What to Consider When Purchasing an RO System

Do you want an air gap or non-air gap faucet?
Non-air gap faucets do not have an “air gap” in the drain line to prevent drain water from being siphoned back into the system. However, non-air gap faucets are simpler to install, less noisy, and a check valve installed in the drain line can safely prevent backflow from the drain, which is why non-air gap is the most common type of faucet.

How many filtration stages should an RO system have?
RO systems typically come in 3, 4, or 5 stages of filtration. At least 4 stages is typically recommended for most applications. If you're on well water or an area with high levels of sediment, you may want to consider a system that has extra pre-filtration (5 stages). Four to five-stage RO systems will provide adequate filtration for most applications.

What about water hardness?
If your household's incoming water has a hardness level above 7 grains per gallon, you may need to install a water softener. An RO system is not designed to filter out high levels of calcium and magnesium that cause water to be hard. If your water is above 7 gpg hardness, water softener pretreatment will help preserve the life of an RO system and membrane, although not required.

Does an RO System Waste Water?
Similar to how we use water to wash our dishes, clothes or vehicles, RO technology uses water to clean the RO membranes as they process water. During the filtration process, RO systems typically use more water than the filtered water it produces. But because the system shuts down once the storage tank is full, water does not continue to run down the drain. Some systems, such as the PuROTwist PT4000T75 are more water efficient than others. Normal RO systems have a 4:1 recorvery rate, but the PuROTwist PT4000T75 achieves a 50% recovery rate or a 1:1 waste-water ratio.

How much water can a system produce?
Expect a GPD (gallons per day) production rate of 50% to 75% of system GPD rating. While it's true that no one really uses 50+ gallons of drinking water per day, the “50 GPD rating” is the speed that an RO system makes drinking water and produces a gallon of water per hour (with normal water pressure of about 60 psi). Thus, a 50 GPD-rated system will provide adequate production for the common household and will not cost much more than a lower GPD-rated system.

Would you like RO water for your ice maker?
Add a refrigerator icemaker adapter kit to easily get RO water from your icemaker. You'll no longer need to buy a separate refrigerator filter. Check out tips on connecting to a fridge or ice maker.