| I am writing this article, not to promote any brand or | | | | drinking water. |
| particular water filter,but to hopefully give the | | | | Obviously, dollar for dollar, the real value is in the |
| average consumer enough valid information so they | | | | quality system. |
| canmake an educated buying choice when shopping | | | | So, how do we determine a water filter's capability? |
| for a water filter. | | | | When reading the label, checkto see if the filter is |
| It is estimated that 80 percent of home owners in | | | | NSF Certified. Never buy a filter that is not NSF |
| the United States have used orare currently using a | | | | Certified. |
| water filter. Many, I am sure, have purchased a | | | | Manufacturers of quality filters have their filters |
| filterthat is virtually ineffective and probably costing | | | | certified by NSF and are proudto advertise their |
| them an arm and leg inreplacement filter costs. | | | | certification on the labeling. |
| I have been involved in the water filtration industry | | | | Only if a water filtration device is NSF Certified can a |
| for a number of years. | | | | consumer be certain thatthe product meets strict |
| I have yet to find a water filter that produces PURE | | | | standards for performance. Tested to NSF Standards |
| WATER! I am seeing morefalse advertising as of late | | | | doesnot mean NSF Certified. Any water filter that |
| than I have ever seen before. Just last night | | | | claims to be tested to NSF Standardshas not actually |
| forinstance, while watching television I noticed two | | | | been tested and certified by NSF. Here again, this is a |
| different advertisements forthe latest and greatest | | | | primeexample of these companies misleading the |
| water filters. They both claimed to produce pure | | | | consumer. |
| water! | | | | NSF tests and certifies water filters to do what the |
| Neither one even mentioned being certified by the | | | | manufacturer claims. Not onlythat, they also monitor |
| National Sanitation Foundation. | | | | the manufacturing process by doing spot checks. NSF |
| No water filter removes all of any contaminant, what | | | | willcome to the factory unannounced and monitor the |
| a water filter actually doesis reduce contaminants. | | | | manufacturing process. |
| There are hundreds of water filter manufacturers in | | | | Consumers can go to the NSF website and view the |
| the U.S. today, producingthousands of different | | | | actual certification which willshow exactly what |
| water filtration products. Only a handful produce | | | | contaminants the filter will reduce, indicate the |
| awater filter that is highly effective as far as | | | | percentage ofreduction and will also indicate the filter |
| contaminant reduction and costefficiency. | | | | life expectancy. The NSF website is just click on |
| There is no point in purchasing an ineffective water | | | | consumer and search water treatment devices. |
| filter. The old concept,you get what you pay for, still | | | | Water purification and water filtration are two |
| holds true. Cheap water filters do very littleas far as | | | | different things altogether. Waterpurification is the |
| contaminant reduction and soak the consumer when | | | | introduction of chlorine or other chemical agent that |
| it comes to replacementfilters. Most high quality | | | | killsbacteria in water. |
| water filters effectively reduce a vast number | | | | Infared lighting can also be considered to be water |
| ofcontaminants to a high degree. The filter labeling | | | | purification as its sole purposeis to destroy bacteria. |
| should indicate which contaminantsthe filter will | | | | Water filtration is exactly that, a water filter of some |
| reduce. | | | | type. |
| The labeling should also indicate the capacity rating, A | | | | Another thing to look for when shopping for a water |
| high quality filter willsave you money in the long run. | | | | filter is which technology isbest for you. |
| Filter life expectancy and capacity ratingdetermine | | | | Avoid loose carbon filters as they allow air to be |
| how many actual gallons the filter is capable of | | | | present within the carbon and arenothing but a |
| producing. For example,a filter that will produce 500 | | | | bacteria factory. |
| gallons or more as compared to one that | | | | Most mixed media filters can be effective on a few |
