Living in a cabin home comes with its benefits. For one, you get to enjoy a minimalist lifestyle. Your expenses are down to a minimum, and you can even live off the grid if you want.
However, there are some home necessities that you may find difficult to enjoy when you live in a cabin. For instance, if you live in an off-grid cabin, you’ll most likely have no access to municipal water sources. As a result, you may have to look elsewhere for water, including places with questionable hygiene.
On the other hand, you could have access to municipal water sources, but since cabin homes are usually small, you may lack the space needed to accommodate traditional water treatment systems.
If you’re here, you’re probably wondering how to fit a water filter system into your cabin home. Don’t worry–cabin home plumbing isn’t as complex as it seems, and enjoying filtered water in your cabin is possible. Stick with us, and we’ll show you the different filtration systems suitable for cabins and how to organize them to fit perfectly in your space.
How to Install a Water Filter in Your Plumbing Line
Before attempting to add a filter component to your plumbing, you must ensure you understand the plumbing system and everything is in place. How you install the filter depends on your needs and your cabin’s design. Here are a few basic things to note before doing the installation process:
- Water tanks
Many tiny houses, like cabins, operate with three tanks: a freshwater tank, a gray water tank, and a black water tank. The gray water tank is for all the wastewater that is not sewage, like water from washing dishes or showering. The black water tank collects waste from the toilet. The freshwater tank, however, is where the clean water is. From this tank, you take water for everyday needs like drinking, showering, laundry, dishes, and other things. So, if you install a filter, it should connect to the freshwater tank pipes. The freshwater tank is usually kept inside the home, at a central location where it can be connected to all your appliances.
- Inlet
An inlet is the part of your plumbing freshwater passes through to enter the home. Sometimes, it may be directly connected to your plumbing system to distribute water around the house. Other times, it just fills your freshwater tank with water. A two-inlet system is possible where one inlet fills the tank, and the other distributes water around the house. It’s essential to locate where the inlet is before deciding to install the filter.
- Drain
The drain is the part of the plumbing system that transports waste to the septic tank available. Usually, It’ll be connected to the gray or black water tank if you’re off the grid.
The drain does not share a hose with the freshwater tank. So always keep the two hoses apart to avoid contaminating the freshwater.
Once you’ve understood your plumbing system and its components, installing the filter in your home will be easier.
Water Filters for Cabin Homes
The best filters to use in small cabin homes are those with simple and portable designs. Here’s a list of some of the most suitable options:
- Inline filters
An inline filter is a type of filter that is installed in the water line. Its sole purpose is to filter water before it gets to your tap. In the case of off-grid cabins, inline filters are connected to the piping from the freshwater tank. This filter provides a layer of defense against the minerals and debris in your water supply. In addition, it is easy to use and replace and very affordable.
Did you know, there are inline filters specifically designed for well water!
- Canister filters
Canister filters filter water effectively and help resolve issues of taste, odor, and sediments in your water. They usually come in two types: standard and full-system canister filters. While you can customize standard canister filters to your taste, the full-system canisters are larger and already have a filtration system.
If you decide to purchase one, go for the two or three-canister filters that will resolve sediment, odor, and taste issues all at once.
- Under sink filters
Under-sink filters are perfect for cabin homes. They have space-saving designs and are effective in providing clean water. Just as the name implies, they are installed under the sinks in your home. They’ll usually not even take up to half of your cabinet space. Since they are point-of-use systems, they are installed at the point where you need clean water. Different types are available to solve any contaminant problem in your water.
- Faucet filters
Faucet filters can be attached directly to your faucet. They’re a great option if you don’t have any room for a bigger filter. They provide clean water for you on the go and save the stress of waiting for water to get filtered before using it. Faucet filters usually use an activated carbon filter element that absorbs chemicals and pesticides in water. They come in two types:
- Mounted filters attached to an existing faucet
- Built-in filters come as a whole faucet with an installed filter element.
Other filters suitable for people living in cabin homes include water pitcher filters and shower filters.
Living in a cabin home is an exciting experience, and the lack of clean drinking water shouldn’t ruin it. You can pick one of these filters mentioned in this article and enjoy unlimited access to clean, refreshing water.
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