Water delivered to a home through a water supply system contains a certain percentage of impurities in the form of sand, scale fragments, corrosion, lime particles, etc. In order to protect people and household appliances, it is imperative to install a filter on the water pipe for coarse and sometimes fine purification (the second option is used to eliminate odors, organic and chemical contaminants, and individual microorganisms).
How do coarse filters work and what are they?
All devices that perform mechanical filtration of water are characterized by structural similarity. The housing is equipped with an internal metal mesh or other filtering device. These can be special discs for cutting off coarse sand, corrosion, etc. An important part of the design of such a filter is the outlet that collects retained debris.
When the sump tank is completely filled, the water must be turned off and the outlet cleaned and rinsed. The frequency of such cleanings is directly affected by the degree of water contamination. For prevention purposes, this procedure should be carried out at least 4 times a year.
Regardless of the specific model, all mechanical cleaning filters operate on a similar principle. In this case, a number of design features may differ: we are talking, first of all, about the type of filter, its configuration, installation method and method of removing dirt that has accumulated in the pipe.
Mesh and cartridge filters
The mesh dirt filter has a cleaning element in the form of a metal mesh, the manufacture of which is made of stainless steel. This mesh has cell sizes ranging from 50-400 microns. When mounting the filter on a water pipe, you need to make sure that the inspection cap is facing down. Installation into the pipeline system is carried out using conventional tools included in a standard plumbing kit. When making threaded connections, it is important to achieve complete tightness to avoid water leaks.
The popularity of the mesh filter is explained by its good service life, without the need to replace the filter element. This is precisely why they compare favorably with another model of coarse filter - cartridge (cartridge). These devices are mainly wall-mounted due to the large bulb included in their design. The flask itself can be transparent or opaque: inside it is equipped with a replaceable cartridge, for the manufacture of which polyester, twisted polypropylene thread, or pressed fibers are used. When installing the filter, a plumbing sealant is used, which will help prevent leaks in the future.
The cleaning abilities of such cartridges may vary: coarse mechanical filtration of water is carried out by products of 20-30 microns. A dirty filter element must be replaced with a new one: it is prohibited to rinse and reuse the used cartridge. When installing water filters on pipes in an apartment, cartridge models are most often combined with mesh ones, which significantly increases the effect of mechanical water filtration. In this case, it is better if the mesh filter is in front of the bulb filter, because this extends the service life of the latter.
Straight and oblique mesh water filters
Any type of mechanical filter is characterized by the presence of two pipes - inlet and outlet, as well as a special sump where water is cleaned. Based on exactly how this sump is located, mesh filters are divided into straight and oblique. In the first case, the settling tanks are located at a slight inclination to the water flow, which is very convenient in situations where the pipeline runs above the floor. In addition, such models are equipped with vertical pipeline sections.
In the second case, the sump is perpendicular to the water supply. The direct filter for the pipeline is of considerable size, which requires a lot of space for its installation under the water communication. The large size of the settling tank allows vertical filters to achieve a good level of purification. To close it there is a convenient threaded plug or flange cover.
Strainers with flanges and couplings
Depending on the type of insert with which filters are installed on pipes for water purification in the water supply system, they can be flanged or coupling. It is customary to equip pipes with a cross-section of over two inches with flanged products. First of all, we are talking about main water pipelines and junctions located in the basements of high-rise residential buildings.
Bolts or studs make it possible, if necessary, to quickly dismantle such a filter: while all other parts of the water supply remain in place. Sections of highways that are equipped with flanged filters are identified at the stage of drawing up project documentation. As for pipes with a diameter of up to two inches, they are equipped with threaded filters. In such a situation, quick-release union nuts (so-called “American” nuts) are used as connecting elements.
