Activated carbon vs sediment filters: What’s the difference?

If you recently brought home a new water purifier, or have been drinking filter water for some time, it was likely filtered with either an activated carbon filter or a sediment filter. These are the two most commonly used filters for water purification since they not only remove harmful compounds in water but also improve the quality of your drinking water. 

While they might serve the same purpose – that of purifying your water, there are a couple of differences between them.  And like with any other appliance, there are times when one may get confused between the two options, and struggle to decide which one of them is the right fit for their home. Worry not, for we’re here to help you with just that.  

Activated carbon vs sediment filters

The fundamental difference between an activated carbon filter and a sediment filter boils down to how they treat water.

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They both do the job of providing filter water very well but they both serve different functions.  

Activated carbon filters  

An activated carbon filter is used to filter volatile organic compounds that can affect the smell and taste of water. It removes impurities such as chlorine, chloramine, lithium, herbicides, pesticides, and phosphate. These filters work with the help of activated carbon created from raw organic materials such as coal or coconut shells. When unfiltered water enters the carbon filter, organic compounds are attracted by the activated carbon and they stick to it while the filtered water flows out of the filter. 

Sediment filters 

A sediment filter, on the other hand, is used to prevent dissolved physical particles from floating in the water and capture larger particles, including sediment, sand, silt, and rust. These dissolved physical particles include dirt, clay, sand, soil, and other physical contaminants. 

It relies on a surface media with porosity to remove any dissolved physical impurities. The inside of a sediment filter, which is cylindrical in shape, pushes water against a surface media with pores. The water can enter the pores while any dissolved physical impurities are left behind. The size of these pores is determined by a micron rating so any physical impurities bigger than the micron rating will not be able to enter. 

Activated carbon vs sediment filter: Effectiveness and cost

Both activated carbon filters and sediment filters are effectively able to remove contaminants from your water supply. A carbon filter is capable of removing up to 99 per cent of organic compounds contaminating water. In comparison, a sediment filter’s effectiveness depends on the micron rating and it will trap any impurity larger than the indicated micron rating. 

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Most of the dissolved physical particles in water are too small to be seen with your naked eye and a sediment filter prevents these microscopic impurities from entering your filtered water. Their effectiveness is also not impacted by their cost, since they are inexpensive to buy and maintain. If you have an RO water purifier then you need to replace the sediment filter and the carbon filter once every six months.  

The effectiveness of these filters also depends on their regular maintenance, with a clogged filter cartridge losing its effectiveness immediately. For best results, both activated carbon filters and sediment filters are installed simultaneously to offer clean drinking water. If you follow routine maintenance then both the filters could last you longer than their recommended lifespan. 

Activated carbon vs sediment filter: Which one is right for you?

It isn’t easy to choose between an activated carbon filter and a sediment filter since they both have different purposes in the process of purifying water. Before choosing between the two, you will need to further understand your water supply and even the impurities present in them. 

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A better option is to not choose between the two and get a two-stage system. It begins with a sediment filter to catch dirt particles present in the water. The clean water from the sediment filter is then forced through the carbon filter where all the volatile organic compounds are removed. 

When used independently, a sediment filter and an activated carbon filter will effectively remove certain types of impurities. However, when used together, a sediment and a carbon filter will remove all the volatile compounds and sediments to deliver clean drinking water enriched with taste and smell.