How to Select Water Purifier – The Ultimate Guide

How well you select the best water purifier boils down to how well you identify your unique needs, i.e, how accurately you list what you expect from your water purifier. Since the market is teeming with new entrants of water purifiers all the time, it is better you use a guide like this one created to walk you through the purchasing process.

First, make sure you consider the following questions.

What is the TDS of your water supply?

TDS stands for total dissolved solids and the first thing you need to do before you research water purifiers available in the market is finding out the corresponding TDS quotient of your water supply. You can get a TDS meter easily in a hardware store and though there are other methods to find out the contamination rate of your water, it is by far the easiest and most convenient. Make sure that you measure the TDS over a period of time to get a good average value as the TDS tends to fluctuate in the water supply. TDS is measured in the order of parts per million.

What is the purification technology you require?

If your TDS level is below 500 ppm, you don’t require a high-end water purifier like an RO water purifier. However, if you see spikes in your TDS from time to time, then it implies that there is contamination nearby and you might benefit from a UV water purifier. A UV water purifier passes water through a UV chamber fitted with a high-quality UV light source. UV radiation deactivates the microbes by directly attacking their nucleic code and kills off their ability to reproduce beyond killing the immediate microbes. If your TDS is steadily below 200 ppm and there are no spikes in the values, you may even make do with a gravity-based water purifier, which is the most basic water purifier. In all the above scenarios, you need an RO water purifier if there is heavy metal contamination. You can find out if your water supply has heavy metal contamination by sending a water sample to your nearest Government water testing body. In any case, if your TDS is above 500 ppm, you do require a Reverse Osmosis water purifier. In fact, you might need a UV module along with the RO module in your water if you want to eliminate microbial contamination by up to 99%. The only scenario where a UV module is rendered ineffective is if the turbidity of the water is high. But if you choose a water purifier that effectively de-sediments or pre-filters the water feed, you can have the turbidity under control.

What is the size of the family living in your household?

If you are living in a family of five or more, it makes sense to invest in a water purifier that has a large water storage capacity. This is a very important consideration as it can mean whether your choice can effectively function for your family or not. Likewise, if you are living in a smaller household, there’d be no use for a capacious water storage tank. So make a prudent decision such that you don’t end up shelling out a lot of money on your purchase.

Would you be moving frequently?

If you are single or have a small family that moves frequently from place to place, it is better to invest in a water purifier with a sturdy make to withstand the transportation. Also, make sure it is as portable as possible as you need to move from one home to another and need to install and uninstall it accordingly. Finally, make sure you purchase a high-end purifier to cater to multiple TDS values as the TDS varies from place to place. An RO water purifier eliminates up to 95% of TDS for a TDS quotient up to 2000 ppm. It is in fact best to opt for a RO+UV purifier to take care of possible contamination that can also vary from place to place.

Is your water/electricity supply fluctuating?

If you happen to live in an area where the water or electricity supply is always fluctuating, then it is better to purchase a capacious water purifier. Where there is an erratic water supply, it can double as a storage tank. Where there is an erratic electricity supply, it can hold water that will last you through low voltage or zero power situations.

What is your budget?

We believe that nothing is more important than your health and recommend that you treat the purchase of a water purifier as an investment that will last you years. Treat it as a health cover, because the threat from water-borne diseases is very real. Also, opt for a brand that offers you service options to take care of the unit for even a decade.

What is the quality of service provided by the brand?

What you need to look out for is if the brand has service personnel just a call or email or a chat away. Make sure that they have a service store in your locality. See if the brand is offering annual maintenance contracts and take advantage of these service contracts, at least if not immediately, a few years down the line. That way, you will get your unit serviced promptly and may even be able to cover the cost of parts in the contract. Finally, check if they are trained per pandemic protocols to ensure that you and your immediate family are safe from the contagion.

Read more: 7 Tips To Achieve Good Water Quality