Shower Filters Fact and Fiction: Part 3 - Filters!

Here we go with the fun part! 

If you've decided you want a shower filter, or if you have one but you're not sure it's quite right, we'll hit some of the important things to look for.

We've covered what shower filters can and cannot do, and why you might want one in Part 1 and Part 2.

CAN: Remove chlorine. ✅

           Alter pH (with various consequences). ✅

CANNOT: Soften water ❌

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We have to talk about filter media - the materials inside the filter that do the work. Don't buy a shower filter without knowing what's inside. Even if it has great reviews - everybody's water is different. 

• KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion): Made from copper-zinc granules. Sounds extremely cool.
• KDF-55 Reduces chlorine, as well as soluble lead, nickel, mercury and chromium. 
• KDF-85 Reduces iron and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell)
• Calcium sulfite: Reduces chlorine
• Carbon fiber / activated carbon: May reduce chlorine odor
• Alkaline balls: Increase pH to make water feel "softer" and more slippery. 
• Magnetic balls, energy balls, far infrared balls: Seriously? Why pay for something when you don't know what it is or does? Especially if you're going to be standing naked in water that flowed over it. They're kind of fun, and may not do any harm. They might also not do any good.
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): Reduces chlorine. May lower pH, depending on filter.

Question: Is it better to have 2 different filter media?

Not necessarily. In municipal water filtration systems, you'd apply different filter media for different purposes. Some of these filters (like the ones below) use 2 filtration media that have the same function. I KNOW there's an emotional pull to think that 2 filter media do a better job. So to counter that - look for the NSF or ANSI 177 listing. If you see NSF/ANSI-177, it means the filter meets the requirements for making a claim of reducing free chlorine in water.  (NSF is the National Sanitation Foundation, ANSI is the American National Standards Institute). That gives you some assurance the product reduces chlorine, regardless of the number of filter media and weird balls in there!

Exceptions: - Filters that include extra screens for particles might be helpful if your plumbing has a lot of sediment in it.

- If you have sulfite allergy, extremely sensitive skin (eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis), or asthma, calcium sulfite filters might not be your first choice.  In foods, sulfites can cause problems for sensitive or allergic people. An example - AquaBliss has a page on their website where they do the math. They divide the amount of calcium sulfite in their filter (70 grams), which loses 0.042 grams (42 mg) over the filter-life. If you take 8-minute showers with a flow-rate of 2.1 gallons per minute, over 600-700 showers, you'll be exposed to 0.06 milligrams during the "life" of the shower filter. In water-chemistry we talk in terms of parts per million (ppm). Sensitive people should avoid 10 ppm of any sulfite, or as your doctor or allergist recommends. So in ppm, this is about 0.23 ppm. Lower than 10 ppm. May be okay - but you have other options if you feel more comfortable avoiding sulfites.

- If you have water with rotten-egg odor (hydrogen sulfide), a filter with activated carbon may be more helpful. Or one with KDF-85. I linked one below, it's not a bargain!

Now: Some products that fall into 2 categories.

Price categories (don't forget to change filters approximately every 6 months):

Under $20💧

Under $40 🚿

$40-60🚿🚿

$60 and greater 🚿🚿🚿

Reduce chlorine, shouldn't alter pH

Sprite Slimline Shower Filter: KDF and Calcium sulfite 🚿

Sprite High Output Shower Filter:  KDF and Calcium sulfite 🚿

Brondell Viva Spring Compact Shower Filter: KDF 🚿

Aqua Bliss High Output Universal Shower Filter: KDF, Calcium sulfite, Activated carbon 🚿

Culligan In-Line Shower Filter: KDF 🚿

Culligan Rain Disc Shower head: KDF (cover of shower head is removed by removing 2-3 screws to change the filter, rather than unscrewing the entire unit like most filters). 🚿🚿

Hammer Head High Pressure Shower Filter  KDF, Calcium sulfite 🚿🚿

Kitsch Shower Filter: KDF, Calcium sulfite 🚿🚿

Aquasana Shower Filter: KDF and Activated carbon 🚿🚿🚿

Jolie High Pressure Filtered Shower Head: KDF, Calcium sulfite 🚿🚿🚿

Sante Ultimate Dual KDF Shower Filter: KDF (55 and 85), catalytic carbon (may reduce chloramine, another disinfectant, I'm a little skeptical how well, given the flow rate). 🚿🚿🚿

Reduce chlorine, pH may be altered

Brondell Viva Spring Vitamin C in-line shower filter: Vitamin C, may lower pH. Needs replacement monthly (or as needed). 💧

Aqua Earth Shower Head Filter: KDF, Activated carbon, Calcium sulfite, Vitamin C...ceramic balls, alkaline balls, magnetic balls, negative ion balls, etc. CHECK THE pH if you use a filter like this - compare to your tap water.  🚿

Cobbe Hand Held Shower Filter:  KDF, Calcium sulfite, Alkaline balls, Anion balls. May raise pH. 🚿

Cobbe High Pressure 6-Setting Shower Filter: KDF, Calcium sulfite, Alkaline balls, Anion balls. May raise pH. 🚿

Replace filters as the manufacturer indicates! Make a reminder on your calendar, on your phone and do it! This part isn't marketing to sell more products, a filter works effectively for a limited amount of time. Then it becomes less effective. 

Science-y Hair Blog by Wendy M.S. is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0