Author: filterpurerd

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Shower Head Filters: 4 Reasons Why You Should Use One

Many people understand the reasons for using a water filter for their drinking water, but what about your bath water? Yes, most bathing water becomes purified from germs and microorganisms, but what does that chlorine do to you and your shower? To understand what the chlorine used to treat your water does to bath time, for you and your family, let’s take a look at 4 reasons to use a shower head filter:

Reasons to Use Shower Head Filters

    • Dry hair and/or skin – Many that use shower head filters enjoy the benefits of hydrated hair and/or skin vs. those who don’t use filters in their shower. Since most purified bath water contains chlorine, its effects are the same as swimming in a pool. To counter this, many use a shower head filter to filter out this and other chemicals used to purify our water supplies.
    • Your health – Although the water we bathe in may seem fine on the outside, without a shower filter in place, you may be at risk for serious health risks. The chlorine used to treat our water could not only be absorbed through our skin, it is possible to breathe it in from the fumes of heated water. To avoid any possible complications, it’s best to find a shower head filter you like and install it as soon as possible.
    • Smell – Although the water purification process used to protect us from different bacteria and other microorganisms uses chlorine, there is sometimes a horrible odor to go along with that. I don’t know about you, but I take a shower to remove odors, not the other way around.
    • Cleaning – Now here’s something you may not know – some shower head filters help soften your water, which in turn, helps you to clean your shower. Yes, we have all heard of hard water stains and such, but where do you think they come from? Yes, hard water. With a filter in place, cleaning the shower will become a simpler task vs. trying to get out those pesky stains.

No matter how you cut it, having a shower head filter in your shower is not something you should take lightly. To avoid things like health risks or even just dry hair, consider getting a filter and install it today.

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4 Steps to Better Coffee and Espresso

Americans love coffee. We love black coffee, coffee with cream, coffee with cream and sugar, cappuccino, espresso, café latte, café mocha, and just about any of the café frappa-whatsits we can imagine. We love drinking it first thing in the morning, on our aptly named “coffee breaks,” and after a great meal. The coffee shops that line the main road of any well-enough populated town are a testament to this love affair with the enticing beverage. But for as much as we love our potent little “pick-me-ups,” all too many of us are terrible at making it. We expect that we can buy expensive pre-ground blends from the supermarket, dump them in an automatic drip coffee maker, and yield a cup of coffee as good or better than we’ve tasted at any of the trendy coffee chains. The truth is, brewing a delicious cup of coffee is a lot more involved than you may have thought (or hoped). There are a few key factors that lend themselves to rules that ought to be followed if good coffee is ever to be made. Here they are, in order of importance:

  1. Clean Your Machine: Coffee Machines heat water in something called a “boiler.” When water heats, particulates, including those you can’t see such as calcium and iron, can adhere to the interior of the boiler and in other parts of the machine. As more “scale” as it is more generally called builds inside your coffee maker, the machine becomes less efficient, and ultimately loses its ability to properly extract coffee aroma from your beans. The result? HORRIBLE coffee. The solution? Regularly de-scale your machine with a decalcification granule packet or a liquid scale remover. The difference is amazing.
  2. Use Filtered Water: Of course, descaling your coffee maker becomes necessary less often if you use a water source void of such minerals. This is where filtered water comes in. Not only will using filtered water (or better still, bottled water) provide a better platform from which to build your perfect cup of coffee, but it will taste better too. Many municipal water authorities use chlorine, chloramine, and other chemicals to treat their water supplies. These chemicals, while harmless to human health, make for really bad tasting water. Bad water = bad coffee.
  3. Heat the Water: This suggestion may come as a surprise. Many automatic drip coffee makers – you know, the machine that’s designed to do one thing and one thing only – do not heat the water to a temperature adequate for coffee flavor extraction. In fact, in order for the coffee beans to release all those wonderful oils responsible for your beverage’s flavor, the water being used must be at least 195°F (200°F is optimal). If you do use an automatic drip machine, consider running the water you intend to use through the machine once without coffee, then again with coffee. Alternatively you could simply heat the water in a kettle before use.

