Silicon versus Latex Caulking

...or this could be titled:

Shower Installation: Lesson Number 2...

Yes! there is a difference between silicon and latex caulking. Read your shower installation guide carefully. Silicon DOES NOT stick to some materials well. It fact it is rather poor at adhering to Polystyrene - this material from which many shower walls are made.

I discovered this in shower number one... Used the silicon stuff, in spite of reading the instructions to the contrary - and it did NOT stick forever! Six months later it came unstuck.

So in shower stall number two, latex caulking was used.

In fact I rather enjoy using the latex caulk much better for the following reasons:

• It is paint-able
  
• It cleans up with water
• Does not smell as bad
• Is not a pain to remove - and you will eventually have to remove it.
  

What has been your experiences with silicon or latex caulking? Which do you prefer?

;-)

Nailing into Drywall: A Hard Lesson!

With the final bit of clear caulking the second shower - the one in the basement bathroom is finally complete.

The shower itself was a snap to install. The mistake that I made was not remembering where the cold water supply to the toilet was.

Yep! You got it! When I was securing the shower base to the studs I drove a screw right into the cold water pipe. Took me a while but I finally figured out where all the water was coming from. You see - as is always the case - the leaking water doesn't show up anywhere near the place where the actual leak is. Oh No! It appears somewhere like in the next room -- making you think you have a leak in the foundation wall until you remember that it is -20 Celsius outside and there is just no way that there is any water flowing in from outside - or at least I didn't see any ice cubes...

Well to make a long story short, after ripping out the drywall above the water supply to the toilet I discovered my mistake. After cutting out the perforated pipe and replacing it, then re-plastering and priming and then painting the wall... yes two weeks later (remember I have been only working on weekends) I was able to install the shower.

Went like a charm... except for the leak.

The Lesson Learned:
Always use the wire/pipe guards to shield your wires and pipe that go through studs...

;-)

Installing a Tankless Water Heater

Installing the tankless water heater does require some expertise in assembling gas and water fittings. While installing pex is reasonably easy, these two taskes are certainly not in the realm of your everyday DIY'r.

WARNING: Not doing the gas piping right could be very dangerous and in many jurisdictions requires a certified professional to do the installation or at least test it BEFORE first operation.

But there are a few things you can do to make the job easier.

1) Use Pre-fab Pipe
Most of the big box home improvement stores will have all the black pipe materials in various pre-cut sizes and lengths that you need for this job so doing any cutting of pipe can be avoided or eliminated entirely. The stores will have all the pipe, values, nipples, T's, safety values and other parts. JUST BE SURE TO GET GAS RATED PIPE AND FITTINGS!

While black pipe is adequate for the gas pipe I recommend getting either stainless or galvanized for the water lines.

2) The Gas supply line
You will need to get and route the appropriate size (diameter) gas pipe from your outside source point to the hot water heater. The perfect pipe for this is the corrugated stainless steel tubing (csst) as that manufactured by Gastite. The material bends around corners similarly to PEX so you can run one continuous pipe without elbows. The only connections to be made are at the outside wall (to connect to your gas source) and at the water heater. THESE TWO CONNECTIONS ARE CRITICAL SO ONLY PROFESSIONS SHOULD MAKE THESE.

Using this corrugated pipe eliminated any of the work associated with running and connecting the black pipe normally used for the task.

3) Use the right tools
You simply must have the right tools to tighten these connections. A good set of pipe wrenches is essential.

4) Use plumbers putty
All the fittings must use the appropriate gas-rated putty for sealing the connections.

5) Testing is Absolutely mandatory
You need to test all the fittings for leaks using a soapy fluid.

Related Posts:
Installing Propane Gas at the Cottage
11 rules for venting a tankless water heater (gas)
3 reasons to use corrugated stainless steel tubing (csst)
;-)

Tips for Installing a Range Hood Vent

The range hood and the vent kit will both have instructions on how to install them. It has been my experience that the instructions are either poorly diagrammed or make some assumptions on your ability to improvise.

