The Best UV Water Filters That Remove Bacteria In 2019

The method of ultraviolet water filtration is a relatively new technology that was developed in the USA. This sort of purification is now actively used in Europe as well.

The main advantage is high efficiency and also the safety of the system itself.

In this article, I will explore the technology of ultraviolet filtration and reveal some of the best UV water filters that remove bacteria out of the water.

The ultraviolet light destroys dangerous bacteria and microorganisms in the water and makes it suitable for drinking.

This method doesn’t require the presence of expensive and sophisticated equipment, and the cost of this technology is relatively low.

Another significant advantage of this system is the maintenance of the filter. It is simple and doesn’t require the use of any cartridges or chemicals.

From my other articles you probably know that most of the systems are not friendly with hot water.

So, here is some good news:

Neither the level of pH nor the temperature doesn’t affect the performance of the UV water filter. Water still retains its structure and taste.

Please note that when I say temperature, I don’t mean boiling water as this might destroy the lamp inside the system. The ideal temperature for the best performance is about 70-75F.

The UV light can kill bacteria that can survive even chlorine, the chemical used in the local water treatment plant. For this reason, this method is recognized as the most effective and innovative.

Types of UV Water Sterilizers

The UV types of filter are built as chambers made of stainless steel or plastics. Inside the chamber, there is a UV light lamp that is put in a particular waterproof case.

There is an individual control unit that is responsible for turning the light on once the water enters the chamber, so human presence is not required.

The particular unit can also be installed with a remote controller, and the system will inform the user in case something goes wrong.

Industrial filters are significant and include additional filters for sediment removal. This is necessary for rapid and efficient disinfection of large volume of water.

Industrial purificators have many UV lamps, and in some cases, it might be even hundreds.

For home use, as well as for purification of private water tanks, reservoirs or ponds there are simplified alternatives available on the market.

There is also a broad variety of the manufacturer, and their cost is grade lower comparing to the industrial systems.

We can differ UV filters into different categories split by several criteria. First and the most essential information you need to know is the water flow performance. The higher the flow is, the faster the water passes through the chamber.

Another important thing you need to consider is the transmittance of the UV light by water. This is very dependant on the characteristics of the liquid.

If water is cloudy and contains a high amount of contaminants, the transmittance indicator falls significantly. In this case, you need to increase the power of the lamp, so it is strong enough to pass through the water.

As said in the previous paragraph, the power of the lamp itself is another primary factor that should play a vital role when it comes to UV filter selection.

The dose of irradiation depends on the amount and the nature of the microorganisms in the water.

Also, their resistance to ultraviolet light can be various. For this reason, the power of the lamp must be selected individually based on your needs and water contamination level.

To make the right selection of the UV filter, you need to conduct a chemical analysis of your local water, and based on this, you will have a better idea of the right product.

Advantages and Disadvantages of UV Filters

The main disadvantage of this method is that there is the possibility of water to be re-infected again as it travels through the plumbing system.

This is, however, the issue that is related to most of the filtration system unless those are installed close to the output.

In case water is heavily polluted, this method of purification won’t bring massive results, so it is not recommended to use for heavy polluted water.

Instead…

I suggest you to pick one of the reverse osmosis systems.

Also, the UV filtration does not perform very well with the large volume of water. For average home usage, however, the performance is sufficient.

Let’s have a look at some of the advantages now.

How Does the UV Purification Work

Moreless all UV filters have a similar design that contains the water chamber, tube, and the lamp.

Water enters the reservoir from the one side, the light turns on, and the process of filtration begins. After this water leaves the chamber on the other end.

Let’s answer the question of how does actually ultraviolet light purifies water.

It is essential to address particular attention to the UV lamp, as it is responsible for the destruction of dangerous organisms.

For the best performance, there should be a filter that will clean water from sediment contaminants, and only after this is done ultraviolet filter should be put in place.

For this reason, UV filtration performs very well in combination with whole house water systems.

The UV ray is affecting the chromosomes of microorganisms and destroy their reproductive function and DNA, and as a result, they perish.

Ultraviolet eliminates following pathogens:

The lamp should be regularly replaced, otherwise, after its lifetime the efficiency will significantly drop.

The average service life of the lamp is about 1400 hours. After this time I suggest you swap the bulb.

Even though the lamp would still emit the light, the power of ultraviolet wouldn’t be as high.

I recommend you to clean the filtration chamber every quarter. This can be done without the need of taking the lamp out.

How To Select a Right UV Water Filter For You

It is easy to get lost among the variety of different options available today. They have different performance and price, and you need to understand how they work and also conduct a water analysis.

You should pay attention to the following criteria when it comes to the UV filter selection, and later on, I will briefly talk about each of those points:

Type of Microorganisms

To destroy certain bacteria, you need to have a certain amount of ultraviolet light. The conducted analysis of water will help you to identify microorganisms and to select the optimal power of the filter.

Required Level of Purification

The level of purification might be different based on how you plan to use water. For example, if you plan to drink water, then the 100% purification is necessary, but for general home and garden use, it is not.

