Any chemical engineers here?

star882 · 06-21-06, 12:56 AM

I am currently considering upgrading my water filter, and I came across this site: http://www.aquasana.com .
At first, it was pretty convincing. However, on the following page, I read a claim I never heard before.
http://www.aquasana.com/ask_the_doctor.cfm

Quote:

Are shower filters really as important as drinking water filters?

ANSWER *

In my opinion they are more important! During a 10 minute shower your body will take on 10 to 50 times the level of water borne chemicals than from drinking a glass of the same water. During a warm shower the pores of our skin open up and absorb chlorine and other chemicals at an accelerated rate. Even worse, the steam you inhale is far more contaminated than the water itself due to the fact that synthetic chemicals, including chlorine, vaporize much faster than water. While over 96% of the water that comes out of your shower head goes down the drain, almost all of the chemicals vaporize into the air we breathe before the water hits the ground… making the steam more concentrated with chemicals. Also, inhaled chemicals go directly into the blood stream and have magnified adverse effects. But if the only benefits to shower filters were cosmetic, it would still be a must have in my book. Showering in purified water offers amazing benefits for skin and hair. Anyone who has ever swam in a chlorinated pool knows how chlorine dries out your skin and hair. The thing most people don't realize is that we typically have more chlorine in tap water than in our swimming pool! We have always sold more shower filters than anything. It’s one of those products that once you use it you’ll never do without, and you feel compelled to tell others… like seeing a great movie for the first time!

Can anyone tell me if that is true or merely a marketing tactic?

Oh, and should I get one of those aquasana filters or should I get a reverse osmosis system? And if it's suggested to get a reverse osmosis system, are the more expensive ones with electronic controls worth it?

aquacooled · 06-21-06, 06:30 AM

RO water is pure water period.. my hobby and job was saltwater fish and coral tanks.. I know water therefore the name aquacooled.. if u get "city water" its perfectly safe for bathing and drinking however it might not taste great however will not kill u.. hooking up the RO for washing clothes and taking shower is better because most of the time softer water makes the clothes feel softer too..

Tankman · 06-21-06, 07:19 AM

Like aquacooled states, "Go with the RO water system." :approve:
RO water systems are the choice in industry where pure water is a must.
Why not set up an RO water system where the main enters the dwelling?

In addition, filter units tend to get "loaded" and therefor, if you're lacking maintenance; i.e.: constantly changing filters, you may be asking for more trouble than you bargained for.

Not a chemical engineer but, I design chemical storage tanks, been doin' so for 40+ years.

Tap water in the US is perhaps the best drinking water available, anywhere.

BirdBrain · 06-21-06, 10:16 AM

I'd go with RO also - we have one on our kitchen tap water, and it is the best (would like one for the whole house, but couldn't do it at the time). The kitchen filter fixtures are OK, but RO is better.

And the comment on the shower filter is more of a marketing ploy than anything else. It might be helpful only if you know for sure that you have certain contaminants in your water. Or it might make the water feel better on your skin.

In the USA, most public water systems are safe because they have specific monitoring requirements from the Feds and State governments - and they are required to send customers info about the water quality. Certain very small systems may not be on the same requirements, but usually you can still find out about the water quality by asking or doing some research.

star882 · 06-21-06, 06:40 PM

So which reverse osmosis unit should I go with? Do the ones with electronic controls work any better than the regular ones? I do know that the ones with electronic controls control the purge cycle based on usage instead of letting it purge slowly all the time. However, I don't think the reduction in water use can pay for the increased cost of the unit (at least not for a home unit). But I may consider one if it filters better.

Quote:

Why not set up an RO water system where the main enters the dwelling?

I have seen whole house filters, but not whole house reverse osmosis units (at least not for the average home). How much do these cost? (Since it seems like only Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears own these units (actually, they probably have hired chemical engineers just for their water), my guess is "very high".)

BTW, is distilled water with the right amount of minerals added good? (I know it's bad to drink plain distilled water. http://www.mercola.com/article/water...lled_water.htm However, it doesn't say whether showering with plain distilled water is good or bad.)

star882 · 06-22-06, 09:02 AM

I just got a message saying that distiller units are to be avoided because if a heat exchanger inside fails, the water could become contaminated with Freon and machine oil. So I really won't be considering distilled water, added minerals or not. (Of course, I can't even find those distiller units for sale, probably because reverse osmosis is good enough.)