Mud collectors and mesh filters with a washing system
Another type of classification of strainers is based on the method of removing accumulated debris from the sump. Mud traps are models that do not provide for flushing. This mainly applies to all oblique mesh filters, as well as some models of the direct type of pipe arrangement. To clean the accumulated dirt, the device must be disassembled and washed. On direct filters with a perpendicular arrangement of the settling tank, where there is a flushing system, an outlet tap is also installed: through it, the settled area is drained into the sewer system and the outlet is cleaned with a water flow.
The principle of fine water purification in pipes
Using rough mechanical cleaning, most of the debris is removed from the water, but some chemical elements and their compounds still remain.
In this case, fine cleaning equipment is used, the main ones of which can be the following filter elements:
- Sorptive substances (activated carbon and aluminosilicate).
- Reverse osmosis membrane.
- Ion exchange resins.
You should know that this filter for water pipes is mainly equipped with replaceable working elements. Each manufacturer indicates the frequency of replacements in the attached instructions: this is influenced by the period of operation of the device and the amount of water volume processed.
Ultrafine multi-stage cleaning
In systems with several stages, after mechanical filtration, the water flow is passed through ultrafine filters, which are located in several groups, one after another. As a result, the output is high-quality drinking water. At the first stage, mechanical debris is removed from it: the water becomes almost transparent, but this is only the beginning of the cleaning process.
The second stage is equipped with an ion exchange cartridge, which allows you to change the chemical composition of water, removing from it all elements and substances harmful to health. As a result, traditional scale formation is not observed during boiling. At the third stage, the water is purified with compressed activated carbon: thus, conditioning of the water flow is achieved.
After this, the water becomes tasty and begins to smell pleasant. It is also given crystal transparency: now it can be safely used for drinking and cooking. Typically, the place to install three-flask systems is under the kitchen sink. This approach allows you not to disturb the overall appearance of the interior. To remove purified water outside, the sink is equipped with an additional tap.
Molecular purification with reverse osmosis filters
It is not for nothing that reverse osmosis systems are called the highest quality water filters: in the process of such purification, the molecular level is affected. For filtration in this case, a thin-film membrane of a semi-permeable type is used, where the pores have a size of no more than 0.0001 microns.
This makes it possible to eliminate almost all impurities (99%). Microscopic membrane pores allow only water molecules to leak through. Before reverse osmosis, water is passed through several purification stages to prevent rapid clogging of reverse osmosis filters with large debris.
Most often, these systems contain the following degrees of purification:
- The first stage is equipped with a cartridge for mechanical pre-treatment: it is capable of ridding water of impurities measuring 15-30 microns.
- The second stage consists of activated carbon to remove gas, chlorine and organochlorines.
- The third stage carries out fine cleaning of debris 1 - 5 microns in size. For additional cleaning, there is also activated carbon.
- The fourth stage is reverse osmosis itself. At this stage, water is passed through a thin film membrane.
- The fifth stage is another carbon cleaning.
Reverse osmosis filtration removes harmful chemicals and metals from water. In addition, in this way water can be purified from many harmful microorganisms, as a result of which it becomes crystal clear and safe.
The disadvantage of this method is that it removes both harmful impurities and beneficial minerals and salts from the water. To solve this problem, some manufacturers of reverse osmosis systems began to include mineralizers and ionizers in the design. If the pressure in the water supply is less than 3 atmospheres, reverse osmosis filters are equipped with special pumps: they help create optimal functional pressure in the system.
How to choose the right cleaning option for your plumbing
When choosing the optimal method for water purification, it is important to determine exactly what goal should be achieved. It is hardly reasonable to purify the entire volume of water entering a home to drinking level. To extract large particles from it, mesh filters or filter flasks are sufficient. Usually a hard water filter is installed on the cold water and hot water pipes. The resulting water can be used for water procedures, laundry, and floor cleaning. The kitchen can additionally be equipped with a multi-stage fine cleaning system, containing or not containing reverse osmosis.
Most often, such a filter is mounted under the kitchen sink, on the surface of which there is an additional tap (if you need to cook food, water is taken from it, if not, from regular taps located nearby). In addition, fine filters can protect plumbing fixtures and household appliances from excessively hard water.
