Water Filtration

When you go to buy a new refrigerator, it’s very likely that you will find at least one that has a water filter built into it. In today’s world, the reality of harmful chemicals in our water is evidenced by expensive bottled water just about anywhere you go. As the need for fresh healthy water on the go has increased, so have the ways that filtered water can be made more convenient.

There are many refrigerator water filters on the market today, but the difference in quality has changed drastically in the last few years. For the most part, they all use GAC (Granular Activated Carbon). Yet, not all fridge filters are the same. For instance, the AQ-7000 by Aquasana has earned the right to be called the most effective in-line water filter on the market because of the quality of the filter media and combination of the most effective technologies.

A High-Quality Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Filter Is a Must
A GAC carbon filter has the ability to absorb many harmful chemicals and is recognized by the EPA as the best available technology for organic chemical removal. Activated carbon is exposed to high temperatures causing micro pores to form. This newly created surface can effectively filter out a wide variety of contaminants, such as chlorine, pesticides, trihalomethanes (THMs) and other chemicals linked to cancer. GAC also removes bad tastes and odors.

The are 3 distinct technologies to look for in a refrigerator water filter. They are mechanical filtration (filtration down to 0.5 microns), adsorption (contaminants bond chemically to the surface of the GAC filter medium) and ion exchange (replaces harmful lead ions with healthful potassium ions).

1. Sub-micron Filtration
A high-quality in-line refrigerator filter should contain a highly porous surface. One of the more expensive and highest performing materials is a coconut shell carbon block. The filter should have the capacity for 0.5 or less sub-micron filtration. This allows for the effective removal of chlorine resistant microscopic organisms like cryptosporidium and giardia. Low cost carbon is less effective and needs to be replaced more often. Look for a filter that will last at least 6 months.

2. Adsorption
While sub-micron filtration works by physically blocking contaminants, adsorption is a process where the carbon filter actually attracts a variety of dissolved contaminants and they are held or adsorbed on the surface of the carbon particles. Unlike pitcher water filters like Brita, a fridge water filter has a lot more carbon to go around. The large surface area means that the water contact time is longer. The result is that greater adsorption of various chemicals can take place. Filter systems like the AQ7000 use a highly compressed carbon media to filter out chlorine, lead, VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals), THMs, cysts, turbidity (sediment level) and most other tap water contaminants.

3. Ion Exchange
The final filtration technology is ion exchange. During this stage, lead is filtered out by a complex ion exchange process where lead ions are replaced with potassium ions. This process is extremely effective for lead and heavy metal reduction. It also enhances your waters natural mineral balance. Potassium is one of the minerals that give your water its natural spring water taste, as well as a neutral pH. A coconut shell carbon block can be impregnated with potassium charged microporous zeolite to achieve this effect.

Most refrigerator filters come in a standard size and can provide water for refrigerators, ice makers and coolers. You get healthy water for drinking, pets, cooking, ice and beverages - and you get it quickly. They are also great for RVs, water fountains, and can even work under the sink. For most refrigerator filters, no tools are needed.

When checking out refrigerator water filters, make sure it has the 3 technologies listed above. Now that you have taken the time to learn what goes into making the most effective in-line fridge water filter on the market, you should find out 3 more things. Learn about the water filter company’s guarantee, successful track record and recognition (awards) by industry experts. In a world with literally thousands of chemicals making their way into your water supply, you need to insist on the most advanced breakthroughs in water filtration. If you don’t, you are leaving your families health to chance.

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If you think that all whole house water filtration systems are the same, you need some more information. There are companies that have been in business for 15 years, long before the idea of home purification became popular. There are also a lot of newcomers.

The industry is not very well regulated in most of the United States. Only California requires that companies provide complete information concerning contaminant reduction and the on-going cost of replacement cartridges. Some of those newcomers that I mentioned avoid doing business in the state because of that requirement.

It’s one thing to “say” that your whole house water filtration systems are effective. It’s another thing to prove it. Companies can have their products tested by independent laboratories “if” they choose to. They are not required to and the ones that are trying to rip you off don’t have the testing done.

If a company’s performance claims are valid, they should have certification by Underwriter’s (UL) or the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). The trade group WQA (Water Quality Authority) allows manufacturers to claim certification without requiring sufficient data and without full compliance with industry standards. So, look for UL or NSF certifications. If a company only has a WQA certification, you cannot be sure that you are getting an effective product.

