FAQs

The original Aquaspace Compound, which is in all our filtration products, is based on information provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  In fact, NASA was so impressed with our development and adaptation of their original research, they asked us to testify before the U.S. Congress as an example of the successful transfer of NASA research to commercial applications. The name AQUASPACE, pays homage to our NASA roots. We adapted the technology used to filter water in space for astronauts to filter water on earth for people. Hence “AQUA” meaning water and SPACE from the technology we adapted from NASA.

Reverse osmosis and Distillation often strip the water of all it’s vital minerals like calcium, magnesium, etc. which are essential for humans AND can lower the pH value of the water (making it more acidic). AQUASPACE technology while filtering out all the unwanted organic and inorganic chemicals, leaves in the essential minerals and doesn’t lower the pH value. Our filters are designed to allow these minerals to pass through the filter without removal, allowing our customers to drink not only clean water, but HEALTHY water. For the difference between Aquaspace filters and other filters click here.

Most water filters or purifiers on the market will only address aesthetic problems with water. Meaning they only “filter” problems associated with color, taste, and odor. While this might make the water look, smell, and taste better, it does nothing for the chemicals on the inside. AQUASPACE not only addresses aesthetic problems like color, taste, and odor, but also filters both organic and inorganic materials that are dangerous to your health.

Water from Reverse Osmosis or Distillation will give you clean water but also more importantly, it will strip the water of all its essential minerals. AQUASPACE is the only product on the market that will both remove unwanted chemicals while NOT removing essential minerals.

Media and Compound are synonyms. It is the material that we manufacture and use inside all our products. All the medias and parts that are used in all our filters are manufactured using FDA food grade/ NSF approved material and are industry standard.

The lifetime of our filters varies depending on the type of media and the amount of media inside. We recommend that the filter should be replaced after so many gallons or so many months for its best efficiency. Once the media has run its course (filtered out the bad chemicals from the water), then it’s time to replace the new one. For example, our most common triple units have three different filter sections:

Aquaspace Compound (AR-100) is rated for 12 months or 1,000 gallons (whichever occurs first)

Fluoride & Heavy Metals Compound (AR-100F) is rated for 6 months

Microbial Reduction Ceramic Filter (AR-900C) is rated for 24 months or 50 cleanings

A good comparison would be the oil in a car. While the oil in a car does not “run out” like gasoline does, it continues to travel through the engine until you have traveled X number of miles or X number of months and it needs replacing. Same with our filter media, which is designed to be replaced at a specific time to ensure optimum quality. 

The patented Aquaspace Compound removes aesthetic impurities such as taste, color and smell as well as a wide range of both organic compounds (such as pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, and industrial solvents), and inorganic compounds (such as lead and chlorine) from your drinking water WITHOUT removing essential minerals.

The Aquaspace compound will remove 99% of Chlorine, 99% of Lead, 99% of Trihalomethanes (Chloroform), benzene, herbicides, and pesticides, and 55 VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). Because each of these contaminants have been linked to either heart disease, cancer or other health related problems, we are able to deliver a water that is not only great tasting but also excellent for your health!

Gases such as Krypton, Argon, and Radon can also be found in the water supply. The surgeon general has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Our Aquaspace Compound has been rated to remove 98% of these gases.

The Aquaspace Compound is the foundation for ALL our filters and can be found in all our products.

The Aquaspace Fluoride & Heavy Metal Reduction Compound has been designed to reduce 90-95% of the fluoride added by municipalities to undetectable levels.  This media will also continue to reduce inorganic heavy metals (such as Lead, Arsenic, Chromium 6, Mercury, etc.).

The Fluoride & Heavy Metals Compound can be found in any filter marked “F” in the product name. For example the CA-100F is our Carafe Pitcher with Fluoride & Heavy Metal Reduction.

The Microbial Reduction Ceramic Cartridge removes bacteria, parasites, viruses, E-coli, cysts, fungi, and cryptosporidium. The ceramic filter is also the FIRST point of entry into the water filter unit and doubles as a sediment pre-filter for the entire system.

The Ceramic filter is only available with the Under-the-Sink and Countertop units.

