Protecting your family from chlorine is important, and there are a number of very fine filters that will remove chlorine from your drinking and cooking water very effectively. But, you may be unaware that the greatest danger chlorine poses to your family is from your shower water. When chlorine is vented from the shower water, it releases aerosol chlorine, chloroform, and chloramine into the air which is then breathed into the lungs. Chlorine is also harmful to the skin and hair.
Chlorine may be unattractive in many ways, but it is also a necessary additive to municipal water supplies. Water for cities and towns is drawn from reservoirs, lakes, and rivers, and will contain bacteria, viruses, and cysts. These organisms can cause serious illnesses, and prior to nationwide chlorination of water, many people died every year from drinking unsafe water. Chlorine has the unique quality among disinfectants of persisting from the water treatment plant to the tap. This prevents the water from becoming re-infected along the way. So far, a less dangerous substitute has not been found.
Chlorine Dangers when Showering
The dangers of chlorine while taking a shower are fourfold: you and your family will inhale aerosol chlorine and its byproducts, skin will become dry and flakey, hair will become lifeless and brittle, and chlorine and chloroform will be absorbed into the body through the skin.
The health problems that have been tied to chlorine are serious:
- Cardiovascular disease.
- Kidney damage.
- Gastrointestinal problems.
- Asthma.
- Autoimmune disease.
- Cancer.
Chlorine is a very problematic substance, but at this point in time, it is entirely unavoidable to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, and hepatitis.
Taking a Safe Shower
Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to make sure that your shower water is safe for everyone in the family, from the youngest member to the oldest. A quality shower filter, such as the Pelican PSF-1 Shower Filter With Shower Head or the Pelican Premium PSF-1W Hand-Held Shower Filter are the answer to the problem.
These Pelican shower filters are excellent at providing you with safe water for bathing by the use of their 3 stage filtrations system. A combination of media, including activated charcoal, copper & zinc oxidation matrix, and far-infrared balls will remove nearly 100% of chlorine and its derivatives from your shower water. You will notice a real difference not only in your overall health, but also in the appearance of your skin and hair once you install either of these Pelican shower filters.
The filter cartridge will have to be replaced after approximately 750 showers have been taken, so this is an economical, as well as a healthy, approach to removal of chlorine from shower water.