You may think that your tap water is perfectly safe to drink. It probably doesn’t look dirty or taste bad. However, there are microscopic particles – sometimes referred to as forever chemicals – in your drinking water that can be very harmful to your health. You deserve clean drinking water in Sacramento, CA.
Instead of trying to fill up small pitchers of drinking water, we recommend that you invest in a water purification system that is a whole-house solution to cleaning your water. You can keep reading to learn more about why you might want to purify your home’s water and the difference that a whole house purifier can make for your family.
What Are Forever Chemicals?
There are a variety of different particles in your tap water. Some aren’t harmful, some are okay in very low amounts, and others are dangerous no matter what. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been researching the prevalence of PFAS, which is short for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances.
PFAS can be microscopic, but they are just about completely indestructible, so they don’t break down over time like other substances do. PFAS are chemicals that are widely used across various industries and have been used for decades. Since they aren’t easily degradable, PFAS can quickly build up in the environment – like your tap water – and our bodies after ingesting them.
PFAS are risky because they can contribute to serious health problems, like increased risk of developing some types of cancers. Risks increase in people who are exposed to PFAS over a period of decades. Even if exposure happens in very low doses, PFAS are dangerous.
With the new research being conducted, the EPA may be issuing new regulations this year in regards to PFAS in water sources. The EPA already proposed a first-of-its-kind national standard for six different PFAS, of which there are thousands. While it is a small step, it is an important one. PFAS are one reason that you need a water purifier installed in your home – and a strong one, at that.
How Water Purifiers Work
Most water purifiers use a 3-step process to clean and filter water. It may not be exact to what we are outlining for each different water purifier, but the foundation is the same. First, water enters the purifier through a filter designed to remove the larger particles in your drinking water.
We say “large particles,” but when you talk about drinking water, even the biggest particles are quite small. You can compare the size of the particles filtered out in this step to that of a single red blood cell. Anything larger than a red blood cell gets filtered out in this first filter.
Next is a filter designed to cleanse your water of harmful chemicals that are small enough to pass through the first filter. This step uses a layer of copper and zinc along with an activated carbon filter. Chemicals get absorbed so that don’t pass on to the water entering your home.
Chemicals are especially dangerous because they don’t just enter your system through the water you drink. They can also evaporate into the air of your home so that you are breathing them in. This filter also works to protect the entire purifier system from algae and mold growth.
The last step is a post-filter that uses mesh screens layered together to polish water before it enters your home. Any particles that survived the first two steps get trapped in this third step of the filtering process. This filter requires cleaning at least every six months so it doesn’t get clogged and wind up blocking water flow into your home.
Contact Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort, Inc. today to schedule your water purifier service as soon as possible. You can always trust The Guys in the Big Red Trucks.