ng in the pipe for an indefinite length of time. This provides enough time for the higher concentrations of lead to build up.
In fact, lead pipes were used on a regular basis as late as 1958 in North America. If your home was built before then it would be a good idea to see if you have a water inlet pipe made of lead, or even the pipes within your home. You can even experience lead leaching out of the solder used to join copper pipes in more recent housing, if the builders hadn’t switched to the newest non-leaded versions.
In many cases, lead is something you have some control over. You can replace old pipes, if needed. Most other metals are outside your direct control; you rely on a clean water supply, but if there is contamination you still have choices, so let’s look at them now.
Other Toxic Metals
Most any metal can be toxic in large quantities—even iron which is absolutely essential in every one of our blood cells, though with a concerted effort you could achieve iron-poisoning.
We need traces of many natural metals to live. Some you wouldn’t even think of, such as cobalt that usually invokes ideas of radioactive cancer treatment. That particular metal is actually essential in the B12 complex vitamins, and we would die without it.
On the other hand, metals such as cadmium or mercury are toxic at very low doses and are completely useless to the human body. Removing them from our shower water is essential.
KDF-55 to the Rescue
Our multi-stage filters rely on the calcium sulfite stage to catalyze the undesirable chemicals, like chlorine, and make them harmless. They rely on the Granulated Activated Carbon filter to capture dissolved organic chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, hydrogen sulfide (that rotten egg smell), dissolved drugs (leftover pharmaceuticals that people have flushed down the toilet instead of returning to the drugstore for proper disposal), and strange tastes or odors.
The metals, however, require the Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF) stage, where copper and zinc alloys interspersed with brass granules creates a tiny electric field resulting in a process known scientifically as redox, or oxidative reduction. This tiny electric field can kill microbes, but its most important function is to bind undesirable metal ions to its surface or to degrade toxic components into something harmless. It is a useful added bonus that it inhibits the growth of algae, fungi, and mold.
If you live in an area subject to toxic metal contaminants, or any undesirable components in your water supply (as most of us do), please feel free to look over our exceptional selection of high quality filtration products. We’re more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Just click here to go directly to our online contact form and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours!
Whether you’re interested in high quality fixed or handheld shower heads, shower filters, or bidets, we’re here to help you make your water better!