When many people think about their homes’ water quality, they only consider the water that they drink. But did you know that quality is also important for the water that we use for showering? Today we’re going to talk about the health effects associated with bathing in contaminated water and how you can filter the shower water in your home!
How does water contamination affect shower water quality?
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to the quality of your shower water is chlorine. Chlorine is used as a disinfectant by water treatment plants, but it also reacts with organic matter in your water to create chemical compounds known as THM’s. When you shower in hot water, those chemicals are released as a vapor and you breathe them in.
Breathing in THM’s can be even worse than drinking them because when you inhale THM’s, they go directly into your bloodstream. In fact, showering in water that’s high in chlorine and THM’s has been linked to asthma, bronchitis, other respiratory issues and even cancer.
Another common problem with shower water is your water’s hardness. When you shower in hard water, it can leave your skin dry, itchy and irritated. In addition, hard water does not lather well with soap so you will likely have to use more products like shower gel and shampoo.
How can you filter your shower water?
The best way to treat your shower water is to install a whole house water filtration system and a water softener in your home. A whole house filtration system will remove chlorine and its byproducts from your water as soon as it enters your home, which will provide you with clean water at every shower. A water softener also treats your water right as it enters your home, and it will remove hardness minerals from the water you use for bathing.
One of the best options for treating your shower water is to install the Hague WaterMax in your home. This system will both filter and soften your water, allowing you to get great-quality shower water from just one unit.
If you have any questions about filtering your shower water, or if you’d like a water treatment system serviced or installed in your home, contact EPA Water Consultants. We service and install water filtration systems in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including towns like Bryn Mawr, PA, Buckingham, PA, and Burlington, NJ.
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