Drinking from the tap means you may be ingesting contaminants harmful to your family's health. A reverse osmosis system, also called an RO, can help. But what is reverse osmosis, and how can you get one? Here, we break down our customers' main FAQs about these systems.

Although municipalities and water utility companies work hard to provide clean water, many contaminants aren't regulated by the EPA. Additionally, some contaminants can seep into your water after it's left the treatment facility.

Fortunately, reverse osmosis systems remove most contaminants from your drinking water to keep you and your family out of harm's way. But what is reverse osmosis, and what are the benefits of having a RO system? And, most importantly, how can you install one in your home?

Let's break down some of these most frequently asked questions.

Reverse osmosis, or RO, is a process used to remove chemicals and dissolved solids from water.

Remember learning about osmosis in middle school? During osmosis, less concentrated solutions migrate to higher concentrated solutions.

Imagine dropping a raisin into a cup of water. Sure, the raisin contains a bit of water already, but it's highly concentrated. The water flows from a point of low concentration (the cup of water) to one of high concentration (the raisin). That's osmosis. Equilibrium is eventually achieved.

Reverse osmosis, on the other hand, flips this process. By applying large amounts of pressure, a reverse osmosis system allows the higher concentrated water to flow into less concentrated water.

This filters out dissolved solids and other particles, such as contaminants, which is why many families like yours get one installed in their homes.

With a reverse osmosis system, you can actually see the difference.

For example, check out this tea. The only difference between the two glasses is the type of water it was made with.

1. Healthier, safer water.A quality reverse osmosis system filters up to 99 percent of most contaminants out of your water. With a RO, get peace of mind, knowing that your family is drinking fresh, clean water - especially if you have young children.
2. Better-tasting water.A reverse osmosis system not only removes dangerous contaminants, but also harmless nuisances that change the taste, look, or smell of your water. With a RO, you have easy access to crisp, refreshing, great-tasting water straight from your kitchen sink.
3. Cost-effective water filtration.Not only do pitcher filters miss some contaminants, they're also costly. Pitchers require replacing the filter every two months in order to be effective.On the other hand, with a RO, you can have filtered water for only pennies a glass.