The Ion Compound will raise the pH value of the filtered water making it Alkaline. It will:

• Raise the pH to a value of 9.0 (+ or - 0.5)
  
• Lower the Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) of the water by -500 millivolts
  
• Add Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium
  
• Improve taste
  

This is the optimum pH value for water and will give you the benefits of anti-oxidant alkaline water and essential minerals in every glass. It is recommended to drink 5 glasses of Alkaline Water (pH between 9-10) spread out throughout the day, but just not before or with meals.

The ION Compound can be found in any product with ALK in the model number or in our Alkaline Filter Collection.

ADsorption is different than aBsorption. ABsorption is like a sponge sucking up water. ADsorption is when things are attracted to each other, like magnets. Our filters use aDsorbtion. When the unfiltered water (water with all the bad stuff) passes through our media, our media will attract the bad stuff (Lead, Chlorine, Fluoride, etc.) and the bad stuff will stick to our media while the other good stuff (clean water w/ minerals) passes through. Thus, filtering your water.

Each unique media is designed to adsorb (filter) certain organic, inorganic, and microbiological compounds and let the clean, healthy water with essential minerals pass through.

There is a long list of chemicals that can potentially be in any municipal or well water supply. We refer to some of these chemicals as VOC’s, Volatile Organic Compounds. VOC’s can evaporate easily from water into air at normal air temperatures. According to the EPA, VOC’s cause eye, nose and throat irritation, frequent headaches, nausea, and can also damage the liver, kidney and central nervous system. Aquaspace Compound reduces 55 of the most common VOC’s.

See the full list here.

These chemicals can be found in:

• Industrial cleansers
• Disinfectants
• Gasoline and other fuels
• Wood preservatives
• Degreasers
• Chemical manufacturing by-products
• Various manufacturing processes
• Herbicides
• Pesticides
• Weed Control
• Chlorination of water

The Department of Health maintains a list of certified labs.  We have been personally recommending our customers use National Testing Labs for nearly 30 years now.  They have a full line of tests and are certified in over 30 States. We recommend either their standard Water Check Test or for those who reside in agricultural areas the Water Check with expanded VOC option. Especially customers on well water should obtain a complete water analysis from a State Certified Lab.

Our hope is that your test comes back with water so good you could bottle it!  However, should there be an issue, the test results will indicate what needs to be removed and help identify water quality issues that may require various treatment options.

Should your test come back with flying colors please remember that a water check is unfortunately only a “snapshot in time” and as such we recommend that all home owners, especially on well water, strongly consider repeating the complete test every few years.

Fluoride has had a long history in the public eye. Many of us are familiar with fluoride as it is the chemical used to maintain our healthy teeth. It can most easily be found in our toothpaste and at our dentist’s office. Fluoride is also found in our water supply, about 70% of Americans have fluoride in their water. For years we’ve been told that fluoride prevents tooth decay. Regardless of the efficacy of fluoride, it was never supposed to be ingested. Research shows that numerous health conditions like arthritis, bone cancer, hip fractures, brain damage and disorders, lowered IQ, or thyroid problems have been associated with fluoride. Swallowing fluoride is unnecessary and potentially dangerous. 

After years of hearing the desire from our customers for fluoride filtration we developed our special Fluoride & Heavy Metals Reduction Compound. Our compound is composed of activated alumina and bone char and has been rated to remove up to 95% of Fluoride.

Activated alumina is oxidized alumina. This NOT the same as aluminum. Fluoride is a by-product of aluminum production. Because of this, Fluoride has a natural affinity to recombine or “adsorb” onto activated alumina. This means the Fluoride will stick to the activated alumina in our filters, thus filtering the fluoride out of your water. A benefit to using activated alumina is that it requires minimal contact time for maximum defluoridation.

All our Fluoride and Heavy Metal Reduction Filters use activated alumina. Please be aware that while alumina and aluminum sound similar, THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT. In fact, activated alumina is similar in chemical composition to that of Sapphires and Rubies (without the chemical impurities that cause the coloring) and has not been found to cause any negative health side effects when used in filtering water. 