I am not going to tell you a different set of instructions but provide some things to consider that might make the task of installing both the range hood and the vent kit (the part that goes outside) a bit easier. AND help ensure the two match up.

CAVEAT: The tips I provide here relate only to the straight vent approach - that is thorough the wall.

The tips:

1) Assemble and dry fit the range hood
Make sure all the pieces at there. Actually install the hood and then mark the hole at the back of the range hood on the wall.

2) Drill four pilot holes
Using the hole you marked on the inside wall (in the first tip above) drill a hole at each of the four corners with a 1/4-inch bit that is as long as your wall is thick. This will likely mean you will need to get a drill bit that is approaching 1-foot in length. Drill these holes as level vertically and horizontally as you can manage.

3) Measure the box on the outside
Ensure the box, on the outside wall, now defined by the four holes you drilled above, have the same dimensions as the inside 'box'. Adjust accordingly.

4) Create the vent hole
Carefully cut the hole in the wall. Use a drywall saw on the inside and a jig saw on the outside wall. Take out only enough insulation in the wall to free the hole.

5) Be prepared to make your own wall tube
Make sure you have some sheet metal on hand to fashion a square tube in the wall. I disoverd that neither the range hood nor the vent kit I purchased were long enough to joint up. Also make sure you have duct tape to seal up all the cracks - we do not want all that bacon grease blowing inside the insulation.

6) Securing and sealing
Make sure you have at least 4 stainless steel screws to secure the vent kit on the outside. two and half inches in length should be long enough to bite in to the wall through the outside covering (like siding). And do not forget to caulk on the outside.

;-)

Installing Closet Shelving in Ten(10) Steps

I am a big fan of the wire shelving products on the market today. There are a number of manufacturers of which I know of two: Rubbermade and ClosetMaid. I know both are carried commonly at the big box stores like Home Hardware, Home Depot and Rona.

Things You'll Need:

• Closet shelf kit or material - get it at one of the places I mentioned above
• Drill
  
• Screwdriver
• Stud finder (not critical)
  
• Carpenter's level
• Hack saw
• Hammer
  
• Ladder (if needed)

Step 1 -- Measure and record the dimensions of your closet.

Step 2 -- Create a hand drawn diagram of the shelves - looking down from the ceiling

Step 3 -- Purchase closet shelf material or kit. Use the store clerk to pick out all the right materials you need. Get them to cut the material to the right lengths at the store.

Step 4 -- Place the top wire shelf horizontally at the highest point reachable or alternatively at least as high as coats and clothing you need to hang. Make a mark at this point. Use the level to mark a line from one end of the closet wal to the other.

Step 5 -- Install the wire shelf wall hangers along this line, at the space prescribed in the kit instructions.

Step 6 -- Snap the wire shelf in to the wire holders.

Step 7 -- While holding the shelf level, mark the locations for the shelf holders at each end of the shelf (against the two walls). Drill the holes and install the shelf holders. Hold the shelf above these holders while installing them and then just drop the shelf in place.

Step 8 -- If the shelf is longer than 3 feet then you will need to install some support arms. Dry fit them where they are needed to mark where the screw holes go. Then fasten the arms to the wall.

ASIDE: Try to fasten screws to studs (best) or use the special hollow wall fasteners. Find the studs using a stud finder.

Step 9 -- Place the end caps on all exposed wire shelf ends.

;-)

Planning for Great Basement Drainage

Creating great basement drainage starts way back in the planning stages.

This is the almost finished drain cover in the future laundry closet - in the basement. I was quite pleased with myself as the location was almost exactly where it needed to be.

Unless you are prepared to crack the concrete floor and install a drain, it is best to map out where your rooms are and where the plumbing needs to be BEFORE the basement floor is poured.

With plan in hand you can rough in all the needed drainage pipe - and do it with a reasonably amount of confidence.

TIP: Be sure to have enough pipe material sticking above the concrete - it is easy to cut it shorter - but a real pain in the butt to cut it longer...

