How Does a Reverse Osmosis System Work?

Maintaining your home’s water quality is important for ensuring that you and your family have a healthy living environment. A reverse osmosis system is a great choice for water treatment in Pelham, NY, but how exactly do these modern systems work?

What Does Reverse Osmosis Mean?

Osmosis is a natural process that occurs when selective pressure only lets certain particles pass through a membrane or similar barrier. That pressure can change the balance of liquid on either side of the membrane, and it serves a vital role in how plants draw water from the soil. It’s also the reason why freshwater and saltwater fish can only live in their respective environments.

Reverse osmosis applies that process in reverse. Instead of relying on a difference in concentration to generate pressure, reverse osmosis uses pressure to create a difference in concentration. This simple principle makes it possible to filter out many different types of contaminants from water.

What Does a Reverse Osmosis System Do?

When you choose reverse osmosis water treatment in Pelham, NY, a filter is installed that takes advantage of reverse osmosis to remove contaminants. The pressure applied to the reverse osmosis membrane moves contaminants from your drinking water to concentrated wastewater called brine.

The brine is simply drained away, leaving you with drinking water that has up to 98% of dissolved solids removed. Hazardous contaminants like lead and arsenic can be removed with reverse osmosis filters, along with minerals that can impact the taste of your water or the condition of your home’s plumbing, like sodium, calcium, sulfate, and magnesium.

Is a Reverse Osmosis Filter All I Need?

In general, a water treatment system for your home will include several key components. Before the reverse osmosis filter, there will be a sediment filter that removes large particles of dirt and debris, protecting the fine reverse osmosis membrane from damage or clogging.

Activated carbon filters are another key component, as they can remove chlorine and volatile organic compounds. To make sure you’re getting the right solution for your home, it’s a good idea to reach out to the professionals.

Dependable Water Treatment in Pelham, NY

If you’re concerned about the state of your home’s water, MJ Plumbing Heating and Cooling provides a variety of solutions you can feel good about. Contact us today to get a quote!