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Carbon
Water Filters
If
there is a problem with the quality of your
drinking water, then a water treatment device
can help solve the problem.
However, it is important to understand
that there is not a single method, which can
remove all types of contaminants.
In other words, a system that removes
lead will not remove bacteria.
Once
you begin researching water treatment systems,
you’ll soon discover that you will have a
variety of choices in every aspect from price,
installation, maintenance, and warranties. At this point, we want to warn you of any salesperson who
claims a particular device have tested by or
approved by either the EPA or Federal
government.
Fact, the EPA doesn't test or approve
products.
The EPA only registers products.
If you want a listing of certified
products as well as the contaminants that they
remove, you can contact the NSF at http://www.nsf.org/.
The NSF is an independent testing
organization that certifies products and writes
standards for consumer goods, food, and water.
They are a not-for-profit organization,
which help to protect all of us.
You can also contact the Water Quality
Association at http://www.wqa.org/
for a listing of certified dealers in your
area.
Many
standard water filters will remove grit, dirt,
sediment, rust, or other such particles from
water. However, they shouldn’t be relied on to remove Volatile
Organic Compound (VOC), handle disease-causing
organisms, metals, etc.
Activated
carbon (AC) water treatment filters are a good
way to treat water, which either tastes or
smells bad. In addition, some carbon filters will also remove chlorine,
pesticides, herbicides, radon, trihalomethanes
(THMs), and several other inorganic chemicals.
There are certain models of carbon
filters that are also effective at reducing the
amount of lead in water.
However, you need to read the
certification of the unit you are considering
purchasing to ensure that it will remove lead.
It
is important that you replace your carbon
filters on a regular basis and according to the
manufacturer's recommendations as the
contaminants that they collect will accumulate
in them and provide an excellent environment
for bacteria to breed and grow
The
effectiveness of any carbon filter is directly
proportional to the amount of activated carbon
it contains.
Carbon water filters are available in
under-the-counter, countertop, and
faucet-mounted styles starting at around $30.
However if you want the most effective
water treatment systems, then consider
installing a whole-house system, which
depending on the size of your home start at
approximately $1500 and can cost well over
$8000 depending on the system you select.
These whole-house systems are also known
as point-of-entry (POE) and are strongly
recommended when a contaminant such as radon
poses a threat to the entire household water
system. The
NAS has confirmed that radon is a serious
health threat and risk in drinking water in
areas where radon has been found in
concentrated amounts.
Radon has been linked to cancer related
deaths, primarily lung cancer.
If
your water contains inorganic chemicals, such
as salts, lead and other metals, minerals,
nitrates, asbestos, as well as some organic
chemicals, then you should consider installing
a reverse-osmosis (RO) filter.
With
most reverse-osmosis filtration system, many
include both carbon pre-filters and
post-filters.
These added carbon filters trap
sediment, pesticides, herbicides, THMs, as well
as radon.
It is important to understand however
that RO filters do not remove chlorine that is
why most RO systems include carbon post-filter,
which is to improve quality of the taste of the
water. As
with all carbon filter systems, the pre- and
post-filter cartridges should be replaced
yearly or as recommended by the manufacturer.
Installation
of many types of reverse-osmosis systems is
easy as many RO filters connect directly to the
plumbing.
Reverse-osmosis systems are usually
installed below or underneath the sink as they
use a small tank, which stores clean water
until needed.
Reverse-osmosis systems do not conserve
water. In fact, conventional models waste approximately 3 gallons of
water for every gallon of pure water they
produce. Reverse-osmosis systems cost approximately $250.
If
you have a temporary water problem such as a
broken water main, or storm runoff, then
purchasing bottled water is the quickest and
possible the cheapest solution.
However, if your problems are persistent
than purchasing bottle water can be more
expensive than installing a water treatment
system in your home.
If
your family is large or very active, then you
probably will require a whole house filtration
system. Whole
house carbon filtration systems are worth the
extra money in that every faucet in your home
will deliver clean fresh tasting water, so no
matter if you grab a cool drink from your
kitchen faucet or get up in the middle of the
night for a drink of water from your bathroom
faucet you know it will taste great.
To
find the right carbon water filtration system
for your home and family, you can compare
several models as well as prices on the
Internet.
In addition, several sites offer
consumer reviews of products to help you in
your decision.
By being an educated consumer, you
increase your protection against purchasing a
product that is not right for you or your
family.
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