Related Posts:
Plumbing tip: don't mix pipe types
Houston, We have a Concrete basement Floor...

;-)

3 Tips for creating a Pex Water Control Panel

Setting up a control panel for the cold water system is quite easy. Imagine doing this in copper! The soldering would be a nightmare... Pex pipe is definitely a DIY'rs dream

What we did is create a shut-off for each separate line to each location. In this case we have a separate line for each of:

• Each toilet (2)
  
• Upstairs shower
• Bath Tub and Sink (for upstairs)
• Kitchen
• Downstairs shower and bathroom sink

A few tips:

1) Use ball valve with 1/4 turn shut-off. With these you can see at a glance which are on and which are off. All in the picture are in the off position. The lever is in line with the pipe in the 'on' position.

2) Use a manifold that has the right number of nipples. This one has six, which is exactly what we needed.

3) Be sure to factor in a system drain. This is the cottage after all. If you are closing down the cottage for the winter it will be hugely helpful to have an easy way to drain the system for winter. In our setup the bottom pipe provides a means (off the picture) to drain the system.

Related Posts:
4 reasons why pex is a diy plumber's dream!
Pex versus copper piping: pros & cons

;-)

Easy Stair Railing Installation

There is another view of the hand railing we installed for the landing and the stairs. It was pretty much a cut and assemble job using pre-fab parts.

How we did it is outlined in detail in a previous post.

Related Posts:
6 Tips for a Professional Railing Installation
Waiting for spring...
;-)

Home Depot & Viqua: Amassing Waranty Service!

Two weekends ago the power supply for my TrojanUVmax UV filter just stopped working, for no apparent reason. I went through all the troubleshooting steps in the manual - still kaput! I disconnected it and brought it home with me, confident that with a five year warranty I was looking at a no cost replacement.

At first I thought I was about to get the warranty run-around between the manufacturer and the dealer. You see I purchased the UV unit through Home Depot online. The manual and warranty stated I should call Trojan, which turned out to be Viqua, a Trojan subsidiary. So call I did.

I didn't wait long on the phone and I was speaking with a a real person at Viqua. A polite fellow, Marc, took all the details, serial number, part number, and asked where I got it. Then I got a bit worried. He stated that it was their policy that all warranty requests need to be processed through the dealer from which I purchased the unit, in this case, Home Depot online.

So I went to the Home Depot website, searched and found a telephone number to call. After another short wait I was greeted by a spunky gal, in customer support at homedepot.ca. Discovering that I have purchased the unit almost a year ago, she informed me that Home Depot only handles warranty returns only for the first three month.

Then I got a bit concerned! Was I about to go into warranty limbo, tossed between the various supply chain players?

I was then pleasantly surprised when after being put on hold for a time, a long time actually (I was getting even more worried), the Home Depot gal came back on the line. She had been speaking with the Viqua people, Marc to be specific, and had solved the issue, right then and there. Marc would be calling me back with a solution.

Sure enough, Marc called two days later, and said they would be replacing the unit, but that it might take a bit as they were low on parts, but expecting a shipment by the end of November. Then I was put on hold... Turned out it was a worthwhile wait, as Marc informed me they had been able to find one.

Marc then apologized that I would be responsible for the shipping cost for me to return the damaged unit but that I would receive a new unit ASAP. I was pleased to pay for the shipping!

ASAP really did mean ASAP!

I packaged the damaged unit up, and after giving Canada Post $11.99 sent the registered and insured package last Thursday - late in the day.

I was totally surprised, and delighted to no end, when I received the new replacement first thing on Friday morning. Now that is ASAP service! The two packages must have past each other in the system...

I quickly opened the box to discover that Vique had sent the new model of power supply as a replacement. Basically does the same thing but in a nicer, more user friendly format. On further inspection the power cord was not in the package - I had sent the one I had with the damaged unit.

