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Frequently
Asked Questions
Do you have questions about minerals,
fluoride, and other elements present in your water,
and ways to ensure the best water quality? Listed below
are some of the questions our customers often ask. If
you do not find the answer you are looking for, please
be sure to contact us. Our
water specialists will be delighted to help.
What
water contaminants are in my water?
The
answer will vary depending on the water supply. The
best way to find out is to call your water department
and ask them to send you a copy of their water analysis.
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Why
should I want to remove fluoride from my water?
Fluoride
is added to water supplies in most US cities for the
stated purpose of improving the dental health of children
under the age of 12. More recent studies are showing
that ingestion of fluoridated water does not have a
significant effect on dental health. If fluoride benefits
dental health at all, it is when the fluoride is topically
applied rather than ingested. Fluoridated toothpaste
is a far more efficient delivery system than our water
supplies. A growing number of dentists are changing
their minds about water fluoridation and report that
dental health has improved in both fluoridated and non-fluoridated
communities. The critical factors that most affect dental
health are diet, dental hygiene, and genetics - not
a fluoridated water supply. Fluoridated water is also
the source of health concerns. Scientists are now beginning
to study the long term effects of drinking fluoridated
water over a lifetime and their findings are alarming.
Many people are hypersensitive to fluoride even at the
typical 1ppm levels. This hypersensitivity has manifested
itself as skin irritation, stomach distress, chronic
fatigue, headache, muscle weakness, and joint pain.
Fluoride has also been associated with dental fluorosis,
weakened bones, bone cancer, and environmental pollution.
Many countries in Europe have banned its use in water
supplies due to these health related concerns.
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If
I drink demineralized water, won't I be missing out
on important trace minerals?
No!
Water is not a reliable source for nutritional minerals.
The nutritional benefit of water is the water itself.
If you feel you don't eat a healthy diet filled with
plenty of fruits and vegetables, then you should take
a mineral supplement regardless of what kind of water
you drink.
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Will
drinking demineralized water leach the minerals from
my bones?
No!
This common misperception has not been proven by any
credible scientific evidence. Demineralized water, in
fact, serves to rid the body of only the excessive levels
of minerals and waste products.
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When
is a steam distiller a good choice?
Steam
distillers are great if your water supply is high in
mineral content and/or is known to be bacteriologically
unsafe. These conditions make it worthwhile to tolerate
the slow production rate and the electrical usage found
with steam distillers.
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How
do I know which is the right filter for me?
First
learn what contaminants are in your water supply, then
decide what contaminants you don't want to have in your
water. Then start educating yourself on what systems
will remove your "contaminants of concern". Check out
our guide for a comparison
of different filtration technologies. You can also answer
the questions in Choosing
a Drinking Water System to get pointed in the right
direction.
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I've
heard reverse osmosis is the best you can get - is that
true?
If
professionally installed and professionally maintained
on at least a quarterly basis, reverse osmosis systems
can be a viable means of water treatment. However, we
have seen a number of reverse osmosis systems used in
homes that have been removing virtually nothing from
the water. For higher purity water without frequent
and costly professional service, we recommend either
our MB Series Filter or one of
our Steam Distillers.
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Why
should I be concerned with filtering my shower water?
You
can absorb more chlorine through your skin and your
lungs in one shower than you can in all the tap water
you might drink in a day. Chlorine not only dries the
skin and hair, but studies show that long term exposure
to chlorine has been linked to cancer.
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How
do I pick a reputable water filter dealer?
Doing
business with a Certified Water Specialist will assure
you that the dealer has had professional training and
is committed to using ethical sales practices. Beyond
that, bring your business to the person whom you trust:
someone who can answer your questions.
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What
is cryptosporidium?
Cryptosporidium
is a parasite that is commonly found in surface water
supplies. It was responsible for hundreds of deaths
and thousands of people falling ill in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
in 1993. People with healthy immune systems may experience
some gastro-intestinal distress for a few days and then
feel fine once their immune systems has gotten rid of
the parasite. However, people with compromised immune
systems (people with HIV or AIDS and people undergoing
cancer treatment or recovering from an organ transplant)
are at particular risk. Their immune systems may not
be strong enough to respond to this parasite and the
outcome can be fatal.
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What
is NSF testing? Why aren't Custom
Pure's filters NSF tested?
NSF
stands for National Sanitation Foundation. NSF has worked
hard with manufacturers and consumer groups to create
standards for water treatment products targeted for
the general consumer. Purchasing a product that has
been NSF tested basically means that tests in the NSF
lab support the manufacturer's claims about the product.
It does not mean that the filter is better than another,
or that it will take out all contaminants on any water
supply. It simply means that the claims are accurate.
Whenever
possible we try to use component parts that have been
tested to NSF protocols. However, NSF has not made standards
for deionization filters, which are used in our MB Series
Filters. Deionization is more commonly used in commercial
applications where NSF standards don't apply.
Our
Carbon Block filters are not NSF tested because of the
huge cost and the limitations it sets on making future
improvements. If we make the investment in NSF testing,
we will be less likely to make improvements in the filter
in the future because of the cost of getting the filter
re-tested. We can not customize systems and have them
NSF tested. We prefer the flexibility to alter a filter
to meet one customer's needs rather than make a filter
one way and never change it again.
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Do
your products carry a warranty?
Yes!
The products we manufacture all carry a renewable 1
year warranty. As long as you continue to purchase replacement
filters from us on an annual basis, your warranty will
be active for another year. For products that we sell
but are made by another company, we will back the manufacturer's
warranty.
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Comparing Water Filtration Systems