Water Filtration Systems

Drinking Water Filters - Why Do You Need Them?

2008-09-27T23:03:00.000-07:00

If you are one of the many people who are not using a drinking water filter, perhaps it's time for you to seriously think about getting one. Here are some reasons why.

It seems that everyone these days is getting more and more health conscious. Everyone is thinking about making sure they get enough exercise, and eating the right foods. But one of the most important aspects of a healthy life style is to drink plenty of water. Most authorities on the subject agree that the best intake for an average person is around two liters of water per day. And this would be every day, not just now and then.

An obvious reason for this amount is to "flush out" the body's system, so to speak. We should not forget that the chemical composition of our bodies includes a very high percentage of water, and it is vital to our physical well being that this water in the system is constantly being renewed.

The need to keep going with the intake of water can lead to a number of problems over how to get a regular supply. What do we mean by this?

Well, you might think that one way to get plenty of water is simply to turn on the kitchen tap and drink the municipal supply water. But for most people, this is not an option, since the water from the tap has an unpleasant taste and smell. This is because the water companies, in the effort to kill off bacteria and viruses in the water, put in large amounts of chlorine and other substances.

Also, if you investigate further, you find that the water supply can contain significant traces of such metals as uranium, radium, chromium, or lead. These come from natural sources such as rock formations that the water has passed through. Lead usually enters the water when the water passes through older pipes, which are still being used to supply to many properties.

To make matters worse, nowadays it is getting more and more difficult for the water suppliers to get fresh water, so many water supplies use reclaimed water, which means reclaimed from the sewers. As good as are the processes used by the water companies, they do not succeed in processing out all of the waste products, so these appear in our drinking water. The problem is made worse by the fact that some irresponsible people tip paint, solvents, engine oil, and the like, into the drainage system, and factory plants often accidentally spill chemicals and industrial waste into the water.

Taking all this into account, it is not surprising that the drinks and beverages section in you local grocery store contains a large percentage of bottled water. It sells by the million. This is of course because it tastes so much better than tap water, but also because people want an option that is free from impurities. But there are problems with this. Bottled water can be very expensive. It can be a drag having to carry it all the way home from the store, as it is quite heavy. For those of us who "think green" there is the problem of the disposal of the plastic bottles, and also the effect on the environment of shipping these large quantities of water around the country.

Fortunately, there is a solution to these problems. A water filter will give you a supply of water that is every bit as nice tasting and as pure as bottled water, without the problems that we just mentioned. There are many different household filtering systems to choose from, and it is worth shopping around to find the right one for you. But we think you will find that using a water filter will help you to make a great improvement in your health and well being.

Using Water Filters For The Taste

2008-09-24T03:07:00.000-07:00

Some friends of mine use a water filter just because they like the taste of the water it gives.

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the dangers in the municipal water supplies of today's world. Even in advanced Western countries, a lot of people are getting worried about it.

I think it's something we should be concerned about, obviously. We should all make sure we are as well-informed as possible about it. But it's probably not an issue to panic about, at least, not yet. There is no doubt, though, that water supplies do vary from district to district, and from country to country. So if you have any doubts at all, we suggest you start filtering your water as soon as possible. Water filter systems don't cost much, as you can see when you read our review pages.

Anyway I was telling you about my friends. They don't have a problem over the health hazards of their water supply. The problem is it's full of chalk and chlorine, which gives it a quite unpleasant taste. They put it through a filter, and it tastes fine. They tell me they used to think they didn't like to drink water on its own, without some sort of flavoring.

Now they know different.

The Right Exercise Regime For You

2008-09-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

Many people nowadays are realizing that, in order to keep fit and healthy, they should eat better food, watch what they drink, quit smoking, and take some exercise. This is the right way for them to be thinking, nobody can deny that. But the question is: how much or how little is right for YOU?

Someone once said that nobody should do any exercise at all: people who are fit shouldn't do it because they don't need it, and people who are unfit shouldn't do it because it's dangerous! Well of course, the person who said that was making a witty comment just for a joke. But, as with most humour, there is a grain of truth in this.

When you decide you need to get more physical exercise into your daily routine, you might go to the library or on the internet, to research ways of doing exercise. Or you might read a magazine article (or even a blog article!) which gives you an exercise regime to follow, or a point-by-point plan, or a way to get rock hard abs, or something like that. What do all of these have in common? The writers of these regimes or articles do not know YOU, and they are not aware of YOUR particular exercise needs.

Or you might join a gym and you see other people on the rolling road, or pumping heavy iron. And you think, well, I guess I have to do that too. But you don't. What you have to do is to find out what is the best exercise regime for you as an individual. Now, our advice to start with is to find some activity you like doing, such as walking, cycling, swimming, or jogging, and at least at first, just trying to do that activity a little more strenuously than you normally would. You don't have to win any medals yet. Only try to push yourself a bit more than normal. If you keep doing this every day, and you be PATIENT, you will start to feel some good results fairly soon. You can gradually increase what you do as and when you feel ok about it.

