What a diff. dechlorinated water makes !

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
What a diff. dechlorinated water makes !
6
Sat, 12-01-2007 - 7:54pm
I was getting tired of constant dry itchy skin and having to rub lotion every few hours. So I did some research on the web. Turns out high levels of chlorine in tap water is the culprit with most of it being ingested during hot showers. That's right. We absorb more vaporized chlorine through our skins during a 20 min shower, than we do drinking several bottles of tap water. Chlorine causes dryness/itchiness of the skin (since chlorine absorbs water to form an acid), likely premature wrinkling , slowly destroys hair follicles (this is debated but there is evidence it does) causing hair to fall out and even turn gray, not to mention the "C" word over long term.



So what is one to do ? Chlorine removing shower filters seem to be quite popular. So I stopped by my local Home Depot this afternoon and picked up a shower filter for $19. Took 5 min to install. Wow. What a difference. Water at once felt much 'nicer' on the skin, and gone was the odor of chlorine. But mind you this is not a water softener. Hard water will still be hard and will still have trouble dissolving soap. But after a single use my skin's already feeling much better..








Edited 12/2/2007 12:58 am ET by hillaryh8er
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-13-2007
Sat, 12-01-2007 - 11:31pm
Your right. One of the systems we sell in higher end homes is a water filter, NOT softener that no one in a city needs . . . but a whole house water filter. The water in there toilets is better than most folks drink. (-: Runs a little more than $19 but people say its the greatest thing since fried rice. And it is amazing how many people are shopping for it for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Funny to see something like that pop up. (-:
We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Sun, 12-02-2007 - 12:47am
>> The water in their toilets is better than most folks drink.



Lucky dog (or cat) if they have one !



The water filter in my fridge is not a softener, it's just a filter. But I wonder how/why it tastes so good - so much better than tap water. Can filtering alone (and removing chlorine) but not softening, make it taste so much better ? I mean it's still hard water after all.



Speaking of hard water, I need a softener for my shower. Not the whole house, that's a waste, but just the shower. I wish there was something like a shower filter that could both filter and soften, but I don't think it's possible since it takes a lot longer for water to soften than the time it spends passing through the filter.


Edited 12/2/2007 12:49 am ET by hillaryh8er
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-13-2007
Sun, 12-02-2007 - 1:48pm

I have never seen a water softener just for the shower. I am no "expert" on this subject, it is truly one of the most difficult things I tackle in my job when it comes up. A lot of people are very specific as to what they want to accomplish in the filtering process. I do know it is an area that is sold as dishonestly as dishonest gets.


My first comment is are you sure you need a softener at all? If you use city water anyplace in the united states, contrary to what the sales man will tell you, you DO NOT have hard water. Certain standards are met by law. Water that is over softened interferes with the way soaps and ensign based detergents work and can have a very negative effect. In Miami if they have a "real" need for a water softener, then they are on a well.


Now, if you DO need a water softener, you need it for the whole house, just the shower is silly. (-: Again, "hard water" is bad for everything it touches except you. (All those minerals are in fact pretty good for you.) I am however assuming that you are on city water because you have chlorine in your water, obvious conclusion . . .


So forget water softeners, high cost, high maintenance cost . .and . .how much "salt" do you want inside your body or on it? Second, softeners really are not filters at all, they are only softeners. Just a total scam

We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Sun, 12-02-2007 - 10:06pm
>> are you sure you need a softener at all? If you use city water anyplace in the united states, contrary to what the sales man will tell you, you DO NOT have hard water.



Unfortunately the part of the country where I live (southwest), the water is really hard (I am wondering if the water source, a river called the 'Salt River' may have anything to do with it :) ). Over a period of time hard water clogs up pipes, water heaters, showerheads and leaves stains on dishes, laundry and pretty much anything it comes in contact with. I can live with most of that. What is difficult for me to live with is soap not dissolving in the shower. That really bothers me. And also the fact that hard water is bad for hair in general.



As for drinking, I don't drink filtered water. Filtered water is still hard , ie it tastes almost as bad as hard tap water even though it's 'cleaner'. The only water I drink is distilled water - the purest and sweetest water can be (technically it's tasteless but to someone used to drinking hard water it's sweet :). I will take a look at the links you sent. There is a local water softener company here that advertises all the time on talk radio, called H2O concepts. Problem is H2O concepts is not a salt based softener, it's electric. From what I have read ionic softeners do not really work that well.




If there was a product for showers only I would get it in an instant! Sadly there isn't, so I cannot. I may have to go with the more expensive option down the line.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-13-2007
Sun, 12-02-2007 - 10:38pm

WaterX does a combo unit. (Full filter and Softener.) Whole house tank would start at under 2 grand. (Plus a plumber, but its a fairly easy install once you figure out the right size tank for

We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Mon, 12-03-2007 - 10:19am
Thanks for all the info! I will check out WaterX.