How a Little Mistake Choosing a Drinking Water Filter Can Cost More in the Long Run

Drinking Water Filter

Drinking water filters are being recommended as a money saving and environmentally friendly alternative to bottled water. Many physicians are also recommending a drinking water filter system to help protect their patient's present and future health. Of course, like with anything else, some drinking water filters are better than others, so you need to do a little research before you buy.

Just about any drinking water filter on the market will block chlorine, but some do little else. Most of the latest drinking water filters make use of carbon filtration technology, which can remove as much as 99% of chlorine, but if you view performance data, you will see that some of the inexpensive models only get rid of about 50%. Typically, it is the pitchers that are the least effective, but for vacationing, they are sometimes good to have.

Multi-stage systems cost a little more initially, but the daily cost of use is often less. A cheap drinking water filter might seem like a good idea, until you find out the cost of replacement parts. The better companies post the cost of use on their websites, but of course if you are shopping in a department store, it may be a little more difficult to figure out.

So, what inside the best drinking water filters? Carbon blocks that remove chlorine and other chemicals, plus micron filtration to screen out sediment and disease causing-cysts are probably the two most important components.

A drinking water filter with ion exchange will balance minerals, preventing hard water problems and improving taste. This step also creates a neutral pH. It is better to balance minerals than to remove them, as distillation drinking water filters would do.

What about a reverse osmosis drinking water filter? That system also de-mineralizes and RO alone will not disinfect or take out chemicals. It is also quite expensive and wasteful.

In terms of customer satisfaction, drinking water filters that are easy to install are most popular. But, more and more people are finding that they feel safer with a whole house system. Although initial cost and installation fees are more, it can work out to be cost effective, since you do not have to buy a drinking water filter, a shower unit and replacement cartridges for each.

Be careful, some customers have been disappointed to learn that their new drinking water filter system is not a purifier, even though the advertising makes it sound like one. If you look at performance data sheets, before you buy, you can avoid being disappointed.

Why are drinking water filters good for the environment? There are several reasons.

Plastic bottles are piling up in the landfills. Manufacturing the plastic is a waste of natural resources. The Pacific Institute estimates that bottle manufacturers used 17 million barrels of oil in 2006. In addition, gas and oil are needed for transportation purposes. If you are making other environmentally sound changes in your life, a drinking water filter is simply one more thing that you can do.

Plus, with drinking water filters, you can save a couple of bucks per day by bottling your own, at home. It's a win-win all around.



By Daniel Steven Acker
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1233728