Archive for the ‘Water Quality’ Category

Shower Head Filters: 4 Reasons Why You Should Use One

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

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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Home Water Filter Maintenance

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

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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Point of Entry Filters (POE) vs. Point of Use Filters (POU)

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

In many commercial applications, several water filters, including those which are dedicated to specific pieces of machinery, are needed. In these cases, individual filters, known as “point of use” (POU) water filters are located inline just before the water is dispersed or enters the machinery for which the water is intended.

As POU filters are usually application specific, they can be tailored to the needs of the user, and are often used in place of a generic reverse osmosis system. This fact makes a standard POU water filter easier to maintain, but usually more expensive. Because of this, it behooves the business owner to take measures against the premature degradation of the POU water filter. The easiest way to accomplish this is to install a “point of entry” (POE) water filter.

POE water filters perform water filtration for the entire commercial water service. They are responsible for purifying the water supply to all faucets, pieces of machinery, and toilets. The advantage of this approach to water filtration is first that only one system must be purchased for an entire service, and second, that it greatly improves the life of any other filters present down-line.

The most popular POE filters used are either sediment prefilters, or carbon filters.

  • Sediment filters are responsible for removing sediment that can clog softeners, prematurely foul carbon filters, or ruin the down-line plumbing. In addition, they reduce TDS (total dissolved solids) or many other harmful chemicals like nitrate, nitrites, etc.
  • Carbon filters are effective for certain trouble water conditions such as bad taste or odor.

Still other POE filters are designed as an entire system. These units typically employ a four-stage filtration process. The first stage of filtration removes sediment in the water that may clog the filter, reducing its effectiveness. The second stage uses a chemical process called water atomization to alter the molecular structure of chlorine and turn it into the harmless molecule, zinc chloride. The third and fourth stages of filtration involve activated carbon filters to filter pesticides, and other harmful chemicals.

By removing chlorine and other harmful chemicals at the point-of-entry, the whole service is provided with cleaner, healthier water at a reduced cost to the business owner. Pre-filters are typically much less expensive than down-line, application specific filters, making their replacement cheaper than that of the filters the POE filter is saving.

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Posted in Commerical Water Filters, Water Filters, Water Quality | No Comments »

Water Softening: A Simple Approach to Great-Tasting Water

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

“Hard water” is generally defined as that which has a high concentration (>100mg/L) of dissolved salts, like calcium and magnesium, which are absorbed from the earth. This excess of particulates can cause numerous problems for the home and small business owner, such as difficulty in regulating water pH (important for pool and aquarium owners), and scaling/deposit buildup in pipes, boilers, and machinery which makes use of water, such as coffee and espresso makers.  The classic tell-tale sign of hard water is difficulty in lathering soap and shampoo.

Another such problem is the taste associated with hard water. Water containing mineral contaminants can taste bitter, especially when used to cook or brew fine coffee. When this becomes a concern, many turn to water softening to remove these minerals and make them palatable.

Softening, while not a lengthy process, is complex when compared to other purification methods such as reverse osmosis. Water softener cartridges make use of either an all-in-one cartridge such as the Everpure ESO7 or a drop in bowl system such as Everpure’s SO-204 to remove excess minerals from your water.

With the ESO 7, not only is water softened, but dirt and particles are removed as well.  The ESO 7’s unique three-stage blending cartridge provides softened, buffered, and precoat filtered water, while the cartridge’s ion exchange resin with buffering capabilities and high-capacity coconut carbon filtered water bypass make it the perfect choice for specialty coffee, espresso, and ice tea applications.

Systems such SO-204 combine small size and ease of use with commercial application capability.   Measuring just 26”x5.125”x5.25”, the SO-204’s replacement cartridges are sized to fit under any counter or mounted on the wall behind the coffee or espresso machines.  While relatively small, the SO-204 is designed to handle water having up to 30 grains per gallon (500mg/L) – 5 times the definition of “hard” water.  Moreover, the filters are easy to change.  Not only do replacement cartridges not require a housing wrench to be changed, that is, they can be hand-tightened, but cartridges require only one minute of flushing.  Many high-end coffee and espresso machines require a water softener to ensure the quality of the coffee is preserved through the brewing process and warranty purposes.

If you think you would like to make use of a water softening cartridge in either your home or business, contact Filter Pure Systems, Inc. at 1-800-942-7873 today.

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Realizing the Benefits of UV Sterilization

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Ultraviolet water sterilization is a process by which the threat of microorganisms and other biological contaminants, which are present in municipal water supplies and private sources (like wells), can be effectively nullified through exposure to a specialized ultraviolet bulb.

How does it work?

Sterilization systems which employ ultraviolet radiation operate on a few simple principles. First, a UV source, which is usually as simple as a specialized light bulb, is placed inside a reflective quartz sleeve. This sleeve is placed over a flow chamber which exposes all water passing through the system to a unique, specially determined germicidal wavelength of 254 nanometers. Continue reading “Realizing the Benefits of UV Sterilization” »

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What’s Really In Your Drinking Water?

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Many of us take the quality and purity of our water for granted. While the public water supply is generally safe for most people, it is not always as harmless as we’d like to believe. In addition to additives like chorine and fluoride, tap water may contain various minerals, microorganisms, and chemicals.

Regulating Water Quality

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) closely monitors the quality of public drinking water. Monitoring must adhere to the Safe Drinking Water Act, which specifies the method for choosing which contaminants are monitored and determining what contaminant levels are acceptable.

Sometimes, the acceptable level is set at zero, but water treatment plants cannot always achieve this level of purity. This disparity is especially common for contaminants that pose a particular hazard for children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Currently the EPA monitors approximately 90 different substances. However, over 260 different substances have been found in U.S. tap water. Some of these may simply be a nuisance, while others can pose a health risk. Meanwhile certain contaminants, such as lead, may be introduced through plumbing in individual households.

Common Tap Water Contaminants Continue reading “What’s Really In Your Drinking Water?” »

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