I quick call to Marc at Viqua, and the problem was resolved - a new power chord would be sent ASAP - and again it was - Monday morning it came! Plus Marc emailed me the manual for the new model.

This is how service should be!

Here are my observations:

1) Both Home Depot and Viqua took responsibility
2) Home Depot took the lead resolving the impasse, but Viqua delivered
3) It was fast!
4) The people were very pleasant and very service oriented.

As a result, both Home Depot and Viqua (Trojan) will have a fan and champion - I tell everyone about my great experience.

Coming Up:
This weekend I am up to the Cottage - the task at hand is to continue installing the basement bathroom: vinyl floor, toilet, plumbing for the shower and sink. Subsequent trips will address: installing the shower stall, the molding for the baseboards, door and window, and also a cover for the basement jack post.

Related Posts:
Creating Clean Water at the Cottage
;-)

6 Tips for a Professional Railing Installation

A professional looking stairway and landing railing can be accomplished even by the woodworking novice. Here are the key tips to success:

1) Prefab: The key trick is to buy pre-made railing materials!

I actually used materials from two styles of railing. I used the posts and rail from one and the rot iron balusters from another style.

Buy the materials from one of the big box stores and ask for help in selecting what you need. Bring an exact measurement of the stair and landing. They will take it from there.

Take a picture of the location, from several angles, and bring it with you

2) The 3.5-inch rule. In most jurisdictions the balusters must be no further apart than 4 inches.

3) Measure Twice - Cut Once. This stuff is expensive - always check your measurements. It is difficult to cut it longer.

4) Use SHARP Drill bits! The tolerances are very close when drilling the hide-y holes for the connecting hardware. Use the right size, and type of drill bits, and make sure they are sharp. Be patient when drilling - check your dept of hole often.

5) Dry fit and layout your pieces often. Get a second pair of hands and temporarily stand the railing. Does it look right?

6) Get Matching Touch-up Paint! YES! You are going to make a mistake, chip a rail, or need to paint your end cuts.

;-)

10 Tips for Installing the Kitchen Sink

This was my third kitchen sink that I had installed -- so it was becoming old hat...

But no time to become cocky!

Still it is important to be very fearful of what you are about to do... That is cutting a big hole in the counter-top that you just paid big bucks for and painstakingly installed. One wrong measurement, a slip of the saw and all that $$$ could be down the drain... so to speak.

Here are a few tips that make for a mistake free, prefect cut::

1. Use the supplied cutting template that comes with the sink. My advice is if one didn't come then take it back and upgrade to a higher quality sink (and supplier)
2. Mark the center line of the template and line that up perfectly with the gap between the two doors in front of the sink. Or if there is only one door measure to the center of that door.
3. Center the template so that the front and back of the template clear the support infrastructure for the counter-top (in the base cabinet). It is very difficult to cut through both the counter-top and the structure under it PLUS you would be weakening the support for the counter-top.
4. Draw the line around the template with a permanent marker - a nice 1/4 inch line... Believe me you will appreciate it with all the saw dust you are about to create...
5. Remove the template and use painter's tape to protect (the stuff that comes off easily) the outside of the line you just made. I would suggest at least 1-inch wide. This is so the jig saw doesn't mar the surface.
6. Dry fit the sink - but upside down on the counter-top. Does the sink have enough clearance at the back against the splash? Enough clearance at the front? Does it look centered?
7. Use a 5/8" or 3/4" drill bit to make pilot holes for the jig saw blade. Drill these holes on the inside of the line! Don't be stingy drill a hole in each corner...
8. Support the piece you are about to cut before it comes crashing down.
9. Make sure to have at least two jig saw blades - you are going to break at least one!
10. Wear eye protection!
    

Related Posts:
Installing a kitchen countertop: a few tips...
;-)

Making Space in A small Cottage Bathroom

Sometimes space is at a premium in a Cottage. A good example is the bathroom.

We are in the middle of adding a second, much smaller bathroom to complement the two bedrooms in the basement. Our checklist included:

• Toilet
• Sink/Vanity
• 38" x 38" Shower stall

In a 6' x 7' space this could be a tight fit.