Tap water almost never meets the requirements for purity - impurities appear in it one way or another, as a result of which the taste characteristics, smell and even transparency change. It is clear that you should not drink water directly from the tap. You can solve the problem by installing a main filter for water purification in the apartment. This device is mounted directly into the pipeline and allows you to purify the entire volume of passing water.
Main filters for cold or hot water are used for the following needs:
- Water purification. This is very important, because not everyone can live above a deep well, and drinking water comes to houses, most likely, from the nearest reservoir, river or lake. At the same time, city treatment stations often do not remove carcinogens and heavy metals from water, but only chlorinate, while a number of bacteria resistant to chlorine may remain in the liquid.
- Improving the taste of water. Chlorine, rusty metal, hydrogen sulfide - water with completely unexpected tastes can flow from the tap. Naturally, it changes the quality of food. And purified water allows you to prepare truly delicious dishes.
- Softening water to reduce its impact on skin and hair. After all, contaminated water spoils hair and skin, leads to the appearance of wrinkles, rashes, and destruction of the hair structure. And purified water will not allow all these manifestations to form.
- Maintaining the functionality of equipment and plumbing fixtures. If you do not remove solid particles and dirt, then scale appears on boilers, dishwashers, washing machines, and electric kettles.
Different types of devices and how they work
Trunk filters for water purification for apartments and country houses are classified into:
The main filter for water purification most often works in conjunction with additional devices. Thus, a softener is installed along with a coarse filter, which allows you to normalize the chemical composition of the liquid and prevent the formation of scale in equipment. Reagent-free filters with permanent magnets can act as softeners, the action of which causes salts dissolved in water to precipitate without causing harm to plumbing and other appliances.
AND Only after the coarse cleaning system are fine cleaning devices installed- in this case they will be less susceptible to contamination and the cartridges will have to be changed less often.
Information about this is in a separate article on the site. You will also find a video example there.
Read about the room in another material. Describes how to troubleshoot basic problems.
You can also purchase grain loading equipment. It is a main filter for complex cleaning, allowing to eliminate both chemical and biological contaminants. Externally, it is a large cylinder, the productivity of which ranges from 16-400 liters per minute. Such main water filters for an apartment or a private house are at the same time water softeners and deep cleaning filters. The downside is their large size.
Rules for choosing a suitable filter model
So, in-line water filter - how to choose for cleaning? Keep in mind that in ordinary apartments, as a rule, two lines - with cold and hot water. If we are talking about individual heating systems, then they require devices for purifying cold water.
Important: The main hot water filter is made of materials that are resistant to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. It can also be used on cold water lines, but not vice versa.
To choose main filters for cold or hot water, you must consider:
The mesh filters used are multilayer and fixed in a metal pipe. With its help, water is purified from all large particles (sand or scale), the size of which exceeds 50 microns. It is better to choose a main water filter with flushing - it is able to catch more contaminants. When choosing a mesh filter, you must specify the pipe diameter, on which the fastening will be made, and in accordance with this value, purchase the device.
As for cartridge devices, a mainline mechanical water purification filter is a structure consisting of a flask, a lid and a replaceable cartridge. They are able to catch any small particles - accordingly, the finer the degree of filtration, the more transparent and tastier the output water will be.
The cartridge for main filters for water purification should be regularly change and purchase depending on needs:
- BA - to normalize the amount of iron.
- BS - for water softening.
- With activated carbon - for cleaning from chlorine.
- With polyphosphate loading - eliminates lime deposits and protects devices from scale.
The main filter is installed directly into the water main. It is also advisable to install shut-off ball valves and a bypass in the area where water is supplied and drained from the filtering device. The installation location of the cartridge filter must be freely accessible, since the cartridges will have to be replaced regularly. We eliminate the most common faults.
Brief overview of filter manufacturers
Among the popular companies producing high-quality main filters, it is worth noting Honeywell and Aquaphor, New Water and Geyser.
