Water Filtration

If you are asking yourself this question, you are not alone. Many people are not well informed about the advantages of owning a water filter, nor do they understand what consequences can arise as a result of not owning a water filter. A water filter can greatly improve the quality and taste of the water that you consume, along with the improvement in your overall health and that of your family. Upon initial exposure, a water filter may seem like an expensive investment, but the benefits it provides pays for the actual cost many times over.

Everyone can benefit from owning a water filter. The optimal set-up is owning a filter that purifies water that is consumed, along with water that is used for showering and laundry. This can be accomplished through the use of separate water filters, or a single whole house water filter. If you plan on purchasing separate water filters, the first decision to make is what kind of filter you will use to purify the water that you drink.

The most popular filters for this task are refrigerator water filters, undersink filters and countertop water filters. A refrigerator water filter attaches to the inside of a refrigerator door, and dispenses clean and cold drinking water. An undersink water filter purifies water before it is dispensed from a faucet. Although more expensive, a countertop water filter is an attractive and practical water filter choice. Any of these filters eliminate VOCs, chlorine and other impurities from drinking water. It is also useful to invest in a shower water filter. A shower water filter eliminates chlorine and other impurities that can cause hair thinning or skin irritation after repeated exposure during showers.

If you are looking for one filter to provide filtered water throughout your home, office or apartment, a whole house water filter may be the answer. A whole house water filter attaches to the main water source, and provides purified water from the sink, shower and washing machine. A whole house water filter removes the same impurities as other water filters, including chlorine, lime, lead and VOCs. All types of water filters use carbon as their main filtering component. Because of its porous nature, carbon has the ability to filter out large and small particles and impurities.

Carbon also does not interfere with minerals found in tap water that are actually beneficial to a healthy body. A whole house water filter requires more installation time and a higher initial investment, but actually evens out over the course of time. A whole house water filter normally filters between thirty and sixty thousand gallons before it needs to be replaced. So, needless to say, when it comes to making a decision about water filters, it really all depends on what you need and desire from your home water filter system.

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The home water filtration market is large and constantly growing, no doubt due to the desire of many informed consumers to improve their everyday drinking water quality. Studies have shown that it’s easy to get sick from contaminated tap water, and that bottled water is not necessarily of any higher quality than what you get through your tap. So that leaves the average homeowner with a choice of installing a home water filter system to improve their drinking water.

But which filter system will work best for you? Let’s review the advantages and disadvantages of each major filter type to help you make your choice.

The easiest water filter to use also happens to be the most portable as well, the carafe or water pitcher filter. These are extremely simple in design, as you just pour in the water and let it filter out the impurities for you. These kind of simple water filters are especially good for folks who live in apartments where they can’t make any permanent installations of a water filter. They also are a good choice for homeowners who just don’t want to have to install anything, or change the look of their faucets. The disadvantages to these units are that the filters have to be replaced frequently, and they are the slowest filtration method available.

Faucet mounted filter systems attach to the end of your faucet, and allow you to choose whether you wish to use straight tap water or filtered water by simply turning a lever. They are also very good choices for apartment dwellers who are allowed to change their faucets, and homeowners who don’t want the hassle of installing filtration equipment. They are very inexpensive and work much faster than water pitcher filters. The average person can have one installed in no time with very little difficulty. These units also use cartridge filters that need to be replaced frequently, sometimes even every month or so.

Undersink water filters are among the more expensive options to take in this field, and they provide excellent water filtration results. They would not be good for most apartment dwellers because of the need for installation, and homeowners should consider the cost of installation by a qualified technician before making their final purchase. The filter cartridges that come with these units are very effective and long-lasting, many of them only needing to be replaced every six months or so.

Whole house water filter systems do pretty much what the name indicates, they provide water filtration for the entire house at once without having to be installed on each faucet. An obvious benefit is that you receive filtered water at every tap throughout the home simultaneously, and the filter cartridges that are used for these units also lasts a long time, up to six months or so. However, the installation for this kind of water filtration system is more involved than any of the other filter systems, usually requiring the services of a plumber for correct installation.

