Point of Entry vs. Point of Use Water Treatment Systems
Treated water is a vital part of our lives that can often be overlooked. Without treating the water in our homes, most of our daily routines would be much more complicated. Simple things we take for granted every day, like pouring a glass of water from the faucet, brushing our teeth, and even taking a shower, would be much less enjoyable if the water coming through our fixtures was full of impurities and contaminants.
Luckily, we have solutions to these water problems. Point of Entry (POE) and Point of Use (POU) water treatment systems are the most common ways to treat water for your home. Although a relatively simple concept, it is helpful to understand the differences and similarities between the two and how each one can help you reach your end goal of better water.
Differences Between POE and POU Water Treatment Systems
POE (Point of Entry) systems are essentially anything installed to the main water line of a home. Commonly referred to as “Whole House Systems,” these types of equipment are the starting point for all the water that eventually makes its way into your home faucet, dishwasher, washer, shower, and other fixtures.
Water softeners, conditioners, filtration units, and acid neutralizers are a few of the most common POE systems today. These POE systems are high capacity which means they can treat thousands of gallons of water a day. These units are typically larger than the POU (Point of Use) systems, and because of that, they require less maintenance and filter replacements than a smaller POU system.
POU systems, on the other hand, are located at the end “point” of your water line. They will filter your water right before you need to use it. A few examples of this would be a filter underneath the sink in your kitchen or one built into your refrigerator that handles the water coming out of the dispenser in the door. POU systems are best used for smaller quantities of water and, on average, will last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year before a new filter needs to be swapped out. The most common type of POU system used for water treatment is reverse osmosis (RO). These filtration systems help reduce particles and impurities in your water, like chlorine, fluoride, metals, and other contaminants. The result is cleaner and better-tasting water.
What’s the Best Solution For Me? POE Or POU?
Finding the right solution to your home’s unique water situation is complicated. The complete answer is to incorporate each type of system into your home depending on your home’s water conditions and what water quality you want to achieve. You may be wondering, how do I go about doing that? The first thing you should do is contact your local WaterCare water treatment expert. They will come out to your home and conduct a free water test. Once the water test is complete, you will clearly understand which combination of equipment will best solve your unique water problem. For example: Say you had a water test done for your home on city water. Your water results may come back and indicate that you have hard water, specifically high levels of calcium and magnesium. You may also notice that your city water smells and tastes like chlorine from the municipalities' treatment process before distributing it to residents. The water treatment professional could install a CareSoft Elite RC® water softener to eliminate these issues for you. You now have soft water with chlorine filtered out moving through the house, but you may also have additional concerns.
Perhaps you are worried about lead contamination from the city’s infrastructure, or if you live in an older house, lead pipes may have been used when it was built. A water softener will not be able to help with lead removal. Your authorized WaterCare dealer would recommend installing a POU reverse osmosis filter to your kitchen faucet that is certified to filter out lead. This way, you also have filtered drinking water right from the tap that you can trust. As you can see, the right combination of POE and POU systems can help you achieve your water quality goals.
What are You Looking to Achieve with Your Home’s Water?
First, consider what you want your water to do for your home. Are you looking for soft water? Do you want to have filtered RO drinking water? Does your water have a smelly odor? Is the iron in your water staining your bathroom fixtures? Whatever the problem is, contact a WaterCare dealer to receive a free estimate or water test today. Your WaterCare dealer will put you on your way to achieving your ultimate water quality goals.
