Friday, December 23, 2011

Types of Water Filter Cartridges

!9#: Types of Water Filter Cartridges

An understanding of the different types of water filter cartridges and how they compare would be handy to know. As water passes through the cartridge, unwanted materials are taken out or altered so that the water coming out the other end is less harmful and tastes better.

The cartridge itself is housed in a vessel and are a cylinder containing various materials---like charcoal and resin beads. The better ones have at least two separate cartridges so that different toxins can be dealt with at different stages. The simple countertop filter; the ones that you fill from the top and stand all by themselves, have a ceramic filter called a candle. Some ceramic candles are filled with carbon such as activated carbon as well.

'Activated' means that the carbon material eg charcoal is processed, giving it a greater surface area for the toxins to be 'adsorbed' (stick to its surface) by. At least one manufacturer I know of also impregnates the ceramic wall of the candle with silver to kill off bacteria.

Gravity pushes the water through the candle and it collects in the bottom 1/2 of the vessel. Turn on the tap and there's your clean water. They are good but most will take an hour to filter one liter of water---not a problem if you fill it up the night before. The water filter cartridge in a filter connected to the mains is different mainly because of water pressure.

Whole house filter systems are designed so that good water pressure is supplied to all of the tap outlets, including the shower. The benefit of these is that all of the water used--the shower, tap, washing machine, fridge, dishwasher as well as the water heater, are all supplied with healthy, non corrosive water.

The under-sink filter and the type that sits on top of the sink use the same cartridges. They slow the water down somewhat. Good enough though, to fill that glass of water or for cooking and washing. A filter fitted to the shower head has only one cartridge. These do a good job of removing chlorine and other toxins while allowing a good flow of water through.

Cartridges do need to be replaced about every six months depending on your usage. However, some ceramic cartridges can be cleaned and reused a few times. While the same basic materials are used, not all filters perform equally and not all are NSA certified. The links below will lead to a comparison between brands.

It would make sense to choose the brand with the best service and which has the best performing water filter cartridge.


Types of Water Filter Cartridges

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Friday, December 9, 2011

Water Purification Products - What You Need to Know

!9#: Water Purification Products - What You Need to Know

Point of use water purification products can remove all of those health hazards that public treatment facilities are unable to deal with. But, all water purification systems for home use are not completely effective.

Some of them reduce certain contaminants, while others pass right on through. It's always a good idea to get the facts before you buy. I've included the most important points here in this article.

Contaminant Removal

The most important point is contaminant removal. That's why you need water purification products, in the first place. The most common contaminants in publicly treated supplies include chlorine, THMs (chlorination byproducts), VOCs (volatile organic chemicals), lead and cysts.

Other carcinogens and health-hazards are present in certain areas. If you don't know what's in your water, it's always best to err on the side of caution and look for a product that removes everything possible.

In order to find water purification systems for home owners that remove all of these contaminants, you must look for a multi-phase device, with granular activated carbon, a multi-media block, ion exchange and a sub-micron filter. Each step removes different contaminants.

The company should provide product performance data that indicates which contaminants are removed and to what extent. For example, PUR and Brita filters reduce chlorine, lead and cysts, but they do not remove THMs or VOCs. These compounds are a real threat to your long term health.

Cost of Use

The cost of purchasing water purification systems for home use varies widely. The most expensive water purification products include a reverse osmosis step, which is unnecessary for most of us. The least expensive, which again includes PUR and Brita do not contain enough steps to protect your health, yet their "cost of use" is higher than more effective purifiers.

Because their replacement filters have a very short lifespan and the units themselves require frequent replacement, the cost of use is between 20 and 25 cents per gallon. A family of four would have to replace the filter every month at a cost of at least , which puts the annual cost at about 0.

That's less than buying bottled, but you can get water purification systems for home use that cost less than 0 annually and provide more effective contaminant removal. My favorite company offers a discount when you sign up for their automatic shipment program.

Maintenance & Other Concerns

Reverse osmosis water purification products are expensive and require extensive maintenance. You want purifiers that are easy to maintain, else you'll end up with ineffective contaminant removal. If the filters are easy to change, you are more likely to change them as directed.

You should also remember that water purification systems for home owners are not limited to the kitchen sink. Showering in chlorinated water causes dry itchy skin and scalp. Not to mention the other hazardous chemicals, those become airborne in the shower.

You can get a system for the whole house, but at the very least you need water purification products for the kitchen and bathroom. It's simply the safest choice.


Water Purification Products - What You Need to Know

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