Water Filtration

The cost of water filter replacement cartridges is something you should consider before you buy a new system. If you review the company’s product performance data, the current price of their replacement water filter cartridges is a determining factor in the “cost of use”.

You may be surprised to learn that some of the cheaper systems have the most expensive water filter replacement cartridges, so the cost of use for those products is quite a bit higher than their competitors. Systems that cost less than 10 cents per day are easily affordable.

Some systems cost upwards of 25 cents per day, due to the higher price of their water filter cartridges or to the gallons of water that can be cleaned before the filters need to be replaced. It is reasonable to expect 500 gallons of water before you need to buy water filter replacement cartridges. 500 gallons is equivalent to about six months worth of drinking water for most families.

You should be wary of companies that claim their water filter cartridges are “maintenance free”. Usually, this means that instead of buying water filter replacement cartridges, you have to buy a whole new system every three months or so.

You should also pay attention to what contaminants the water filter cartridges can remove. Many systems only filter out chlorine taste and odor. While that’s important, there may be other things in your water.

One of the scariest contaminants is lead. You probably know that lead is a toxic metal that when ingested builds up in the body and causes brain damage, organ failure and a host of other health problems. Only the best water filter replacement cartridges block lead.

Another scary possibility is the parasite cryptosporidium. Treatment facilities use chlorine to kill most of the living things in the water supply, but cryptosporidium is resistant to chlorine, particularly during the microscopic “cyst” phase. Most water filter cartridges cannot protect you from cryptosporidium and other cysts.

Those are just two reasons that you need to read about the products certified performance, before you buy. Sales pitches make all water filter replacement cartridges sound like the best thing ever, but you can’t fall for the hype. If you do, you are putting your health at risk.

Even if you buy a really good system, it becomes worthless if you do not replace the water filter cartridges regularly. Follow the manufacturer’s replacement schedule to the letter. It may seem like a hassle, but it’s the only way to guarantee the purity of your water. As busy as people are these days and with all the things that they have to remember, the need to replace their water filter cartridges every 3-6 months (depending on the model and manufacturer) often takes a back seat to so called ”more important” things. But, when you really think about it, what could possibly be more important than clean water?

An Ezine article

Countertop water coolers are a convenient solution for homes or offices where there is not enough room for a large refrigerator with a built-in water dispenser. They offer constant access to chilled fresh water, take up little room, and cost less in the long run than buying bottled water. They may also be a smart buy for a person with limited mobility who does not have easy access to a kitchen, for example someone in a residential care arrangement.

Better Than Tap Water?

A countertop water cooler will generally incorporate a water filtration system that removes the taste and odor of chlorine, and filters out impurities and minerals found in the water supply such as copper, lead and benzene. This has obvious health advantages, and the pleasant taste of filtered water encourages more frequent consumption of fresh water instead of less healthy choices like soda. Using less bottled water has many environmental advantages, including less waste and a reduced carbon footprint.

How Much Does It Cost?

There are wide variations in the cost of countertop water coolers, depending on the features of the model chosen (some also supply hot water and/or ice). The base price of the unit is less important than the cost of the filters. When considering a purchase of any type of water filter, do some research into the cost and frequency of filter replacements, and make a comparison of annual costs. It is also worth contacting local bottled water supply companies to see if they offer a countertop water cooler, and add their quote to your comparison chart.

Plumbed-in or Freestanding?

Countertop water coolers either contain a tank that must be refilled, or are connected directly to the main water line for a continuous water supply. Check to see that a water connection is possible before choosing your cooler. If you want a cooler with a refillable tank, think about how you are going to refill it. Will the filled tank be too heavy or awkward to move far? You may need a smaller model if you are a long way from the faucet.

Water Filter Maintenance

Most home countertop water coolers need to be cleaned at least twice a year to prevent the buildup of molds and bacteria. Some of the pricier models, especially those geared towards offices, offer self-sanitizing systems, generally based on the use of ultra-violet light inside the tank. Always ask questions about cleaning and maintenance before you buy.

A countertop water cooler is a sound investment, but a little research is needed to find the right one. Take the time to consider what your needs are, and write down a list of requirements before you buy.

An Ezine article

When it comes to replacing your whole house water filters you are going to want to make sure that you know what you are doing, and know what it is you are buying when you go to purchase the replacement. Among the more effective replacement whole house water filters are going to be the ones offering the reverse-osmosis and distiller options. When you opt to go with the reverse-osmosis type replacement whole house filters, these are going to have a separate part that was created to block out impurities, and then with the distillation filters they are going to turn water into steam, than condenses it into a clean liquid. Out of all of the different replacement water filters out there, these are the two that will give you the best investment, granted they are on the higher end expense wise.

As you take on this project yourself, there are going to be a few things to keep in mind when changing out the water filters. When you choose to change these out yourself it will be a lot cheaper and in the end, they will offer you great results as well. The filter cartridges are going to use fibers to grab hold of the rust and other debris.

Regardless of what type of replacement whole house water filters you decide to work with, all the cartridge filters are going to require changing of the cartridge throughout the life of the equipment itself. It will be important to check the manufacturers labels and warnings to see what the recommended life span is of the current replacement whole house water filters that you are using; when you do not change them out as required or recommended, than you are looking at damaging your entire system, and ending up with an overly saturated filter, allowing items to get through.

Be sure to read all of the directions carefully and know what it is you are looking at before you start changing different filters, look at all of the options, and if you need someone to install it don’t be afraid to ask.

An Ezine article

Water filter cartridges are essentially the heart and soul of your water purifier. And this is the reason why they should never be ignored. In fact water filter cartridges are so important that the performance of your efficient water purifier is greatly determined by the quality of the cartridge used in it.

This makes it important to depend only on the water filter cartridges coming from the manufacturer of the purifier that you are using. Some people make a mistake of replacing their effective purifiers by a cheap cartridge. This way the ability of the purifier to handle many different types of contaminants is lost and they end up making their purifier literally worthless.

The fact is that these cartridges are designed specifically for a particular purifier and they are not to be used interchangeably. Some people feel they have to resort to this because the purifier originally installed in their home uses expensive cartridges, but rather than making the mistake of trying to save a few bucks, why not instead simply choose a water purifier that comes with an economically priced replacement cartridges in the first place?

With the advancement in technology, today even the advanced multi-stage purifiers are available at an economical price. They come with reasonably priced cartridges producing clean and pure water at something less than 10 cents per gallon.

Now isn’t that an insignificant amount to enjoy clean, odorless and great tasting water?

While it is important to use a water purifier in today’s polluted world, it is equally important to replace the purifier cartridge at the right time. Consult the manual and make sure you do this periodically. This will help in maintaining the life of the purifier. Generally, this is needed twice a year, but it largely depends on the quality and quantity of the water being filtered.

If you have a larger family or are staying in a location having numerous contaminants, it is recommended to get it checked periodically and make sure it is always up to date. Make no mistake, giving replacement water filter cartridges the due attention they rightfully deserve will will benefit you and your family in the long run.

An Ezine article

If you are in the market to buy some type of water purifying system then you need to think about the replacement costs that are going to be associated with the system. If you are not careful then it could end up going over your budget.

These days there are many different companies that are offering ways to purify your tap water. Each of these systems has some kind of maintenance cost attached to it, but it can be hard to find.

Once you figure out the costs, compare as many companies as you can that fit into your budget and select the best one for you. You want to do this to make sure you are buying a system that works and one the does exactly what you need it to do. The cost of your replacement water filters can be just as important if not more important than the cost of the water purification unit itself in the long run.

Excerpted from an Ezine article