Bone char —often referred to as natural carbon—is a granular material produced by carbonizing bone at temperatures of 1100°-1600°C. It also has an affinity for fluoride and “adsorbs” to other metals as well. SEE adsorb definition in section 2.

If you are lucky enough to not have fluoride in your water there may still be other heavy metals that you wish to filter out like Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, and Chromium 6. For example, houses with well water won't have to worry about fluoride, but may have other heavy metals in their water.

This is a list of Heavy Metals that could potentially be in your water supply. It is important to get your water tested to know the exact contents of your water. All the heavy metals listed are filtered in our Fluoride & Heavy Metal Reduction Filter (All products marked F).

ARSENIC (As): Arsenic is considered extremely poisonous to humans. It is an acute toxin and can cause severe injury or death from short-term, high-level exposure. It is odorless and tasteless and can have a great variety of symptoms.  Arsenic has been widely used as an insecticide. It is also used in some mining and manufacturing. For this reason, it is possible that it may reach water supplies and has been detected in some areas.

ANTIMONY (Sb): Antimony is in the same chemical family as arsenic, therefore could have similar health effects.

BISMUTH (Bi): Bismuth is in the same chemical family as arsenic and antimony. It is considered slightly toxic.

CHROMIUM, HEXAVALENT (Cr6): Chromium 6 is considered highly toxic. It is a known carcinogen that has been associated with lung cancer. Nearly 200 million Americans across all 50 states have been exposed through their tap water to higher-than-recommended levels of Cr6. For more read Why the ‘Erin Brockovich’ chemical is dangerous.

LEAD (Pb): Lead is a serious chronic toxin that should be avoided.  Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead. A dose of lead that would have little effect on an adult can have a significant effect on a child. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells. Continue reading here.

SILVER (Ag): Silver can cause an irreversible bluish skin discoloration that first appears in the gums.  This discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes is permanent. Silver is considered unsafe to your skin, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, and brain.

MERCURY (Hg): Mercury is highly toxic. Mercury is a chronic toxin typically released from industrial processes, agricultural processes, household, commercial and medical products containing mercury. Elemental mercury vapor may cause nervous system damage when exposed at high concentrations. For more on the real-life effects of Mercury poisoning, listen to the intriguing podcast “S-Town” about the true story of John B McLemore, a fascinating antique clocks restorer.

Additional metals filtered include: Selenium, Aluminum, Cadmium

pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of water. Our bodies are 70% water and our pH balance must be kept at 7.4 (neutral) to be healthy. Alkaline water, also called ionized water, has a higher pH than regular water—generally between 7 and 9.5.

Alkaline water can help increase energy, regulate your body’s pH level, slow the aging process, and even help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer. It can also help neutralize stomach gastric acid and aid conditions like acid reflux. Alkaline water can prevent high acidity levels, also known as acidosis, from building up in your body. Acidosis can lead to osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and impaired immune function.

Our Alkaline products will have “ALK” in the product name. See our Alkaline Water Collection here.

Bicarbonate (HCO3) is what keeps the blood alkaline. It is necessary to remove dead acidic cells from the blood. Medical science has discovered that as we age we lose bicarbonate in our blood. If we do not have enough bicarbonate in our system the body will use calcium instead, taking it from our bones, teeth, and organs to maintain this slightly alkaline state. Taking calcium away from bones is NOT good. Therefore, it is essential to replenish the bicarbonate in our blood.

Our bodies can detect low levels of Hydrochloric acid (HCL). This is the acid found in our stomach used to help digest food (pH between 1.5 and 3.5). When our body has low levels of HCL, it will produce more. As it produces new HCL, it will also produce an EQUAL amount of Bicarbonate to balance that acid. This is the ONLY way to produce new bicarbonate. Our bodies are NOT capable of detecting low levels of Bicarbonate. We can only get new bicarbonate through the production of new HCL.

Alkaline water will neutralize HCL acid in the stomach lowering the HCL level. This low level will trigger the body to produce more HCL. As it produces more HCL it will produce the much-needed bicarbonate. When the body has enough bicarbonate, it won’t use the calcium from your bones. Therefore, the easiest and most efficient way to increase bicarbonate in our blood is to drink alkaline water. 

