Winter-proofing your Reverse Osmosis (RO) system is crucial to prevent freezing and maintain optimal performance during colder months. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to help you winterize your RO system:
Locate and Insulate Pipes:
Identify all exposed pipes connected to your RO system.
Use pipe insulation sleeves to cover exposed pipes, especially those located in unheated areas like basements or garages.
Ensure a snug fit to provide adequate insulation against the cold.
Protect Outdoor Components:
If your RO system has outdoor components, such as pre-filters or membranes, consider installing a protective cover or enclosure to shield them from snow and freezing temperatures.
Make sure the cover is well-ventilated to prevent condensation and humidity buildup.
Install a Heated Wrap:
For additional protection in extremely cold climates, consider using a heated wrap or tape specifically designed for water pipes.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the heated wrap, and ensure it has a thermostat to regulate temperature.
Insulate the Entire System:
If your RO system is located in an unheated space, consider insulating the entire system. Use insulation blankets or foam boards to wrap around the unit.
Pay attention to sensitive components like the pressure pump and valves.
Install a Space Heater:
If the RO system is in an area without sufficient heating, consider using a space heater to maintain a moderate temperature.
Position the heater away from direct contact with the RO system components and follow safety guidelines.
Regular Maintenance:
Perform routine maintenance, such as changing filters and checking for leaks, before the onset of winter.
Address any issues promptly to prevent them from escalating during colder weather.
Monitor Weather Conditions:
Stay informed about upcoming weather conditions. If an extreme cold spell is forecasted, take additional precautions, such as increasing the water flow or applying extra insulation.
By following these steps, you can help ensure that your reverse osmosis system remains operational and efficient, even in the coldest winter conditions. If in doubt or if you’re unsure about certain aspects of winterizing your RO system, contact our team for further guidance.
Choosing the right filtration system for your home can be confusing to say the least. Even going online and searching for water filtration system brings up millions and millions of hits! Look no further than our article below, we’ve simplified all the information you need to choose the right filtration system for your home.
In order to choose the right filtration system for your needs, you need to establish what you want your water filtration system to do. We have three types of water available to us.
Treated tap water.
Home filtered water, either via a whole house system or a water filter to your kitchen tap.
Purified drinking water provided by a Reverse Osmosis System to a dedicated tap at the kitchen sink.
Now we know the types of water available to us, you can choose the system that is most suitable for your needs.
If you want to filter your entire house…you are choosing home filtered water.
In order to filter your entire home, you will need a whole house system. This system consists of a 10” sediment filter and granulated active carbon filters.
What will this do to my water?
The sediment filter will remove and reduce sediments including rust, dirt, silt and sand from your water.
The granulated activate carbon filters will remove up to 99% of chlorine as well as 85% of pesticides, herbicides, some VOCs, some disinfection byproducts, and other organic chemicals from your tap water. This filter will also improve the taste and odour of the water.
Are there any chemicals that will still be present?
Most carbon filters cannot remove microorganisms, chloramine, hardness minerals, salts, fluoride, or most heavy metals. However activated carbon filters have shown promise in reducing an emerging contaminant in our drinking water supplies: pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceuticals are natural or synthetic chemicalsthat get into our water through human waste and improper disposal of medications, for example flushing drugs down toilets or sinks. To further remove many of these contaminants we recommend using Reverse Osmosis.
If you want to filter your drinking water only….you are choosing filtered water.
If you wish to filter your drinking water only, you need a drinking water filtration system. This system is similar to the above description system but on a smaller scale and will purify the water at one point of entry only. This is usually your kitchen tap.
This system consists of 10” sediment filter, 10” CBR2 filter and a 10” Chlorplus carbon filter.
What will this do to my water?
The sediment filter will remove and reduce sediments including rust, dirt, silt and sand from your water.
The CBR2 filter will target and remove metals including lead, mercury as well as reduce levels of chlorine, taste and odour.
The Chlorplus Carbon filter which will target chlorine and chloramines, volatile organic compounds and chlorination by-products. It will also minimize petrochemical by-products and insecticides. This Chlorplus filter will provide a greater chloramine performance capacity than granular carbon.
Are there any chemicals that will still be present?
Most carbon filters cannot remove microorganisms, chloramine, hardness minerals, salts, fluoride, or most heavy metals. However activated carbon filters have shown promise in reducing an emerging contaminant in our drinking water supplies: pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceuticals are natural or synthetic chemicalsthat get into our water through human waste and improper disposal of medications, for example flushing drugs down toilets or sinks. To further remove many of these contaminants we recommend using Reverse Osmosis.
