Tap water (both hot and cold), which “comes” to our apartments, is far from always of the quality that we would like to have. Previously, the main attention was paid only to the purification of cold water (after all, it is her person who drinks in pure form, and also uses it to prepare various dishes and drinks). Today, many, paying due attention to their own health, put cleaning barriers on hot water as well. And this is justified, because using hot water, we wash dishes, wash ourselves, and also take a shower or bath. Installing a main filter for hot water will help save your own body (primarily hair and skin) from the negative effects of various harmful particles (for example, rust or dissolved chlorine). In our article we will talk about their varieties, leading manufacturers, popular models and selection criteria.
Purpose and place of installation
Water supply pipes of apartment buildings age over time, and rust forms on their inner walls. Naturally, its pieces fall into the water. To wash with such water is often not only unpleasant, but also dangerous. Therefore, the owners of city apartments have to independently solve issues of not only cleaning cold water for drinking and cooking, but also hot (for high-quality washing dishes and their own body).
The main filter for hot water is installed in the immediate vicinity of the riser with the help of special fittings and is fixed to the wall by means of a bracket. It provides the purification of all hot water in the apartment. Since its use reduces (albeit to a small extent) the pressure in the pipeline, it is economically most expedient to install such devices up to a hot water flow meter.
Varieties, design features and specifications
Main filters for hot water are characterized by the following technical indicators:
- the most admissible pressure in the pipeline system: from 7 to 25 atm .;
- productivity (filtration rate): from 10 to 30 l / min .;
- the range of operating temperatures of the liquid being cleaned: from +4 to + 95 ° C;
- degree of water purification: up to 90-100 microns (for pre-treatment products) and up to 1-5 microns (for complex filters);
- diameter of a thread of pipes of connection: ½, ¾ or 1 inch;
- uptime of the filter element: up to 50,000 liters or three years (depending on the design and purpose of the device).
Manufacturers use only high-strength, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials for the manufacture of main hot water filter housings: brass, stainless steel, reinforced polymer plastics.
Depending on the design and purpose, two main types of devices for treating hot water are produced:
- Coarse filters (preliminary) cleaning (a special metal mesh made of stainless steel with a cell of 90-100 microns is used as a filtering element). As a rule, such devices in the lower part of the body have a special valve for periodic washing.
- Products for the so-called integrated cleaning, which use special replaceable cartridges (allowing to retain microparticles of various contaminants with sizes up to 5 microns).
On a note! Sealing gaskets for main hot water filters are made of special heat-resistant rubber grades.
Hot water purification system in the apartment
Today, with the help of main filters for hot water in apartments, two main types of systems are used:
- One-stage, in which only a strainer (usually a wash filter) is used for rough (preliminary) purification of water from mechanical impurities (rust, sand, silt and so on), with a maximum diameter of retained particles of 90-100 microns.
- Two-stage, in which, after the screen cleaner, an additional filter is installed for complex cleaning (with a replaceable cartridge capable of filtering out contaminants of 5 microns or more).
Leading manufacturers of hot water filters
The most famous and popular manufacturers of main flow-through filters for hot water are:
- Russian Aquaphor, Hydrotek, Prio New Water, Geyser and Fibos;
- American Honeywell;
- Austrian BWT;
- Polish Aquafilter;
- Italian Far.
Popular Coarse Wash Filter Models
The popularity of certain models of washing main flow-through filters for hot water is often determined not only by the “price / quality” ratio, but also by the “promotion” of the brand in the market of sanitary products.
For comparison: the model FF06-1 / 2 "AAMRU from the world-famous American manufacturer Honeywell costs about 4,500 rubles, and the Russian" Geyser Bastion 121 "costs 2,500 rubles. The cases of both products are made of brass, a stainless steel mesh is used as a filter element ( the recommended replacement frequency is every 24 months.) Despite the fact that the domestic model is much cheaper than the American one, it also surpasses it in some technical indicators. Subtlety of cleaning and productivity of Honeywell / Geyser: 100/90 microns and 25/30 l / min . with . Tvetstvenno True, FF06 is designed for a maximum pressure of 25 atm, and the "Bastion 121." -. 16 bar (which is sufficient for Russian hot water systems).