Our body is made up of over 75 trillion cells. On average, half of these cells will divide every four weeks—these cells are the “healthy ones”. However, the other half die. These dead cells are acidic waste. A build up of acidic waste in the blood isn’t good. How then do we reduce the acidic waste in our blood?

Bicarbonate—the essential electrolyte that alkaline water helps produce—picks up the acidic waste and carries it to our organs for disposal. Therefore, alkaline water can help balance the pH in our bodies, produce essential bicarbonates, and reduce acidity in our blood.

Numerous doctors and health experts agree:

Dr. Robert Atkins, the well-known author, health and diet expert, notes: "Just about every condition I can think of, from arthritis to diabetes to cancer, is associated with acidity."

"The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter is that they all come from the same root cause...too much tissue acid waste in the body!" Theodore A. Baroody, ND, Ph.D.

According to Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky, "Acid wastes build up in the body in the form of cholesterol, gallstones, kidney stones, arterial plaque, urates, phosphates and sulfates. These acidic waste products are the direct cause of premature aging and the onset of chronic disease."

According to Sang Whang, researcher and author of "Reverse Aging" and “I’m OK, But What Happened to My BODY?”, “Drinking alkaline water is the cleanest, easiest and most effective method to reduce acids in the body.”

For more information on Why Filtered Alkaline Water, read an article written by our President Michael Pedersen.

The simple answer is No. While not harmful to our bodies, it is best to avoid drinking alkaline water 30 minutes before or 1 hour after meals. Our stomach needs to be acidic to digest the food we eat, and drinking alkaline water with meals will simply slow down the digestion process. Have your first glass of the day right when you get out of bed. The water absorbs best into the system when your stomach is empty. Then you should continue to drink alkaline water throughout the day in between meals.

When testing the pH of Alkaline Water please use either a calibrated electronic pH test meter or the Aqua ION™ pH Test Kit. The use of pH test strips are unreliable and most often produce inaccurate results!

The purpose of our AQUATOMIC series is to “decluster” the water so that the water may become more bio-available, thus increasing hydration. Your body will absorb the water faster and more easily which in turn will hydrate you quicker. Drinking water that has been exposed to a magnetic field is great for anyone looking to stay hydrated and get the most out of their water.

Water (H2O) is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. These elements bond together. Typical H2O groups together in clusters of 10-12 molecules. Magnets will affect the angle that hydrogen and oxygen stick together causing them to group together in smaller clusters, about 6-7 molecules. Essentially breaking up larger clusters of molecules into smaller clusters, effectively “declustering” the water.

Read more about the science behind it and see the differences for yourself at www.decluster.com/science

The simple answer is that smaller water clusters, or groupings, are absorbed easier and quicker by our bodies. Jon Barron, internationally renowned health experts, says:

“The smaller the groupings, the more bio-available the water is -- the more easily it is able to pass through cell walls, to transport nutrients and remove waste, to facilitate all of the communications systems in your body, and to pass through your body as a whole. The larger the groupings, the more inefficient water is at performing these same functions.”

“What holds water molecules together in clusters is surface tension. Magnetizing your drinking water breaks its surface tension, making it wetter and more useable by every cell in your body”

To read more about the benefits of magnetized water, read Jon’s newsletter here.

This effect of the magnets occurs immediately as the water passes through the magnetic field. For water travelling through pipes or through one of our sink units such as the AQ-135F/AT the effect occurs immediately. For stagnate water, that is water in a bottle, glass, jar, etc., the effect will take between 5 to 15 minutes. Once declustered, there is no harm in leaving the water exposed to the magnetic field. The effect of exposure to the device will stay for 12-24 hours after the removal from the field.

We use neodymium magnets which are a neodymium iron-boron rare earth substance that are about 10 times stronger than typical iron-ferrite magnets. They are sometimes referred to as “super magnets.”

The magnets have an extremely long lifespan. Their degradation rate is 1% per 100 years. That is, after 100 years, the strength of the magnets will reduce by just 1%. However, heating the magnets above 80 degrees Celsius (176 F) will begin to accelerate this degrading. If you wish to use the device on a hot beverage that is totally fine, however we recommend using an insulated cup or mug.