Thus, the Aquaphor company produces a wide range of cartridge main filters - for drinking water, for household appliances (for washing machines or dishwashers), for showers. You can select devices designed for use with cold and hot water, eliminating chemical compounds or only insoluble impurities such as sand or rust.
The German brand Honeywell offers devices of unique quality, designed for ten times the operating pressure in the network. Here you can choose elements for coarse or fine cleaning, and the filter element is a metal mesh enclosed in a highly reliable flask.
Novaya Voda's products are characterized by availability and high quality. The range includes main filters with a separate tap, and the degree of cleaning can be adjusted by installing certain cartridges.
And Geyser filters are high-tech scientific developments, thanks to which filter elements based on ion-exchange polymer were created.
We have a number of well-founded claims regarding the quality, chemical composition and purity of water supplied by the central water supply. They are justified by deteriorating health conditions, rapid wear of equipment and eternal problems with water pressure. Both our physical and economic condition deserve attention, don’t you agree?
To combat the listed negative circumstances, there is a proven method - you need a coarse and fine filter. Depending on the tasks being solved, both individual devices and a group of interconnected devices that perform multi-stage processing are installed.
Here you will learn what kind of work a certain type of device does, in what sequence they are placed, and how they ultimately affect the quality characteristics of water. For a complete understanding of the information, we have included visual illustrations and video tutorials.
The first, most important step in water treatment is mechanical purification. Coarse cleaning devices remove particles of 1 micron and above from water. They perform an irreplaceable function in the filtration process, without which further water purification is impossible.
Rust, sand, clay particles, scale from old water pipes - everything is removed to obtain clear water at the output.
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Image gallery
Water filtration today is very important, taking into account the level of environmental pollution and the condition of water supply pipes. This is equally true for country houses, which receive the necessary liquid mainly from wells, and for apartments in multi-storey buildings connected to city highways. In this article we will look at coarse and fine filters used in everyday life.
General provisions
Water from a tap in an apartment or from a well in a country house is not toxic, which is used by skeptics as an argument that there is no need for additional forced filtration. But let's look at this problem more carefully.
City water supply
There are two particularly negative circumstances here:
- The deplorable state of the city water supply, many elements of which have not been changed for decades. The accumulated debris, rust, scale and other insoluble substances again contaminate the liquid purified at the treatment station. And this poses a danger not only to the human body, but also to all household plumbing equipment, including a washing machine.
- Chlorine. Chlorination as a means of neutralizing drinking water has not been used for a long time in most civilized countries, since bleach itself is a poison, and nothing good can be expected from its frequent use. Sometimes, with an increased content of this element, even when visiting a bath, you experience unpleasant sensations in the form of dry, tight skin.
Autonomous water supply
Here you yourself monitor the condition of the pipes and do not use harmful chlorine, but particles of sand, clay, organic matter and heavy metals may come across. If you have drilled an artesian well, then a large number of natural filters in the form of layers of sand and clay reduce possible contamination to a minimum, but a sand or ordinary well cannot guarantee the absence of the mentioned impurities in dangerous quantities.
Advice: when installing sand wells and wells, try to place them at a distance of at least twenty meters from street toilets, cesspools and compost heaps.
Otherwise, the produced water will become even more polluted.
Coarse mesh filters
These are the first filters for water supply in a private home, which must be installed without fail if you want to avoid sand and other insoluble substances from getting into sensitive plumbing equipment, into the food you prepare and into drinking water taps.
If you only have a fine filter, it will quickly become clogged with large particles. As we have already found out, this also applies to apartments, since rust from the water supply can have an even more disastrous effect.
The main element in this model is a stainless steel mesh with a cell size of 50 to 400 microns, which retains insoluble particles.
This filter is very popular due to the simplicity of its device, which provides the following positive qualities:
- Simple installation instructions. You just need to screw it between the joints of two pipes.
- Ease of maintenance. How to clean the coarse filter on a mesh-type water supply?
For this it is enough:
- Unscrew the locking cover with an open-end wrench.
