Water Filter FAQs: What do they do?

Water filters work by removing impurities from your tap water to improve its taste, smell, and safety. At Kinetico, our water filtration systems all use one of two filtration methods. The first, known as carbon filtration, uses activated carbon to attract and trap different contaminants. The second, called reverse osmosis, pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane to remove even microscopic impurities. 

Together, these technologies deliver clean, great-tasting drinking water on demand. For more detail on how these two processes work, explore our dedicated guide on the subject here. 

Water filters can remove a wide range of impurities, including common contaminants like chlorine, sediment, pesticides, and heavy metals such as lead. Similarly, water filtration also removes any unpleasant tastes or odours in your drinking water, which are indirectly brought about by these impurities. 

Standard water filters don’t typically remove fluoride. However, certain advanced filtration systems – like reverse osmosis (RO) systems – do provide an effective solution to significantly reduce fluoride levels. 

RO systems use a semi-permeable membrane with microscopic pores. When water is forced through the membrane, only purified water molecules are able to pass through these pores, while larger particles like fluoride and chlorine are filtered out. 

If fluoride removal is important to you, you’ll need to choose a system that’s designed for this purpose. Our Premier RO and K5 Pure range of water filters from Kinetico both use reverse osmosis, delivering exceptionally pure water straight from your tap. 

Some water filters – such as reverse osmosis (RO) systems – can remove hardness minerals, but this is generally not recommended as a standalone solution. Using a filter to soften water is usually slow, expensive, and will require frequent maintenance, as hardness minerals can clog the membrane over time. 

The best and most effective solution is to pair a dedicated water softener with your water filter. At Kinetico, we offer complete home water solutions to provide softened water and filtered water throughout your home, 24/7.