Similar in technical indicators (filtration rate - 27 l / min., Cleaning fineness - 90-100 microns, maximum pressure - 16 atm.) Austrian BWT Protector Mini costs about 4200 rubles. The manufacturer guarantees uninterrupted operation of the filter element for 3 years (with regular washing every 6 months).
The Italian FAR 1/2 HP-HP filter with a cost of about 4300 rubles differs from its competitors in the maximum temperature of the liquid being cleaned (up to + 95 ° C), a chrome-plated brass body and a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty (for comparison, the Geyser has 3 years) .
On a note! The main filter for hot water "Geyser" is more economical during subsequent maintenance. A replaceable wire mesh element for it costs only 330 rubles, for Honeywell and FAR - 600 rubles (and not the original, but the Russian counterpart from Prio New Water), for BWT - 800 rubles.
A pressure gauge is installed in the upper part of the housing of some models of pre- filter washing filters . Significant changes in the pressure readings in the system (compared to the newly installed product) indicate the need for another flushing. "Geyser Bastion 122" with an installed pressure gauge (in technical terms absolutely coincides with the 121th model described above) costs 2900 rubles.
Universal appliances for the comprehensive treatment of hot water from Aquaphor
A well-known international company, founded back in 1992, today offers three models of universal main filter housings, which (depending on the type of cartridge installed) can be used for complex cleaning of both cold and hot water.
The body of the main filter for hot water "Aquaphor Viking" worth 7200-8400 rubles is made of high-strength stainless steel. Overall dimensions: diameter - 180 mm, height - 595 mm. The package includes a convenient bracket for mounting the product on the wall. To connect to the hot water main, the product is equipped with fittings with an external pipe thread ¾ inch. Cartridges are installed and replaced using a special quick-release clamp. The filtering element "Aquaphor" B520-14 (3500-3800 rubles) provides the device with the following technical indicators: performance - up to 25 l / min., Resource - up to 50,000 liters.
For small city apartments, the Aquafor Viking Midi main hot water filter (6500-7800 rubles) with a diameter of 1800 mm and a height of 425 mm, with a installed cartridge B515-14 (2500-2900 rubles) is quite suitable. Such a set will provide a capacity of 15 l / min (with a guaranteed resource of 30,000 liters).
The "younger" Viking Mini model (5200-6400 rubles) with a diameter of 180 mm and a height of 255 mm is designed to install a replaceable element B505-14 (1500-1900 rubles). The performance of such a cleaning kit is about 10 l / min. The cartridge must be replaced every 15,000 liters.
The design of all three housing models is the same. They differ from each other in overall dimensions (or rather, only in height). All products are designed for continuous operation at a working pressure in the pipeline of 6.3 atm., And can withstand peak hydraulic shocks. According to the manufacturer, the uptime is at least 10 years.
Filter elements (B520-14, B515-14 and B505-14) are created from the optimal combination of fibrous and sorption materials and are designed to operate in the temperature range from +5 to + 90 ° C. They effectively purify water from various suspensions, rust, sand, active chlorine, heavy metals (for example, lead, cadmium and the like), pesticides, organic substances (phenol, benzene) and other contaminants. By the way, from an unpleasant smell too. The degree of purification (maximum diameter of the retained particles) is 5 microns.
Main filters of complex cleaning from the Geyser
We begin our product review from a well-known Russian manufacturer with the body of the main filter for hot water made of stainless steel (with 1/2 inch connection) "Geyser Typhoon 10SL" worth 5200 rubles. Complete with an EFMG 20/10 cartridge (200-250 rubles), such a product purifies water (resource up to 50,000 liters) with a temperature of up to + 95 ° C from particles with a maximum size of about 10 microns. This degree of purification is quite enough for the so-called wash water. The design feature of the product is the presence of a lower screw drain plug (for periodic removal of accumulated mechanical particles).
The body of the main filter for hot water from the stainless steel "Geyser Typhoon BB10" costs about 6500 rubles. The manufacturer recommends using this device with the high-performance cartridge "Aragon-3 10VV" (about 3000 rubles). This kit provides a very high degree of purification - 1-2 microns. With a capacity of about 20-25 l / min. cartridge life is 30,000 liters. The technical characteristics of this product (in particular, a sufficiently high degree of purification) make it possible to successfully use this device as a main filter and cold and hot water.
