribed by a doctor.
- "Biological" iron. The result of the vital activity of bacteria is a viscous soft mucus, an oily film forms on the surface of the water. Iron bacteria harm health, plumbing and household appliances, cause accumulation of mucus in pipes and their corrosion, rusty plaque.
It is worth noting that even artesian water can be supersaturated with iron. Underground groundwater can contain iron concentrations up to 50 mg/l, and this despite the fact that the upper limit of the norm is 0.3 mg/l.
Therefore, before buying a filter, you should carry out all the necessary analyzes and, based on the results, choose a device, since there are as many of them as there are methods for removing iron from water.
Features of iron removal filters
All filters for iron removal work on the same principle:
- At the first stage, divalent iron dissolved in water is oxidized, which in this way passes into an insoluble trivalent form.
- The impurities are then mechanically filtered out.
According to the metal oxidation method, filtration devices can be divided into 2 groups:
- Reagent filters using oxidizing agents (manganese, ozone, chlorine).
- Reagentless, operating by the method of oxygen oxidation.
Reagentless filters are divided into 2 types:
- Backfilling.They are filled with aluminosilicate sorbent or ion-exchange resin, which catalyze oxidative reactions.
- Filters for aeration deferrization of water.
Main water filters
If water tests show an excess of the allowable metal norm, then the best way would be to install a filter to remove iron in the apartment water supply system. This is the most justified way, since the owner himself monitors it and, if necessary, changes the cartridge. In addition, household units take up minimal space and can be installed independently.
To filter water at the point of entry into the apartment, main filters are installed. They can be both small and oversized. The larger the filter size, the correspondingly higher performance. In addition, a cartridge is installed in such designs not only for mechanical, but also for chemical cleaning. The preparation of the water entering the apartment and its initial purification, bringing it to a level at which household appliances and plumbing will be protected from the formation of deposits and damage depends on them.
Main filtration systems make it possible to increase the service life of filters located at points of consumption, that is, in the kitchen near the sink, as well as a dishwasher or washing machine.
Additional filtration equipment
Depending on the requirements for cleaning, different filtering equipment can be installed in the kitchen:
- classic two-stage filter;
- standard three-stage filter;
- filter with quick-release cartridges;
- reverse osmosis system with a separate faucet for purified drinking water.
A filter with a reverse osmosis membrane is the only device that can cope with iron in water without first oxidizing it, provided that its concentration is low.
Any of these filters can solve the problems of water softening, chemical treatment and iron removal. Everything is solved by installing the necessary cartridges. When choosing any of the equipment packages, it is necessary to take into account how convenient it will be to change the filter cartridge, what its cost price is and how long it is designed to use.
Advantages of multi-stage filters for purification and post-treatment of water from iron:
- deep degree of cleaning;
- allow you to deal with most problems;
- each cartridge works for a long time;
- the complexity of the installation is justified by high performance.
The only downside to this system is the size. It is difficult to find a place for such a filter in a standard small-sized apartment. In addition, the high prices for the filter and consumables for it do not allow everyone to install it.
Filter pitchers and faucet attachments
A good alternative to expensive multi-stage systems can be iron-removing filter nozzles based on ion-exchange resins for a crane. Such products perfectly remove iron, aluminum and other metals, and are also capable of restoring the filter composition. The advantages of this filtering method include:
- ease of installation and replacement;
- ease of use;
- small filter size;
- relatively low price.
Of course, this method cannot bring the water to the ideal, but with an average iron content in the water, the filter allows good cleaning.
If you need to perform post-treatment of water, in which the degree of content is close to normal, then you can use a filter jug, for which you need to select the appropriate cartridge. It makes it possible to purify a small amount of water without problems.It should be borne in mind that basically this device produces only mechanical filtration.
