Installing Home Water Purification Devices

Almost Everyone who owns a home has turned on one of their faucets only to find that the water is loaded with sediments and minerals. Over time, these things will begin to build up in places like your cup and your toothbrush holder. The cause of this is usually chlorine and other chemicals.

This is where home water purification devices come in.

You can clean the water in your kitchen or bathroom for around $50. It's easy to install as well. If you can handle putting in a garbage disposal, you can handle this. It will end up paying for itself as well, as you find yourself buying less bottled water.

Installation

First, the cold water supply under the sink should be disconnected. Since home water purification devices are not designed to use with hot water, make sure you use the cold water line only.

The water supply will be connected in one of two ways, either by screw tightening clamps, or squeeze clamps that may be difficult to move without a pair of pliers.

Once the clamps are off, you may still have some difficulty removing the hose. Over time, they will sometimes stick. When removing it, be careful not to jerk it so hard that it splits. If this happens, you'll be spending quite a bit of time removing the rest of it with a knife. You may also damage the nib that the hose connects to. The best way to remove it is to apply moderate pressure while twisting the hose. You may also need some kind of lubricant to help loosen it up.

As with any installation project, the surface you are working with must be as clean as possible. The fittings should all be prepared with some cleaning solvent or sandpaper if necessary.

When you secure the hoses to the nibs, never use PVC glue or any other adhesives, because at some point you're going to have to replace the hoses. Instead, wrap the nibs with Teflon plumber's tape. This will make it easier to remove the hoses should you ever have to replace them.

Now for the filter.

You will install your home water purification device between the cold water supply and the faucet. These units remove the chlorine and other chemicals from the water with activated charcoal. This cleans the water before it reaches the faucet. Home water purification devices are designed so you can easily remove the charcoal canister and replace it every six months or so. You'll need to make sure the canister is easily accessible.

The canister will attach to the nibs with flexible hoses. These will come with your kit. Try to avoid kinking them during installation. If the hoses are too long, trim them to avoid this problem. This will also keep them from cracking or becoming blocked.

Also included in your kit will be standard compression fittings. If you over tighten them, they will crack your hoses, so hand tightening is recommended.

There are several different ways that the home water purification device can be attached. Some are attached with a wall mounting bracket, and other use a ring in the U-shaped portion of the pipe. Your kit will come with directions you should follow. If possible, secure the unit to a stud if it mounts to the wall. They may weigh several pounds when they are filled with water.

Throughout the history of the water purification device, several different styles have been developed, but this is probably the most common and easiest to install.