FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you are unsure of which system will best fit your needs, or what the quality of your water is, we highly recommend using the chat feature for assistance.
The Antunes Water VZN Ultrafiltration Systems greatly reduce turbidity (cloudiness), cysts, particulate matter, chlorine/chloramines, taste, and odor by using one of the smallest scale filtration membranes available to consumers. The Antunes Water Reverse Osmosis (RO) System cleans water by passing it through a semi-permeable membrane, reducing all contaminants at the atomic level.
By removing both suspended solids and dissolved contaminants such as chlorine/chloramines, the Antunes Water VZN Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis Systems will give your water a clean, crisp, and pure taste.
Yes, all Antunes Water Systems can be used with any potable water source. However, differences in water quality may require adjustments to the system settings. Please see the owner’s manual for your specific product for more information.
The Antunes Water VZN and Softener Systems require a standard 120V outlet. The systems only require a small amount of power to function, which will vary slightly depending on your specific model. The Antunes Water Reverse Osmosis System does not require electricity.
The vast majority of Antunes Water products are manufactured at our corporate headquarters, located in Carol Stream, Illinois, USA.
The Antunes Water VZN Systems have been tested and certified to NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, and 372. The Antunes Water Softener Systems have been tested and certified to NSF/ANSI standards 44 and 372. The Antunes Water Reverse Osmosis System has been tested and certified to NSF/ANSI standard 58.
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) is a global independent public health and environmental organization, and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) oversees the consensus for developing standards for manufacturing and procedures in the United States.
In addition, all Antunes Water products are subject to our rigorous quality assurance process that provides our customers with finely tuned, long-lasting products.
The VZN Ultrafiltration System supplies high quality and better tasting filtered water throughout your entire home. The VZN creates pristine water via ultrafiltration technology designed to remove particles as small as .015 microns (3,000 times smaller than a human hair). The VZN is self-cleaning and long lasting with minimal maintenance. The addition of a carbon filter on most models removes chlorine and other chemical contaminants, taking the water’s purity to new heights.
The VZN Ultrafiltration System will need to be installed near the entry point of the water line into your home. The space requirements vary by model, but a secure mounting place for the VZN that will be able to support 40 to 83 lbs. is required. A drain that will allow a 15 gallon-per-minute (GPM) flow rate is necessary (similar to the drain rate of a standard washing machine). No specialized tools are necessary to install the VZN, however those unfamiliar with home improvement may need to make a trip to the hardware store or get assistance from a plumber.
All VZN Ultrafiltration Systems are exceptionally low maintenance. Thanks to the automatic self-cleaning feature, the ultrafilter needs to be replaced only once every 5 to 7 years, depending on water quality. The carbon filter will need to be changed only once per year.
Yes, the VZN Ultrafiltration System is designed to supply high quality filtered water throughout the entire home.
VZN Ultrafiltration Systems that have a carbon filter will remove chlorine and chloramines. High-capacity carbon filters are required for proper chloramine removal.
The carbon filter on the VZN Ultrafiltration System is primarily used for chlorine and chloramine removal. However, it can also remove a wide variety of chemical contaminants in varying degrees of reduction that will help to eliminate unwanted taste or odor.
Neither are necessary, but both systems will significantly improve the quality of water in your home. A softener system will supply water that will never cause scale deposits and a Reverse Osmosis System will eliminate the vast majority of the unwanted dissolved minerals in the water.
All Antunes Water VZN Ultrafiltration Systems require at least 50 PSI and no greater than 100 PSI of water pressure at the inlet. If the inlet water pressure is lower than necessary, an appropriately sized booster pump is recommended to ensure the system functions correctly. The trans-membrane pressure (inlet pressure minus permeate water pressure) must not exceed 45 PSI.
A reverse osmosis (RO) system is a type of water purification system that uses pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane, separating out the dissolved solids at an atomic level. The result is extremely clean water that is ideal for drinking in terms of taste, odor, and purity. The Reverse Osmosis System uses a sediment pre-filter and multiple carbon filters which supply treated feed water to the system to prolong the life of the membrane.
A properly functioning Reverse Osmosis System will remove greater than 95% of the ions present in the water as it passes through the membrane. This process produces very pure drinking water.
Reverse Osmosis Systems are typically installed under a sink. A drain that will allow a 7.5 gallons-per-hour (GPH) flow rate is necessary. No specialized tools are necessary to install a Reverse Osmosis System; however, those unfamiliar with home improvement may need to make a trip to the hardware store or get assistance from a plumber.
The Antunes Water Reverse Osmosis System (WRO) requires a replacement of the sediment filter, carbon pre-filters, and carbon post-filter once every 6 months. The specialized membrane requires replacement every 2 – 4 years, depending on the quality of the feed water.
The Antunes Water Reverse Osmosis System can function without a softener or a VZN system. However, both the softener and VZN are recommended for producing the highest quality of water from the reverse osmosis process. When soft water feeds the reverse osmosis, it dramatically improves the lifetime of the specialized membrane by preventing it from becoming clogged with scale. The VZN can remove suspended solids and chlorine/chloramine before the water reaches the softener, prolonging the lifetime of the resin and valves in the softener and supplying ultrafiltered water to the entire home.
All Antunes Water Reverse Osmosis Systems require at least 40 PSI and no greater than 100 PSI of water pressure at the inlet. If the inlet water pressure is lower than necessary, an appropriately sized booster pump is recommended to ensure the system functions correctly.
Hardness in water refers to the presence of calcium and magnesium in the water. Both minerals commonly deposit on surfaces that come in contact with the water, especially when hot. Hard water leaves residue on dishes, clothing, and skin, and can decrease the efficiency of your water heater by depositing a layer of scale over the heating surfaces. Soft water has zero calcium and magnesium and will not deposit residue on the surfaces it comes in contact with.
A water softener removes calcium and magnesium via an ion exchange process. When the softener regenerates, the resin within becomes “charged” with salt (sodium chloride). As hard water passes through the resin, the calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water are exchanged with sodium attached to the resin. The result is water with a marginally higher sodium content, but no calcium or magnesium and zero potential for scaling.
Antunes Water recommends that a plumber assist with softener installation. The softener’s footprint will vary by model, please see the owner’s manual for your specific model for more information. The softener must have a drain that will allow for a 15 GPM flow rate (similar to the drain rate of a standard washing machine).
Water softeners have extremely low maintenance requirements overall. The salt must be replenished so that the softener can regenerate when it reaches capacity, and the ion exchange can continue.
This depends entirely on the amount of hardness in the water passing through the softener. A softener removing 20 grains per gallon will have to regenerate twice as often as a softener removing 10 grains per gallon. If you are unsure of the hardness in your water, we highly recommend ordering a water sample analysis kit from Antunes Water here.
A softener will use between 10 and 15 lbs. of salt per cubic foot of resin to regenerate. Since softeners are typically sized to regenerate around once per week, you can expect to use 10 – 15 lbs. per week for a smaller softener, or 20 to 30 lbs. per week for a larger softener.
No, a properly functioning softener will not make your water taste salty.
The Antunes Water Softener System can function on its own. However, installing a VZN Ultrafiltration System prior to the water softener will remove suspended solids and chlorine/chloramine before the water reaches the softener, prolonging the life of the resin and valves in the softener, and supplying ultrafiltered water to the entire home. Reverse Osmosis Systems pair well with a softener and will provide extremely high-quality drinking water.