| Reverse osmosis water units are expensive and | | | | Traces of pesticides, herbicides, and prescription |
| for most homeowners, there is no need to spend | | | | drugs have been found coming in to many homes |
| the money. While those that market them may | | | | and offices. |
| say that reverse osmosis systemes are the best, | | | | Reverse osmosis systems will not remove those |
| there are better, more technologically advanced | | | | chemicals at all. They are smaller than your |
| alternatives. | | | | water's molecules. Anything that would filter them |
| Reverse osmosis water units have been | | | | out would not allow water to pass through either. |
| recommended for giardia and cryptosporidium | | | | Chemicals can only be trapped on the surface of |
| cyst removal. In case you are not familiar with | | | | carbon granules and special resins. The process is |
| them, cysts cause waterborne illnesses similar to | | | | called adsorption. |
| food poisoning. They can cause chronic stomach | | | | The quality of adsorptive purifiers varies. It's best |
| problems as well. In people with poorly functioning | | | | to read product performance data before you |
| immune systems, they can cause death. Any | | | | buy one. The manufacturer should list the |
| system that is certified to filter down to one | | | | impurities that are reduced and the extent of |
| micron will remove cysts. The best ones filter | | | | reduction. Most reverse osmosis water units don't |
| down to a half a micron. | | | | include the extent of reduction, because they |
| Reverse osmosis systems are sometimes | | | | don't have the testing done. Manufacturers can |
| recommended for people that have "hard water" | | | | have Underwriter's and other independent |
| which is a high mineral content. Generally, the | | | | laboratories conduct testing, but they must pay |
| mineral is calcium, but iron and other elements can | | | | for it. Many companies don't want to go to the |
| cause problems as well. Water softeners are less | | | | expense. |
| expensive than reverse osmosis systems, as is | | | | If your problem is fluoride, reverse osmosis |
| ion exchange. Either of those can be targeted to | | | | systems are mostly ineffective. The highest |
| address specific minerals and other elements | | | | fluoride reduction is provided by granulated |
| without completely de-mineralizing. Drinking | | | | aluminum. But, granular carbon is somewhat |
| de-mineralized water on a regular basis is not | | | | effective as well. |
| good for your health. | | | | If you have a private well, then you should have |
| Reverse osmosis water units are sometimes | | | | regular testing conducted to determine the |
| recommended for lead reduction. Ion exchange | | | | impurities that are present. Even after you install a |
| systems trap lead, copper, and other metallic ions | | | | system, you should have annual testing conducted |
| and replace them with sodium or potassium. | | | | to create a record of quality. There are industrial |
| Those electrolytes help to maintain the body's | | | | and natural activities that can affect that quality. |
| homeostasis or hydration. | | | | If you have access to a public waterline, you don't |
| In most homes, the biggest problems are | | | | need reverse osmosis water units. You need |
| chemical contaminants, including chlorine and | | | | multi-stage selective filtration, which is far less |
| chorine byproducts known as THMs. In some | | | | expensive. |
| areas, VOCs, such as perchlorate, are problems. | | | | |