Do whole house water ionizers exist? The short answer is no, not for residential purposes. Alkaline water brands, such as Essentia, have that capability since they mass produce ionized water.
However, there are no commercial water ionizers readily available for home use. Most likely, you found whole-house systems claiming to be “ionizers,” but these systems do not actually make ionized water. Instead, they merely boost pH, similar to an alkaline water filter pitcher.
A real water ionizer looks like this #ad:
In this article, you’ll discover the perfect alternatives to a whole house water ionizer and the reasons you wouldn’t want one in the first place.
What is a whole house water ionizer?
Similar to a whole house water filter, a whole-house ionizer ionizes all the water that enters your home at the point of entry. While this may sound great in theory, there are inherent drawbacks.
The Drawbacks of a Whole House Water Ionizer
Firstly, the best alkaline water machine for home use does not have a high enough flow rate. Additionally, it does not feature a holding tank.
Secondly, it’s best to drink alkaline ionized water fresh. You should drink it right when it’s ready or store it in a stainless steel vacuum-insulated water bottle in your fridge.
Third, the reason that water ionizers have a lower flow rate than other whole-house filtration systems is that they rely on the process of electrodialysis.
Since the most expensive part of an ionizer is the platinum-coated titanium plates, aka electrodes, a whole house water ionizer would come with a mighty-high price tag because the plates would need to be much larger than what’s found in a home ionizer.
Ultimately, when you consider the components of a whole house water ionizer and the three preceding points, it’s easy to realize that owning one is impractical.
Consider the Usefulness of Acidic Water
In addition to the preceding drawbacks, it’s also important to consider the benefits of acidic water. Did you know that your skin’s pH is naturally acidic?
For this reason, it’s better to shower in acidic water rather than alkaline ionized water.
A better method for filtering your shower water than a water ionizer is a chlorine shower filter or another filter that specifically targets contaminants that are most common in your tap water.
For instance, if you’re on municipal water, in most cases, you’ll want to target chlorine, chloramines, and/or fluoride.
On the other hand, if you’re on well water, you may want to target iron and other heavy metals.
Additionally, under-sink water ionizers produce both alkaline and acidic water, which gives you the best of both worlds. Most water ionizer owners use acidic water for household cleaning and skincare to reduce using products that contain chemicals.
Tip: If you want alkaline shower water consider installing an ionic shower head.
Alternatives to a Whole House Water Ionizer
Your best alternative is a traditional whole-house water filtration system. Our Aquasana vs Pelican comparison is a great resource to help you get a better idea of which system will suit your home and how they work.
Once you install a whole house system, then it’s time to choose between a countertop water ionizer and an under-sink model.
Alternatively, you may want to consider a reverse osmosis system with remineralization to get alkaline drinking water on tap.
However, it’s important to note that alkaline reverse osmosis water is not the same as alkaline ionized water.
Lastly, you may want to consider combining a different type of alkaline water filter with your whole house system. This way, you match your budget to the most suitable filter.
Conclusion
Currently, there are no true whole house water ionizers available mainly because they’re impractical. Plus, it’s important to note the reasons you wouldn’t want to install one anyway.
Your best bet is to install a traditional whole-house water filtration system and pair it with a water ionizer. Since there are both countertop and under-sink ionizers available, you’ll have no trouble landing on one.