Although they are not as popular as they once were, for many reasons, there are still a number of whole house water filtration systems that include a reverse osmosis step. That step really drives the price up, but it also de-mineralizes the water and health experts say that drinking de-mineralized waters leads to mineral deficiencies. It creates an acid pH level in the mouth and stomach, aggravating conditions like acid reflux disease.

When you think about it, there is no naturally occurring water in the world that is “mineral-free”. So, obviously, humans were not meant to drink water with a trace mineral content. Even the World Health Organization says that drinking-water should have a trace mineral-content. If you are not concerned about your health, you might be concerned about the taste, which is stale unless minerals are present.

People who have effective and affordable whole house water filtration systems are very happy with them. Maintenance requirements are few. Cost of use is low. Showering “feels” better and many skin conditions start to improve. People with allergies and asthma feel better. It’s a win for everyone.

People who buy reverse osmosis units are often unhappy. Lots of maintenance is required and the systems break down easily. The cost of use is high and the systems require electricity to operate. So, electric bills go up. Gallons of wastewater are created. So, those of us that are trying to go “green” avoid these products.

So, it should be easy to see that all whole house water filtration systems are not the same. Now, you can make an informed selection.

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You can easily find water coolers for the home and office online at discount prices. These wonderful appliances ensure that you’re never without a supply of cool water to refresh yourself with. They have long since been a staple part of many office setups, but they can also be a great idea for your home or study.

Drinking more water is something a great many of us should really be doing (I know I should), and a fresh supply of cold water helps promote a healthy lifestyle while working or simply spending time around the house. The ease of use of these useful and attractive appliances can help you drink a good deal more water, which helps you maintain a healthy diet and a clean respiratory system.

One good thing right now is that these marvelous devices are available at lower prices at present. There are many special offers to take advantage of online, meaning that it is easy to find one of these bottle-less water coolers at a price to suit your own budget. A well-made cooler is a wonderful addition to the home or office, and can aid productivity while keeping thirsts quenched.

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There are many benefits in an office to switching to a bottleless water cooler. You can simplify things around the office, and increase productivity. Productivity is one of the principle, driving factors in the modern workplace. There are many ways in which the old, standard water cooler is causing your work environment to be much less productive.

If you have a rental agreement with your current water provider, then someone in your office has to spend time taking care of the paperwork involved. Someone also has to make sure that you keep track of the timeliness, and efficiency of water delivery. There are a lot of companies that also demand a deposit in the beginning to get your water process started. This is an additional annoyance for your accounting department.

A bottleless water cooler, will eliminate these frustrations, and many more. Once you have bought the machine, there will be no need to worry about any extra paperwork. Once a year, you will have to buy cartridges, and that’s truly all you will have to worry about. It can’t get much easier than that.

A bottleless water cooler system will take water from your own system of plumbing. There are no leases, and paper work to worry about, no deposits, and no tracking necessary. Even if your water cooler paperwork only amounts to 20 minutes of time each month, you are actually losing 4 hours a year, on the water cooler.

Another plus is that you will not have to deal with regular interruptions during the course of your business day, when the delivery guy comes around. With a bottleless water cooler system, you will not have to replace empty bottles yourself, or require that any of your employees do so. Even if your bottles are located right near your system, the process still takes up time, and is a constant annoyance for many. For a small office of 30 people, or less, the average water bottle use expectancy can equal around 15 or 20.

Replacing empty bottles can take up to 5 minutes for each bottle. So for, just 15 bottles, that’s 75 minutes of probable distraction every week to replace the water bottle supply. Once you include an employee’s benefits package, each of your employees can cost approximately $20 each hour. So how much money are you really losing for each hour of employee distraction?

A bottleless water cooler system will replace all of these issues. There is only one 1/2 hour installation, and that is it. You can have it installed during the lunch break, or before the start of business one day. In addition, though many of us feel that distilled, or purified water is completely safe drink, and completely free of bacterium or viral issues, it is not.

It’s the initial product that is completely safe. With conventional bottles, the person delivering, and handling your water often comes in contact with your water source and every bottle installed brings forth the possibility of cross-contamination. The culprit can be the person delivering the water, or the people in the office that install the new bottles. Whenever a bottle seal is removed or handled it creates a chance of illness or infection. This is one of the many reasons why bottleless water coolers are highly superior.

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What is Reverse Osmosis?

The amount of people that still purchase bottled water for home use never ceases to amaze me. Come on people, it’s time to get educated here. You are wasting time and energy, landfill space, and yes, money…Lots of it. 