Reverse Osmosis water filter systems have been very popular with homeowners in the past as they do a superior job of filtering out even the smallest of pollutants including arsenic. However, in order to get 1 gal. of filtered water a reverse osmosis water filter has to use and waste 5 gal. of tap water. They can also be fairly bulky filters when installed, and so many consumers are opting for one of the first four water filtration systems mentioned instead.

There are several different ways to get filtered water these days, and which filtration system you choose is entirely up to you. One recommendation though is before you buy any water filtration system, check on the cost of replacement water filter cartridges. Sometimes the cost of the cartridges can add up significantly over a very short period of time.

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The earliest recorded method of water filtration dates back to 2000 B.C. where hieroglyphics depict methods of boiling water, placing hot metal instruments in water and filtering water through charcoal and sand. These early methods are thought to have been instituted to make water taste better, thus, cleaning it. Water filtration was further developed with the advent of the microscope, which made it possible to see foreign particles and contaminants in water that would have otherwise been considered to be pure and clean. Most notably, the microscope was responsible to identify cholera bacteria in drinking water during a disease outbreak in 19th century London. The outbreak was rampart in all areas except those areas where drinking water was filtered through sand. Chlorine was also discovered to be an effective, chemical disinfectant capable to rid the infectious water of cholera. It was further discovered that the chemical, chlorine, when used in combination with sand filtering, was effective in combating cholera as well the water borne diseases, typhoid and dysentery.

In an effort to achieve drinking water purity, chlorine disinfection and sand filtering became prominent methods of municipal water treatment throughout Europe, and then, the US. These primitive methods of disinfecting and filtering water to achieve purity have been studied and evaluated with the use of technology. Chlorine, despite its history of ridding water of contaminants, is a poison. It has since been found to exhibit side effects that aggravate and induce respiratory complications, such as asthma. The poisonous chemical vaporizes at a faster rate than water, making it dangerously harmful when inhaled, especially during showering. Fluoride has since been added as an additional chemical disinfecting agent, but also has side effects of dental damage and other health complications in young children. Lead and other chemical contaminants and by-products further compromise drinking water during the piping and delivery of treated water.

Business and industry have been instrumental in the disposal of waste materials into our fresh water supply sources. This inhabitation has directly contaminated the water supply and also upset the balance of water flow and creation established by nature. The US Clean Water Act, legislated in 1972, was intended to restore the physical, chemical and biological balance of water that had been disturbed by contamination. The Act specified that all natural water supplies would, at least, be safe for fishing and swimming by 1985. This specification led to the development of some form of water filtration and disinfection in every US city as well as advanced technological innovations in the filtering of water used in industry. Even so, the severity of past and continued damage has left more than 1/3 of all water supplies still polluted with contaminants.

In an effort to reduce the contaminants in drinking water and also to comply with national efforts to make drinking water safe, water-filtering systems have been developed to filter water within individual homes. Systems exist to filter incoming water for the entire house and also systems are designed to filter water, inline, at various points of water distribution within the house, such as at faucets and refrigerators or in water pitchers. Advances in the functionality, using the same basic design, have since led to the development of a wide variety of water filters including whole-house filters, countertop filters, undersink filters, reverse osmosis filters and portable filters for camping.

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Your health is a valuable and important thing that can be protected through the use of a house water filter. We all know it is important to drink plenty of water every day, eight glasses at least. However, you want to make sure yourwater if free of contaminants.

Tap and bottled water can be filled with impurities. Therefore, a home water filter system can prevent you from ingesting dangerous chemicals and impurities.

