Water Filtration

Water is a very important ingredient to your overall health. So, you should never rush into a choice of countertop water filters. Your health and your bank account are too important. You need to do comparison shopping to find the best countertop water filter, but what things do you need to compare? I’ll tell you right now, price is actually one of the last things you should consider.

How Easy Is It To Work?

Have you ever received a great new time saving, life improving tool - only to have it sit on your basement and gather dust? This was because this wondrous gadget took a Master’s Degree in Quantum Physics to understand. Who has time for all of that hassle?

Don’t let this happen to your countertop water filters. There’s no point in getting one if it’s just going to sit in the box. The best countertop water filters can be easily installed, uninstalled and maintained. They shouldn’t need any special tools or the every expensive labor of a plumber. You should also be able to easily understand how to take the filter cartridges in and out of the filter canister.

You should be able to get a hold of the instructions either online from the manufacturer or from the store you want to buy your prospective countertop water filters from. If you are doing your comparison shopping online, try to get a hold of the customer service email or phone number and see how long it takes for them to get back to you.

Now, The Price

After comparing various filters for features and qualities and getting a short list of countertop water filters to choose from, then you should take a hard look at the money involved. Although there is a large payment to get the filter, over time, it will prove to be far less expensive than buying bottled water.

Also take a look at any freebies that often go with a water filter system. Does the store offer free shipping, free customer service or a money back guarantee? The best companies that sell counter top water filters will quickly begin to stand out once you answer these basic questions.

Excerpted from an Ezine article

Are you considering buying under sink water filters for your home? If it’s something that you have either already done or are seriously thinking about, then you probably have a good understanding of the benefits that come from owning an undersink water filter. Now I just need to explain it for those who don’t.

Under sink water filters have become a necessary part of our lives due to the ongoing contamination of our water supply. There is a good possibility that any number of the 80,000 chemicals in common use are in your drinking water at home right now, even as you are reading this article.

More than 2,100 of these chemicals are known to increase your risk of developing cancer. Do you ever wonder why the rate of cancer has skyrocketed from one on every 50 men to one in every two since we added chlorine to our drinking water 100 years ago? An undersink water filter is capable of blocking these cancer-causing chemicals.

If you are not totally convinced about the need for under sink water filters - because you don’t believe that consuming trace amounts of one or two chemicals will harm you - then what I am about to tell you concerning a scientific study in the state of Indiana might change your mind. The severity of this situation is serious.

A study was conducted in 28 cities across Indiana that revealed that the citizens in that state, adults and children alike, were consuming between five and nine different pesticides in every glass of water that they drank. Are you already beginning to see the possible need for installing a water filter under your sink?

You may think of under sink water filters as more important to your lives when I inform you of what the EPA deems as safe limits for these chemicals. These supposedly safe limits are based on what a 150 pound man would be able to withstand. Smaller bodies, such as women and children, are not taken into account by these regulations at all.

If you have small children in your house then you need an undersink water filter. Even more at risk of illness and death are infants, because their bodies are not developed enough to be able to process these toxins. What is the safe limit for a 150 pound man going to do to the health of your 10 pound baby?

If for no other reason than to protect the future health of your children, you need to install under sink water filters in your home. You are a grown adult who can make your own decisions about the risks that you are willing to take with your health. Children generally have no say in the matter.

The purchase and installation of a high quality undersink water filter could make a big difference in the health of your family. Whether you fully believe in the impending threat that the contamination in our water supply poses or not is up to you, but why take a chance? Equip your home with under sink water filters today.

An Ezine Article

There are now many different refrigerator water filters on the market that could ensure the provision of safe cold drinking water for your family. Because of this, you shouldn’t have any difficulty in finding water filters or replacement cartridges that could fit the model of refrigerator that you have in your home.

As these water filters are guaranteed to enhance the odor and taste of the water coming out of your refrigerator’s water dispenser, you can be sure that they are able to get rid of water contaminants as well. In fact, water filters for refrigerators are proven to eliminate impurities such as heavy metals like lead and mercury from water by 99.31 and 96.7 percent, respectively.

As much as 99.09 percent of lindane, 95.9 of atrazine, 99.99 percent of cysts, 96.3 percent of benzene and 99.9 percent of class I particulates are also removed through these water filters. Of course, turbidity is also lessened by 99.3 percent and 97.6 percent of odors and tastes from chlorine are also eliminated. However, even with if your water goes through this rigorous filtration process, the natural minerals present in it like fluoride will not be removed, thus retaining the healthy elements you can get from it.