Fortunately we were able to final a low profile sink and vanity combination. As you can see in the (rather poor) photograph we have used vanity which is only half as deep as the more common versions. To provide the same sink real estate the bowl sticks out over the vanity.

The effect is fabulous!

It provides a full function vanity and sink taking up only half the usual space. The room feels positively airy

Suppliers:
We purchased the vanity/sink combination from Home Hardware. The faucet we purchased at Home Depot.
;-)

Snow Shovel time! and Chrismas bells are ringing...

The weather was actually beautiful for this time of year (this past weekend) up at the Cottage. It was an unseasonably warm 15 to 17 degrees Celsius -- short sleeve weather!

Still I needed to do a bit of shoveling to clear the ramp and the stair up to the front door.

...and of course it was natural act to just to leave the shovel by the front door -- after all I will likely be needing it the next time we are up to the Cottage.

Another sign of the season is the preparation and decoration leading up to Christmas. As you can see in the picture to the right I put up a traditional spruce bow Christmas wreath to keep the shovel company.

Coming Up:
In the next few trip up the Cottage I intend to complete the downstairs bathroom. That will involve pretty much the same installation as the main bathroom - just in a small space and without a tub.

I will be installing:

• A shower stall,
• Toilet,
  
• A sink/vanity, and
• vinyl flooring.
  

Related Posts:
The Snow has Arrived: November 7th
;-)

Building a Poop Deck for the BBQ

One fun project was building this poop deck to house the BBQ.

We purchased one of those higher end (Not the top end) stainless steel BBQs, and it just didn't fit as well as the old smaller previous one...

...and for sure as it was at least three times bigger.

While the side deck is 4.5 feet wide, it gets cramped when the BBQ is there - where we wish to store AND use it...

And we didn't wish to have it under the Gazebo as we deemed that rather dangerous!

So I built a bit of an extension tot he side deck to house the BBQ.

As guests say - cute... I say practical...

;-)

10 Tips for Installing a Kitchen... Part 3/3

In the previous 2 posts we discussed the first 3 tips:

1) Understand what you need/want in the Kitchen
2) Design, Plan
3) Prepare the site

4) Understand your capabilities
5) Use the right tools
6) Shop around

Here are the last 4 tips:

7) Get Muscle
Unless you are superman,assembling and installing cabinets is a two person job, not necessarily a two man job, so yes a couple can do it. So get help... a wife, brother, son, or in law...

8) Be patient
It takes time to assemble the cabinets, and even more time to install them. Double or even triple your estimate. After all you do not wish to make a mistake with expensive cabinets. Be sure to measure twice, and READ the instructions!

9) Follow the steps
The order of assembly and installation is generally important very important.

• Do the wall cabinets first then the base cabinets
• Start in the corner and work outwards
  

10) Don't argue
My wife added this one. She thinks it is the most important tip!

Suppliers mentioned:
IKEA
Home Depot
RONA

Related Posts:
Cottage on the Edge: How to Make Quiet Kitchen Drawers!
Cottage on the Edge: Quiet Cupboard Doors!
installing a cottage kitchen
installing a kitchen countertop: a few tips...
the kitchen construction site
We Have Water!

;-)

10 Tips for Installing a Kitchen... Part 2/3

In the previous post we discussed the first 3 tips:

1) Understand what you need/want in the Kitchenen't living there 24/7 or at least not 2) Design, Plan
3) Prepare the site

Here are a few more tips

4) Understand your capabilities
Now you have to be honest with yourself with regards to your capabilities. Installing the various elements of a kitchen involves electrical, plumbing, woodworking, leveling, drilling, sawing, and lots of patience. If you feel you are lacking in one or more of those, don't fret just get help,

There are ways of doing the kitchen to get around some of these:

