Reverse Osmosis FAQ

Another word for minerals in water is limescale. Depending on the type of water filtration you choose limescale may be removed from your water. Reverse osmosis is the only effective water filtration process for removing limescale other than water softening which is a whole house solution as opposed to filtration for drinking water.
Reverse Osmosis filtration will eliminate that limescale scum found on your cup of tea and return the interior of your kettle to near new.
Carbon filtration focuses on tastes and odours removing chlorine from the water after it has done its job but before we drink it.

First of all, the smallest microplastics measured  in tap water are about 2.5 microns, although most considerably bigger. It’s important to understand the size as this will impact the type of filtering required.

There are three types of filters that will help remove microplastics of this size:

Granular Activated Carbon  filters: Will remove some but not all microplastics.

Carbon Blocks  filters:   will remove up to 100% of all known microplastics.

Reverse Osmosis filters: Can filter down to to 0.001 micron so will remove all known microplastics.

Of the Gulp range of filtration units ONLY Reverse Osmosis filtration is certified by the manufacturer to remove fluoride from the water

To remove Cryptosporidium a filter must have a rating of 1 micron or less. Cryptosporidium is a cyst that is resistant to chlorine.Reverse Osmosis filtration has a rating down to .001 microns.

Our supplier maintain that the RO membrane will remove a minimum of 96% of organic contaminants and chemicals from the water. These include: Pesticides and herbicides such as DBCP; industrial chemicals like PCBs, THMs, TCE; heavy metals like lead, copper, zinc, arsenic; nitrates , and other organics, etc.

Only 1% of water supplied to your home is used for drinking or cooking this makes it very difficult to treat all mains water to a high standard. It is however in most cases chlorinated to make it safe. We recommend filtering the 1% for drinking and cooking to the highest possible standard at the kitchen sink.

Water filtration improves the quality of your tap water by how much depends on the choice of water filter that you make. The benefits of filtering water for you are the same for your baby. Reverse osmosis systems are very effective in the purification of your tap water however it is always reccomended that you follow medical or baby food manufacturers guidelines.

All filters should have a shut off valve under the sink. It makes sense to turn this off if you are away on holiday. If your filter is powered by electricity it is also good practice to turn off the power to the system.
When you return from holiday and turn the power and water back on to the unit let your unit run for one or two litres or in the case of a reverse osmosis system until the tank is empty.

In the unlightly event of a leak turn off the water to the system at the mains pipe, if necessary turn off the power to the system and drain the system of water to release any water pressure.Contact your nearest Gulp Service provider.
Note:Be aware that water pipes are colder than the air surrounding them and it is common that condensation can build up on pipes giving the impression of a leak.

It depends on what you mean by waste.
A home RO unit uses water to clean itself and wash away impurities. It’s like a lot of other water-using appliances. We use water to wash clothes, to wash dishes, to wash cars, to wash windows, to flush toilets.
A reverse osmosis unit uses more water in its operation than you actually consume, but it doesn’t use enough that you’ll notice it on your water bill. It uses water only while it’s filling its storage tank. When the tank is full, the whole unit shuts down and no water runs to the drain.
The actual amount of waste water produced depends on the quality, pressure and temperature of the source water. Our suppliers advice is that reverse osmosis typically produces between one and three litres of waste water for every one litre of filtered water produced.
Reverse osmosis filtration systems are fitted with pressure switches and shut off valves to ensure that production stops when there is no demand from the system or when the reserve tank is full.

As a guide a reverse osmosis filtration system in an average household with typical water quality, pressure and temperature will require one to two flushes of a toilet per day in waste water to meet their drinking and cooking needs.
The alternative of course is to step down the quality of the filter to a system which is restricted in its performance because it has to retain impurities as opposed to flushing them away.
In the final analysis the waste water produced is exactly that.
If you feel that the level of waste water outlined is unacceptable please contact us and we can discuss your options which may incur an additional cost to your annual service.

Reverse Osmosis filtration is the best available, however if your water supplier tells you not to drink the water being supplied it would be unwise to go against that advice. The only sure way to know if you can go against advice not to drink tap water is to test your water continually. There is no other way of guaranteeing the quality of your water from the tap or the filter. Gulp reverse osmosis systems are designed for use on water supplies which are free from bacteriological contamination. Bacteria in your water can take hold in your water system and filters over time. Regular servicing and sanitation of your water system is essential to the ongoing performance of your filter.