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Did
you know?
Reverse osmosis is the finest water filtration method known. This process will
allow the removal of particles as small as ions from a solution. It is used
to purify water and remove salts and other impurities in order to improve the
color, taste or properties of the fluid. R.O. uses a membrane that is semi-permeable,
allowing the fluid that is being purified to pass through it, while rejecting
other ions and contaminants from passing.
This technology uses a process
known as crossflow to allow the r.o. membrane to continually clean itself. This
is the reason of why an r.o. element can last many years before clogging or
need replacement. This
water purification process requires a driving force to push the fluid through
the membrane, and the most common force is household water pressure or pressure
from a booster pump. The higher the pressure, the larger the driving force and
efficiency.
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8. Water Pressure Explained
As we turn on the kitchen faucet or start a bath, how the water
is coming out may not be something we think about. (Unless of course
is dripping or not coming out at all!) But, water pressure is something
that we should all be familiar with.
Most households receive water from a municipal water system. In
this method, the water is usually extracted from various groundwater sources
and then treated to remove impurities. Then, it is then pumped to water
towers, and then gravity takes over to provide the pressure that forces
the water through pipes, and eventually to our homes. A similar process
will take place in closed systems, as well as in lakes and reservoirs.
The pressure of water in each home will vary according to their
elevation to the water source, as well as with the system that is delivering
the water in. A plumbing company website says, "A cubic foot of water
weighs 62.4 lb. and exerts .4333 lbs of pressure per square inch on the
bottom of its container at a depth of one foot. Therefore, the discharge
pressure of a water storage tower 100 ft. tall will be 43.33 psi. If your
house is in a valley 50 ft. below the bottom of the tower, the theoretical
water pressure at your house will be approximately 65 psi, reduced by
the friction in the pipes."
Typical residential water systems are designed to function under
a pressure of 40-70 psi. If the water pressure exceeds 100 psi, a pressure
regulator may need to be installed in the line to reduce the pressure
to an acceptable range. This protects the equipment in your home from
damage caused by excess force exerted by the water. The opposite can
occur too; if pressure is below 40 psi, a pressure-booster could be needed
to bring it up to acceptable levels. Also, hard water can reduce pressure.
It is also important to not that water flow is not the same thing
as water pressure. Water flow is the result of your water pressure on
the amount of water available for delivery (volume). Low water flow could
be a result of an obstruction on the water line, and old pipe with contain
mineral build-up or corrosion that reduces the pipe's internal diameter.
So, if a water pressure gauge is reading at an acceptable level but the
pressure seems off, it may be a flow problem.
If you are unsure of the water pressure at your home, there are
a few easy ways to test it. Home Depot carries water pressure gauges
and we
also carrie them here. However, most tanks will already have this
feature. Also, a constant pressure valve can easily be installed. This
gadget will automatically set flow with the set pressure level for the
system. A variable speed pump can also be installed, as well as additional
pressure tank capacity-- this will require a professional plumber.
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