You probably already understand a little bit about why everyone needs a home water purifier. Let me just cover some of the highlights; I promise to be brief.
Most public treatment facilities use chlorine or chloramines to kill bacteria and prevent algae from growing in the pipes. Chlorine smells bad and tastes bad.
Consumption can cause digestive problems and anemia in children. The fumes aggravate asthma and other respiratory problems.
Those facilities that do not use chlorine must use something else for disinfection. All disinfection methods cause the formation of disinfection byproducts or THMs.
Exposure to THMs is known to increase a person’s lifetime risk of cancer.
Cysts may be present in tap water and bottled water at any time according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Outbreaks of the parasitic infection caused by cyst consumption have been responsible for illness in thousands of people; further, they can even cause death.
Thousands of cancer-causing chemicals have been found in tap water samples taken in the US. Bug killer and weed spray show up in samples in the Corn Belt and other agricultural areas. Traces of prescription and non-prescription drugs have been found in samples taken from around the world.
Lead contamination is a problem for many older cities, because it was commonly used in pipeline construction until recently. Consumption of lead causes learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.
The intake of small amounts over the course of one’s life may contribute to:
• high blood pressure
• liver damage
• heart disease
• and Alzheimer’s
Buying bottled is expensive and bad for the environment. The industry has caused ponds to dry up and cities to go without water. Cancer-causing contaminants have been found in store brands and in some of the best known, most expensive brands. Even the bottles are a source of contaminants, due to the chemicals used to make them.
You might not understand the need for filtering the water you shower in. It will only take a few sentences to cover that.
Except for cysts, all of the contaminants mentioned above can be inhaled and/or absorbed through the skin. Research has shown that more THMs are present in the bloodstream after a 10 minute shower than after drinking a full liter of water in 10 minutes.
The main reason that a water purifier has become a necessity is simple. Public water treatment facilities cannot protect our health completely.
Public treatment has all but eliminated cholera and epidemics of other waterborne illnesses. They cannot protect our health completely for the same reason that cysts may be present in tap water at any time.
In order to remove cysts, it is necessary to filter them out, because they are resistant to all currently available disinfection methods.
The pores of the filter must be smaller than one micron in size. A strand of your hair is 20 to 180 microns in diameter. A red blood cell is approximately 8 microns in diameter.
Public treatment facilities use a variety of processes to improve the taste and appearance of our water; however, they cannot include sub-micron filtration. It is simply impossible for large-scale facilities to do so. They would never be able to meet the needs of all of their customers.
Chemical contaminants and traces of lead cannot be filtered out. Chemicals are removed through a process called adsorption. Traces of lead are converted to non-hazardous mineral ions through a process called ion exchange.
Treatment facilities are able to remove large quantities of these contaminants. It is the tiny traces we are worried about. They may cause long-term health problems for adults and children alike.
You might not be concerned about your health. You might only want your tap water to taste and smell better so that you can stop wasting money on bottled water.
The processes used to remove contaminants from your water improve the taste at the same time. With the right filter, your tap water will taste as good, if not better than any brand you can buy at a store. That brings us to choosing the right filters for your home.
What Kind of Water Filters Do You Need?
Logically, the best filter is one that removes all of the contaminants mentioned above. It should also be affordable enough for anyone to install in their home.
I have done the research and compared the available products. Here’s what I have learned.
Reverse osmosis combined with granular carbon to remove chemicals is effective, but it is also the most expensive. Reverse osmosis is completely unnecessary for anyone serviced by a drinking water treatment facility. Granular carbon is an absolute must.
Cheap faucet filters include only granular carbon. They reduce the content of chlorine and some other chemicals by about 70%. They end up being expensive to operate in the long run, because the replacement cartridges cost a lot and have a short lifespan.
The better countertop and under the sink systems include granular carbon and a solid carbon block, one with those sub-micron sized pores mentioned above.
The two steps are able to remove as much as 99.99% of all traces of chlorine. Most faucet filters do not remove THMs. None of the brands you see in department stores include the necessary filtering media. Even fewer showerhead systems are able to remove THMs.
The Aquasana faucet and showerhead filters can do what other systems cannot.
As far as I am concerned, Aquasana is the best brand on the market. Their filters are certified by Underwriter’s Laboratory to remove all of the contaminants we have been talking about here.
The choices offered by Aquasana include:
• The kitchen countertop models
• The under counter units, which include a separate faucet
• The basic showerhead systems
• The showerhead systems with a removable massage-type head for filling the tub
• Whole house filtration
Installing a whole house system may end up being less expensive than installing multiple devices throughout your home.
No matter which model of home water purifier you choose, you can be sure that Aquasana is providing the protection you want and need. You and your family deserve the best.