A 2022 survey found that 77% of Americans are filtering the water in their homes — a figure that’s increased three years in a row. With more than three-quarters of the population using filters, we’re long past the question of “Are people filtering their water?”. Today, the more relevant question is “What’s driving people to filter their water?”. As it turns out, water filters have several benefits for your health, home, and the environment.
If you’re considering buying a water filter, but not sure if it’s worth it — here are the top reasons to do so. Check out the benefits of water filters and decide for yourself.
1. Remove harmful contaminants
The main draw of a water filter is removing contaminants like chemicals, heavy metals, and bacteria that can be dangerous to your health.
Even if you rely on public tap water that’s treated by the city government, there’s still a chance your water can contain contaminants. From a regulatory perspective, there are over 60,000 chemicals in use within the U.S., but only 97 of them are regulated. In the future, new research may uncover hidden dangers of chemicals that are considered safe today — so installing a water filter can help protect against contaminants that aren’t regulated or treated by local municipalities.
Additionally, water filters can also help remove contaminants that are created as byproducts from the chemicals used in the treatment process, and impurities that are picked up in pipes as water travels from the treatment facility to your home.
2. Improve the smell, taste, and appearance of tap water
If your water appears dirty, has a noticeable odor, or an unpleasant taste — these are clear signs of contaminants that can make your water dangerous for use. Installing a water filter can help remove impurities so it’s safer and more enjoyable for everyone in your home.
3. Get softer skin and hair
Public water providers often use harsh chemicals like chlorine or chloramines to remove contaminants, and sometimes they can linger after treatment. Exposure to these chemicals when bathing can irritate your skin and cause several issues with hair like dryness or color fading. Even more concerning, some of these chemicals become more dangerous when showering as they get vaporized as steam and are inhaled through your lungs.
4. Reduce damage to pipes and appliances
In some cases, the concern of water is an excess of minerals rather than chemical or bacterial contaminants. This issue is known as hard water, and it can wreak havoc on your home’s pipes and appliances. As hard water travels, trace amounts of minerals are deposited into pipes which build up over time resulting in blockages that can reduce your water flow rate, accelerate rusting, or even cause bursts that can flood your home. Appliances like your dishwasher and washing machine are also at risk of these issues, and may have a reduced lifespan as they have to work harder to function.
You can address hard water with an isolated softener or salt-free conditioner, but bundling it with a whole house water filter can provide a more complete solution to protect against several types of contaminants.
5. Enjoy cleaner clothes that last longer
Outside of damage to your pipes and appliances, the excess minerals associated with hard water can also fade, stain, and damage your clothes. Just as minerals get deposited into your pipes and appliances, you may find chalky deposits on your clothes after washing them. The minerals can cause tearing, and they can also react with the chemicals in your detergent which reduces its cleaning power and fades or stains the fabric. Installing a whole house water filter that features a softener or conditioner can help your clothes look and feel better!
6. Help the environment by switching from bottles
Some people may acknowledge the dangers of tap water and instead turn to bottles as a safeguard for their health. However, bottles have a long list of detrimental effects for the environment. Starting with usage, it’s estimated that 60 million water bottles are used each day within the U.S., and about 1.3 billion globally at a rate of 1 million bottles per minute. While many people recycle, about 80% of all disposable plastic bottles will end up in landfills. Each bottle takes about 450 years to decompose, so the bottles that get thrown out will stay there for generations to come. In fact, scientists predict that the world’s oceans will contain more plastic than fish by the year 2050. Using a water filter at home displaces bottles, mitigating the environmental consequences.
Beyond the environmental benefits, you may also be surprised to find out that tap water may actually be safer than bottled water. Bottled water isn’t regulated as strictly as tap water, manufacturers don’t have to disclose where it came from, how it was treated, or what contaminants it contains at the point of sale for consumers. As a result, you may find that even unfiltered tap water is safer than bottled water. Of course, filtering adds another layer of protection so we still recommend using a water filtration system at home.
Now that you have a better understanding of the benefits of filtered water, it’s up to you to decide if filtering is worthwhile. If you want to start using a water filter but aren’t sure where to start, browse our site to find information and reviews from popular products.