Yes! North pole magnets can have a calming and healing effect on the body and will help to overcome infection since it retards the growth of cells. South pole magnets do the opposite, it has a stimulating effect on the body and encourages the growth of human cells and even plant cells. Just like magnets have an effect on your body, they also have an effect on your water. North pole water (water exposed to the north pole of a magnet) will increase the amount of scale build up, whereas south pole water will reduce scale accumulation. We have found that using both has an overall positive effect on reducing the cluster size of water molecules (making the water wetter).

We have several products that can be used on various containers. It is fine to use them on any "non-ferrous metal containers" as well as glass, plastic, and even stainless steel!

Yes!!! No longer do you have to let the wine breathe. Using a magnet around your wine bottle can have the same declustering effect on the wine as in the water. Helping to aerate the wine. While the theory that magnets can be used as an “Aging Accelerator” (rapidly aging a wine to enhance the flavor through the changing of its chemistry) has largely been debunked, the declustering effect of magnets would still serve as a way to aerate your wine. It can soften the flavor of wines, similar to hours of aeration.

While this is not the primary function of the AQUATOMIC, it can also be used for this. Saving you hundreds on expensive “wine wands” and "wine clips" designed only for aeration.

No, you do not have to change your magnets. As long as you are not in the habit of heating or dropping the microclustering device, it should last a lifetime! 

The type of unit you have will determine where to put or how to use your microclustering device.

Unfortunately, both municipal water and well water is constantly changing. Depending on where you live, depending on your water source, even depending on the time of year, the level of sediment in your water supply can change. For this reason, you may experience a clogging or slowing of your carafe system. No need to worry, there is a quick and simple solution to this. There are 3 easy steps:

Step 1: Get a needle with a very fine, sharp tip. A sewing needle works best.

Step 2: Flip the Carafe over and poke approximately 30 to 40 holes in the bottom of your Carafe filter.

Step 3: Hold the filter with both hands and place the bottom of the filter up against the faucet while a MEDIUM-FAST stream of water is running. Flush the bottom for about 1-2 minutes rotating the filter to force water through all portions of the pad. This process is known as backwashing.

This process should alleviate any clogging or slow draining from sediment build up. This procedure will NOT harm the filter in any way, nor reduce the effectiveness of the filter. If you have any further questions, or this process doesn’t work, please give us a call at 301-568-0200 or contact us via email.

Yes. Aquaspace is a very unique media and unlike simple carbon, Aquaspace media contains granules in a variety of sizes, this is part of the patent that ensures high-end filtration performance. Because of this, especially after shipping, if a filter is new and has not been thoroughly backwashed prior to first use, it is common for Aquaspace media to escape. This will decrease with use/time. In the event you do ingest Aquaspace media, we consider it a blessing in disguise as it will help adsorb heavy metals in your body before elimination. 

However, this is a rare occurrence, and although it may be unsightly or unpleasant, the carbon fines are NOT harmful if ingested. In the event you do ingest Aquaspace media, we consider it a blessing in disguise as it will help adsorb heavy metals in your body before elimination. 

In fact, carbon fines are even used to treat people who have accidentally ingested poison. Many people take daily carbon capsules to detoxify their bodies. Similarly, some people will take charcoal tablets (activated carbon) for stomach problems.

In case of a disruption to your municipal water supply due to an earthquake, hurricane, etc. Your Carafe® Aquaspace Water filter can be used as an emergency purifying filter. We have an EMERGENCY+ II™ kit which is specifically designed for these situations. It includes a CR-100 filter and a bottle of Aquadine (AO-100). Aquadine is a pre-treating germicidal treatment, which helps disinfect water from viruses and bacteria that may be growing.

If you already own a CR-100 but not Aquadine, household bleach may be substituted. The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Place the water in a container and add approximately 1 cap full of chlorine bleach per gallon of water

Step 2: Allow water to stand for a MINIMUM of 15 minutes

Step 3: Then pour through the Carafe® Water Filter to remove the excess chlorine.

Note: Carafe Water Filter cannot be used with salt or brackish water.