Have you ever heard of reverse osmosis? Did you know that most bottled water manufacturers are using reverse osmosis as a means of purifying the bottled water you are drinking? It’s a fact that many people are completely unaware of. 

Soon, everyone will know the benefits of reverse osmosis. Reverse Osmosis equipment has only been manufactured for the household consumer for just a few years. Until recently, it was used primarily by major corporations and the U.S. Government for purifying non-potable water supplies throughout the world. It was, and still is, used on large military and commercial ships for purifying seawater, making it suitable for human consumption.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is often described as filtration, but it is much more complex than that. People sometimes explain it as a filter because it is much easier to visualize using those terms. For instance, the osmosis phenomenon is how our blood feeds each cell in our bodies. As our blood is carried into the smallest of capillaries in our bodies, nutrients actually pass through the cell’s wall to sustain its life.

For example: If you take a jar of water and place a semi-permeable membrane in it, which by its’ construction mimics a cell wall, then divide the jar into two sections and place water on both sides of the membrane to an equal level, nothing happens. But, if  you place salt, (or other such dissolved substance), into one side of the jar, you will soon notice that the water level in the salty side begins to rise higher as the unsalted side lowers. This is the natural osmotic pressure at work. The two solutions will continue to try to reach the same level of salt or equilibrium on each side of the membrane by the unsalted water passing through the membrane to dilute the salty water. This will continue until the “head” pressure of the salt water overcomes the “osmotic” pressure created by the differences in the two solutions. 

Many years ago, researchers discovered a means to reverse or exploit this natural osmotic process and use it to purify salty ocean water. They found that if they took that same semi-permeable membrane and fed salty water into it with a sufficient amount of pressure on one side of the membrane, to overcome the natural osmotic pressure of the other side, they could actually “manufacture” clean water on the side of the membrane that has no pressure applied to it! Read the rest of this entry »

I first became interested in water filtration after I read some reports about the large numbers of incidents of polluted drinking water in the US.

This really worried me and I decided to do something about it by checking out an under sink water filter. It surprised me to find just how many different types and makes there were available. One I heard about was reverse osmosis, and I thought I had heard about distillation and carbon blocks, but I had never heard about kinetic degradation fluxicon.

I quickly realized that I needed to do some research or I would be going round in circles. The one thing I realized fairly quickly was that whatever I purchased it needed to have the NSF (National Science Foundation) certification. This certification provides reassurance that any filter with the 42 and 53 standard will have high filtering capabilites.

It also means that the filter should be able to filter certain substances from the water such as heavy metals, cysts, chlorine and some disease carriers. One thing to ascertain before you buy is the ease of installation, it shouldn’t really need specialized tools or training, although most people don’t try to fit the water filters themselves but rely on the expertise of a licensed plumber.

When thinking about an under sink water filter, it is sometimes easy to forget about the space you need for the filter, as it’s under the sink. Be sure to double check the measurements. If it’s too big you’ll have no room left for any other sort of storage.

Usually as it’s under the sink the plumbing needed is usually available but it’s best to check that it fits in easily. Once you’ve bought your filter, thoroughly read all the instructions to make sure you know how to replace the filter cartridges.

If its too complicated to do this, it’s not the type of filter you need. One thing you’ll find is the wide variation in price from less than a hundred dollars to a few hundred dollars. Although it’s tempting to go for the cheapest, I wouldn’t recommend it as there are some cheap imitations on the market. Quality of construction is important. Make a short list of the ones which seem well-made and come from reputable manufacturers, and then compare each and every feature.

My old dad always said you get what you pay for and I have found that advice to be spot on just about every time I make a bad buy. So now you should have an idea on where to start when deciding on the the best under sink water filter for you.

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Many people are interested in a water filter for their home to ensure safe drinking water. Since our drinking water tends to contain a lot of impurities, such as chlorine and pharmaceutical drugs, water filters can be a great option. They can work to remove all of the impurities and provide you with drinking water that is both clean and safe. If you are interested in a water filter, then you may want to think about a portable water filter.

Here are a few of the main benefits that portable water purification systems have to offer that other filtration systems don’t.

If you understand the importance of drinking clean water and can afford one water filter, portable is the way to go. Portable filters offer one main advantage over many other filtration systems. They are easy to install. Since a portable purifier can be moved from one place to the next, they tend to be the easiest type of water purification system to use.

Depending on the specific filter, it’s likely that all you will need to do is attach the filter to the faucet in order to experience clean purified water.

