If you need to have your home water treatment system replaced, then you have several different options available to you. If you are thinking of upgrading your system to a reverse osmosis variety, then you should know that there are actually some drawbacks to having this more advance system installed. Keep reading to understand them so you can better decide if a regular salt-based system is better for you.

Minerals Are Removed

Reverse osmosis water filtration systems work by passing water through one or two membranes. The water pressure in your home helps to move the water through the system. When this happens, the fluid leaves behind solid contaminants like lead, arsenic, and nitrates. Clean water then passes through your pipes. The filtration system does remove all harmful minerals and chemicals that can cause illness, but it also removes some of the trace minerals that make water healthy. For example, the system will remove magnesium, calcium, iron, and fluoride. While you may be able to eat foods to replace the magnesium, calcium, and iron, fluoride is not readily found in the foods you eat.

Also, the reverse osmosis system does not remove harmful bacteria in your water. Bacteria and other microorganisms can slip through the filter membrane. This is why a UV filter is often attached to reverse osmosis filtration systems. This same sort of filter can be added directly to your salt-based filter if bacterial and viral water contamination is your concern. 

Water Is Not pH neutral

Water contains a great deal of minerals that help to make the fluid pH neutral or slightly basic. Neutral water helps to provide your body with fluid without disrupting the chemistry of your body. However, when you add a reverse osmosis system to your home, water becomes acidic. When you drink a great deal of acidic water, the blood itself starts to become acidic. Your body will then release minerals into the blood to return the blood to a more basic level. Many of these minerals are released from your bones. This can lead to a mineral imbalance problem and the formation of osteoporosis. 

You can add a remineralization device to your reverse osmosis system to help reestablish the neutral pH of the water. You can also stick with a traditional water filtration system that does not remove all of the minerals in the first place. Salt-based systems do remove magnesium and calcium, but other trace minerals are left behind. Also, a small bit of sodium is added and these things help to keep the water more neutral. 

For more information about different water systems and what would work best for you, talk with companies like Central Florida Water Treatment Inc..

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