These are just a few suggestions on how to yield a better cup of coffee at home. There are a myriad of others, not pertaining specifically to water, such as buying locally roasted “small batch” beans, and grinding them yourself. It is our hope that these three steps can help you and your family to start enjoying better tasting coffee today.

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Home Water Filter Maintenance

Many people have home water filters in their homes, but are they keeping them up with a regular maintenance routine? Keeping your filter system in top working order is key to having clean and great tasting drinking water. Many filters have suggested guidelines for home water filter maintenance, but there are those who still need assistance. For those who need a simple plan to follow for keeping their home water filter in working order, here’s 4 guidelines for home water filter maintenance:

4 Guidelines for Home Water Filter Maintenance

  • Monitoring – Depending on which home water filter you purchase, there are different ways to monitor it for problems or the need to replace it. Some filter systems will have a display that shows its status; other may show a simple read-out that changes color when it’s time to replace the filter system. No matter which type of system you choose, ensure you regularly monitor your filter for optimal drinking water quality.
  • Cleaning – Not every unit requires replacement; sometimes they only need a good cleaning. Again, keep a regular monitoring schedule of your unit and if needed, follow manufactures guidelines to clean your home water filter system.
  • Testing – Sometimes, even if the display shows a problem and you’ve cleaned the unit, testing of the unit might tell you if something is going on. For some home water filters, you can test it yourself, while others may require a professional to come in.
  • Replacement – There comes a time when no matter how times you clean or replace parts, the unit needs replacement. When it comes time to replace your home water filter, ensure you go through the manufacture’s recommended guidelines for replacing the unit. If you need assistance, ask a professional to ensure the unit is replaced properly.

To ensure optimal quality and performance from your water filter system, it’s best to have a regular home water filter maintenance routine. By following the steps we outlined above, you can be sure your filter system will stay in tip-top shape and keep giving you and you family safe and great tasting drinking water.  

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Water Filters Vs. Water Softeners – Which Do You Need?

Depending on where you live, your drinking water may need some type of filtration, but which is right for you? Do you need a water filter or a water softener? What if you need both? How do you know which one is right for you? Well, to answer these questions, let’s take a look at what water filters and water softeners do, then you can decide on the best solution for you and your family’s water filtration needs:

Water Softeners

So, what exactly does a water softener do and why do you need it? Well, simply, they soften hard water. Hard water is full of minerals and deposits such as calcium and magnesium. Although no harm will come to you from hard water, it’s nightmare for cleaning showers, tubs and causes problems for pipes and plumbing fixtures. By using a water softener, you will break down the hardness or materials in the water. Different softeners use different methods including: ion, electrical and magnetics. It’s best to get your water tested to find out for sure, if you have hard water. Then decide on what method works best for you.

Water Filters

Without purifying our drinking water, you could consume things that contribute to disease and illness. To prevent this, most water treatment facilities employ chemicals such as chlorine to treat the water. This, however, introduces new problems for us. I mean, you would you want to drink something that resembles the water in a swimming pool? I didn’t think so. So counter this, there’s water filters. Basically, water filters take out all the bad things in your water like the chlorine and other chemicals – leaving you with clean tasting and smelling drinking water. The most common filter is a carbon-based filter – it can remove the majority of chemicals in your water.

What’s Best For Your Water?

For many a water filter is all they will ever need. For others, a water softener plus water filter is a requirement. Remember how we said to test your water? Well, if you find out you have hard water, it’s best to get yourself a combination filter and softener to clean out the impurities in your drinking water. Otherwise, stick with a single water filter for your water purification needs.

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Water Filter Terminology: 3 Examples that Provide Clean and Safe Water

We come into contact with terms and analogies everyday – that doesn’t mean we understand what they mean. Would you know what QCP filtration is or reverse osmosis? Not many do. For those who understand this type of water filter terminology, they understand what happens to get a clean and safe drink of water. Now, what about the rest of us? To give you a better understanding of these terms, let’s take a look at a few examples of water filter terminology and give you a better understand of what it takes to have clean drinking water:

