Make an informed decision about your drinking water.

1. www.water-filter-reviews.info
Water Filter Buying Guide
Every home should be using water filters. Almost all of the water you drink, even bottled water is
likely to contains a containment. Although your tap water is cleaned through a water treatment and
generally safe for consumption, you should still use a water filter. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), threats to our drinking water is on the rise. Using a water filter will not only
reduce the contaminants in your water but can also improve the taste of the water.
Buying a water filter can be confusing for the average consumer, since they come in wide variety of
sizes, aesthetics and price and a manufactured by many companies. When buying a water filter there
are three things you want to focus on are the 1)How the filters works, 2) what containment it removes
and 3) if the filter has appropriate certification.
How Water Filters Work
Understanding how water filters work is not really complicated. Water filters are made up of a screen
with tiny holes it and some material that the water flows through to clean out contaminants. The
smaller the hole is the better. These tiny holes are measured in microns. When buying a water filter
make sure the filter size is based on the largest hole (also called absolute) and not just the average also
called nominal). The Center For Disease Control recommends that the you buy a one micron filter.
Not all filters work in the same way but the most common are distillers, point of entry and reverse
osmosis.
Distillers: These filters heat the water until it turns to gas then as the water condenses it is gathered
without the contaminants. There are many contaminants that can be easily vaporized such as radon.
Some people dislike the taste of distilled water. Since many of the waters minerals have been removed
it will taste different than regular tap water.

2. Reverse Osmosis Units: These types of filters use pressure to push water through a membrane without
pushing allowing the contaminants to follow. These filters are highly effective but have a down side.
They use a lot of water. The process uses more water than it cleans.
Point of Entry: These type of filters including counter top, under the sink, faucet and pitchers or bottles
are actually broken into two groups depending on how they are filtered.
Adsorptive media: Carbon filters are example of an absorptive media. They work by capturing the
containment in the pores of a materials when the water is passed through it.
Aerators: Aerators are good for removing contaminants that covert to gases like radon. Water is pushed
over air jets that remove the contaminants. Aerators are good for removing contaminates that convert to
gases like radon. Water is pushed over air jets.
Water Filter Certification
You will want to make sure that your filter has a certification. You should look for certification from
one or more of these three organizations. Each of these organizations are accredited by and follow the
American National Standards Institutes (ANSI) standards.
NSF International:The NSF Water treatment Device Certification Program certifies that the water
treatment devices that you purchase are meeting the national standards for design and performance.
This organization conducts rigorous testing and impromptu audits of manufacturing facilities.
Underwriters Laboratories: Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., is an independent, accredited testing
and certification organization that certifies home water treatment units which meet or exceed EPA and
ANSI/NSF drinking water standards of contaminant reduction, aesthetic concerns, structural integrity,
and materials safety.
Water Quality Association:The Water Quality Association is a trade organization that tests water
treatment equipment, and awards its Gold Seal to systems that meet or exceed ANSI/NSF standards
for contaminant reduction performance, structural integrity,and materials safety.