Most people don’t realize that there are many types of showerheads and the type of shower head water filter that will best suit your needs depends upon how often you shower. Hard water can be caused by the build-up of mineral deposits over time in your water heater or another water source. By installing a shower head water filter, you will have minimized the effects of hard water.
Hard water can leave soap scum on your bathroom walls and in your tub, causing a layer of soap residue to build upon the floor of your shower. While you’re soaking, cleaning, and exfoliating, your shower head is also spraying you with hard water laced with chemicals. This can lead to a myriad of health issues, from dry skin and irritation to potentially life-threatening illnesses. Shower water contains chlorine, which serves a number of purposes both as a disinfectant and as an antifungal agent. However, if you have a lot of hard water, you may be affected by the negative effects of chlorine, as well as by the residue left behind by the cleaning solutions. When you shower with hard water, not only does the chlorine react with the oils in your skin and hair, but it can also leave soap scum on your bathroom walls.
When you shower with untreated water, the chlorine interacts with the natural oils in your skin and hair, coating them with a thin layer of chlorine gas. If this gas escapes into your bathroom, you can inhale the chloroform gas, which has been shown to trigger asthma attacks. It can also cause nausea, headaches, dizziness, coughing, and watery eyes. Chlorine also reacts with the bacteria in your bathing water, killing them and causing an unpleasant stench and a number of infections and conditions.
Showerhead filters prevent this unwanted interaction between the chlorine and bacteria by removing chlorine from your shower water. There are two main types of shower filters: faucet-mounted units and handheld shower filters. Water filters for the faucet mount are attached to the incoming water line, while handheld shower filters are attached to the showerhead itself. Faucet-mounted units require that the showerhead is attached to a plumbing system through a vent, while handheld shower filters may require that the filter is attached to the water handle itself. The advantage of a fixed water filter is that it will not require that you replace the filters.
Showerhead filters also differ in terms of the type of filtering mechanism they use. To reduce chlorine, most filters use a stage filter. In a stage filter, an activated granular carbon pad is submerged in the water, trapping small amounts of chlorine. Once the particles have settled, they are removed by a carbon media scrubber, leaving the remaining water in the tank for later consumption. This is one of the best ways to reduce the chemical’s impact on your health.
This post was written by a water treatment expert at Paragon Water Systems. They manufacture home water solutions such as reverse osmosis systems, under sink water filtration systems, showerhead filtration systems, carbon cartridges, and a wide variety of other products. Their focus is to provide America with safe and clean water throughout the home. Click here for more information!
