By: William Jackson
Submitted: 2009-07-10 13:45:57 | Word Count: 574
Selecting the best water filters for your home can be critical to the continued health of your household. Water contamination can be a serious problem, even in places where water receives the most intense treatment. Each time you take a sip of water from your tap, you may be exposing your body to pharmaceuticals, bacteria, lead and even arsenic. Drinking bottled water? It's not much better, and some brands may actually be worse.
Here are some tips for choosing a quality water filter:
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The best water filters do not strip your water of its minerals. For example, water filters marketed as reverse osmosis or distillation systems often leave water bereft of beneficial minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium--all naturally present in fresh water. Make sure the water filter you select does not demineralize your water. Your body is accustomed to the minerals found in water.
Watch out for water filters that simply do not filter enough. It may be tempting to just go to your local store and pick up one of the most popular brands. Surely all those well-known brands provide more-than-adequate filtration, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, many skimp on filtering certain hazards, such as cysts, radon, trihalomethanes (THMs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This may leave you to drink water that is a bit better for your health but still not good enough. Also, beware of brands that make exaggerated claims in order to garner more sales. Always request certification information and documentation before you buy.
Avoid pitcher-style water filtration systems when possible. These models are often lowest in cost, so many people tend to gravitate towards them. However, they tend to be less effective than quality water filters and have a lower capacity. You'll spend time filling it up, only to forget to use filtered water in your cooking or when you just need a quick sip to swallow an aspirin in the middle of the night. The best water filters allow clean, safe water to flow right from your tap, making it easy to protect your health.
Don't stop with just your kitchen sink. When you shower or bathe in tap water, you expose your skin to penetration by chemicals and contaminants. Even worse, some chemicals leave the water as vapors, surrounding you with danger you cannot see as you stand in a steamy shower. You then breathe these chemicals in, unwittingly damaging your health. Even something as simple as chlorine can present a problem in the shower or bath. It can rob the skin of it's moisture and lead to excessive dryness and irritation. It can even strip the hair, leaving it dull and brittle. Furthermore, inhaling chlorine and other chemical vapors can be particularly problematic for those with asthma or allergies.
The top water filters are those that are the most convenient to use and offer the most effective filtration. For this reason, many prefer whole-house systems that allow you to get filtered water from every tap in your home. These filtration systems offer no-hassle, no-fuss filtration no matter where you happen to be at the time. However, even sink, shower and bath models can provide optimal convenience when you opt for models that are well rated, simple to install and out of the way.
Author Resource:-
Nicole Madison is a professional writer who specializes in health topics. You can read more about water filtration and compare the best water filter models at aquasanapremiumwaterfilters.com
