Because our bodies are made up of between 55-75% water, it’s essential we care about the quality and amount of water we drink daily. You can test the quality of your water by inviting a local water treatment company to your home. After you receive the results, you’ll better know if you need to treat your water to be ingesting more pure water with the necessary mineral profile for optimal health. More importantly, the most common recommendation is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Here’s why.

  1. It Reduces Fatigue

If you’re feeling tired, there is a good chance you might be dehydrated. Feeling less energized is often the first sign of dehydration because the lack of water causes the heart to work harder and all the other systems of the body work less efficiently.

  1. It Improves Mood

Studies show that even a small amount of dehydration can affect your mood and your ability to think clearly. A good indicator that you are well hydrated is a light yellow or clear colored urine. If you are slightly or severely dehydrated you’ll have yellow to dark yellow colored urine.

  1. It Minimizes Headaches and Constipation

A huge contributor to headaches and migraines is lack of water consumption. Drinking water when you first feel a headache coming on should take effect immediately. When the body is dehydrated your body will pull moisture from your stools to make up for the lack of hydration and cause you to become constipated. Drinking your daily water intake will aid your digestion and prevent constipation and its associated discomfort.

  1. It Aids Healthy Weight Loss

For many reasons changing your water drinking habits is the very first step toward healthy weight loss. Often when we think our body is hungry, the fact is we’re often only thirsty. You’ll find that drinking 1-2 glasses of water before a meal can suppress that false hunger. Drinking water also promotes fat burning and elimination within the body.

  1. It Flushes Toxins

Having adequate supply of water within the body let’s the body sweat and release toxins through urine. Water supports proper liver and kidney function, essential filtering organs. If you are predisposed to kidney stones, water dilutes the salts and minerals that form kidney stones. If it’s safe to say water promotes your health, it’s probably safe to say it prevents illness as well. On top of preventing kidney stones and constipation, other illnesses that can be prevented by getting adequate water are bladder infection, asthma, colds, yeast infections, sleep disturbance, skin issues, high blood pressure, heart disease and more.

Okay, you’ve tested your water or know it can be better and you’re considering purchasing a water filter. You’ve seen water filters attached to faucets in other’s homes, but did not realize how many different kinds of filters there are and how differently they can be installed! This quick read article can hopefully assist you in sorting your thoughts and narrow your choices. They are listed from simplest technology to most complicated and basically in order of value as well. If any hesitation regarding the right choice for your home and family, consider calling your local water treatment professionals.

What If I Just Purchase Bottled Water?

What if you’d rather not deal with the fuss getting a water filter that does or doesn’t do the job and just purchase bottled water? After some research you’ll find that bottled water is one of the least cost effective, environmental and healthy options available for clean water. The cheap plastic, often containing BPA and other unhealthy elements, can easily leach into the water itself and the water is not much cleaner than tap water when you consider all its pitfalls.

Pitcher Filters

Water pitchers that contain a water filtration system within the lid can be easy traveling or quick options, but over time the charcoal filters can get very expensive quickly. It does not remove all toxins or the worst kinds from the water and requires constant filling to keep up with your family. Faucet attachments that contain the same filtration (charcoal) are just as ineffective and costly. There are better options on the market.

Reverse Osmosis Filtration

This technology is also a charcoal filter that needs replacement parts over time, but runs the water through more than the previous options. It removes major contaminants, including arsenic, chlorine, heavy metals, and other bacteria. It usually attaches below the sink and has a holding tank. It can be more time efficient than the previous options, but still takes an hour to make one gallon of drinking water. It’s got the same cost con associated with the replacement filters and is worst socially because it wastes a ton of water that it rejects during its process.

Water Distilling At Home

Water distillers are very effective at removing chlorine, heavy metals, bacteria and other toxins from your drinking water. Unfortunately they are large and expensive. They use a lot of electricity which only adds to its cost. Due to a loss of mineral deficiency from using certain filters, you can experience negative side effects. This is something to consider when going with this or any of the previous filtration options.

Solid Block Carbon Filters

This technology is the answer to previous issues with other filters. The pitcher filters and faucet filters use the same kind of technology except the charcoal in theirs is not solid and that’s where they remove less toxins. Solid block carbon filtration systems are units that take up some counter space, but remove the most toxins with the least amount of replacement. The unit itself can be costly, but the filters cost less than previous options do over time. The best thing about this option is that it does not require electricity or running water and will make any water safe, including rain water, pond water, and even salt water. It even removes food coloring from water and comes out clear!