| producesonly 100 gallons is far more cost efficient. | | | | specific contaminants, but do notreduce a wide range |
| Recently, while shopping at a local discount store, I | | | | of contaminants. |
| took a look at the waterfilters they had to offer. | | | | Distillation is a process in which the water is heated |
| They had a number of cheap filters that would do | | | | to the point of steaming. |
| little,if anything as far as contaminant reduction. Most | | | | The steam passes from the container it is heated to |
| of these inferior filters areonly capable of reducing | | | | another container as thesteam cools.Distillation is |
| chlorine, lead, and particulate matter. Some may go | | | | highly effective on removing minerals and salts, but |
| sofar as reducing bacterial cysts depending upon the | | | | issomewhat limited on removal of chemical |
| micron rating and possibly afew other contaminants. | | | | contaminants as many chemicals evaporate rightalong |
| None of the cheap filters are very effective on an | | | | with the water. |
| overall basis. | | | | I have found, many people are confused as to the |
| Most of these filters cost less than $50.00. One | | | | capabilities of reverse osmosis. |
| particular filter that comes tomind had a $45.00 price | | | | Reverse osmosis is a process where the water |
| tag. Replacement filters for this filter cost $8.50 each. | | | | passes through a membrane which will notallow |
| The capacity rating for this filter is 100 gallons. That | | | | certain contaminants to pass. Reverse osmosis can |
| amounts to 8.5 cents pergallon. This particular filter | | | | do an effective job on barium,radium, cadmium, |
| only reduces lead and chlorine according to | | | | copper, fluoride, perchlorate, minerals, salts and a few |
| thepackaging. | | | | othercontaminants but is not effective on a wide |
| Here, my husband and I use approximately 3 to 4 | | | | range. Many reverse osmosis units includeadditional |
| gallons of water per day for drinking,coffee, iced tea, | | | | types of filtration technologies. Some of these are |
| cooking, and watering our 2 dogs. Considering the | | | | very effectivedepending on the other additional |
| amount of filteredwater we use, I would have to | | | | types of filters used. This type of water |
| change the filter every 25 days. That is 14 | | | | filtrationsystem is usually identified as 3, 4, or 5 stage |
| replacementfilters a year! At $8.50 each, the annual | | | | system. |
| cost would amount to $119.00. The initialcost of the | | | | What I recommend to the average consumer is the |
| water filter plus the 1 year of replacement filters | | | | solid carbon block filter or the solidcarbon block |
| would result in an totalcost of approximately $165.00 | | | | coupled with reverse osmosis. A high quality solid |
| for the first year. In just 2 years I would spend more | | | | carbon block that filtersto less than 1 micron is very |
| moneythan I would purchasing a much better quality | | | | effective on a wide range of contaminants and does |
| system that would effectively reduce a vastnumber | | | | not allowoxygen to be present within the carbon |
| of contaminants and provide much better, and | | | | filter therefore bacteria cannot be allowed to |
| healthier drinking water. | | | | passthrough or be produced within the filter carbon. |
| The drinking water filtration system we use is rated | | | | The solid carbon block alone will notreduce healthy |
| at 1200 gallons. It is hiddenout of the way under the | | | | minerals. |
| sink and has an independent faucet mounted on the | | | | For maximum contaminant reduction, consider a |
| sink, nothanging off my faucet. It is one of the | | | | drinking water filtration system usingreverse osmosis |
| highest quality systems on the market, reducesa | | | | technology coupled with a solid carbon block but |
| very wide range of contaminants and is NSF Certified. | | | | keep in mind it doesremove the healthy minerals. |
| I have had this filter for anumber of years. If I | | | | In conclusion, always compare the NSF Certification |
| remember correctly, the initial cost of the system | | | | when shopping for a water filter andavoid the |
| was $320.00. | | | | dishonest tactics of unscrupulous advertisers. |
| Once a year I change the filter at a cost of $59.95. | | | | Armed with this information you are now a savvy |
| That amounts to only 5 cents pergallon of quality | | | | water filtration shopper! |