Water Filter Comparisons
...The Question of Need
Water Filter ComparisonsWater filter comparisons leading to choice of a filter begins with clarifying your needs. It's only when you have a clear understanding of what you find essential in a filter that you have a chance to find the filter that meets those requirements. For example, if you have a family of four or five, you'll need a filter that gives you enough quantity of filtered water. A pitcher filter which takes several hours to filter and gives you only a pitcher full of water is obviously not what you are looking for. For the sake of helping you analyze your personal needs, I will discuss four dimensions of need. Each dimension contains a variety of issues to consider.
Needs Based on Your Source of Water
Does your water come from a municipal water source which has already been filtered and disinfected? Or does it come from a private well? In the former case, you may only need a filter that improves the flavor or a filter that removes more contaminants. What are the contaminants that are of particular concern to you? If you get your water from a private well, there will possibly need to be a filter that removes larger impurities before getting to a filter designed for the smaller contaminants and viruses that could effect your health. You also need to consider the best way of disinfecting your well water. What kind of an area do you live in? Is it highly industrial with the possibility of chemical contaminants in the water? Is your area a farming community with the possibility of insecticides in the water? In short, your area could give you clues to the impurities that your filter needs to be able to remove, and this will help you in making effective water filter comparisons. _________________________________________________
Needs Based on Your Household
What is the size of your household, the number of people who will be served by your filter? What about the ages? Infants and the elderly are more vulnerable to viruses in water. Too much lead in the water can have serious consequences for young children in the family.Do you need a filter for the whole house? For your shower? Or is it primarily for drinking? Do you desire to do your cooking as well with filtered water? All these elements of need will affect your parameters in making water filter comparisons and in selecting the right filter for you.
Needs Based on Budget Considerations
How much are you willing to spend for a filter? In general, the cheaper the filter the less contaminates it removes. There are different approaches people take at this crossroads. Some decide that they want a filter primarily to improve the flavor of their drinking water. An inexpensive pitcher filter or faucet filter will more than suffice. Others have a specific list of contaminants they want removed. They will look for a filter that removes these contaminants and pay accordingly.Finally, there are those, like myself, who want the most complete safety and the most contaminants removed possible and are willing to pay whatever it costs. So we look for the highest quality in filters we can find. In short, water filter comparisons are narrowed down significantly by what we are willing to spend.
Needs Based on Personal Preferences
This fourth dimension of personal need analysis is a little harder to define. No one comes to the question of water filters purely objectively. We are all people with personal opinions, sometimes rooted in our upbringing. It's important to be aware of these personal preferences when we go looking.Our preferences are shaped by what our parents said and did, by what our friends say and by what brands we feel good about. It's when we are aware of our preferences that we can be more objective and rational about our water filter comparisons and ultimate choices. What we are actually looking for is "peace of mind". What filter choice will give you peace of mind about the quality of drinking water you are drinking and giving to your children, etc. Rarely in life to we get the perfect choice. My wife who is a Realtor regularly shows houses to people. More often then not, the kind of house they are looking for is just beyond their resources! What we have to do is to delineate between the "essentials" and the "non-essentials". When you face the choice of a water filter, what are the qualities that you must have? What are the qualities that you'd like to have, but could do without. More often than not, it's budget considerations that force us to this balancing act. For additional information on
water filter comparisons
go to our discussion of "How to Choose a Water Filter"
|
