Friday, 7 December 2007
Aqua Pure Water Filters to Use at Home
These water tests use a sample of your water, and a special test strip is inserted in it. After the test, the color of the strip is placed against a color chart, which tells the tester what toxins or impurities might exist in your water.
The most frequent contaminants tested for are: nitrate or nitrite amounts, hydrogen amounts, water hardness, alkalinity, chlorine content, bacterial content and type, sulfide content, free chlorine content, copper, sulfate, iron, or chloride amounts, and pH level.
Aqua Pure water filters have been rated based upon the amount of microns they can filter out. For example, residential filters will usually range between 5 microns and .05 microns. The lower the micron the filter can filter out, the more comprehensive filtration is.
A micron is a measure of pollutant that gets through the filter. Therefore, the lowest number is by far more effective at releasing smells, particles, granulars and various other pollutants in our drinking water.
Basic Aqua Pure water filters will remove rust along with dirt from your water. It filters up to 5 microns with a flow rate of 20 to 28 gallons per minute, depending on the amount of pressure.
Plenty of Replacement Filters Available
If you replace the Aqua Pure water filter cartridge when necessary, it will maintain a constant purification level in your household water supply. To determine when the filter should be replaced, look for the following:
Water pressure diminishment: If your water flow through the filter begins to diminish and it is not a result of reduced water pressure itself, you can "backwash" the filter, meaning to rinse it with water to try to remove whatever is clogging it.
If you notice water beginning to smell or taste of impurities that you had not noticed since your installation of the filter, it's time to replace it. Under normal circumstances, though, you'll notice a decrease in water pressure through the filter before you'll notice a return in bad smell or taste of the water. Because the filtration is only as efficient as the filter itself, changing the cartridge frequently will ensure that you maintain top notch pure water in your household.
Water filtration is so important for your health. Show your family that you care by visiting Water Filter Types.com Learn more and see what is available when it comes to choosing an aqua pure water filter and others.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_J
Common Water Filter Systems - A Comparison
A lot of different companies associated with water claim to offer or produce the purest and cleanest water. But how do we find out whether their claims are true, or just marketing and advertising? This article compares the most popular water filter systems and water treatment methods, and provides an overview how effective these water purification systems work.
Activated Carbon Filters
Granular Activated Carbon Filters are efficient and cost-effective water treatment devices, but the consumer has to consider its limitations. Activated carbon filters are able to remove concentrated chemicals (chlorine, trihalomethanes, fluoride), organic material (humus, algae), and microscopic contaminants (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides). Yet when used too long, activated carbon water filters can easily breed bacteria, so one has to ensure to change the filter cartridge regularly.
Reverse Osmosis Systems
Reverse Osmosis is able to remove fluoride from the water, as well as most mineral constituents, such as salts, lead, calcium and iron. This water treatment process is ineffective in taking out a variety of contaminants found in municipal water, such as chlorine and volatile organic chemicals. Water treated with reverse osmosis produces unhealthy drinking water as most healthy trace minerals and salts are also removed during the purification process.
KDF Filters
KDF Filters (i.e. KDF process media) are characterized through a "Redox" reaction (Oxidation-Reduction). During this oxidation reduction reaction, harmful contaminants are changed into harmless components. Zinc and copper are the preferred metals used in the KDF alloy since both are relatively good reducing agents regarding common inorganic contaminants.
KDF process media change, for instance, free chlorine into benign, water-soluble chloride, which is harmless and carried through the water supply. Moreover, there is no need for electricity, no water waste, and the filter is not likely to breed any bacteria. The downside is, however, that KDF filters do not remove fluoride (fluorosis damages bones and teethes) and organic contaminants. A good alternative is to use KDF filter in conjunction with other water filter media.
Water Softeners (Deionizers)
Water Softeners or Deionizers are able to remove the hardness of the water, i.e. calcium and magnesium. Benefits are less pipe scaling, softer feeling clothes, and a longer life of household appliances such as dish washers and washing machines. However, as deionized or softened water contains high amounts of sodium, it isn't good for people's health. That is why softened water or deionized water shouldn't be used for drinking and cooking (the watering of plants and lawns isn't recommended as well).
Distillation
The process of Distillation is relatively slow and must be repeated several times to ensure significantly pure water. It is a good way to produce pure water removed of salt, nitrate, and pathogens. However, synthetic chemicals common in municipal water such as herbicides, pesticides, and chlorine solutions can't be removed through distillation, because their boiling point is lower than the one of water. In addition, distillation removes natural trace elements, thus turning it acidic (hydrogen composition becomes greater in proportion). Long-term consumption of water that is demineralized in that way, can be harmful to the body system and may result in mineral deficiencies inside the body.
Point of Entry Systems
A Point-of-Use System only affects the water at exactly that faucet where the unit is installed. A Point-of-Entry System, installed at the main in-line water feed to your home, is the better choice, as it provides pure and safe water throughout the entire home, including every faucet and shower head inside and outside the house.
Activated Carbon Combined With KDF Process Media
A Point-of-Entry Water Purification System that combines activated carbon with kdf filters is a product that purifies all the water coming into your home or business and removes up to 99% of all contamination, including biologicals, chemicals, and metals, but leaves the trace minerals which are important for health. It provides an unlimited supply of clean, pure, and pH neutral water for the whole family at every faucet in the house.
So it is by far the best choice when considering purchasing an effective and reliable Whole House Water Filter to combine the filtration technologies of Activated Carbon and KDF process media. In this way heavy metals, chlorine, volatile organic chemicals, and other toxins are effectively removed at the highest levels of any home water filter system on the market today. All components should be NSF certified.
Waterfilter-Info.com wants to inform people about an alarming endangerment: the contamination of drinking water. US scientists state that it is not longer safe to drink impure and unfiltered tap water. Waterfilter-Info Compares Different Water Purification Systems and water treatment methods and delivers comprehensive information about which water filter systems are most reliable in terms of Contaminant Removal. More information at http://www.waterfilter-info.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Neuman