Under Sink Water Filters That Effectively Remove Iron

Iron is a nutrient that is very important for your health. Without it, your body cannot transport oxygen to its different organs. Depending on its source, iron may sometimes be present in water and can be removed before drinking.

Under sink water filters that use ion exchange resins or activated carbon can effectively remove iron from water. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters are the most efficient method of filtration for iron removal. However, under sink filters that contain an oxidation agent can also reduce the amount of iron in water.

This article will take you through what iron is and why you may want to remove it from your water. We’ll also discuss how under-sink water filters remove iron and list five under-sink water filters that can remove it.

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Iron

Iron is one of the most abundant minerals in nature – about 5% of the earth’s crust is iron. As rain falls, iron dissolves and seeps it into natural underground water stores.

It’s perfectly normal for water to contain some iron.

There are two forms that iron in water:

Ferrous Iron: is soluble and colorless;
Ferric Iron: is insoluble and gives water a reddish brown color.

When water containing ferrous iron is exposed to air for a while, the iron turns into its ferric form.

Iron in water is usually fine and even unnoticeable if present in small concentrations.

However, the presence of iron in water sometimes leads to unpleasant outcomes, especially when it is in quantities larger than 0.3mg/L.

Iron can give water an unpleasant taste. When used to make tea, coffee or even food, iron in the water can change the taste and even darken the appearance of the food or beverage.

Iron is also notorious for leaving a reddish brown, rust-like stains on your dishes, utensils, dishcloths, and plumbing fixtures. These stains are aesthetically unpleasing and very difficult to remove.

How Under-Sink Filters Remove Iron

Under-sink water filters remove iron via three methods:

1. Oxidation – Under sink water filters that remove iron have oxidants such as ozone, chlorine, or hydrogen peroxide in their filtration chambers.

The function of these oxidants is to mix oxygen into the water.

Oxygen then reacts with any dissolved ferrous iron, converting it into ferric iron with larger, insoluble particles. These particles settle and can be filtered out.

2. Filtration – The particles of ferric iron, as well as other contaminants, are filtered out.

For this to happen, the water passes through a porous material whose holes (or pores) are big enough to allow water to pass through but not big enough for other particles.

Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters are the most effective at removing iron from water. Although filters that use ion exchange resins can also efficiently remove iron.

3. Backwashing – In this final step, all the filtered sediments are removed to ensure the under-sink filter continues functioning properly.

This occurs automatically and periodically, about once or twice a week.

Top 5 Under Sink Water Filters That Remove Iron

The water filter you choose must get the job done effectively and should also be durable, giving you the best value for your money.

1. ClearlyFiltered Under Sink Water Filter System

The ClearlyFiltered 3-Stage Under the Sink Water Filter System is one of the best under-sink water filters available and can remove 97.1% of iron from water.

2. Waterdrop Under Sink Water Filter System

The 3-stage Under Sink Ultrafiltration Stainless Steel Water Filter System uses ultrafiltration technology that is so precise it removes particles larger than 0.01µm in diameter, including iron.

3. Crystal Quest SMART Classic Under Sink Water Filter System

The SMART Classic Under Sink Water Filter System from Crystal Quest passes tap water through six filtration stages to remove contaminants, including 98% iron.