Tip: while unscrewing the lid, hold the junction with the water supply with another key so as not to break the seal of the joint.
- We take out the mesh with our own hands.
- We rinse it, removing accumulated dirt.
- Reinstall and screw the lid back on.
- Relatively low price.
- Durability.
Mesh filters, in turn, have several differences:
Thread or flange
A flange connection is used in cases where the pipe diameter exceeds two inches, which usually concerns water mains or junctions in the basements of multi-apartment buildings. In apartments and private houses themselves, threaded ones are more convenient.
Straight or oblique
Each filter for country water supply consists of two connection pipes and a special tank, in which the filtration itself is performed.
So this tank can have two positions:
- Direct. In this case, the sump is located perpendicular to the pipeline and can be large in size, which significantly improves its operation, since the passage of liquid then slows down, and most of the debris has time to settle to the bottom, and smaller fragments are stopped by the mesh. But this option is very difficult or completely impossible if it is close to a wall or vertical.
- Oblique. Placing the sump at an angle to the direction of water flow is used in cases where compactness and versatility are required. That is, such devices can be easily mounted in cramped conditions and can be installed on vertical pipes.
Mud traps or washable
The cleaning method may also differ depending on the design of the device:
- Sump. All oblique and some direct filters are equipped with this system. In order to clean them, it is necessary to carry out the process described above, which includes removing the cover and removing the mesh out.
- Washing system. Sometimes the direct filter is equipped with a special drain valve, which allows you to drain dirty sediment and backwash with clean water.
Installation subtleties
You can install the pre-filter yourself, but you should follow some recommendations:
- The device should be installed before the meter, since it can also fail if sand or rust accumulates in its structure.
- Mount the oblique structure on horizontal sections with the bulb down, which will facilitate its further cleaning. On vertical ones, installation is possible only in case of movement from top to bottom, be sure to take this into account.
- For direct filters, choose a place that is spacious enough to remove the capacious flask.
Cartridge filters
If you want to get clean drinking water at the point of water intake, then you should not limit yourself to coarse cleaning and install in addition a fine filter, which can have a simple structure of one large flask with a replaceable carbon cartridge or be an entire filtration system. The first option is quite cheap, but the result is not guaranteed.
The second, of course, is very expensive, but the output also provides a perfectly clean liquid.
Advice: it is not recommended to purchase intermediate models that, for example, have three flasks.
They cost more, but the effect is approximately the same as with one cartridge.
So it’s more rational to buy either a simple filter, or invest in a full-fledged system with reverse osmosis and a set of compartments for various purifications.
A sample with one flask is similar in structure to a coarse filter with a direct settling tank, but we will analyze the system in more detail:
| Designation in the figure | Name |
| 1 | Triple adapter |
| 2 | Body part with pre-cleaning compartments |
| 3 | Electric pump |
| 4 | Toggle switch for low pressure |
| 5 | Reverse osmosis membrane |
| 6 | Toggle switch for high pressure |
| 7 | Flow restricting element |
| 8 | Electromagnetic flushing valve |
| 9 | Drain coupling |
| 10 | Storage tank tap |
| 11 | Storage tank |
| 12 | Carbon filter |
| 13 | Mineralizing filter |
| 14 | Clean water tap |
| 15 | Key for pre-cleaning housings |
| 16 | Electronic controller with digital display |
| 17 | Solenoid valve |
As you can see, after passing through so many filtration compartments, the water becomes perfectly clean.
All cartridges, including the reverse osmosis membrane, are periodically replaced, which leads to additional costs.
It should also be noted that the installation of this equipment is carried out exclusively by classified specialists.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, water from the city water supply or from a well is not ideally clean and needs to be filtered. First of all, you need to take care of removing insoluble particles, which are harmful not only to the human body, but also to all plumbing equipment, and install a coarse filter. Next, you should think about fine cleaning, which will make the liquid harmless to drink.
The video in this article will provide you with additional information.
Clean water is the key to your health.