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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 to use 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 product’s 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.
One company is trying to take the hassle out of buying water filter replacement cartridges and others may follow suit, because it’s a good idea. 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 “more important” things.
What could really be more important than clean water is hard to say, but everyone has their own priorities. If replacing your water filter cartridges is not a priority in your life, or if you just have a hard time remembering, look for a company like Crystal Quest that offers automatic shipment. That way, you’ll get your water filter replacement cartridges on time, without any effort on your part.
An Ezine article

June 7, 2010