No! If you don’t have enough space in your fridge to accommodate the height of your carafe and filter, simply remove the filter and cap the bottom. Your filter can now sit on your counter top and you don’t have to worry about any water leaking out and making a mess on your counter. 

Aquaspace media is very dense. In order to perform well, it should remain hydrated. If your filter does dry up, simply soak it for 30 minutes in tap water before your next use. 

As long as the carafe filter takes 20 seconds or more to completely empty into the pitcher, then your water is being effectively filtered according to Aquaspace standards. For example, if your filter takes 15 seconds to empty, many of the toxins are still being filtered, but not all. 

If you notice a pinkish colour and/or a build-up of slime on the top of your carafe filter, it is most likely bacterial growth. These types of bacteria are non-pathogenic and rarely cause a normal, healthy adult to fall ill. However, it is important that your filter be cleaned and sanitized at this time. 

The carafe/pitcher can be cleaned like any other dish, just be sure to rinse any soap residue. To get rid of mineral build-up, use vinegar and the minerals should readily dissolve. To clean the filter housing, use a damp paper towel to wipe clean. 

Our under-the-sink units are designed to fit neatly in the space under your kitchen or bathroom sink, and are our recommended unit for sink filtration. They can be installed directly into the water supply line and come with a faucet (lead-free, brushed nickel or chrome).

Our countertop units fit directly onto your kitchen counter and attach right onto your faucet. These are a great option for those customers without sufficient space under their sinks, or for customers who rent, and might need permission from a landlord to install an under-the-sink unit.

Yes, it is possible to switch your countertop unit to under the sink. You will need a special, pressure-relieving, lead-free faucet. Some customers ought to buy a new unit, however, it is possible by using this special pressure relieving faucet. Only by using a this special faucet, designed to protect the unit from excessive pressure, will you be able to convert your countertop unit to under the sink.

Please call us and email us if you are interested in converting your unit for assistance and pricing.

For all under the sink units, a lead-free faucet is included. Both Chrome and Brushed Nickel have high resistance to corrosion. In deciding between the two it is essentially up to you which you’d prefer for visual and aesthetic reasons. Generally customers will match the same finish as their existing faucet.

Chrome is commonly plated onto another metal such as copper or nickel to provide a little extra hardness and resistance. Nickel's natural resistance to corrosion makes it a prime metal for use in home fixtures, as it is unlikely to rust or deteriorate from use.

Each metal is essentially just as durable and noncorrosive as the other. In selecting between the two, be aware that warm, earth-tone wall colors tend to look best with brushed nickel fixtures, which take on a golden hue in such an environment. Cooler colors like gray, blue, and even white may benefit from the bluish hue of brushed chrome fixtures. Because nickel has been historically used for metal finishing, it gives a more traditional, homey, and antique look when used in a room. On the other hand, chrome is a relatively modern addition, and therefore it offers a more sophisticated, steely, and modern look when used in room fixtures.

Where is the water leaking/squirting out from? It is very possible that the faucet adapter and/or diverter valve are not tight enough. If they are as tight as possible, adding a second rubber washer is sometimes necessary if the threads on the faucet are not deep enough to screw onto. 

If water continues to run from the spout after the system is shut off, here's why and what can be done:

When the water is turned off, air in the housing is free to expand. This doesn’t happen with an installed unit since it’s always under city water pressure, preventing air from expanding. In a countertop system, however, the air expands and slowly pushes out some filtered water through the open spigot. This is normal for all countertop systems and is essentially the system venting due to back pressure.

Back pressure in the countertop unit will be higher if the water pressure in the home is greater or when the filters are more loaded with contaminants. If there are no filters inside the countertop housing, back pressure would not exist. Aquaspace filters are designed to be tightly packed for excellent filtration, which naturally adds to back pressure. In contrast, cheaper filters, which are not as tightly packed, provide less back pressure but also don’t filter as effectively.

If you experience back pressure, we recommend using a pitcher to capture any filtered water that escapes. You can then pour from this pitcher when you need a glass of water.

They should be hand tight. If you wish, use the sump wrench to further tighten the sumps only ever so slightly more. Otherwise, they will be very difficult to open for the next filter change. 