Water Temperature

There is a variety of lamps that can resist different temperatures. The general rule is that you shouldn’t treat boiling water, but also you shouldn’t treat freezing water. The ideal temperature should be around 16-25C. Always check the maximum and minimum allowed temperatures of the product.

Water Flow

You also need to take into consideration the flow rate of water when selecting the filter. It is necessary to know the minimum and maximum pressure values in your pipes and compare those to the ones stated in a product.

The Amount of Emitted Ultraviolet

The amount of ultraviolet that can pass through the water is called transparency. This indicator is influenced by the amount of pollution in a liquid that can resist and reduce the number of photons that are passing through.

Have a look at the additional tips provided in a video below.

Best UV Water Filters In 2019 Selection

By now I have covered most things you should be aware of and understand when it comes to the selection of the right filter precisely for your needs. Let’s have a look on the list of the best UV filters in 2019 that I think would do a great job.

Product	Features	Our Rating	Checkout
	HQUA Ultraviolet Purifier 9000 hours lifetime of the bulb, extra bulb, 12 GPM flow rate	85%	Check Out on Amazon
	VIQUA VH410M Up to 34 GPM Pressure, Controller, UV Sensor, Lamp Replacement Reminder	94%	Check Out on Amazon
	Realgoal UV 6 GPM Compact size, Extra lamp, LED and sound alarm	79%	Check Out on Amazon
	ExpressWater 1 GPM Small size to fit under the kitchen space, Applicable with RO system, Alarm alert	83%	Check Out on Amazon

HQUA Ultraviolet Purifier

Product Summary

My Rating:

85%

Price: Check the latest price

Key Features: 9000 hours lifetime of the bulb, extra bulb, 12 GPM flow rate

This filter is one of the more powerful ones that is the best used with the combination of the whole house water filter.

The HQUA comes in a package in a disassembled state and package includes the main chamber where all components are stored, quartz sleeve to protect the UV lamp, ultraviolet lamp itself, and electronic controller to turn on and off the light.

I am pretty sure that you would like the fact that there is one extra lamp provided with this product.

What does it mean for you?

Well, the suggested lifetime of the bulb is 1 year and more if you install the unit in a house where you live seasonally. So, with 2 new lamps its two years of worry-free filtration.

Let’s have a quick look at the other things you should know and consider when purchasing this filter.

First thing I think is essential to know is the dimensions of the product. The length of the unit is 37.2 inch and its 2.5 inches wide.

As you can see, the unit is quite long so before you decide to go with this product just measure the space in the area where you want to install it.

Second:

The filtration is available to purify the amount of 12 gallons per minute. This is a lot because shower and toilet have the highest flow rate up to 5-6 GPM.

If you have a big family, your average water flow rate per the whole household would be about 8-10 gallons per minute. As you can see, this system will provide you with some reserve.

Regarding maintenance, the system is simple as well.

As I said before you only need to replace the UV lamp once every year. Also, you shouldn’t forget to clean the quartz sleeve.

This should be done every 6-12 months, and you should replace the sleeve every 2 years.

The lamp itself has a power of 55W which should disinfect your water in 1-2 seconds, so no worries that your water will pass the tube without filtration.

A couple of things that are also good to know are the limitation of this purifier. Maximum operating pressure in the chamber shouldn’t be higher than 125 PSI.

The temperature shouldn’t exceed 122F.

With a higher temperature, you are risking to destroy the lamp permanently. Also, please note that there is the other extreme which too cold water.

This might be a case, especially in winter, so please ensure that your water is not lower than 32F.

Conclusion

Based on the customers’ responses this system seems like a really reliable unit. You will definitely like the fact you will receive an additional UV lamp which makes it 2 years of worry-free purification.

VIQUA VH410M

Product Summary

My Rating:

94%

Price: Check the latest price

Key Features: Up to 34 GPM Pressure, Controller, UV Sensor, Lamp Replacement Reminder

Let’s have a look at the more complex UV system called VIQUA and see what it has to offer to you.

Previous systems are excellent with no doubts, but both of them are missing something, that this system has.

This something is a computer controller that monitors and controls the whole filter block.

First of all:

It has a flow trigger that turns on the lamp when the water flows into the chamber.

The sensor is excellent as it helps to save energy so no more unexpected electricity bills.

Also, the controller visually displays the remaining lamp life, which is great because you know exactly when to replace the filter.

The alarm will alert you when is the time to do so. There is an exciting feature that continuously monitors the UV intensity.

This is great as you know exactly how much of the UV light goes through the water.

Apart from that, the system has a safety feature that will automatically disconnect the power once you try to remove the lamp.

Sometimes we just don’t realize or forget to shut down electricity when changing the bulb, so this is definitely one of those useful features.

Enough said about the controller, let’s have a look at the other aspects of VIQUA.

The whole chamber is a solid build and can hold the flow up to 34 gallons per minute and the pressure of 125 psi.

The construction of the chamber is the same 304 stainless steel.

The lamp has a total power of 60 W and as a standard lasts roughly 9,000 hours. But as the controller does monitor it for you, you don’t need any reminder.

