| Frequently
Asked Questions — The Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Purification
System
[ Product
Specs | FAQs ]
What
is Reverse Osmosis (R.O.)?
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We can best
answer this question by first explaining briefly natural "Osmosis".
This is nature's process by which moisture and nutrients are taken
up through the root systems of plant life to its very outermost
leaves. Moisture drawn from the soil passes through cell walls
cell by cell in this process. It is scientifically described as
the passing of a less dense liquid through a semi permeable membrane
into a denser fluid until there is an equal density of fluid on
either side of the membrane. The process is repeated cell by cell
until nourishing fluid reaches the very outermost twigs and leaves
of a plant. This process also takes place in our own bodies and
other animal life.
Reverse Osmosis
(RO) is so named because man has reversed nature's process. RO
forces raw tap water, which is the denser liquid, against a membrane
by utilizing the city water pressure. When forced against the
highly polished surface of the membrane the water molecules dissolve
in the thin membrane layer and diffuse through it molecule by
molecule, forming pure water on the product side of the membrane
and in the process leaving 95% - 99% of the contaminants behind.
What
kind of impurities are in my water?
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We will let
the Cook County Water Works answer this question. In the Safe
Drinking Water Report, they state:
As water travels
over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves
naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material,
and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals
or from human activity [sewage].
Contaminants
that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants,
such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment
plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and
wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals...
pesticides and herbicides... organic chemical contaminants,
including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production...
and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring
or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
What
happens to the impurities that were in the water?
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They are washed
down the kitchen drain. You see, unlike filters, the RO membrane
is self-cleaning. As it flows through the module, the source water
is divided into two streams. One stream is forced through the
membrane by diffusion because of the water pressure. The second
stream serves as a "blow down" and carries away rejected
salts, particulate matter and other impurities to the drain. Therefore,
there is no accumulation of debris on the pressure side of the
membrane as a function of time. The face of the membrane always
stays clean.
Does
Reverse Osmosis remove minerals that are essential to health?
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It is true
that R.O. units remove about 99% of the mineral content in water.
If having minerals in your drinking water is important to you,
please consider our 6-stage RO system with the calcite media filter.
It puts minerals back into your purified water after the reverse
osmosis process.
Does
Reverse Osmosis change the pH balance of the water?
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The pH difference
after the RO depends on the composition of your water source,
such as large amounts of CO2A gases present in the water. If you
are concerned with the pH of your drinking water, you should avoid
guess work and get your water tested with an accurate pH test
meter (avoid paper test strips as they are very inaccurate with
pH readings). Reverse Osmosis water generally has a pH of 6. If
low acidid water is a concern, you can consider adding a calcite
filter as the final stage of your Reverse Osmosis system to easily
correct an acid water problem. In a calcite filter acidic water
slowly dissolves the calcium and magnesium media as water flows
through the filter, raising the pH of the water and increasing
alkalinity.
What
is the ratio of wastewater to the pure water produced by your R.O.
unit?
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Our 50 GPD
unit has a ratio of 1:3 depending on your water temperature and
water pressure. Therefore, for every 3 gallons of pure water produced,
9 gallons of waste water will go down the drain. If you were to
use 3 gallons of purified water a day (with 9 gallons of waste
water going down the drain) you may see an increase in your water
bill of about 25¢ per month.
Are
there R.O. units that waste no water?
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No, all R.O.
units waste water, some more than others. Some companies claim
to have "no waste water" units available. The reality
is that they run the waste water line to your hot water heater.
This causes the hot water heater to go out more quickly due to
the extra buildup of contaminants.
Does
your R.O. unit continue to make water when it's not being used?
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No! When the
4-gallon storage tank is full the RO shuts off until used. Whatever
amount of water you take from the tank, the RO replaces the water
that you just took and then shuts off again.
How
much pure water will your R.O. unit make?
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The 50 GPD
Reverse Osmosis system will produce a maximum of 50 gallons of
purified water in a 24 hour period. Although most families will
never use this much water, such a fast recovery rate is convenient.
Since the tank holds 3.2 gallons of purified water, you could
use it all at once and it would only take 1.5 hours to completely
refill. Systems with a lower GPD rating will take longer to refill
and will send more waste water down the drain, compared to a RO
system with a higher GPD rating.
Is
it important to purchase an R.O. unit with an electronic monitoring
faucet?
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No. An electronic
monitoring faucet has a green light that indicates when the water
is supposed to be pure and a red light that indicates when the
filters are bad. The monitoring device is very deceiving because
it is only monitoring the chlorine in the water. For example,
if the R.O. unit were not removing the bacteria and viruses but
was removing the chlorine, the light would stay green. Therefore,
from our experience, these electronic monitoring faucets are not
reliable. As long as you have your R.O. unit serviced at least
once per year, monitoring is not necessary.
What
are the different stages in your R.O. unit?
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1st Stage:
NSF 5-micron Purtrex high capacity polypropylene sediment filter;
removes dust, particles, rust, and solids. The 5-micron pre-filter
is used to protect the RO membrane from clogging.
2nd Stage:
NSF KX Extruded Carbon Block; 30 cubic inches of carbon for chlorine,
organic, pesticides, lead, mercury, and cysts.
3rd Stage:
NSF KX Extruded Carbon Block; 30 cubic inches of carbon for additional
chlorine and VOC's to prolong the membranes life to 36 months.
4th Stage:
NSF/FDA Osmonics High Rejection TFC Membrane; removes 95-99% of
bacteria, virus, ions, dissolved solids & metals, nitrates
and radioactivity.