The loudest indicator you may want to get your water checked out is if it contains a funny taste, color, or odor. There may not be anything wrong with the water, just like seemingly clean water may have unwanted contaminants. Water that smells might have high levels of hydrogen sulfide or sulfur bacteria. Taste and color can vary along with many properties found in water. All these things can easily be explained with quick and simple testing.

If you’ve moved into a new home, especially if you’ve purchased a home, it’s a great time to test your water and make any adjustments necessary to optimize your water supply. If over time you realize that your water use appliances are working less efficiently or have residue build up, this is another indicator that your water levels should be checked and optimized for the life of your appliances, as well as other fixtures around the home. Another instance you may want to call a professional is if there is a resident in the home with a compromised immune system and you want to take the most precautions possible.

If you’ve found yourself in any of these situations, you can find yourself a local water treatment professional and make an appointment for them to come to the home and test.. Another option is to take a sample of the water yourself and mail it to a qualified laboratory for testing. If done in the home, the test only takes but ten minutes. Some of the things being tested for are the following: bacteria, micro-organisms, hardness, PH, acidity, alkalinity, sulfur, nitrite, nitrate, metals, chlorine and pesticides.

Once the results are obtained, you or your water treatment professional will be able to compare what you’ve got against the recommendations for safe levels of each element. From there you will be given the appropriate suggestions to modify your home to eliminate or balance any issues. This may include installing water filters (of many sizes, placements, types and purposes) or a water softener, and further water testing appointments in the future!

Somewhat common and potentially poisonous elements that could be found in your water include fluoride, chlorine, many types of pesticides and gasoline additives. These things can cause serious damage to vital organs with long term exposure. Testing is an excellent first step and beyond that, you may decide to just use the water for certain purposes and purchase drinking water you know is pure. A simple test is worth the time and expense if you aren’t already aware of what kind of water you are working with!

People may store water for various reasons: in the case of emergency, to avoid shopping more frequently, to use in their garden or to save money spent on store-bought water to name a few. You may have thought that any container will act as enough of a barrier from toxins and bacteria, that if you store it in a cool, dry place and drink it within an allotted time frame the water will always be safe. Here are things you want to know before beginning to store your own water at home.

Water is Best Stored in Certain Plastics

Water bottle companies and rain barrel makers have the right idea when choosing specific plastics to store water safely. The types of plastics are numbered and the safest for water is #1, #2 and #4. To find out if your containers are one of these three plastics, look for the recycling symbol on the bottom and the number inside it that indicates its plastic type. These plastics are polyethylene based and make the best plastics because they are UV-resistant and food grade. Added benefits of some containers can be non-translucent blue, a color that resists the growth of bacteria and light exposure and indicates by color that it’s safe for human consumption.

Furthermore, drinking water is best from glass containers because they contain none of the chemicals or potentially dangerous materials that plastics contain and can be 100% recycled until the end of time. More importantly to some, the container will not contain any flavors from its previous contents.

Water Containers Should Be Stored Away From Chemicals and Off Concrete

Water should be stored in a cool, dry place, but not any cool, dry place will do. The first thought for many is to store their water in the garage where you have an abundance of space for it. This idea is swell, as long as you place your containers atop some wooden planks to keep it off the ground or concrete. The truth about storing your water in plastics, even the safest plastics is that the porous material can leach in any surrounding substances, inside or outside the bottle. The container can absorb oil, gasoline and even components of your concrete. It can also absorb any flavors, scents or components of anything that was ONCE inside the bottle, so putting your water inside an old soda bottle will taint the water with remnants of soda even if you’ve thoroughly cleaned it.

Water Doesn’t Expire

Fortunately for mankind, water does not “go bad” like food does. For peace of mind you can rotate the water or replace it every 6 months or a year, but it is not necessary. As long as you have picked appropriate containers, sealed them properly and kept them from anything that could leach inside through a plastic you will be just fine. In the case of an emergency, there are ways to purify the water again by boiling it or using bleach. Please do your research before consuming any water you might think has been contaminated in the slightest.

Water is an essential to human life and the first thing you might consider when preparing for an emergency or just making daily life run more smoothly for you and your family. The recommendation for emergency water storage is optimally 2 weeks worth and 1 gallon per day kept for each person. For a couple, 1 gallon kept x 2 for 14 days would be 28 gallons of water. The minimum recommendation is three days worth if that seems more plausible for you and your space!