If you like this system already than hold on as the manufacturer backs this system up with an excellent 3 years warranty.

The warranty covers both the chamber and the controller. This is great, especially with the controller as electronic parts are really easy to break down.

Now:

I would like to evaluate what you are going to get the money. I mean this is definitely the excellent UV filter that will serve you for years, but what I want you to think of if it is actually worth the money.

Obviously, comparing to the previous two, this one is bigger and offers a controller, but it is also way more expensive.

This makes me wonder whether those features are worth the money or a cheaper alternative would be suitable enough.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a best of the best UV systems, then VIQUA is definitely going to serve this purpose.

If you are not looking for a top-notch system, then there are cheaper alternatives available, however, at the cost of features listed in this review.

Realgoal UV 6 GPM

Product Summary

My Rating:

79%

Price: Check the latest price

Key Features: Compact size, Extra lamp, LED and sound alarm

Since I am selecting the best UV filters available, I want to make sure to cover a whole range of the available products on the market. When I say the entire field, I mean options suitable for everyone.

So far, I have covered standard 12 GPM filters and advanced system that can hold 34 GPM flow and has all the fancy features such as alarm, reminder, safety, and much more.

Now:

I want to have a look at a system that is designed for people with a small property.

This system would be great for people living in a flat or small house, or just for someone who wants to install filter only in a kitchen or bathroom.

The Realgoal system is a small UV filter that is made to hold water flow up to 6 GPM. This should be enough to cover all your needs.

Due to its compact size, you won’t struggle to install it in a tight space.

The system comes with a lamp of 25W. What you would like is the fact that the manufacturer gives you an additional lamp.

The standard lifetime of the bulb is 1 year or 8000 hours, so with extra bulb its 2 years of worry-free filtration.

The chamber itself has a length of 23.4″ and is made of 304 stainless steel.

So, as you can see compared to previous systems that are 37″ long, this filter is compact.

The ballast that regulates the voltage of the lamp has a built-in faulty alarm that will notify you when the light is defective.

It will do so by sound and LED on the ballast itself.

Unfortunately:

There is no information provided about the warranty, and you will have to contact the seller to get more details.

Conclusion

This system is a perfect match for someone who lives in a small property. Due to its compact size, it will fit very limited space.

You will get what you are paying for and even slightly more as the system comes with an extra lamp, which means you won’t have to worry about it for 2 years.

ExpressWater 1 GPM

Product Summary

My Rating:

83%

Price: Check the latest price

Key Features: Small size to fit under the kitchen space, Applicable with RO system, Alarm alert

Since we are talking about a whole range of filters, I have decided to go even further than 6 GPM sterilizer.

So let’s have a look what this tiny 12″ filter has to offer and how you can benefit from it.

First and the most obvious thing you will notice about this system is its size. It has a 12″ length so it is tiny and it has a flow rate of 1 GPM so it won’t serve your whole house.

There is a 10″ lamp fitted inside with a lifetime of 4,500 hours. Comparing to the other systems you will have to replace the bulb every 6 months as it does not have the flow trigger and lamp works continuously.

No worries that you will forget about the replacement as there is a reminder alarm that will inform you whenever the UV lamp inside doesn’t perform to the required standard anymore.

The system comes with a food-graded chrome housing, and the good thing is that the system is NFS compliant, so there is nothing to worry about.

I would like to discuss a bit more about the usage of this system.

The manufacturer Express Water promotes this system as the great additional option for the reverse osmosis system that you can fit under your kitchen counter.

My concern is that the nature of reverse osmosis is to remove literally everything out of the water. This includes not only minerals and sediment but also bacteria and viruses.

So, having an additional UV system after the reverse osmosis simply does not make sense to me as the membrane removes everything out.

Personally, if I wanted to get a new stage after the RO filtration, I would go with the system that remineralizes the water.

It is necessary to have all the healthy minerals added back so you can have an excellent tasting and actually healthy mineral water.

Instead of using this filter with the RO system, I would use it in combination with whole house system as the system only removes sediment.

I would install this filter only in a kitchen or bathroom, so the sediment is removed by the big system in a whole house and bacteria are killed locally, most important in a kitchen.

Conclusion

If you have a whole house system that removes all the sediment it is a great idea to install this system in a kitchen and to get rid of all bacteria and viruses.

Although, with the whole house system, I would probably instead choose a large UV sterilizer that is mentioned earlier in this article.

Final Words

Usually, at the end of the article, I pick the best product. This time I will make the exception and won’t select the best UV sterilizer.

The reason for this is that each selection serves a slightly different purpose. HQUA, and VIQUA are all systems for the whole house disinfection.

VIQUA is different as it offers lots of features in its ballast such as UV lamp usage counter, flow sensor, and many more.

Realgoal and Express Water are small systems to serve individual location rather than whole property. Realgoal however, has a capacity of 6 GPM so you can purify water for the small property.

The second mentioned has a capacity of 1 GPM so it can only serve one particular location whether it is a kitchen or bathroom it’s up to you.

If you have found this article helpful, make sure to share it with your friends and family. Also, let me know in comments about your experience with UV filters and which one you are personally using.

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