There are many reasons to use a home water filter, here are some:

• One of the leading causes of death and epidemic disease in developing countries is through drinking unclean water.
• Tap water has the potential to have over 2100 contaminants, including several poisons, like mercury.
• Bottled H2O is not a healthy alternative.
• County and city government water treatment plants are incredibly underfunded and behind in the technology that provides for proper treatment and cleaning.
• The only way to make sure that they are through a point-of-use system that you can control and maintain.
• Some of the common contaminants of drinking-water, like lead, are known contributors to the development of cancer.
• Proper development, mentally and physically, in a child can be attributed to clean water.
• Lead can contribute to learning disorders in children.
• Impure drinking water can lead to the development of birth defects in pregnant women.
• Skin rashes and other irritation can be attributed to high levels of chlorine in drinking and bathing-water.
• The use of untreated tap water in the dishwasher will allow for the emission of more chlorine into the air than any other household appliance.
• Chlorine in water can damage skin and hair.
• The vaporization of chlorine into breathable air can hurt the lungs and impair proper circulation.
• Many cases of breast cancer have been caused by high levels of chlorine in the body.

As you can see, there are many reasons to use a home water filter. This device is an important component to a healthy lifestyle. Investigate how a home water filter can benefit your home and your life today.

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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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Maytag water filters, like so many others, are somewhat behind the times. Hopefully, they’ll catch up eventually. In the meantime, let’s look at what they currently offer and how we can get better protection. If it’s time to replace your filter, it may be time to take a different approach.

Maytag offers Puri-Clean I and II. System I is advertised as removing chlorine, lead, cysts and sediment. First of all, no system completely “removes” these things. They may “reduce” them by 99% or better, but the brochures that accompany the Puri-clean systems do not indicate the percent of reduction.

System II reduces chlorine, lead, asbestos, cysts, lindane, Atrazine and sediment. That’s a little better, but the filter is not compatible with older refrigerator models. So, you either buy a new refrigerator or you stop using your dispenser and buy a filtration unit for your kitchen faucet, instead.

Even if you bought their latest model, there are some chemicals that Maytag water filters do not remove. One group is present whenever chlorine is used for disinfection. They are called trihalomethanes or THMs.

There have been numerous scientific studies concerning the risk of THM exposure, because they are known carcinogens. At one time, it was believed that the amount that was present in publicly treated supplies was “safe”. Even though, many scientists warned that there was no way to actually determine a safe level of consumption for any chemical, since they combine with other chemicals, which increases their toxicity.

But, regulating agencies needed some sort of guideline, so maximum contamination levels (MCLs) were established. Using those MCLs, researchers evaluated the cancer-risk from consumption, inhalation during a shower and dermal absorption. They also tested individuals in their homes, after drinking and showering in unfiltered water. It was found that the blood levels were higher after a 15 minute shower than they were after drinking a liter.

Since there are no Maytag water filters that reduce THMs, they cannot help reduce your cancer risk. The latest research indicates that the amounts we are normally exposed to increase our lifetime risk of bladder cancer by two-fold. To reduce the risk, you need a faucet filter with special resins that traps the chemicals. To further reduce your risk, you can install one in the shower, as well.

You might be wondering if all refrigerator systems are like the Maytag water filters. From the research that I have done, it looks like they are. It seems to take the manufacturers too long to respond to new research. Atrazine and lindane, for example, are common herbicides and pesticides. They also cause cancer. Over seven years ago, studies were published concerning the presence of these contaminants in publicly treated supplies, but only the refrigerator models have a filter that traps them.

The studies concerning THMs continue to come in. The most commonly quoted report was only published in 2008. That means that it will probably be several years before Maytag water filters catch up. Until then, buy an effective water filter and drink from your faucet. That’s the best choice you can make.

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Depending on Maytag water filters to protect your family from hazardous chemical contaminants is a big mistake. The price is better than bottled and the quality may even be better, but the systems simply cannot reduce contaminants effectively.

It is impossible to include all of the necessary steps in a filter of this size. They are certainly inexpensive. You can get them from a discounter for $6 each. But, regardless of how inexpensive something is, if it does not provide effective contaminant reduction, then it is simply a waste of money.

