WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE PURCHASING A WATER FILTER FOR YOUR FAMILY
It is very important that the product you choose to buy is certified by an independent testing laboratory. If the product does not have this certification you do not know what you are really getting. Anybody can make claims about their product, but if those claims are not validated by a certifying body they may or may not be true. The above chart shows which products have a certification from NSF. NSF is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, and the world leader in standards development, product certification, education, and risk management for public health and safety. NSF is widely recognized for its scientific and technical expertise in the health and environmental sciences. NSF not only validates the claims made about filter performance, they also ensure that every part of the water filter system is safe to be in contact with your
drinking water.
Find out which disinfecting agent your municipality is using. In the past, all US municipalities used Chlorine, however today most municipalities have switched over to Chloramines and many of the rest are planning to switch in the very near future. Chloramines is a combination of Chlorine and Ammonia. The reason for the change is because it is thought that the use of Chloramines will reduce the level of disinfecting byproducts in comparison to Chlorine. However, there are so many unknowns about Chloramines and it's associated by products that you must ensure your water filter removes this chemical. If your municipality uses Chloramines as a Disinfecting agent, a water filter that does not reduce Chloramines is simply not enough.
The one contaminant most people need to be concerned about is lead, which can retard neurological development, especially in young children and fetuses. While your local utility can ensure that lead levels in your area's water supply stay at or below EPA thresholds, it can't see what's inside your household plumbing. Lead leaching from pipes, solder or brass faucets and fittings is particularly a problem in older houses. Newer homes may have copper pipes, but those copper pipes may also be joined with lead solder which may also leach lead into the water. Children are particularly susceptible to lead's toxic effects because they absorb lead more readily than adults do.
Before making the purchase you should understand how much this system is really going to cost you. The price of the system is generally only the first cost. If the system uses replaceable filters then you need to understand the real cost of the system over years. It is very important to understand how often the filter needs to be replaced and how much the replacement cartridges cost? This is either stated in terms of time (EX: every 6 months) or in terms of gallons (EX: every 100 gallons). A typical family of four drinks approximately 700 gallons of water per year. Use this number to compare between systems stated in gallons and systems stated in years. For example, a system that uses a replacement cartridge which lasts for 100 gallons and costs $20 will cost you $140 per year in addition to the initial cost of the system.
Finally, avoid the trap of assuming the best system is the most expensive system and purchasing accordingly. Many of the most effective brands are also the best value, while some of the most expensive offer the least. Typically price doesn't determine value, performance does. The above chart will help you compare systems side by side and make a wise purchasing decision based on performance facts.