Examples of Water Filter Terminology

  • Reverse Osmosis – Ok, we have all heard of the process, but what does it actually mean? As a long standard in water purification, reverse osmosis purifies water by pressurizing unfiltered water, and forcing its molecules what’s called a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane traps things like metals particles and lets only the water molecules to pass. That way, you only receive great tasting, smelling and safe drinking water.
  • Inline Filtration – Here’s another one to add to your water filtration terminology. Yes, some understand filtration and how it helps our water, but what’s inline filtration? Basically, a water filter is put “in” the water line, and it filtrates out any dirt or particles out of water that flows through. This filtration method also filters out any smells or tastes caused by contaminants.
  • Ice Filtration – For those areas that bring in water through colder terrain, ice filtration is something used to preserve optimal drinking water conditions. Ice gets cloudy due to water impurities, which also impact the flavor of the ice. When it melts, those impurities impact the taste of beverages, but ice filtration eliminates those for pristine flavor and appearance.

Although many people have heard different terms about water filtration, most don’t understand the majority of what water filtration terminology means. Hopefully, these few terms gives you a better understanding into what happens when you turn on your faucet to get that drink of water.

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Water Pollution Plagues America

It’s easy to relegate thoughts of bacteria-laden streams, rivers contaminated with heavy metals, and otherwise polluted water sources to so-called “third-world” countries and developing nations. But the truth is that the same problems that afflict these parts of the globe are very present right here in the United States. What’s more, these water sources are not just in rural America; the problem affects major cities around the country, including our nation’s capital. The Potomac river is perhaps one of the best examples of a polluted major water source. Estimated to provide drinking water to two million people in the capital region, the Potomac and its tributaries have fallen victim to years of disregard by Washington-area residents. The problem stems from urban runoff, neglectful farmers, and land development efforts. Still another example of a polluted American waterway is none other than the “mighty” Mississippi. Flowing from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the water of the Mississippi picks up all sorts of pollutants along the way, and by way of its tributaries, transports them through more than 31 states, affecting millions of people. So what is to be done about this modern-day plague? Residences protect themselves with point of use systems that employ a number of technologies, including reverse osmosis and UV filtration. Businesses on the other hand, generally incorporate application-specific technologies such as those for coffee and ice filtration. Regardless of your specific water concern, it’s important to inform yourself about the quality of your drinking water – it may not be as clean as you think.

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Personal Water Filtration is Big Business

It is estimated that from 1990 to 2006, global bottled water sales (that is, sales of water ranging from “PET” single-serving bottles to larger water cooler “carboys”) more than quadrupled, topping $61 billion. Since then, profits have been on the rise, totaling a 51% increase in the past 5 years. Along with this massive industry goes massive pollution. Though technically recyclable, the vast majority of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles are disposed of improperly, and thus, will not be reused, contributing to the growing problem of landfill accumulation. As the bottled water industry grows, so does our global pollution epidemic. All is not lost, however. Recognizing this looming danger, several companies, including Seychelle Water Filtration Products, have stepped up to the plate. As a worldwide leader in the development, manufacture and sale of a proprietary filtration system for portable water bottles, Seychelle has their sights set on ending global abuse of natural resources for a single serving of water. It seems as if the idea is catching on as well. In the last five fiscal quarters, Seychelle has experienced marked growth.

“We are seeing growing demand for some of our newer products such as our stainless steel bottles, straws and pure water bags and pumps,”

said Seychelle President and CEO Carl Palmer,

“All of these have been redesigned to improve performance and enhance consumer appeal and are being widely used in problem drinking water areas in many different markets of the world.”

In fact, over the past few weeks, Seychelle has received several orders representing over $1 million in new business. With Seychelle’s products, and those from companies like it, the world can put an end to its dependency on plastic. No matter where you are, or what water source happens to be close by – a river, a lake, a pond, and yes, a tap, you can rest assured that you’ll have the clean water you need, without the pollution the earth doesn’t.