I must admit that Maytag water filters are better than some other brands designed for refrigerated dispensers. But, there are some hazardous contaminants that none of the popular refrigerator brands will remove. They are commonly referred to as THMs.

THMs or trihalomethanes are present in all publicly treated supplies, because they are byproducts of the disinfection methods used by public treatment facilities. Only recently was the public made aware of the danger. The first reports came out several years ago, but respected publications were afraid to print them. They were afraid that there would be a massive outcry for an end to public disinfection.

Most people realize that disinfecting the waters of our planet is necessary. It might be a necessary evil, but outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne illnesses are a bigger public health risk than the health problems caused by exposure to THMs.

More and more healthcare professionals are becoming convinced that the synthetic chemicals in what we eat and drink have contributed to a variety of health problems. Some of those health problems are deadly. THM exposure contributes to the individual’s lifetime risk of bladder cancer. Estimates vary concerning the percentages, but in the most recent studies, researchers said that the amount that is commonly found in households double the cancer risk.

Maytag water filters do nothing to protect you and your family from this risk. In fact, drinking is not the only source of exposure. The chemicals become airborne in the shower, and we inhale them, along with the steam. They can be absorbed through the skin when showering, bathing or swimming in chlorinated pools. Researchers in one country were concerned about the risk to their Olympic swim team. They concluded that the risk was too great and something needed to be done. While Maytag water filters are not the answer, there are other companies that make systems for the kitchen sink, the shower and the whole house.

Ineffective contaminant removal was not the only reason that we stopped using our refrigerator’s dispenser. Do you know how much bacteria build up on those nozzles? I can’t give you an exact count, but without using a disinfectant on a daily basis, your family is spreading germs, continuously.

The company that we chose to buy from provides effective and affordable products that have a long lifespan. We enjoy what we drink and know that it is safe. So, before you buy some more Maytag water filters, shop around for an effective water filtration system. Your health is at stake.

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Here is a list of the top 7 types of water filters you can purchase on the market and information about each one. Hopefully this will help you make a decision when purchasing your next filter.

1. Pitcher

2. Faucet

3. Refrigerator

4. Under Sink

5. Shower

6. Laundry

7. Whole house

Now to take this further, I will describe each a bit.

The Pitcher filter is great if you just want to drink a good glass of clean water and are really not worried about the tap water for anything else in your home. With these you have a specially made pitcher with a filter at the top and you have to pour water in slowly and it filters this through to the bottom of the container. It may take 10 minutes or so for this to complete its process.

The Faucet filter I have found to be very popular, especially with families who have children. This attachment hooks up to the faucet spout and you have the choice to turn the filter on to dispense cleaner water or turn it off if you do not want to waste the cleaner. The only issue some families did not care for was that the pressure coming from the tap is diminished because it must go through the filter and process before coming out so I would say you get half of the pressure. Also it is a bit cumbersome and takes up space around the faucet and is a little unsightly if you are wanting a kitchen that looks designer beautiful.

The Refrigerator filter is becoming more popular as families purchase refrigerators with water and ice dispensers on the door. This hooks up inside the door and helps produce better tasting ice as well as water.

Under sink filters are great to have as a full kitchen use. It keeps clutter from being on top of the counter or faucet, however, it usually required a professional installation and you will have to give up some room under your sink cabinet to make space for this larger item.

The Shower filter basically allows you have have a bath free of contaminants. These are less common and people will usually get a whole house filter if they want good water in their bathrooms.

The Laundry Filter again is like the shower model information in that the whole house choice will usually be used. However, families find that they like to use cleaner water free from hard water deposits on their clothes.

The whole house water filter is the next big upcoming appliance that families are automatically having installed in their homes when they are building a new home. It is somewhat of a no brainer that they can have great water and why not do it now while they are installing everything else.