• Hire an electrician
• Hire a plumber
• Hire a mason
  
• Buy pre-built cabinets
• Buy a pre-built counter-top
  
• Get your handy brother-in-law to help
  

5) Use the right tools
The tools you need depend on what element you are doing and what materials you are using. But these are the key ones:

• Hammer
• Various screw drivers
• Drill with a set of drill bits, hole saw and screw bits
• level (4-foot and torpedo)
• pencils
• Jig saw
  

6) Shop around
So where do you buy the materials? Whether you use a big box store like RONA, Home Depot and IKEA or go to a specialty store (for instance for custom cabinets) depends on your budget and your levbel of DIY capability. Many of the big box stores catter to DIY and can suply the complete 'kit' necessary, and even help in the design -- and provide contractors to help in various parts of the job if necessary.

Because I am handy I was able to eliminate the cost of the labour, so much of my efforts were focused on getting the most cost effective cabinets - those that I could afford and at the same time my partner liked. We chose IKEA: they produce great looking cabinets that are both easy to assemble but affordable - not the cheapest but great value for your dollar.

Coming:
In the next post we discuss the last 4 tips

Suppliers mentioned:
IKEA
Home Depot
RONA

Related Posts:
Cottage on the Edge: How to Make Quiet Kitchen Drawers!
Cottage on the Edge: Quiet Cupboard Doors!
installing a cottage kitchen
installing a kitchen countertop: a few tips...
the kitchen construction site
We Have Water!

;-)



Coming Up:

Related Posts:

;-)

10 Tips for Installing a Kitchen... Part 1/3

We intentionally choose to have a compact kitchen for a few reasons, but the key reason was space. We wished to have as much room for people as possible.

This is the second kitchen I have designed and installed from scratch. Along the way I have learned a few useful lessons:

1) Understand what you need/want in the Kitchen
Before you start any designing or shopping be sure to gather all the information you need for making informed decisions on design such as:

• How are you going to use the kitchen?
  Gourmet meals or vacation fare - and remember you are going to have a BBQ...
  

• What appliances?
  (stove: gas or electric; fridge: ditto; microwave; dishwasher (ugh!); range vent)
  

• What size of appliances do you need"
  Remember this is the cottage - you aren't living there 24/7 or at least not yet...
  We choose 24" appliances - not only are they cute, they are very space saving

• What do you need to store?
  (dishes, pots/pans, glasses, mugs, dry foods, can goods, etc... and do not forget the small appliances: the toaster, kettle, Martguerita maker...
  

• Dealing with garbage and recycled material, and then is composting

• What can you afford? - the most important question!
  

2) Design, Plan
The best thing we did is get one of those designing layout forms. Those are those things with all the lines on them. You use it to layout to scale the design. We actually used an online layout tool that IKEA has. This works well if you are intending to buy your cabinets from IKEA.

But then there is a bunch of things you have to do:

• Get exact measurements for all the opening (doors, windows, etc) in the kitchen area. Remember this includes any molding around them. REMEMBER I said exact measurements.
  
• Decide what materials you want for the cupboards, the counter-top, the back-splash
• Where do need lighting including overhead, and under the wall cabinets.
• Are you going to have a valence on top and/or under the wall cabinets?
  

Then there is the triangle rule. That rule states that you should design the position of the fridge, stove and sink so that they form a triangle.

Coming:
In the next post we discuss the next 3 tips

Suppliers mentioned:
IKEA
Home Depot
RONA

Related Posts:
Cottage on the Edge: How to Make Quiet Kitchen Drawers!
Cottage on the Edge: Quiet Cupboard Doors!
installing a cottage kitchen
installing a kitchen countertop: a few tips...
the kitchen construction site
We Have Water!

;-)

Safe Water at the Cottage: Revers Osmosis - Part 3 of 3

The reverse osmosis system I used came as a complete system. All I needed to do was:

1. connect all the hoses
2. insert the filters in the appropriate cartridge holders
3. Install the system under the kitchen sink which consisted of a) drilling a hole in the counter for the faucet, b) installing the faucet, c) securing the cartridge set to the inside of the cupboard, and d) inserting a battery in the filter timer.
   