 

Having clean and safe water is vital for every home. This can be achieved by installing water filter system at your home. However, most people face challenges in choosing the best water filter system for their homes. Whether you want to use water filtration pitcher, Under-sink filter or whole-house water filter, you will need to have an in-depth knowledge of water filter systems.

In this article, we are going to provide you with tips of on how to Choose the Best Water Filter Systems for Your Home. Having an in-depth knowledge of water contaminants, water filtration technologies and the basic of water filters will help make a wise purchase decision.

Contaminants in water

It is important to note that different water filtration systems may not effective filter out some contaminants. Therefore, you should identify the type of contaminants in your water. This will help you buy the right water filtration system that will remove such contaminants. NSF provides the list of common water contaminants. Moreover, NSF has suggested the most efficient technologies that reduce various water contaminants. Therefore, you will have to perform a test to know the type of contaminants present in your water. After that, you use the results to choose the most effective system that will meet your needs.

Common Water filtration technologies

All filters use the same technology, but not all technologies are effective. For instance, ion exchange reduces magnesium and calcium but will not remove other contaminants. On the other hand, mechanical filters will effectively remove sediments but cannot reduce chemical contaminants. Moreover, carbon filters can remove chlorine, mercury, lead and asbestos.

Types of water filters

These include Pitchers, Under-sink, and whole-house filters.

Pitchers

These basic water filtration systems require not set up since water move into the system via gravity. Therefore, you have to refill the pitcher as you use the water regularly.

Under-sink Water Filter

This system filters water using a secondary faucet on the kitchen sink. Under-sink water filter system treats water just before consumption.

Whole-house Water Filters

This is the most advanced system that treats water at the point of entry into the house. The water from the municipal line is treated before flowing into the entire home.

Salt-free water softener

This is ideal homeowners who want to avoid scale build up in the pipes or home appliances. Just like water filters, salt-free water softeners are installed on the home’s water line.

Water filter certification

Usually, water filters are subjected to stringent quality measures to ensure they serve the intended purpose. In this case, the best water filters should have NSF seal. NSF is an international organization that test water filtration systems determine their compliance with the required standards for quality, performance or safety. Therefore, you should consider water filters with NSF seals as they are reliable.

Water filter costs

The prices of various types of water filter systems vary greatly. Therefore, you will not expect to buy pitchers, Under-sink or whole-house system at the same price. If you need the basic and the cheapest water filter system, then you should consider pitchers. On the other hand, you may take into account the under-sink water filter if you want the convenience of getting filtered water at your sink. However, this option is more costly than pitchers water system. Otherwise, Whole-House filter system will deliver high performance. In this case, you will enjoy clean water throughout your house. Whole-house system is the most but it worth the value of your money.

Conclusion

Water filter systems are very vital in our homes. Without clean water, your family is at risk of getting water-borne diseases. However, it can be a daunting task to Choose the Best Water Filter Systems for Your Home.

The initial step is to determine the type of contaminants present in your water. This will guide you in choosing the system that will reduce specific contaminants in your water line. If Lead is a major contaminant in your water, you will have to consider the system that will effectively remove that contaminant.

Moreover, the filtration technology and the type of water filter system are things you should consider. Whether you choose Pitcher, Under-sink or whole-house water filter system, you will have to check for the NSF seal. The systems that are certified by NSF will serve the intended purpose. Conclusively, the above tips will help you get the best water filter system in the market.

 

6 Reasons to Drink More Water

Water is considered a building block of life and we are regularly told that we need to be drinking more water. Water has many proven benefits beyond simply quenching one’s thirst. In fact, 70% of the human body is water. It makes up 80% of the blood, and over 75% of the brain. Below are the benefits of water;

REASON #1: Aids in weight loss

For those trying to lose weight, they might find drinking water will help them meet their goals. Water helps with weight loss through several ways. For one thing, many people confuse thirst with hunger. Many individuals who drink more water will discover their appetite is not as strong as it was before making eating less easier. Water will also increase one’s metabolism. Not to mention, drinking water as opposed to high-calorie drinks such as soda will cut calories.

REASON #2: Lubrication

Drinking more water can help people with arthritis and other pains find some relief. Water lubricates the cartilage in joints. When the body is not getting the recommended amount of water, the cartilage in joints, which is water-based, thins and cannot protect the joints the way it should. This causes the bones in the joints to run together causing pain.

