Clean and purified water is an absolute necessity, which is why every homeowner is looking for high-end and reliable water filtration systems. One of them is the reverse osmosis water filter system as it flushes out the bad compounds and leaves behind clean and delicious water. However, these water systems use filters and many people wonder if these filters are universal or not. So, if you want to be certain about the filters, let’s check out the details below!
Are Reverse Osmosis Filters Universal?
There is an extensive range of RO water systems available in the market and each of them utilizes a different type of filter. Truth be told, the filters look the same but they differ in filtering type, connection type, length, and diameter. In the majority of cases, the RO water systems have special filters for sediments and carbon filters for chemicals. This means that the filters are not universal and cannot be used interchangeably. In fact, some of these filters are convenient to find but some can be hard to find and expensive.
In simpler words, which type of components have to be removed directly impacts which type of filter you can use in the RO system. Keep in mind that the filters might have a similar appearance but the majority of them won’t even fit into the water system if they are not model-specific. In fact, some sediment filters have various openings that are inserted into the system while others have o-ring connections, which means they have to be attached to the RO water system. Also, there are some filters with housing, which have to be screwed with the water system.
Last but not least, there are some filters designed with clamps and pins that you need to take off for installation. For this reason, the filters used in reverse osmosis water systems cannot be universal.
The Intent Of Filters
It is quite clear that the filters depend on the installation type and design but they also differ based on the intent or purpose of the filters. For instance, if your water supply is connected to the water well, it will use sediment filters as there are higher levels of sediments. On the other hand, municipal water has a higher chlorine level, which requires a carbon pre-filter.
Still, there are various brands that are selling universal filters. Keep in mind that these universal filters might fit into the water system but they won’t be able to promise proper water purification and chemical removal.
Stages Of Water Purification
Many users are also concerned about the stages of the RO system. For instance, there are remineralization and UV light purification stages. So, it does not matter which stages are these systems working on, a filter is specific to the RO water system’s model rather than on the model. However, it’s possible that you might have to install multiple filters in one reverse osmosis water system to cater to different stages of water purification. Even then, it’s clear that water filters cannot be universal.