Protect your Family from Chlorine in Bath & Shower Water
Protect Your Home from Chlorine in Bath and Shower Water
In modern society, chlorinated water is the norm for bathing. While chlorine acts as an effective disinfectant for tap water, it is detrimental, capable of causing severe irritation to the skin and respiratory system. Showers, with their warmth, open up your pores, allowing chlorine to be absorbed from both water and steam. Chlorine’s oxidizing effects can break down water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen chloride, gases associated with molecular-level tissue damage in the body. As the skin is the body’s largest and most absorbent organ, it can bond with chlorine, affecting hair and skin proteins, resulting in brittle, dry hair and itchy, prematurely aged skin.
Chlorine doesn’t solely penetrate the skin; it is also dispersed in shower mist and inhaled into the lungs, entering the bloodstream directly. Over half of our daily chlorine exposure comes from showering. Prolonged exposure to chlorine can lead to various health concerns, including:
- Dry skin and hair
- Hives and rashes
- Asthma and breathing issues
- Premature skin wrinkling
- Cancer caused by THM compounds
Several water filtration techniques can rid bathwater of chlorine, from straightforward shower filters to complete whole-house water purification systems.
Shower filters typically use activated carbon or KDF media to remove chlorine. These filters are small and have a limited amount of media, requiring frequent cartridge changes. The effectiveness of chlorine removal depends on the water’s contact time with the media, which means a lower flow rate might be necessary for higher efficiency.
Whole-house systems use a large amount of activated carbon media, surpassing shower filters’ chlorine removal capabilities. They function effectively at higher flow rates due to increased contact time with the media. Some sophisticated units may also utilize catalytic coconut-shell activated carbon to remove chloramines and other chlorine byproducts.
When selecting a system, the focus should always be on achieving effective chlorine removal for every household and family.
Continue Reading: Swimming and Chlorine: Protecting Your Skin, Hair, and Health