Another one of the main advantages of portable water filters is that they purify the water without using any chemicals. If you are worried about replacing the impurities that you get out of the drinking water with other chemicals, then a portable water filter may be a great choice for you. Those who want to ensure that their water remains healthy even after it has been purified will benefit greatly from the fact that these water filters are chemical free.

A portable water purifier is also a great choice for those who like to travel a lot. Due to the fact that they can be moved around, they can be taken just about anywhere that you want them to go. Anyone who owns a summer house or goes on vacation frequently would benefit from being able to take their filter with them. Portable water purifiers also offer the advantage of being able to move your purification system from one room to another.

Portable filters provide many advantages that other filtration systems are unable to offer. Obviously, much like their name states, they are a great option for anyone who wants a water filter that does not need to stay in the same place at all times.

Keep in mind that there a number of different brands available, offering a variety of different features, and tend to vary widely in price. It’s important to do some comparison shopping before making the decision to purchase a portable water filter for your home drinking water!

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What is Reverse Osmosis?

The amount of people that still purchase bottled water for home use never ceases to amaze me. Come on people, it’s time to get educated here. You are wasting time and energy, landfill space, and yes, money…Lots of it. 

Have you ever heard of reverse osmosis? Did you know that most bottled water manufacturers are using reverse osmosis as a means of purifying the bottled water you are drinking? It’s a fact that many people are completely unaware of. 

Soon, everyone will know the benefits of reverse osmosis. Reverse Osmosis equipment has only been manufactured for the household consumer for just a few years. Until recently, it was used primarily by major corporations and the U.S. Government for purifying non-potable water supplies throughout the world. It was, and still is, used on large military and commercial ships for purifying seawater, making it suitable for human consumption.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is often described as filtration, but it is much more complex than that. People sometimes explain it as a filter because it is much easier to visualize using those terms. For instance, the osmosis phenomenon is how our blood feeds each cell in our bodies. As our blood is carried into the smallest of capillaries in our bodies, nutrients actually pass through the cells’ wall to sustain its’ life.

For example: If you take a jar of water and place a semi-permeable membrane in it, which by its’ construction mimics a cell wall, then divide the jar into two sections and place water on both sides of the membrane to an equal level, nothing happens. But, if  you place salt, (or other such dissolved substance), into one side of the jar, you will soon notice that the water level in the salty side begins to rise higher as the unsalted side lowers. This is the natural osmotic pressure at work. The two solutions will continue to try to reach the same level of salt or equilibrium on each side of the membrane by the unsalted water passing through the membrane to dilute the salty water. This will continue until the “head” pressure of the salt water overcomes the “osmotic” pressure created by the differences in the two solutions. 

Many years ago, researchers discovered a means to reverse or exploit this natural osmotic process and use it to purify salty ocean water. They found that if they took that same semi-permeable membrane and fed salty water into it with a sufficient amount of pressure on one side of the membrane, to overcome the natural osmotic pressure of the other side, they could actually “manufacture” clean water on the side of the membrane that has no pressure applied to it!

Depending on a membranes’ design, and the material it is made from, the amount of TDS, (salt or total dissolved solids), reduction will range from 80 to over 99 per cent. Different minerals have different rejection rates, for instance, the removal rate for a typical TFC (Thin Film Composite) membrane is 99.5% for Barium and Radium 226/228; but only 85.9% for Fluoride and 94.0% for Mercury. Contamination removal rates are also dependent on proper feed-water pressures.

Is it Reverse Osmosis Water Safe To Drink?  

Reverse osmosis water is perfectly safe to drink.  There is also a scientific explanation as to why this type of purified water is actually better for you than water that contains high mineral (TDS) content.  Read the rest of this entry »

Water is a crucial resource which many of us living in the cities have come to take for granted. Our survival and health depend on the water we drink, but yet we hardly give a thought to the water we use each day.

Here are nine reasons why we should not take our water at face value, and why a water filter could be the best investment we can make for our health:

1. The Water Myth

Pure natural water is a myth. In nature, water picks up minerals as well as contaminants like arsenic, viruses and bacteria as it flows through streams, sits in lakes, and sips through soil and rock in the ground. It is the amount of these substances that determines whether the water is safe or unsafe for consumption.

2. Great Polluted Lakes

The five Great Lakes — Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior — make up more than 80 percent of the U.S.’s freshwater supply and more than 20 percent of the world’s. But they have been increasingly polluted by agricultural, industrial and recreational activities that take place around and within the lakes. Pollutants, such as discharged waste water from factories, untreated sewage and toxic contaminants, enter and get trapped in the lakes, increasing in concentration over time.

