Purification of water entering the apartment from various mechanical impurities is very important. Not only the final quality of the liquid used for drinking depends on it, but also the service life of all kinds of household appliances. Ordinary filters for water, as a rule, require periodic replacement of cartridges after the filter element has exhausted its resource. A washing filter for mechanical water purification is much more convenient, as it allows you to restore, at least partially, the characteristics of the cleaning element in a short time. In some cases, it does not even need to be removed.
Principle of operation
In ordinary mechanical cleaning filters meshes or replaceable cartridges are located. At some point, they become clogged, and are no longer able to filter the water normally. Then you have to turn off the water supply and unscrew the filter element to replace it or clean it with improvised means. This is not always convenient, since very often these devices are located in hard-to-reach places.
Self-cleaning water filters do not have this drawback. They have a special faucet. When the flushing mode is activated, this flushing cock removes the dirt that is washed off the filter element. The method may differ: a special turbine, water supply in the opposite direction. Naturally, before washing the filter, it is necessary to substitute a basin under the tap, and it is better to connect it to the sewerage system.
Advantages
The advantages of water filters without replaceable cartridges are obvious:
- Significant monetary savings, as there is no need to purchase replacement parts that have a limited service life.
- Maintenance of such units is much more convenient and must be carried out after a longer period of time.
- The cleaning process does not require stopping the water supply in the apartment.
The disadvantages of self-flushing devices include a rather high cost and demands on the parameters of water supply to the room.
Kinds
According to the size of the trapped impurities, they distinguish:
- Fine filter capable of capturing pieces of rust and sand with a size of 20-50 microns.
- Coarse cleaning devices that allow filtering elements with a size of 100-500 microns.
Depending on the temperature of the liquid, filters for cold and hot water are distinguished:
- For cold water.
Devices for cold water often have a transparent body, which is very convenient: you can “by eye” determine how dirty the filter element is.
- Mesh filter for hot water. It has a more durable design that allows you to withstand significant temperatures without problems. His "cold" counterpart in such conditions will be deformed, so you should not confuse them in places.
By the nature of the cleaning element, the following filters can be distinguished:
- Mesh. The most common and least "capricious" design. In such devices, there is a special turbine that accelerates water, which cleans the grid. There is no need to shut down the system.
- Disk. More expensive and demanding. You can often find such backwash water filters that are not always available with mesh. They have better performance.
According to the cleaning method, self-cleaning filters are:
- Washed by hand. This does not mean that you have to remove the filter element from the system. The procedure can be carried out even without stopping the water supply. But manufacturers still recommend removing and washing the mesh separately. Although this is not a very convenient procedure, it will have to be performed much less frequently than replacing replaceable cartridges. In addition, it does not require any financial costs.
- Semi-automatic.For such models, you will only have to manually give a command for cleaning, the system will do all the work itself. In different models from different manufacturers, self-cleaning filters are cleaned in different ways, much depends on the type of cleaning element and the design of the unit.
- Automatic. The process is triggered by the readings of various sensors. Another option - cleaning is performed according to a pre-set timer.
The last two varieties are rarely seen in a separate apartment. Such self-cleaning units are more often used on high-pressure main water pipes, which serve to supply water to swimming pools or entire houses.
Self-cleaning filters can be equipped with various accessories:
- Pressure gauge. It is especially convenient if these devices are located before and after the filter system. Then, by the pressure difference on the pressure gauges, one can judge the degree of contamination of the device and clean it in a timely manner.
- Pressure reducer. Protects the entire system, including the filter, from hydraulic shocks during sudden changes in pressure in the water supply.
Combined filters
Particular attention deserves combined strainers - universal devices that combine the reliability and functionality of a filter and a pressure reducer. Filters protect equipment from the damaging effects of small solid particles. Pressure reducers protect household appliances and plumbing from the effects of excess water pressure in the mains and water hammer, reduce water consumption, and minimize water noise after themselves. When the increased water pressure in the water supply is normalized, the non-targeted water consumption is sharply reduced, for example, when washing hands, brushing teeth, taking a shower, etc.
Most regulators are of a balanced seat design to maintain a constant set pressure even with wide inlet pressure fluctuations.
How to choose the right self-cleaning filter
The selection tips are as follows:
- First of all, you need to decide on all the parameters of the system in which the unit will be installed. This includes water pressure and temperature.
- Make sure that the diameters of the pipes and filter connections match. Or consider options for fitting them.
It is better to purchase self-cleaning filters from well-known manufacturers. You can rely on the reviews of friends and acquaintances. This will save you from unnecessary surprises, save money and time.
Leading manufacturers
The undisputed leader in the market for these products is the Danish company Honeywell. Its products are distinguished by the highest reliability. The excellent quality of the components ensures a long service life and the replacement of individual parts of the unit if necessary. Honeywell water filters are complemented by pressure gauges and pressure reducers. The only thing that limits the demand for the products of this company is the high price.
Various modifications of self-cleaning filters of the Italian TIEMME, German SYR, as well as Valtec and Itap companies have gained great popularity in the market. In a wide range of their products, you can easily find the required filter option, depending on your capabilities.
Of the Russian manufacturers, the Atoll company should be noted. Its filters successfully compete with European manufacturers not only in our country, but also in the world market. Atoll prefers more specialized models, producing both filters for individual use in an apartment, and entire water purification complexes for country houses and even enterprises. With the high quality of treatment units, a more reasonable price often speaks in favor of a Russian manufacturer.
Editor's Choice
The most suitable and convenient option for purchasing mesh filters for an apartment is a set of filters for cold and hot water
Set of mesh filters atoll FF06-1/2A+AM — designed to clean hot and cold water from sand, silt, rust. The grid cell size is 100 μm. Captures the bulk of contaminants and is the first stage in multi-stage water treatment systems, protecting filters of subsequent stages and household appliances from mechanical impurities and thereby extending their service life many times over.
If the pressure is not stable, then it is better to choose the atoll FK06 series model with a pressure reducing valve.
