Many customers ask me why you need a filter on the water meter at all, if there's already a system under the sink. It's a good question, and the answer is that they do two completely different things.
Where limescale comes from
Drinking water in Israel is treated by the water corporations, goes through chlorination and reaches the home with the required minerals. Along with them come calcium and magnesium — and they form limescale. The hotter the water, the faster the deposits form, which is why you see it mainly in the kettle, the solar water heater, shower enclosures, the washing machine and the dishwasher.
What limescale does in the home
Beyond the stains and the inconvenience, limescale sits on the heating elements of electrical appliances. This increases electricity consumption, shortens the life of the appliances, and builds up in the pipes and faucets. A washing machine or dishwasher that runs for years on hard water pays for it — and you pay after them.
Main-line filter vs under-sink system
This is the key difference, and it's worth understanding before buying:
- A filter on the main water line — installed near the water meter, and all the water entering the home passes through it. Including the shower, washing machine, dishwasher and faucets.
- An under-sink system — treats only the drinking water, at one faucet in the kitchen. Its filtration depth is much higher, but it doesn't touch the rest of the home.
In short: if your problem is the taste of the water you drink — the solution is an under-sink system. If the problem is limescale destroying appliances — the solution is a whole-house filter. Many homes install both, and that's perfectly fine.
Israeli Standard 1505 — what it means
This is the Standards Institution's standard for home drinking-water treatment systems. It includes dozens of tests, and the product is re-tested once a year — not a one-off test that stays valid forever.
When you're sold a filter without a standard being mentioned, ask. It's not a minor technical detail; it's what separates a tested product from a box with a cartridge inside.
Four checks before buying
- Whether the filter and cartridge are approved under Standard 1505.
- Whether the filtration is intended for drinking water only or for the whole home.
- Whether the filter reduces limescale, or only stops particles. These are two different things.
- How often the cartridge is replaced, and whether spare parts are available in Israel. A filter whose spare parts are ordered from abroad will cost you dearly later on.
What we install
Amiad filters — Super, Alpha and Compact — are made in Israel, carry Standards Institution approval under Standard 1505, and reduce limescale using a Siliguard cartridge. Spare parts are available here, and that matters on the day you need to replace one.
And if you already have a system at home — it's worth reading how often to replace a filter, because a filter that isn't replaced on time doesn't just stop working.
Want to know what suits your home?
Send me a photo of the water cabinet or the water meter and I'll honestly tell you what you need and what you don't. No obligation.
BEILIN H2O installs and maintains water systems in homes and businesses nationwide — Yaniv Beilin, 052-595-8465.