Point-of-Entry filters water for your entire house at the moment it enters your home (before traveling through your pipes), so that all water traveling to your bathrooms, sinks, showers, faucets, washer machine, etc., will be filtered water.

Point-of-Use filters water at a faucet, shower, or in a carafe pitcher directly before consumption. It is filtered directly before being used.

Point-of-Entry (POE) is better because it filters the chemicals out of the water and prevents them from entering your homes atmosphere. That’s right chemicals such as chloroform and other trihalomethanes can evaporate during use of everyday household appliances like your washer machine, dish washer, toilet, etc and enter your home's air. Chloroform is a VOC (volatile organic compound) that acts on the central nervous system and can cause cancer. Studies show that exposure to waterborne VOC’s such as chloroform is SIX times greater through inhalation and skin absorption than from direct consumption. VOC’s like chloroform evaporate rapidly from your water during normal household activities such as dish washing, using the garbage disposal, doing the laundry, cleaning, bathing, and flushing the toilet. For example, at normal shower temperatures, 50% of chloroform in water escapes into the air—before the water even reaches the shower floor!

For more on why we recommend POE filtration please read the article:POE Systems Reduce VOC Risks written by our President Michael Pederson. 

The Automatic Double Backwash/Double Rinse Valve requires a 110 V outlet. An uninterrupted power supply is also required. The control uses a transformer to supply 12 VDC. Please make sure your voltage supply is compatible with your unit before installation.

We absorb more toxic chemicals through our skin bathing each day than we do drinking water. Chemicals such as Chlorine and Chloroform(see prior answer for more info) can exit through our shower heads and absorb into our skin. If you’ve ever opened your eyes underwater in a swimming pool, then you know the effects of chlorine. 

Composed of our AQUASPACE Media and KDF bacteriostatic chlorine reducing media, our filters will reduce chlorine which causes dry, itchy skin, and attacks your hair. They reduce many unwanted chemicals as well, giving new meaning to the word “clean.”

Both our shower filters are rated at a PSI of 70. PSI is a measurement of pressure. Most normal showers will have a PSI of 60.

Both our shower filters have a flow rate of 2.0 gallons per minute. This is the speed in which the water flows. The average speed of a normal shower is 2.0 GPM.

Both of our shower filters get plenty hot enough. Average temperature of a hot tub is 100°-102°F. Maximum temp is 104°F. Our filters are capable of up to 115°F.

Both have the same capabilities. The SF-100 is slightly more effective for chemical reductions because of its size and longer contact time as the water takes longer to pass through. However they both will reduce chlorine to undetectable levels.

The only other differences are the size and capacity. The 350 is smaller in size and not as bulky as the 100 for those people concerned about the amount of space taken up in their shower. The SF-100 has double the capacity of the SF-350 which means it is capable of filtering up to 12,000 gallons. This would be ideal for those customers who intend to use more than 6,000 gallons in a year. 

Most people won’t have any idea how much water they use for their average shower. However, if you know the amount of TIME you spend in the shower per day, you can determine the number of gallons you will use in a year.

The average American showers for 8.2 minutes. Assuming they shower once a day, that is 2993 minutes a year. Our filters flow at a rate of 2.0 gallons per minute. Therefore, 2993 X 2.0 = 5986 gallons of water per year used in your shower. Depending on how many minutes your shower is in use will determine how many gallons you will use per year.

Our SF-100 has a capacity of 12,000 gallons and our SF-350 has a capacity of 6,000 gallons. Depending on your estimation of how much your shower will be in use can determine if you should purchase the SF-100 or the SF-350. Both should be replaced at least every year. However, if you purchase the SF-350 and use your shower for approximately more than 8.2 minutes per day, you most likely will need to replace your filter sooner than one year.

These filters are different from the typical Carbon filters. They are made from copper and zinc, and can eliminate certain heavy metals, such as lead, iron, hydrogen sulfate, mercury and chlorine. KDFs can electrochemically alter harmful particles, thus making them safe for human skin (the actual water) and lung cells (the steam from a hot shower). Another benefit of KDFs is that they prevent mold, fungus and lime from accumulating in the shower. These filters can be work well with other filtering systems in place. KDFs do not eliminate bacteria, viruses, nitrates, or fluoride.

