Buying a water filtration system for your home is a crucial investment that you cannot afford to get wrong. Before settling on any model, you need to know not only how much it costs to buy but also the ongoing maintenance costs.
On average, you can expect to spend anywhere from $175 and $4,500 for a home water filtrations system. The actual cost will depend on the specific type you have, the capacity, and other things like the brand and whether you are doing DIY installation and maintenance or using a professional.
Here we look at the average costs of some of the most common home water filtration systems to help you decide which one suits your budget.
Filtration System | Budget |
|---|---|
Whole House Water Filtration System | $500 – $10,000 |
Reverse Osmosis System | $150 – $250 (low end), $1000 (high end) |
Under Sink Water Filter | $100 – $500 |
Countertop Water Filter | $50 – $300 |
Faucet Mounted Water Filter | $20 – $100 |
Pitcher Water Filter | $20 – $100 |
In this post:
Whole House Water Filtration System Cost
The whole house water filtration system is a point of entry (POE) system that will filter the water as it enters the home. When using this system, you have to connect it to your main water line. Once this is done, you will get filtered water from every tap in your house.
Overall, these are high capacity water filtration systems, and so it should be evident that they will cost relatively more to setup. These filtration systems will be available in models with different features and filtration capacities.
Purchase plus installation prices start at around $500 for a basic model suitable for small to medium size houses to over $10,000 for the more complex, high capacity ones. For the maintenance costs, you will need to buy filters every 6 to 12 months, and you can expect to spend $100 to $500 annually.
Reverse Osmosis System Cost
Photo: shelf.guide
Reverse osmosis filtration systems are available in both faucet-based and countertop systems. These water filters will force water through a semipermeable filter membrane to remove any dissolved solids before the water then passes through a postfilter to polish it further.
The complexity of these filtration systems will vary among different models and brands. Some will have extensive multi-stage filtration with five or more stages, while others will have as little as two. But one thing these systems have in common is that they will deliver one of the purest water without removing the minerals and oxygen.
When it comes to the costs, you can expect to spend between $150 and $250 for a low-end reverse osmosis system, while the high-end models will cost over 1,000 to buy and setup. For the maintenance cost, most RO systems will cost under $300 to maintain per year.
Read More: Reverse Osmosis System Cost
Under Sink Water Filter Cost
Photo: APEC Water Systems
Under sink water filters are a more basic type that will filter the water on demand. As the name suggests, these filtration systems are installed under the kitchen sink and will filter the water before it is dispensed on the faucet.
These water filters are popular for homeowners that want to filter drinking and cooking water. They are typically easier to install, with most not requiring any professional plumbing service. But, they also come in different styles, with most of them having multiple filtration stages for maximum efficiency.
Some reverse osmosis filters can also be under sink filtration systems, given their installation. You can get an under sink water filter for as little as under $100, but the more advanced models with multiple filtration stages cost up to $500 or more. For the maintenance, you will hardly spend over $100 per year with most models.
Countertop Water Filter Cost
Photo: NU Aqua
Countertop water filters are a more basic type that you place on your counter. These water filters can either be portable with a built-in water reservoir or require a connection to the water line that takes water to your faucet. But, both styles will often include a tap.
Overall, these units will hardly require any installation, and if the brand you buy does, it will be simple with only minimal plumbing skills required. But despite these being more ready to use units, they are still quite useful with some models also offering the efficiency of multi-stage filtration.
Depending on the brand and capacity of the countertop water filter, you can expect to pay between $50 and $300. In many instances, that is all you pay, as you will hardly need to spend any extra cash for installation. When it comes to maintenance costs, filter changes will hardly cost you more than $100 per year.
Faucet Mounted Water Filter Cost
Faucet-mounted water filters are designed for attachment to your faucet, which in most instances, is the kitchen faucet. Because these types will only filter water coming through the faucet line, they typically have a smaller filtration capacity. But, the good news is that they have a more straightforward design that will make DIY installation effortless.
Another advantage of these filters is that they will make it possible to switch between filtered and unfiltered water. Hence, you will only use the filter when you need filtered water, which can help prolong the life of the filters. Because the filters will often not require permanent installation, they are very convenient for those living in rented houses.
On average, these water filtration systems will cost between $20 and $100, and you will often not need to pay any installation cost. The maintenance costs depend on the price of the filter, but even if your model uses expensive, premium-quality filters, you will hardly ever spend more than $100 in maintenance annually.
Pitcher Water Filter Cost
Photo: thekitchn.com
Pitchers are one of the most basic water filtration systems. These are pitchers with a filter inside, and to use them, you will only need to pour in water from your kitchen faucet and allow it to pass through the filter element for the toxins and chemicals to be removed.
The filtered water collects at the bottom of the pitcher, and you can then pour it in a glass when you want to drink. The basic design of the pitcher filters makes them more affordable to buy and own, but on the downside, they are relatively slow.
The cost of a pitcher filtration system largely depends on its complexity and capacity, but you can get one for as little as $20. But, even the more complex and high capacity models will only cost between $50 and $100. Replacement filters are also inexpensive, and you will hardly ever spend more than $50 on your pitcher every year.
Conclusion
Besides being highly efficient and effective at filtering your water, a water filtration system also needs to be cost-effective. Hence, before settling on any type, it is crucial to understand all the costs associated with it, from the initial purchase to installation and maintenance costs.
With that in mind, you can get a water filtration system for as little as $20 if you go for the basic types like pitchers, while others like the whole house filtration system can cost thousands of dollars to buy and install. Hence, there is something out there for all budgets.