What Does a Shower Head Water Filter Remove? A Guide to Healthier Showers

Water is a basic necessity for all of us, but we can’t just settle for normal water in this health-conscious world; now, we’re finding ways to purify it and make it clean to ensure that we’ll get the best health experience. Recently, there has been a boom in shower head filters in Australia because of the multiple benefits they bring. For those of you who are curious about this contraption or are just looking at ways to spruce up your bathroom, this article will explore what shower head filters remove, introducing you to a more enjoyable and healthier shower experience.

What are chlorine and chloramine? Understanding the effects of these harmful compounds.

Before you go ahead and look for Australia’s best shower head water filter, it’s important to know what it does so you can have a better understanding of how it affects your health. As their name suggests, shower head water filters act as a sieve that filters all tap water’s impurities, contaminants, and harmful chemicals.

One of the main culprits that makes your shower water harmful to your body is the presence of chlorine. This element is known for its disinfecting properties that kill different types of microorganisms like bacteria and viruses, which cause waterborne diseases. Suffice it to say that adding chlorine is crucial for public health. Generally speaking, water providers in Australia are mandated to use chlorine to disinfect water, but there are instances where the presence of the said element is too much.

Because it’s a powerful oxidant, chlorine can strip the natural oils in your skin and hair, making them dry and dull. In the case of your hair, it can even break down hair proteins, which are crucial for hair growth, leaving your locks lifeless and lackluster.

As the largest organ in our bodies, the skin is exposed to many things daily, and in turn, all of us bathe to clean the muck and grime of our usual activities. The only problem is that if there’s too much chlorine in the water, it could leave your skin dry and irritated. For people with skin sensitivities, it could even trigger certain conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and acne.

As if the presence of chlorine isn’t worrying enough, chloramine is another compound used to disinfect water. It’s formed when chlorine reacts with ammonia, and compared to chlorine itself, chloramine is even harder to remove from the water. But not to worry, there are shower head filters specifically designed to remove these compounds, like the shower head filters that use kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) or activated carbon. These two chemically react with the water, so before the water could even come in contact with your skin and hair, the filter already neutralized their detrimental effects.

Hard water and how heavy metals and minerals impact water.

Apart from chlorine and chloramine, your shower water also contains different minerals and heavy metals that can impact water quality. Generally speaking, these rogue elements aren’t harmful, but they are the reason why there is “hard water,” and there’s no denying the fact that continued exposure to these has effects on the body.

Some of these pollutants include lead, mercury, iron, and copper. Most of these elements creep into the water from old plumbing systems, but there are also calcium and magnesium to consider. Compared to the aforementioned, the presence of calcium and magnesium in the water isn’t as harmful, but they can leave a residue in your hair and skin. This is why sometimes your skin feels a bit sticky, while scum buildup can start in your scalp.

By installing a shower head filter, you’re saving both your hair and skin from these harsh elements. In cases like these, it’s best to use an advanced shower filter so it can provide an extra layer of filtration to sieve through the contaminants, leaving you with softer water that’s gentle to the hair and skin.

What other contaminants and impurities affect your showering experience?

Besides chlorine and the minerals mentioned above, shower head filters can also filter other sediments like dust particles and rust. These two often come from older pipes, and unlike chlorine and the other minerals, these are very much visible to the naked eye since they can turn water murky; you can even spot some visible flecks if you look hard enough. Like the others, there are shower head filters designed to eliminate these elements through a chemical process or multi-layered filtration.

To wrap it all up, shower head filters are more than just simple devices that “purify” your bathing water; they’re a great investment that not only improves your bathing experience but also provides long-term health benefits.