Where To Start?

While some people (myself included) have no problem drinking water straight from a garden hose, a lot of people prefer their water to be free of any flavors and minerals. One solution is to simply buy bottled water. While this does work, you’ll end up spending a ton of money in the long term, especially if you use it to cook with. Instead, we recommend installing a reverse osmosis system in your home to help get rid of the bad taste and smell from your water.

What You’ll Need

Adding in an RO system to your home is a fairly simple project that shouldn’t take up too much of your time. Most of the tools you need will probably already be lying around your home. A pipe cutter, hole saw, plumbers’ tape, drill, and some wrenches should be all you need to get started along with some 1/4” water line and the RO system itself. Alternatively, you can use 3/8” water lines to improve water volume and depending on your water pressure, you may or may not need a booster pump for your RO system.

Where To Install?

The most common place you’ll find an RO system is under the sink. This works great as it’s out of the way, hidden, and condensed to a singular location. That isn’t to say it’s the only or even the best place to install it. Having it under the sink takes up some of the already limited space and means you’ll be spending time under there every time you need to change a filter. If your layout allows it, having the RO system be either in the basement below where the sink is or in an adjacent room like a utility closet or garage will make changing things easier in the future.

Installation

Now that you know where you want to put the system, it's time to begin the installation process. Start by attaching the valve to the top of the storage tank, tightening only until snug. Remember to wrap a bit of Teflon tape around the treads to keep leaks from accruing at the connection.

Next, shut off the cold-water line and disconnect it up by the faucet. Connect the RO feed water adapter between the water line and the faucet tube, reconnecting the two. With the adapter in place, you can now attach the tubing that will serve as the systems water supply line.

Now that you have a way for clean water to go into the system, you’ll also need a way for wastewater to come out. Having the wastewater go directly to a nearby floor drain is ideal if your layout allows it, otherwise a drain saddle adapter is a good second option. To add the adapter, start by drilling a hole on top of the sink’s drainpipe, right around where the elbow is. The hole should be either 1/4” or 3/8” depending on the size of tubing you are using. Slide the gasket between the pipe and the saddle adapter and tighten it over the hole.

Drill a hole for the faucet in the left or right side of the main faucet. This is the most crucial step in the entire guide as the location you choose is permanent until you decide to change out the countertop. After finally deciding to put the faucet on the right side, use either a rubber washer or a bit of waterproof silicone between the counter and faucet before tightening it down.

Finally, it’s time to connect everything together. Start by connecting the water supply line to the RO filter system, followed by the wastewater line to the wastewater outlet on the RO membrane, the line from the membrane to both the reservoir tank and the post-filter, and finally, the line from the post-filter to the faucet.

• Water supply line —> Filter system

• Filter system —> Membrane

• Membrane waste outlet —> Wastewater line

• Membrane —> Post-filter & reservoir

• Post-filter —> Faucet

Final Notes

Before drinking any water, be sure to flush out the system by allowing the reservoir tank to fill completely with water and then draining it all out. It is recommended to do this at least twice, but some manufactures may recommend more. Depending on the size of the tank this can take multiple hours but with a little patience, you should be able to enjoy fresh clean water without having to pay for bottles.