Which Refrigerator Water Filter To Choose

Most refrigerator water filters have universal fittings so they fit almost every type and style of refrigerator.

Replacing the Cartridge for Refrigerator Water Filters

Although most refrigerator water filters are recommended to be replaced after every six months of usage, there are also times when replacement depends on several other factors. One of these factors is the consumption of cold water in your household everyday. If your family consumes a lot of drinking water everyday, then it is expected that the wear and tear of your water filter would be more than if lesser water is consumed.

The quality of the water that you use in your refrigerator’s water dispenser is also a deciding factor when it comes to the date of your filter replacement. If you are using water that has not been treated before it is placed into the dispenser, then there is a greater chance for you to replace your filters in less than six months. This is because the performance of your water filter might be optimized at an earlier date because of the amount of filtration that it has to do on your water.

If you notice an unpleasant odor or taste on the water that comes from your refrigerator’s water dispenser, then the chances that you need to replace the filter immediately. So, you have to always be on the lookout for this to make sure that you are providing clean and safe cold water for your family at all times.

Remember that installing refrigerator water filters is not enough to ensure the provision of healthy and clean water for your entire household. There are also certain responsibilities that come with this, which you should not forget. The most important of these is looking into the performance of your filter and into the odors and tastes that your water is already emitting.

Excerpted from an Ezine article

Regardless of how noble or lofty a particular cause may seem, regardless of the fantastic benefits it may afford to the whole of mankind, there is always one factor that is powerful enough to sabotage just about any great idea.

Money. simply put, if an idea is not workable or feasible in financial terms then it will simply not work at all, it really is that simple. Whilst there has been a great deal of public awareness raised about the quality of our tap water (which is frankly, appalling) for a long time this has been an issue that has not won much support because of the high costs (both actual and perceived) associated with this particular issue.

Water filtration units have been decried and debunked for being little more than simply a middle class gimmick, the latest status symbol for people who wish to show off their wealth and financial stability.

Innovations in the water filtration technology has now meant that there has been a major reduction in the price of the technology which means that as a result, more people can afford to make use of it.

One of the most popular water filtration systems has been the under sink water filters, and these have became especially popular because they of their remarkable cost effectiveness and in particular, carbon based under sink water filters.

Whilst when water filtration units were made available for sale with the general public they were very costly, carbon based filters have all but eliminated the price. Studies have indicated that carbon based filters will successfully filter tap water (of nearly all known toxins) at a rate of 10 cents per every galleon.

That is an extremely small and reasonable price to pay in exchange for total peace of mind, especially in relation to your good health.

Under sink water filters have also won a great deal of support and affection with consumers because they are so convenient.

Typically, water filtration units can be rather bulky juggernauts which are a major eyesore for the poor consumer taking up a great deal of personal space, and being rather tricky to work around. If you have a small kitchen, then obviously space will be at an absolute premium and so these types of filters are an especially attractive option.

Another fantastic benefit of the carbon based under sink water filters is that they are extremely hygienic as well as exceptionally durable as well which means that you can use them for a very long time without having to worry about replacing them.

An Ezine Article

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.

An Ezine Article

Fresh water is essential to our health and comfort. Not only do we rely on it to stay hydrated, we use it in many other ways including bathing, cleaning and cooking food, and laundering our clothes. Fresh water has long been a concern of both public communities and private individuals, and several different water purification systems and treatment technologies have been developed to help ensure that tap water is safe for human consumption. But how do these different technologies compare?

Whether you get your water from a well or a city system, water sources can become contaminated by bacteria, runoff, and improper treatment. Even if water isn’t contaminated, it may contain iron and other hard minerals that cause discoloration and can build up in the body, or chlorine that leaves an unpleasant odor and taste. Consequently, many people choose to treat or filter their water to improve flavor and protect against contaminants.

Chlorine is commonly used by municipal water treatment plants and is effective in killing many different bacteria. However, it is not effective against some organisms such as Cryposporidium and Giardia. Both of these organisms can be found in lakes, rivers, and ground water and can cause serious intestinal illness.

As mentioned, many people feel that chlorine leaves an unpleasant taste and smell. In addition, there have been numerous cases where the city water supply became contaminated despite the fact that it was treated. People with city water supplies often use other water purifiers and home water filters to ensure that their water is pure and tastes good. The three most common options are carbon filters, reverse osmosis water filters, and ultraviolet light water purification.