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Revolutionary Personal Water Filtration

Over 1.2 billion people around the globe don’t have access to potable water. Many of them live in the continent of Africa. So it should come as no surprise that a solution to this problem might come from an inventor who lives there. Meet Dr. Eugene Cloete. A microbiologist by training, Cloete is currently the Dean of Natural Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch, just outside Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to his teaching ability, Dr. Cloete apparently has a knack for invention. With nine patents to his name, the first of which he earned at the age of 23, Eugene has adopted a way of thinking different than that of most peoples’. “[creativity is] like reading and writing,” said Cloete, “the more you use it, the better you get.” With much of South Africa’s tap water riddled with disease-causing bacteria, heavy metals, and pesticide residue, something needed to be done. In short, Dr. Cloete has invented a disposable filter, which looks very similar to a tea bag, to filter water as it is poured from a bottle. Each filter is capable of ridding bacteria, heavy metals, and harmful chemicals from about 15 liters of water before it needs to be thrown away. Cloete, an expert on inhibiting growth of bacterial slime, says he came up with the idea while on a faculty tour of his current department. He happened to notice a tea bag sitting on the break room counter when he started to explore the idea. It wasn’t until he watched a presentation at the university during which a student demonstrated how to spin nanofibers – filaments finer than human hair – that he figured out how to do it. He combined this technology with both that of the anti-bacterial membranes he had already been working on, and the traditional water filtration component activated carbon to yield the filter. Since announcing the invention in July, Dr. Cloete and his team of two post-doctoral colleges have received hundreds of inquiries from excited philanthropists, aid organizations, and retailers. This little tea bag is sure to save lives.

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Canadian Firm Pioneers Green Water Technology

One of the classic problems plaguing mankind in the modern age is the facilitation of infrastructure, that is, the purveyance of essential services, in a way that negatively affects the environment and others as little as possible. The utilization of nearly every resource we use – from the most obvious, gasoline, to those less-often considered such as this one: water – exhibits negative externalities on the environment. Traditional water services make quite a bit of use of fossil fuels. In many states, it’s coal and oil which power water treatment plants (either directly or indirectly), gasoline or diesel which is burned in transport trucks, and electricity, however it may be procured, which heats water throughout our homes. Recognizing this, one Canadian water-treatment company has taken a step in the right direction. Tec-Water Supplies, Inc., of Saskatchewan, Canada has suggested the use of surface water as a main drinking water source instead of ground water. Doing so promises to supply entire communities with water on an “as needed” basis, from local supplies. This will reduce the need for staffing at larger, remote water treatments plants, and will cut transport costs and pollution. Tec-Water’s patented technology, named the “Floc System 100” removes the turbidity usually present in local surface water which made it impossible to process. So impressed with the prospect of supplying entire communities with local drinking water is the Canadian government that they’ve granted Tec-Water $120,000 to conduct a field-test demonstration at the “Sun Dale” resort community on “Last Resort Lake,” in the middle of the province. The test of 300 homes is hoped to form the foundation for a larger-scale implementation of the technology. As quick as we are to create environmental problems, we can solve them when we just try hard enough. Tec-Water Systems, Inc. proved it.

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Alaska Residents Get Creative with Water Filtration

As the direct result of petroleum contamination, “North Pole,” Alaska residents have been forced to “think outside the box” when it comes to their water supply. Thanks to a combination of readily available commercial water filtration technologies, these citizens have successfully lowered the level toxic contaminants to non-detectable levels. It seems that over the past decade, sulfolane, a chemical used in the refinement of oil, had been seeping into groundwater and private water wells. While the exact cause of the contamination is yet to be determined, the most likely cause is a gasoline spill which occurred within the town limits over a decade ago. The contamination was discovered recently, and has been detected in hundreds of homes in the area, at readings between 50 ppb and 250 ppb – levels above federally recommended concentrations, but not enough to make laboratory animals sick. In response to this problem, Flint Hills Resources, the firm which in 2004 bought the refinery responsible for the spills has developed some innovating solutions. By partnering with Fairbanks-based “Ecowater Systems,” Flint Hills Resources has conceived a point-of-entry water filtration unit to address the problem. In this unit, the contaminated water is first processed by sediment filter. Secondly, it is softened using a standard ion-exchange system. Next, a hydrogen peroxide pump breaks down the sulfolane, after which point a combination mixing chamber and charcoal filter gives the drinking water a final clean. The system has so far been successfully been implemented in 5 “test homes” in the area. Flint Hills Resources, which is currently providing bottled water to affected residents hopes to implement similar water filtration systems in more than 150 homes within the next few months.