The cartridge replacement for the described products can be done quite quickly and simply with the help of a clamping collar. Guaranteed working pressure - 7-8 atm. A special valve in the upper part of the housing is designed to remove air (in the case of the formation of a so-called air plug).
Features of filtering products from "Hydrotech"
The technological features of the main filters for hot water to the apartment (photo of the model are presented below) of the Russian company Hydrotek are:
- A case made of AISI304 stainless steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm (which, according to the manufacturer, surpasses analogues by 1.5-2 times).
- A cover cast from 100% plumbing brass using special LGM technology, which excludes the formation of internal hidden defects.
- Threaded connection cover / case with double seal made of MBS rubber.
The Hydrotek OB-10C 1/2 "model, costing about 3900 rubles, is designed to operate with a maximum capacity of 19 l / min and an ultimate pressure of 9 atm. The lower drain plug increases the ease of use to periodically remove particles accumulated at the bottom of the flask.
The more "advanced" Hydrotek 1/2 "product", also designed to install a 10SL standard cartridge, costs 4300 rubles today. Instead of a drain plug, a ball valve is installed in the factory. The permissible working pressure is increased to 15 atm.
Unique Fibos Trunk Filter Technology
The Russian manufacturer Fibos offers main filters for hot water purification, manufactured using a special patented unique technology. Moreover, even with a single-stage cleaning system, the manufacturer guarantees the removal of any contaminants up to 1 micron in size. The design and appearance of the product are very similar to standard pre-filter screens. Product exclusivity lies in the technological features of the filter element, which is a rigid frame (with thin slots) with a wire wound around it (made of a special alloy and coated with a protective glass shell) with a diameter of 25 microns. The gap between the turns is only 1 μm. This determines a high degree of purification.
Low adhesion of glass spraying does not allow particles of dirt to “stick” to the filter element. They “bounce” from it and settle at the bottom of the flask of the case. From where they can be easily removed using a ball valve in manual or automatic (when installing the appropriate additional equipment) mode.
The most popular models of main filters for hot water (according to user reviews) are Fibos-Mini (7,000 rubles) and Fibos-1 (9,000 rubles). Productivity (i.e. filtration rate) is 5 and 16.5 l / min. respectively. The manufacturer claims that even with a maximum working pressure of 16 atm. the filter element will need to be replaced no earlier than 10 years of intensive use and in the range of operating water temperatures from +5 to + 95 ° C.
What to look for when choosing
When arranging a hot water treatment system, preference should be given to a two-stage treatment (naturally, if free space allows at the place where the riser enters the apartment). Firstly, it will help to achieve the maximum degree of disposal of various contaminants. Secondly, the lifespan of a comprehensive cleaning cartridge is significantly increased, since large particles of various mechanical impurities are “cut off” already at the first stage.
Choosing a specific model of the main filter for hot water, we recommend that you pay attention to:
- The material from which the product body is made. Naturally, stainless steel is better than plastic, even reinforced. Yes, it's more expensive, but worth it.
- Throughput (i.e. filtration rate). The higher this indicator, the greater the pressure of water in the shower you can have (or the faster you get a full bath).
- The diameter of the threaded fittings of the filter housing must match the water pipes in your apartment. Many manufacturers equip their products with adapters for connecting to both ½ inch pipes and ¾.
- The degree of purification of hot water that you want to get as a result of installing a filtration system.
- Pressure in the hot water supply system (working and maximum permissible). The value of this rather important indicator must be known in advance from the technical staff serving your home.
Remember! Any filter elements reduce the water pressure inside the pipeline in the apartment. And although this indicator is not standardized by most manufacturers, one should be prepared for the fact that after installing the filters, hot water from the tap will “run” with a slightly lower pressure (but much cleaner).
Finally
By installing additional equipment to filter the hot water entering your apartment, you will not only greatly increase the comfort of your own life, but will also greatly contribute to increasing its duration. The average pore diameter of human skin is about 50 microns. Therefore, providing a degree of purification of hot water up to 2-5 microns, you will protect yourself from the penetration of a wide variety of harmful substances (from active chlorine to various pathogens) into the body.