Each of these technologies uses a different approach to treat water, and they each have different levels of effectiveness against various contaminants. One may work well to remove chemicals but be completely ineffective against bacteria, and vice versa.

In reality, there is no single filter or treatment that will eliminate every contaminant from your water. The best approach is to have your water tested for contaminants and then purchase a home water purifier that guards against the particular contaminants that cause you concern.

Another option is to combine treatment technologies. Most higher-end systems use a combination of carbon filters and one of the other treatment technologies to achieve the best results. Let’s look at the different technologies to see where each is effective.

Carbon Filters

Carbon is one of the most powerful absorbents available and it has been used for many years as a means of removing impurities. The absorbing powers of carbon can be further enhanced by adding a slightly positive electrical charge. This is known as activated carbon, and it is used in many standard home water filters. As the water passes over the positively charged carbon, the negative ions of the contaminants are drawn to the surface of the carbon granules and removed from the water.

Activated carbon filters typically use granular activated carbon (GAC) or powdered block carbon. Both work well for filtering and purifying but carbon block filters have been shown to remove more contaminants. Either type of activated carbon filters help reduce or remove a wide variety of contaminants, including:

• volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
• pesticides and herbicides
• chlorine, radon, and other chemicals often found in tap water.

However, unless they are densely compacted, most carbon block filters are not effective at removing heavy metals or bacteria. For this reason, many people consider combining carbon filters with one of the other types of water purification systems.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filters

Reverse osmosis, also known as hyperfiltration or ultra-filtration, was developed with U.S. government funding as a means of desalinating ocean water. A reverse osmosis water purifier uses a semi-permeable membrane that allows pure water to pass through it, while contaminants are trapped by the tiny pores in the membrane.

The process requires that the water be pressurized to help force it through the membrane. Most standard residential water systems have sufficient pressure. Like activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis also uses charged particles to help filter out impurities.

The effectiveness of a reverse osmosis water purifier depends on the density of the membrane. A membrane with larger pores will obviously let larger impurities pass through. It is also important that the membrane be cleaned regularly for proper functioning.

Higher quality reverse osmosis water filters use a process known as crossflow to allow the membrane to continually clean itself. Crossflow directs some of the water downstream from the membrane, sweeping the rejected contaminants away so they do not build up and block the membrane.

There are two types of membranes commonly used in reverse osmosis water filters –Thin Film Composite (TFC) and Cellulose Triacetate (CTA). TFC membranes are noticeably more effective the CTA membranes but they tend to be less resistant to the deteriorating effects of chlorine. This problem can be avoided by using an activated carbon pre-filter to remove the chlorine first.
Reverse osmosis water purifiers come in different sizes and styles including countertop and whole house water purification systems. They are capable of filtering out a long list of contaminants including:

• chlorine and other treatment related products
• bacteria
• salts, sugars, proteins
• dyes
• heavy metals

One drawback of reverse osmosis water filters is that they are more expensive than carbon filter treatment systems. Also, the purification process is usually somewhat slow due to the use of pressurized water. It can take an entire day to produce 15 gallons of purified water. And a typical reverse osmosis water purifier may need up to 8 gallons of untreated water to generate a single gallon of purified water.

UV Water Purification

As the name implies, ultraviolet light water purification systems use ultraviolet (UV) light to treat water and render microorganisms harmless. The UV light comes from a high intensity lamp that is usually enclosed in a protective quartz sleeve. When water passes through the water treatment system, the UV light damages the structure of any organisms and makes them sterile.

Although a UV water purifier requires electricity to operate, it draws about the same amount of energy as a light bulb. However, the lamp bulb itself needs to be replaced every year to ensure adequate intensity.

While whole house UV water purification systems are effective on most bacteria, viruses, molds, algae and other organisms, they do not remove chlorine, heavy metals, VOCs, or other chemicals. And countertop UV systems, which expose the water to UV lighting for less time, do not always remove all organisms.

UV water purifiers average around $700 for a whole house system, making them more expensive initially than other types of treatments. In addition, without a pre-filter system, contaminants can build up and reduce the intensity of the UV lamp. For these reasons, many people combine UV water purification systems with carbon filters, which also increases the costs.

As you can see, each of the three common water purification systems has its advantages and drawbacks. Deciding which is best depends on your budget and the type of water contaminants you want to remove or prevent. A test of your tap water will help you determine the appropriate water filtration system for your needs.

An Ezine Article