The Reverse osmosis system that I installed has a Five Stage Purification Process:

STAGE I: Sediment 5 Micron : Removes dirt, sediments, sand, and other physical particles.

STAGE II: Granulated Activated Carbon Filter: Reduces chemicals, such as chlorine, that may be in your water supply.

STAGE III: Carbon Block: Further reduces organics, odors, and other chemicals that might be present in you water supply.

STAGE IV: Reverse Osmosis Membrane: 50 gallon per day membrane removes 93-97% of dissolved mineral salts and other contaminants in the water supply.

STAGE V: Post Carbon Filter: A final polishing process that enhances and clarifies your drinking water.

My Supplier/Manufacturer:
Watts Canada

Related Posts:
Use the search on the Blog - search on Reverse Osmosis
;-)

Safe Water at the Cottage: Reverse Osmosis - Part 2 of 3

What is Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse osmosis (R/O) is a water treatment process in which water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane that has very small holes or "pores". Clean water passes through and impurities that are too big to pass through the membrane are left behind and flushed away.

How does Reverse Osmosis Work?
Reverse osmosis systems purify water by forcing pressurized water through a very fine, plastic membrane. If the raw water being treated comes from a well or another private source, disinfection and pre-filters (to remove chlorine and/or particulates/sediment) may be needed in advance of the R/O unit to remove contaminants that can foul or damage the membrane.

Stages of reverse osmosis:

1. During the initial filtration stage, tap water or well water (pressurized by a booster pump or pressure tank) is passed through a particle filter (a pre-filter) that removes silt, sediment, sand, and clay particles that might clog the R/O membrane.
2. The water is then forced through an activated carbon filter that traps minerals and contaminants such as chromium, mercury, copper, chloramine and pesticides. It also removes chlorine, which is important, as chlorine will shorten the life of the membrane.
3. Water is transferred under pressure into the R/O module, allowing only clean water to pass through the small pores in the membrane. Impurities unable to pass through the membrane are left behind and flushed down the drain.
4. Treated water is then sent to a storage tank.
5. Treated water is passed through an activated carbon filter before use to further improve the water's taste and smell.

Water that contains manganese, hydrogen sulphide or iron should be pre-treated to extend the life of the membrane. In fact the reverse osmosis package (system) that I purchased has 4 other filters to take out nasty stuff before it gets to the RO membrane.

Other URLs explaining Revers Osmosis:
How does Reverse Osmosis Work? (this explanation is really great!)
Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment (From the CMHC website)
What chemicals do Reverse osmosis remove?

Coming Up:
In Part 3, I show and describe my RO system

Related Posts:
Use search on the Blog and look for Reverse Osmosis
;-)

Safe Water at the Cottage: Reverse Osmosis - Part 1 of 3

In previous posts I have outlined the various filters I have installed. At the risk of sounding like I went overboard - and I probably did -- I installed one final water filtering system under the kitchen sink.

The system is a complete system called a reverse osmosis water filter. In part 2 of this series I will describe how reverse osmosis - as well as the other components of the system -- work.

In the picture to the right you can see two facets running. The one on the left is delivering water filtered by the main filter system I have describe in previous posts. The facet on the right delivers water that is filtered through the reverse osmosis system.

The water from the reverse osmosis system has actually flowed thought 9 filters - 4 belonging to the house water filtering system and 5 more associated with the reverse osmosis system installed under the kitchen sink.

So which was cleaner water?

Well it turns out - I tested both - that the water through the main water filter system is prefect - not bad stuff at all.

So yes it appears the reverse osmosis system may have been over kill.

Still I get great reviews from visitors about how good the water tastes...

Coming Up:
In part 2 I discuss how reverse osmosis works

Related Posts:
Creating Clean Water: Adding a Sediment Filter
Creating clean water: ge household filter
We Have Water!
Creating Clean Water: UV Filters
;-)