Household Water Filter - Don't Pay More For Less Protection

Don't buy a household water filter unless you do some comparative shopping. You could end up spending a lot more than you need to. Some of the countertop and under sink water filters come with a high price tag. On the other hand, if you don't know what's what, you could still be exposed to hazardous contaminants.

Most of the contaminants that are present in publicly treated supplies do not pose an immediate threat to your health. It is your long term health that you must be concerned with.

Traces of drugs, industrial chemicals, organic and inorganic substances present in farm run-off, and even the chemicals added to control bacterial growth build up in our bodies over time. The Environmental Working Group refers to it as our "body burden".

With the right household water filter, you can decrease the load that your body is carrying. The EWG recommends that we avoid toxins whenever possible, and I would have to agree with that recommendation.

So, here are the necessary steps (as well as one unnecessary one) that you'll find in sink water filters. The unnecessary one simply ups the cost without providing further protection.

Reverse Osmosis

I thought that I would start out with the unnecessary one. If you buy under sink water filters, that are truly effective and also include a reverse osmosis step, you will pay $800 or more. Every home on a public water line needs a household water filter. I think that it is important for people to know that they can be affordable.

Submicron Channel

Submicron channels allow the removal of microbes that are resistant to public disinfection methods. The major threats are cryptosporidium and giardia cysts. They are particularly problematic in areas near agricultural activity.

The US EPA indicates that at-risk individuals, people with suppressed or inactive immune systems, should be sure that their sink water filters are certified for cyst removal. Further, they have stated that consumption can occur when brushing one's teeth or eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Granular Carbon

The average household water filter employs granular carbon to reduce chlorine and other chemical contaminants. The best systems combine the carbon granules with a carbon and multi-media block to further reduce chemical contaminants.

If the block has a submicron block, as mentioned above, it insures that water cannot circle around the filtering media. Dual stage systems with a submicron channel generally reduce chemical contaminants by 99% or more.

Ion Exchange

An ion exchange step does several things. First, if there are traces of the heavy metal lead or bad tasting copper in your water, it will trap those ions. Second, those metallic ions are exchanged for potassium and sodium ions, to further improve taste and electrolyte content. Third, the step balances the pH level, making it better for your digestive system.

You can get under sink water filters that include all of the necessary steps for less than $150 or a counter top model for around $100. That's the information that you need to shop for a safe and affordable household water filter.

Autor: Lauren Leddy

For free information on how to protect yourself from water contaminated with carcinogens, traces of drugs, hormones, parasites and other toxins click here Lauren Leddy is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher of health related issues. Visit her website now at http://www.safe-water-purifier.com and discover what she has learned that will help you select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

Added: January 20, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/