Water Filters For Healthier Water Could Save Your Life
Almost all drinking water contains minute quantities of some contaminants. As
long as the amounts remain below recommended levels, they pose no health risk to
healthy people. But people with weakened immune systems may be at risk even if
their drinking water is deemed to be safe.
People with severely compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to unhealthy
drinking water than the general population. This includes people with cancer
being treated with chemotherapy, people who have had organ transplants, people
with HIV/AIDS, some elderly people, and infants. One specific threat from
drinking water is the risk of infection from Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is
a parasite usually found in rivers and lakes. It's difficult to remove from the
water and even working water treatment plants can't guarantee the water is free
from this parasite. Anyone with a compromised immune system should be
well-informed on water filters for healthier water.
Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on water filters for healthier
water. Almost half of Americans use a home water filter. Home water filter types
range from simple, inexpensive pitchers to sophisticated reverse osmosis
systems. Using water filters for healthier water is the best way to get pure,
contaminant-free drinking water.
One common style of water filters for healthier water are filters that attach to
your kitchen faucet. These are sometimes installed under your sink and deliver
filtered water through a separate sink-top faucet. Faucet-attached or
undercounter home water filters usually work the same way as water filter
pitchers. A block of activated carbon or similar material physically filters out
contaminants. These point-of-use water filters for healthier water also improve
water taste and odor.
Distillers are home water filters that heat water to the boiling point, then
collect the condensing water vapor. Distillation kills disease-causing organisms
and removes most chemical contaminants, but may leave behind other impurities
like radon. Many people complain that the taste of distilled water is "flat."
This is because the distillation process removes dissolved oxygen and natural
minerals.
Reverse-osmosis home water filters work by using pressure to force water through
a semi-permeable membrane. Reverse-osmosis home water filters use about three
times as much water as they treat, but are the most effective of all home water
filter types. They effectively eliminate all disease-causing microbes and remove
most chemicals.
Water filters for healthier water provide you with an effective line of defense
against 2100 known toxins that could be present in your drinking water.
Point-of-use home water filters effectively remove lead from your drinking water
right before you drink it, insuring that you don't consume this dangerous
contaminant. Home water filters remove chlorine and bacterial contaminants,
making your water both taste and smell better.
The price of water filters for healthier water can vary depending on the type,
where and how the home water filter is installed, and what contaminants it is
designed to remove. Prices range from less than $20 to several hundred dollars.
All home water filters require some sort of maintenance. To insure your home
water filter's continuing good performance, you should follow the manufacturer's
recommendations.