REASON #3: Assists in Detoxification

Water aids in the process of eliminating and flushing out toxins and bacteria out of the body. This is among the most critical processes the human body does. Detoxification can help the body fight off disease and get rid of chemicals that could over time wear the body down. Even certain types of cancers and many degenerative diseases have been shown to be less common in people who drink the recommended amount of water.

REASON #4: Nourishes the skin

If you have skin problems, water can likely help repair that problem as well. The skin consists of 70% water, and if you do not drink enough of it, you could find that you will have problems with it. Problems include acne and dry skin. Dry skin on its own can cause additional problems, such as eczema, scaling cracking, and infections.

REASON #5: Enhances Mental health

To have the best optimum mental health, water is necessary. The brain is over 75% water, and it has been shown that a person who suffers from chronic dehydration can have neurological problems. The entire nervous system is a series of small waterways. Less water causes those waterways to thicken. The thickening of those waterways is shown to cause of difficulties.

REASON #6: Restore energy

Average person loses nearby 10 glasses of liquid within day (during processes of diaphoresis, respiration, urination and defecation). Even the slightest dehydration can be wrapped by loss of concentration, headaches, irritability and weariness. Water involved in every type of cellular process in your body, and when you’re dehydrated, they all run less efficiently including your metabolism.

Of course, there are many more health benefits proved to be a result of drinking water. Despite all these advantages, it is assumed that 75% of the United States suffer from chronic. Nearly everybody has access to water, now all that has to be done is to drink it.

 

Many of us belong to the world’s growing bottled bottle consumers group which is a growing billion dollar industry. Actually, bottled water sales are much more than even milk products, juices or coffee sales. As contributors to this industry we have not only resolved to have filtered water in portable small bottles but also increased the gigantic volume of plastic needed to be recycled globally.

In fact, bottled water is having hazardous impact on our environment, health and surroundings. How many of the bottled water is actually natural spring water’ from the Alps or wherever it is claimed to be from? It is more likely to be bottled in a factory that treats water by adding chemicals to sort of clean the water of harmful impurities to make it safe for drinking. Yes, that is the reality. Add more chemicals and bottle that water so that it is drinkable and market it with the picture of natural spring water sources. Let us look at some of the reasons why you need to break your water bottle habit today.

Is Bottled water what it claims to be?

Mostly the tap water and bottled water may have very less variation in terms of its minerals; chemical composition etc. may be lesser chlorine content. Who knows? If not anything else, for a fact the water in that bottle is absorbing the plastic by just being stored in it and that does not sound healthy either. There is no solid evidence to prove the fact that bottled water is healthier or cleaner than tap water in terms of where is sourced from or how it is actually packaged for consumption.

Tap water is way cheaper than bottled water

When you are not even sure about what is actually different in your bottled water when compared to tap water, why would you want to pay for that? So, what is the business strategy of these bottled water companies? They obviously don’t go to natural spring sources and get that water to the plant for treatment with chemicals. Rather, they just use the readily available tap water and bottle that after treating with more chemicals. Yes, it is a profitable idea.

Recycling issues with plastic water bottles

Globally recycling plastic is being considered serious but despite various measures are being taken but, it is not followed consistently. We are all contributing to this plastic waste and pollution by using that bottled water and not bothering about recycling.

Oil is cheaper than bottled water

When considering big branded bottled water, it way more expensive than even oil. So, though convenient it is not a cheaper option to buy bottled water. When considering crude oil prices globally, bottled water comes out as more expensive. Also, noteworthy is the fact that much oil resources are wasted trying to transport bottled water from one location to another.

Bottled water can be hazardous to health

Water stored in the plastic bottles can have hazardous chemicals leeching in to it that then is consumed by buyers not knowing that they are paying for an unsafe product. Many water treatment plants packaging bottled water may not be strictly adhering to safety regulations. Gradually, consumption of bottled water over time can lead to harmful chemicals ingestion and affect our health. On the other hand tap water does not have leeching of harmful chemicals from plastic and is treated to reduce chemical contaminants. BPA or bisphenol A is a chemical in plastic water bottles that can cause serious health concerns over time.

All the above reasons mentioned above should convince you to add an item to your wish list before next Christmas. Install a water filter system in your home and office. Get rid of your plastic bottled water habit for better health and overall benefit of the environment. Your family will have safer and cleaner water at all times and you will do your health a big favor. Get the economical choice of installing an under the sink water filter in your kitchen to begin with or a whole house water filter system on a larger level for better quality of life. Do your part; for your family and the environment as a whole.