3. Massive Contamination Power of Oil

Used oil is a major source of oil contamination of waterways and result in pollution of drinking water sources. Spilled or inappropriately disposed used oil from one oil change can contaminate up to 1 million gallons of fresh water, or a year’s supply for 50 people.

4. Chlorine: The Double-Edged Sword

Chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant to remove viruses and bacteria from water. But chlorine is also toxic to humans and it reacts with organic compounds in the water to form by-products like trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids that can lead to cancer and reproductive disorders.

5. Killing with Ozone

Ozone is another popular disinfectant that is used standalone or in addition to chlorine to kill germs in the water. However, ozone can react with natural occurring bromide in the water to form bromate, which is a known carcinogen.

6. Chloramine: Deadlier than Chlorine?

Chloramine is an increasingly common disinfectant used as an alternative to chlorine as it is more stable and does not dissipate from the water before it reaches consumers. It also does not have the distinct smell and taste which is characteristic to chlorine-treated water. However, chloramine has been found to create more disinfection by-products than chlorination and increases the leaching of lead from pipes.

7. Mouth Wash or Drinking Water?

Fluoride is often added to drinking water by water suppliers to prevent tooth decay. But this controversial additive has also been linked to bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones, in some studies.

8. The Convoluted Journey of Water

Treated water from public water suppliers can be further contaminated as it makes its way to our homes — by dissolving unwanted chemicals and substances such as asbestos, bacteria, viruses, lead and PVC from corroded pipes.

9. Drink to Even Weaker Immune Health

Seniors and young children, as well as people with immune systems compromised by chemotherapy, AIDS and other chronic diseases are more vulnerable to microbial and toxic contaminants in drinking water, even at levels determined safe by the authority.

So, you see, water filters can be the best investment we can make for our health.

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According to the ads, Wellness shower filters create an atmosphere where you slowly get well. Wellness is a brand of chemical and chlorine removing shower filters. They do a good job, but the price is a little high, to say the least.

Like other chlorine removing shower filters, Wellness shower filters let you use hot water with no ill effects. If you used the same amount of hot water without a shower filter, it would open up your pores and allow you to absorb 600% more chlorine than if you drank the same amount.

Chlorine causes a number of diseases, most of which can be serious. The wellness shower filters gets rid of the chlorine and reduces the risks to your health. Chlorine removing shower filters, built by wellness, block about 99% of the chlorine present in shower water. After only a few days, you will notice that your skin and hair are softer.

Cosmetic benefits to the skin and hair were the first reasons for chlorine removing shower filters. But, the bigger problem is that your skin absorbs everything it is exposed to. So, bathing in water contaminated with chemicals and chlorine is bad for your overall health, both for now and in the future.

The diseases linked to chlorine are many and they include one of the big killers; cancer. According to researchers at the medical college of Wisconsin, showering, drinking and living with chlorinated water has increased our risk of cancer by 93%. Wellness shower filters and other chlorine removing shower filters can help improve our odds.

The wellness shower filters remove more than chlorine from the water in the shower. Things like pesticides, VOCs, THMs, lead and copper are also blocked. The only problem is that chlorine removing shower filters by Wellness cost a whole lot more than other brands that do the same job. There is no doubt that you need chlorine removing shower filters, you just might want to do some comparative shopping before you buy the Wellness brand.

Why do you need chlorine removing shower filters? The EPA says that when it comes to chlorine, 4 parts per million is an acceptable level, but when pool water is tested, anything over 3 parts per million is considered unsafe for swimming. If it’s not safe to swim in, how could it be safe to shower in? Wellness shower filters and other chlorine removing shower filters can make your water safe again.

Now, not all chlorine removing shower filters are the same. Only two other companies can do the same job as Wellness shower filters and both cost less. The initial prices for the systems are lower and the cost of use is lower. Here’s what we mean.

Wellness shower filters cost $249 retail and the cost of use is $16 per month. As mentioned above, two other companies do the same job as Wellness shower filters. For the first, the retail price is $95 and the cost of use is $9.25 per month.

The other is our personal favorite. It is one of the best chemical and chlorine removing shower filters on the market and at a price of $67.99 and only $7 per month, anyone can afford it.

Some chlorine removing shower filters cost a lot more and are much less effective. Two popular brands only block 50% of the chlorine and nothing else. When you are shopping, remember that price is no indication of quality. You have to look at product performance data. If you do, you will see that Wellness shower filters do a good job, but they are not the best buy.

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