If you want to purify your drinking water only….you are choosing a Reverse Osmosis water purifier.
If you wish to filter your drinking water only, you need a Reverse Osmosis water purification system. This will purify the water at one point of entry only. This will be a faucet tap. This system consists of 10” sediment filter, 10” granulated active carbon filter, 10” carbon block filter, 10” reverse osmosis membrane, inline taste and odour filter as well as a remineralising filter.
What will this do to my water?
This option will purify your water, giving you the cleanest possible drinking water. It will remove almost all contaminants from your water.
The sediment filter will remove and reduce sediments including rust, dirt, silt and sand from your water.
The granulated activate carbon filters will remove up to 99% of chlorine as well as 85% of pesticides, herbicides, some VOCs, some disinfection byproducts, and other organic chemicals from your tap water. This filter will also improve the taste and odour of the water.
The Reverse Osmosis membrane will remove chloramine, hardness minerals, salts and heavy minerals, lead, chromium, copper, chloride, sodium, phosphorous, nitrate, potassium, sulfate, radium, fluoride, arsenic, E-coli, shigella, salmonella, campylobacter, giardia, cryptosporidium, rotavirus, norovirus and hepatitis B, pesticides, cyanide and pharmaceuticals. On average our Reverse Osmosis systems will reduce these from between 80% – 97%.
As a result, you will have pure clean water which will then be passed through a remineralising filter to improve the PH and restore some trace minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a water filtration or water purification system for your home. We hope that this article has provided you with some information in how to select the right system to suit your needs. Our website contains a wealth of information on all our systems as well as the chemicals that they remove. As always our team are available for further information and advice. Please contact us via email, WhatsApp, our social media channels or telephone.
If you live in an area with hard water, you might have noticed problems like soap scum build-up, dry skin, and dingy laundry. A water softener can help solve these problems and improve the quality of your water. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of water softeners, including their benefits, types, and maintenance.
What is a water softener?
A water softener is a system that removes minerals like calcium and magnesium from your water supply. These minerals can cause hard water which can create build-up in your pipes, appliances, and fixtures, and even make it difficult for soap to lather. A water softener uses a process called ion exchange to replace these minerals with sodium or potassium ions.
Benefits of using a water softener
There are several benefits to using a water softener in your home. Here are a few:
1. Better water quality: Soft water feels and tastes better. You might notice that your skin and hair feel softer and smoother after a shower, and your clothes and dishes come out cleaner.
2. Extended appliance longevity: Hard water can cause mineral build-up in your appliances, shortening their lifespan. A water softener can help protect your investment by preventing this.
3. Reduced energy costs: Mineral build-up can also reduce the efficiency of your appliances, causing them to use more energy to operate. By reducing build-up, a water softener can help you save on energy costs.
Types of water softeners
There are several types of water softeners available on the market. Here are a few:
Salt-based water softeners: These are the most common type of water softener. They use an ion exchange process to replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. The sodium ions are supplied by adding salt to the softener.
Salt-free water softeners: These use a different process called template-assisted crystallization (TAC) to reduce mineral build-up. They don’t actually remove minerals from the water, but instead change their structure so that they don’t cause build-up.
Dual-tank water softeners: These have two tanks, so that one can always be regenerating while the other is in use. This ensures that you always have a supply of soft water available.
Maintenance of water softeners
Like any appliance, water softeners require regular maintenance to function properly. Here are a few tips:
1. Add salt regularly: If you have a salt-based water softener, you’ll need to add salt regularly to keep it working properly.
2. Check for leaks: Check your water softener regularly for leaks or signs of damage.
3. Clean the resin bed: Over time, the resin bed in your water softener can become fouled with mineral build-up. You’ll need to clean it periodically to keep your water softener working properly.
In conclusion, a water softener can provide several benefits for your home, including better water quality, extended appliance lifespan, and reduced energy costs. There are several types of water softeners available, each with their own pros and cons. To keep your water softener working properly, be sure to perform regular maintenance tasks like adding salt and cleaning the resin bed.
At RO-Man we have created our own water softening systems and consumable products. You can access these products here. These products should assist in removing any hard water issues you may have and providing you with the benefits outlined above. Should you wish to discuss this in more detail contact us directly with any questions you may have.