5th Stage:
NSF Omnipure Total Contamination Removal filter; removes any residual
odor from the storage tank and oxygenates the water for that clean
pure taste.
What
is the difference between faucet-mount or pitcher filters and the
R.O. unit?
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Faucet-mount
filters, pitcher filters and refrigerator ice/water filters are
able to reduce certain contaminants from your water by the use
of granular activated carbon. In most cases they are used to reduce
chlorine, lead, odor and taste. Carbon filters eliminate contaminants
down to 0.5 microns in size, and R.O. filters down to 0.0001 micron.
Therefore, there are tens of thousands of contaminants that are
removed by R.O. and not by faucet-mount, pitcher or refrigerator
filters.
Where
do you install the 5-stage R.O. unit? [back
to top]
The unit goes
under your kitchen sink. It can also be attached to your ice maker.
If
I move, can I take it with me? [back
to top]
YES! It's
100% portable. It only takes about 10 minutes to disconnect.
What
kind of warranty comes with the R.O. unit?
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For a period
of 1 year from the date of purchase, the manufacturer will repair
or replace any part of the Reverse Osmosis unit itself with the
exception of the filters and local service charge. Warranty is
voided if customer services or changes own filters. For any other
questions, ask for a copy of the warranty.
Is
there an extended warranty available?
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The manufacturer
does not offer an extended warranty. However, South Suburban Pure
Water does offer a lifetime labor warranty at no charge. It provides
FREE service calls for life, to the original purchaser only, on
manufacturer defects and problems as long as annual filter replacement
is performed by South Suburban Pure Water. BOTH LIFETIME
LABOR WARRANTY AND 1 YEAR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY ARE VOIDED IF
SOUTH SUBURBAN PURE WATER SERVICE IS NOT PERFORMED EACH YEAR,
OR IF THE CUSTOMER CHANGES HIS OWN FILTERS.
How
long will your R.O. unit last?
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It should
last virtually forever with regular service, such as filter and
storage tank replacement. Typical membrane life is about 3 years
and the pre-filters about 12 months, depending on the nature of
the water that it is processing.
Is
it necessary to change the filters every 12 months?
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Yes, it is
highly recommended. The filters that we use in our R.O. unit are
good for 12 months when using city/county water. By changing the
four pre-filters on a regular basis, you will eliminate dirt and
chemicals in the water that clog the membrane. After 12 months
of use, the carbon filters can have bacteria growing within the
filter media. Regardless of how much or how little water you use,
it is highly recommended that you have your filters changed every
12 months. It is time and not usage that breaks
down the filters. Well water and cistern water may necessitate
more frequent filter changes.
Can
I change my own filters?
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No, not for
the first 5 years. In order to maintain the warranty on your R.O.
unit, it must be serviced by a professional. This also allows
us to offer wholesale prices to our customers. Not only are our
filters about the same price as those sold at Home Depot, Lowe's,
Sears, etc, they are also good for 12 months instead of only 4-6
months as is the case with most of our competitors. You will spend
more money (and void your warranty) by doing it yourself.
What
is the importance of water pressure to a R.O. unit?
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It is the
pressure that forces the water through the membrane for purification
and flushes the contaminants down the drain. Water pressure below
45 psi is generally considered insufficient, and should include
a pressure booster pump. Water pressure above 80 psi is generally
considered too high, and should include a pressure reducer valve.
Will
a whole house water softener harm the R.O. unit?
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No, calcium
and magnesium (lime scale) are two of the hardest minerals for
the R.O. membrane to remove. Sodium (added to the water by the
softener) is much easier on the membrane and it will reject 99%
of all sodium in the water. With a water softener you will always
get 12 months out of the pre-filters and 3 years out of the membrane.
Other
than drinking & cooking, what other benefits are there to owning
the R.O. unit?
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- Peace of
mind
- No more carrying
bottled water
- Tastes great
- Healthier
- Medications
can do a better job
- Ice and drinks
taste better
- Ice is clear
and not cloudy
- Uses less
mix to make coffee and tea
- Saves on
concentrated juices
- Pets and
plants love it
- Aquariums
look better
- Easier cleaning—windows
and mirrors shine, irons last longer, humidifiers last longer
- And more……..
How
do I know that I'm getting the most for my money with your company?
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Remember that
"South Suburban Pure Water" is a wholesale company, not
a retailer. Therefore we don't have the expense of a retail office,
commissioned Salespersons, Sales managers, Telemarketers, Secretaries
and an expensive advertising budget. The most common water purification
companies today spends millions of dollars on national advertising
per month, but not SSPW. This means tremendous savings for you.
Most companies have to mark up their equipment 3-5 times what
they pay for it to cover their expensive overhead. So you have
to ask yourself, am I looking for great equipment at a high price
or great equipment at the lowest price? Here's the proof!
Step # 1:
Go to your local yellow pages and look up "Water Filtration
& Purification Equip."
Step
# 2: Don't hesitate to get at least three estimates.
Step # 3: Ask the following questions and compare?
1. Do you
sell Reverse Osmosis systems?
2. How many different filters do they have?
3. Does it have a filter that adds minerals back into the water
and balances the pH?
4. How often do the filters need to be changed?
5. How many gallons of pure water will it make in a 24 hour period?
6. Do you offer FREE service calls for life on problems and defects?
7 . What is your price including installation?
What
if I decide to do business with your company, then find a comparable
R.O. unit for less money?
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No problem!
We do offer a 30-day lowest price guarantee. If you can find a
comparable RO system that meets or beats the questions listed
above, in the Cincinnati area, we will refund in full the difference
in price plus 10%. This way you will receive the highest quality
at the lowest price GUARANTEED!
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