Determine where the water is leaking and/or spraying from. It could be that either: 

1. mineral build-up in the nozzles need to be cleaned out by soaking the shower head in vinegar or EZCal.  

2. the unit needs to be tightened (can add Teflon tape to help create a better seal),  

3. an O-ring has come loose or has fallen off if it is dripping from the middle  

4. the unit is cracked somewhere likely from dropping the shower filter (if it is a hand-held filter). 

Chlorinated water contains dissolved chlorine that off-gases more readily at warmer temperatures. The quickest and greatest route of exposure to chlorine gas is through inhalation typically occurring during showering and bathing. Chlorine can irritate skin and eyes, as well as, aggravate asthma, eczema and psoriasis. Aquaspace offers shower filters that are very effective at reducing your exposure to chlorine while showering for healthier, younger looking skin and softer, dandruff-free hair. 

While your shower filter works very well to reduce chlorine, it cannot reduce your exposure to other waterborne contaminants including chlorine- disinfection by-products, heavy metals and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Some shower filters are advertised as being able to remove VOCs from water, but we do not know of any research that would indicate that a shower filter is capable of doing so. For this reason, we recommend whole home systems that reduce VOCs in addition to chlorine to provide you and your family with the healthiest showers and baths possible. 

There is no small, easy-to-use, filter specific for your bath that we are currently aware of. The most inexpensive approach would be to install a whole home carbon-based filter that will typically require an annual filter change. 

Sediment is the particles that settle to the bottom of liquid. They can be organic matter such as dust, dirt, sand, and rocks. The amount of sediment in your water supply depends largely on the source of your water supply. Depending on your geographic region or whether you have municipal or well water, the sediment levels can vary.

The Microbial Reduction ceramic filter (AR-900C) is the best sediment filter for all our Under-the-Sink and Countertop units and will filter out sediment down to 0.2 microns in addition to microbiological impurities.

For Whole House systems, and some sink units, we recommend our NEW APR 4-N-1 Multi Sectional Sediment Cartridge. This will serve as a sediment filter, also known as a polishing filter for Whole House systems. The 4-N-1 has four levels of sediment filtration capable of filtering sediment as small as 1 micron. See product description for details.

Our standard Carafe filters will serve as a sediment filter as well, although should be routinely backwashed to prevent clogging.

A micron is a unit of measurement used for very small particles. Sediment is measured in microns with 1 being the smallest.

ORP stands for Oxidation-Reduction Potential. It is a measurement that shows the “potential” for one substance to oxidize or reduce another substance. ORP is measured in millivolts (mV) and has a range between -2000 and +2000.

• A positive ORP means that a substance is an oxidizing agent.
  
• A negative ORP means that a substance is a reducing agent or “anti-oxidizing” agent.
  

Most types of water, including tap water, bottled water, and rain water as well as many commercial beverages have a positive (+) ORP and are oxidizing agents. The ORP of these waters can range from +200 to +500 mV.

Oxidation is what causes metal to rust or an apple to turn brown. A reducing agent is simply something that slows the process of oxidation. High pH ionized water has a negative (-) ORP and therefore is a reducing agent or “antioxidant”.

Research shows that the ORP of the internal environment of a healthy person is always on the reductive side (negative ORP). Many biological fluids such as your saliva and blood plasma have a negative ORP, as well as some freshly made fruit and vegetable juices (carrot juice has -50mV). Therefore, it would make sense that the optimal drinking water is one with a negative ORP.

Water with negative ORP can be classified as vital water because it would be the same as our physiological and biological fluids. The Aquaspace Alkaline Mineral Filters will not only raise the pH level of your water, but reduce the ORP of your water by -500mV.

The capacity refers to the limit of gallons that a cartridge can filter. If for example the filter has a 1,000-gallon capacity, the cartridge can filter 1,000 gallons over its designated product duration (ex. 6 months, 12 months, 24 months).

The flow rate refers to the speed at which the water exits the unit. This is measured in terms of gallons per minute. A typical sink unit will have a flow rate of 0.8 GPM.

The maximum pressure is the amount of pressure that each unit can withstand. It is measured in terms of PSI.

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