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If you are asking yourself this question, you are not alone. Many people are not well informed about the advantages of owning a water filter, nor do they understand what can arise as a result of not owning a water filter. A water filter can greatly improve the quality and taste of the water that you consume, along with your overall health and that of your family. Upon initial exposure, a water filter may seem like an expensive investment, but the benefits it provides pays for the actual cost many times over.

Everyone can benefit from owning a water filter. The optimal set up is owning a filter that purifies water that is consumed, along with water that is used for showering and laundry. This can be accomplished through the use of separate water filters, or a single whole house water filter. If you plan on purchasing separate water filters, the first decision to make is what kind of filter you will use to purify the water that you drink.

The most popular filters for this task are refrigerator water filters, undersink filters and countertop water filters. A refrigerator water filter attaches to the inside of a refrigerator door, and dispenses clean and cold drinking water. An undersink water filter purifies water before it is dispensed from a faucet. Although more expensive, a countertop water filter is an attractive and practical water filter choice. Any of these filters eliminate VOCs, chlorine and other impurities from drinking water. It is also useful to invest in a shower water filter. A shower water filter eliminates chlorine and other impurities that can cause hair thinning or skin irritation after repeated exposure during showers.

If you are looking for one filter to provide filtered water throughout your home, office or apartment, a whole house water filter may be the answer. A whole house water filter attaches to the main water source, and provides purified water from the sink, shower and washing machine. A whole house water filter removes the same impurities as other water filters, including chlorine, lime, lead and VOCs. All types of water filters use carbon as their main filtering component. Because of its porous nature, carbon has the ability to filter out large and small particles and impurities.

Carbon also does not interfere with minerals found in tap water that are actually beneficial to a healthy body. A whole house water filter requires more installation time and a higher initial investment, but actually evens out over the course of time. A whole house water filter normally lasts between thirty and sixty thousand gallons. When it comes to making a decision about water filters, it really all depends on what you need and desire from your home water filter system.

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News headlines send people searching for drinking water filters. But, what do you expect your drinking water filter to do? Do you want to remove chlorine and its by-products, lead, disease causing microscopic organisms, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, TCE, MTBE or all of the above?

If you are like me, then you have chosen all of the above. There are high quality drinking water filters that remove all of these contaminants, but the price is not that high. Of course, the cheaper systems can not handle all of them, so you have to decide what fits your pocketbook, while protecting you family to the best of your ability.

Some people only drink bottled, because they think that is the safest choice, but benzene has been found in Perrier. BPA has been found in anything stored in polycarbonate. Phthalates are found in anything stored in any type of polymer. Both of those chemicals act like estrogen within the body and can cause some serious health problems, including cancer.

A pitcher drinking water filter is often chosen because it is the least expensive option, but the cost per gallon is actually higher. The filtration cartridges have a very short life span and that affects the cost of use. For a Brita pitcher, for example, the cost per gallon is 25 cents, as opposed to less than 10 for one of the best countertop drinking water filters on the market.

Pitchers are also slow. You fill up the top compartment from you tap and it trickles down through the system. In order to get a full pitcher, you have to repeat this process several times.

Then, there is a problem with what a pitcher-type drinking water filter can do. We’ll use Brita again as an example. Not to pick on them, but they are one of the most popular choices. They only remove about 75% of the chlorine and about 93% of the lead. Nothing else is removed.

Countertop drinking water filters can provide a lot more water in a lot less time. You just turn on the tap and get a drink right away. There is an option for switching it off, in case you want to prolong the drinking water filter life, but you should be aware that chlorine and its by-products can pollute the air quality within your home. So, if you are using hot water, you want the “on-position”.

An under the counter drinking water filter system costs more, but doesn’t do a lot more. It’s really just the aesthetics of having a unit sitting on the counter or stored underneath.

Whole house drinking water filters cost the most, but will protect your laundry from damaging chlorine and you won’t have to worry about your dishwasher emitting toxic gas. The choice is yours of course. I just wanted to provide little helpful information to accompany you while you shop. Just don’t let the many choices keep you from taking action to provide pure and safe water for you and your family.

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