A lot of people sign up to do these city marathon runs, such as in New York or London, that have become fashionable of late. Often it is because they feel they ought to run to support some charity, or because other people they know are doing it, or just because it's a high profile event. Some of the folks you see running in these events should not be there, or even within a hundred miles, because they are simply not fit enough.

So, our advice is this: Pace yourself, don't take on more than you can handle, and only try to push yourself a little way beyond your current limit. By doing that, you will get fitter without doing yourself some harm.

Water Filters - One Person's Story

2008-09-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

In this blog, there are articles about all aspects of water filtration systems and related topics. However not everyone needs to know everything about the science and technology of water filters. You can enjoy healthy clean tasting water very easily. Here is one person's story.

We use a Brita Pitcher at home. I don't know if you could call it a system, as the whole thing is just a large jug, with an insert in the top that contains a filter cartridge. The cartridge is filled with granules and the design means that the water has to go through those granules to get to the bottom of the jug.

It's very easy to use. You just fill up the top insert section and then wait for the water to come through. A lot of people say it takes a long time, but we've found that this one at least, takes only about 3 minutes to filter a whole pitcher. We don't think that's too long at all. The resulting filtered water tastes excellent - markedly different from the water straight out of the tap. You really do feel like drinking water on it's own with no extra flavoring. I used to think I hated drinking just water - now I know different. It was the taste of TAP water that was putting me off.

You have to take the maker's claims on trust of course, as very few of us have got the equipment or the know how to do scientific tests on the water, but I think you can assume that somebody would pick them up if they were falling short of what they say their filters can do. Some people claim they have had problems with water filters. Without knowing the facts, it's hard to say why those people had problems, but it could be that they were failing to follow the maker's instructions. It's vital to follow the instructions carefully. The pitcher should be washed regularly in warm soapy water (just like you wash the dishes) and the cartridge must be changed after the recommended time.

Our filter has to be changed every four weeks. There is an indicator on top of the pitcher that you click when you put in a new filter, so it shows 100%. It reaches 0% after exactly 4 weeks, so you know it's time for a change. Very easy. If you get problems because you don't change the filter, that's your own look-out.

Home Water Filter Systems - How to Choose

2008-09-21T03:50:00.000-07:00

The market for water filtration systems to use in the home is already a very large one, and it is growing all the time, and this seems to be as a result of the wishes of consumers who are well-informed about health issues. They would like to find a reliable method of improving the quality of their drinking water. Research is showing an increasing number of links between poor quality tap water and a variety of diseases and illnesses, and people are coming to realize that bottled water is not always of much higher quality or purity than what comes out of your tap. Because of this, many people are now turning to the option of installing some type of home water filtration system to improve the water they drink.

Each main type of filter system has its advantages and disadvantages. The question is, how do you choose the system that is right for you? This article will help you to make your choice.

The simplest and most convenient system is a "pitcher" system, which uses a pitcher, or jug or carafe or whatever you prefer to call it, with a built in filter cartridge. All you have to do is fill it up, and wait for the water to come through the filter cartridge. These systems are particularly useful for people who live in apartments or rented accommodation, who are prevented from making any changes or installations to the property. They also tend to be the choice of home owmers who are not inclined to do any installation work in the kitchen. They have the disadvantages that sometimes they can be quite slow in filtering the water, and also the cartridges may need to be changed often, about once a month is typical. It is worth checking on this before you buy one.

The second type of system is the "faucet mounted" system, sometimes called a countertop system. These are fitted to the faucet outlet, and they usually have an option of choosing either filtered water ot water straight from the tap, unfiltered, by turning over a lever. These are often the choice of those who do not want to do a lot of installation work. Most people can install them easily in a short time. They are quite moderately priced, and they work faster in general than pitcher systems. However, here again, the cartridges may need to be replaced quite frequently, and some people do not like the look of an appliance fixed to the tap.

The next type is the "undersink" filter, which as its name suggests, fits on to the supply line under the sink. The main advantage of this arrangement is that it is out of sight. The cartridges for this type of filtration system tend to be more long lasting. The undersink systems produce good filtering results, but they are also initially more expensive to buy than the previous two types of system. If you are not a handy sort of person, you will also have to consider the possibility of having to pay a plumber to install it for you.

Whole house filtration systems do just that - they filter the water as it comes into the house from the main supply, so every tap in your house is giving out filtered water. Naturally these systems are going to be the most expensive in general, because they are filtering a much larger amount of water. However, many people choose them because they feel they represent good value for the money, despite the larger initial outlay. They are hidden from view, and the cartridges last much longer, typically about six months or more. You are strongly advised, if you are looking to purchase this kind of system and you do not have a lot of technical skill, to employ the services of a qualified technician.

As you can see from all this, there are a number of different types of drinking water filters. Once you have thought about what type of system will suit you, it might be worth looking at some of our reviews of drinking water filters for more information.