When you compare home water purifiers, some are better than others.
Technically, any system is better than none, because anything is an improvement of tap-water, but my biggest personal concern is cancer.
Maybe that's yours, too.
No one knows yet exactly what causes cancer.
They believe that there are multiple risk factors that may include genetic, diet, environmental factors and exposure to toxins.
Since, there seems to be a genetic risk in my family and I can't change my genes, I look for other ways to reduce my risks.
So, I compare home water purifiers based on the cancer-causing chemicals that they remove.
One of the big ones is THMs.
THMs are trihalomethanes.
They are produced when chlorine is used for disinfection.
If you compare home water purifiers, you will see that many remove chlorine, but only a few remove THMs.
THMs can vaporize, as water can, so purification methods, such as boiling and distillation, will not remove them.
Since, they are gases, exposure can occur through showering, hand washing and brushing one's teeth.
Estimates vary about how much they increase a person's risk of cancer, but as I said, I am looking for ways to "reduce" the risk.
So, not only did I need home water purifiers for the kitchen, but also for the bathrooms and the shower.
Since the kids take a tub bath, I had to get a shower filter with a removable head, in order to fill the tub.
Right now, I am trying to compare home water purifiers for the whole house, because I think it might save me some money.
The best way to compare home water purifiers, that I have found, is through product performance data sheets.
If you request them, the better companies will supply the information.
Some even make it available on their websites.
On these sheets you will see all of the contaminants that the system will remove and to what extent.
You will also see the cost of replacement cartridges and how long they will last.
You get a cost per gallon, so that you can compare that cost, along with the cost of initial purchase.
The most expensive systems, by far, are reverse osmosis home water purifiers.
Most people don't need them.
They are a redundant step because it has already been used by the treatment facilities.
The cost of use is about 26 cents per gallon and the whole house units have a maximum output of 15 gallons per day.
Some of the bigger systems can produce more, but they cost more, too.
As I continue to compare home water purifiers, I have learned that the system I purchased for the kitchen sink costs less than a dime per gallon.
It removes chlorine, lead, cysts, VOCs pesticides, herbicides and THMs.
Many systems only remove a few of those things.
I also learned that some of the least expensive systems, like the pitcher filters, cost the most to use, because the filtration cartridges have such a short lifespan and cost so much to replace.
For, example a Brita pitcher costs 25 cents per gallon.
That's nearly as much as reverse osmosis and it only removes some chlorine and lead.
There are many other things to consider, but hopefully this helped you understand a little bit about what to look for when you compare home water purifiers.
Technically, any system is better than none, because anything is an improvement of tap-water, but my biggest personal concern is cancer.
Maybe that's yours, too.
No one knows yet exactly what causes cancer.
They believe that there are multiple risk factors that may include genetic, diet, environmental factors and exposure to toxins.
Since, there seems to be a genetic risk in my family and I can't change my genes, I look for other ways to reduce my risks.
So, I compare home water purifiers based on the cancer-causing chemicals that they remove.
One of the big ones is THMs.
THMs are trihalomethanes.
They are produced when chlorine is used for disinfection.
If you compare home water purifiers, you will see that many remove chlorine, but only a few remove THMs.
THMs can vaporize, as water can, so purification methods, such as boiling and distillation, will not remove them.
Since, they are gases, exposure can occur through showering, hand washing and brushing one's teeth.
Estimates vary about how much they increase a person's risk of cancer, but as I said, I am looking for ways to "reduce" the risk.
So, not only did I need home water purifiers for the kitchen, but also for the bathrooms and the shower.
Since the kids take a tub bath, I had to get a shower filter with a removable head, in order to fill the tub.
Right now, I am trying to compare home water purifiers for the whole house, because I think it might save me some money.
The best way to compare home water purifiers, that I have found, is through product performance data sheets.
If you request them, the better companies will supply the information.
Some even make it available on their websites.
On these sheets you will see all of the contaminants that the system will remove and to what extent.
You will also see the cost of replacement cartridges and how long they will last.
You get a cost per gallon, so that you can compare that cost, along with the cost of initial purchase.
The most expensive systems, by far, are reverse osmosis home water purifiers.
Most people don't need them.
They are a redundant step because it has already been used by the treatment facilities.
The cost of use is about 26 cents per gallon and the whole house units have a maximum output of 15 gallons per day.
Some of the bigger systems can produce more, but they cost more, too.
As I continue to compare home water purifiers, I have learned that the system I purchased for the kitchen sink costs less than a dime per gallon.
It removes chlorine, lead, cysts, VOCs pesticides, herbicides and THMs.
Many systems only remove a few of those things.
I also learned that some of the least expensive systems, like the pitcher filters, cost the most to use, because the filtration cartridges have such a short lifespan and cost so much to replace.
For, example a Brita pitcher costs 25 cents per gallon.
That's nearly as much as reverse osmosis and it only removes some chlorine and lead.
There are many other things to consider, but hopefully this helped you understand a little bit about what to look for when you compare home water purifiers.
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