Why Are You Still Taking Showers Without a Shower Filter?
However, most people have no idea just how much chlorine they're being exposed to by not using a shower filter.
The regular tap water coming out of your shower head contains just as much chlorine, if not more, than the amount allowed to be in standard public swimming pools.
By using a quality shower head filter you can reduce or even eliminate chlorine completely from your daily shower.
Chlorine can make for an uncomfortable shower experience because it usually strips away natural oils, which can easily disrupt the natural metabolism of the skin.
This can lead to excessive dryness and unnecessary cellular damage, greatly accelerating the signs of aging.
By installing a reasonably priced shower filter in your home, the benefits of softer skin and more manageable hair become a reality almost immediately.
Standard shower filters have only been shown to reduce free chlorine, and in some rare cases, chloramine (a devastating combination of chlorine and ammonia).
Although there are many claims to the contrary being made by several shower filter sellers all over the Web, a simple fact remains.
The combination of a relatively small amount of media within a short bodied shower filter simply cannot remove other contaminants from fast flowing hot water using standard methods.
Basically, the water is too hot and moving too quickly for the small amount of "stuff" inside to do it's job with any meaningful results.
Using a shower head filter will ensure your skin and hair feel and look much healthier, but alsoprovides tremendous protection for the rest of your body by not forcing you to inhale toxic chlorine fumes.
Because of this, it is highly recommended that you get a shower filter if you have asthma or any other sort of respiratory condition.
It can be extremely beneficial to those that have serious asthma and/or allergy symptoms.
Chlorine and chloramine are notorious for causing irritation to the sensitive mucus membranes of the eyes, nose and throat.
Another advantage to having a shower water filter is that it can help enhance the pH of water and bring it much closer to the "neutral" range of 7.
0.
There are several different shower water filtration systems out there that use their own technology or techniques to filter the water.
Some even claim to have some type of complex, multiple stage filtration system thatpromises to remove of all kinds of synthetic and volatile organic chemicals.
However, most of these types of claims are based entirely on clever marketing instead of real data.
When in doubt, always ask to see data substantiating any claims that sound too good to be true.
The best thing about shower filters is how relatively inexpensive they are and how easy they are to install and maintain.
An average shower filter will run anywhere from $40-$90 and should perform with average results.
Even if you are willing to spend a little more money, higher priced shower filters do not necessarily provide greater protection.
Look for shower filters that utilize Vitamin C (Ascorbate), KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) or Chlorgon (Calcium Sulfite); with the Vitamin C and Chlorgon type shower filters also providing excellent protection from chloramine.
Shower filters that contain any type of carbon generally do not perform as well and have been known to produce large amounts of bacteria within a short period of time.
The bacteria feed on carbon within the moist, warm confines of a shower filter and quickly multiply.
This can lead to bacteria being released into the stream of shower water and onto your body.
The most important aspect of purchasing and using a chlorine shower filter is whether or not it will perform to your level of expectation.
If in doubt whether that very attractive shower filter hanging in your shower stall is actually working, go out and purchase some total residual chlorine test strips and test for yourself.
A bottle of 25 test strips will generally run less than $10 and can be found on eBay for even less.
Just make sure you purchase and use test strips that check for both free and combined chlorine, otherwise known as chloramine.
With the rapid implementation of chloramine across the globe, free chlorine disinfection of our public water supplies is sure to quickly become nothing more than a distant, unpleasant memory.