Water Filter Blog

Bad smells from front loading washing machine

2009-11-10T09:44:14-08:00

There is a wide selection of different household appliances that use water to operate. Often these appliances work more efficiently and to their maximum potential if they are using pure treated water. For example, if you own a refrigerator with indoor water dispensation capabilities, it is recommended that you change your refrigerator water filter every six months to ensure both the water flow and that it is removing contaminants and bacteria.

With the advent of new EnergyStar ^TM guidelines, manufacturers of these appliances are making more energy efficient systems that also use less water. One very popular new appliance is the front loading washing machine. Not only do these new washing machines use less energy, but they use considerably less water than a top loading washing machine. Many people now own these front loading washing machines not only for the ease of use, but also for the environmental benefits. The only widespread complaint from owners is a 'musty, smelly odor'.

On occasion, if the smell begins to resemble that of rotten eggs, you might need to consider installing a water filtration system in your home. Generally, the cause of the smell is from the front loading washing machine itself. These smells are caused by mold building up in several places inn the washing machine that drain, hold, or filter the water. Below are some corrective steps that others have taken in order to prevent the buildup of mold and the bad smell associated with front loading washing machines.

People have switched from liquid high-efficiency detergent to POWDERED detergent, and has reported the smell has drastically improved.
Some front loading washing machines have a trap and filters which prevent particles from going down your drain. Many people reported that cleaning these out regularly helped to reduce the smell.
Pull back and/or remove the front rubber gasket just inside the front door, and wipe down this area with a solution of bleach and water.

Cost of Bottled Water to increase $.05 per bottle in New York is your State Next?

2009-10-27T09:04:44-07:00

There may be another set back for bottled water companies and ultimately the people who use them. We all have seen the news about the environmental and health issues of using plastic bottled water, now the government is trying to step in to reduce our consumption of plastic bottled water use.

On October 23, 2009 a federal judge lifted an injunction on an expansion of the state’s bottle bill in New York. Until now certain states such as New York, Michigan, and others have required a deposit on all bottles of drinks sold in stores. Now in the state of New York starting October 31st 2009 nickel deposits will be imposed on bottled water. All containers of water under a gallon will have a 5-cent refundable deposit, as beer and soda containers have had for years. Supporters of this law claim that new deposits would result in more recycling and less litter.

What does this mean for your wallet? Well as we know there are considerable cost savings and health benefits using stainless steel water bottles. If you continue to use bottled water, a trade group representing groceries, has said the expansion will increase the cost of a 24-pack of bottled water by $2.00. We would like to encourage you to save money and be more eco-friendly make use of reusable water bottles such as the Klean Kanteen .

EPA now to start testing drinking water on US airlines

2009-10-20T08:59:38-07:00

In many cases we are very fortunate in this country, that our government has implemented many policies that help protect our health. We have the FDA that helps monitor food and drugs, and we have the EPA that helps monitor environmental issues including water quality.

Obviously drinking water is essential to life and can be debated as one of our most important natural resources. Water that enters homes, restaurants, business, and other public places all are monitored and test on a regular bases. Now theses agencies are looking to add to this list, and start testing and monitoring drinking water on US airlines.

Starting now new rules are being put in place and U.S. airlines must regularly test, monitor, and cleanse drinking water systems that are on aircraft. These new rules are being implemented because tests five years ago found some failed to meet quality standards. The new rules will give airline companies two years to meet requirements such as routine disinfection and flushing of drinking water systems.

In 2004 officials tested the water quality from galleys and lavatories on planes. The water quality tests were conducted on 327 airplanes at 19 airports in 2004. The results found total coliform bacteria in 15 percent of the jets, an indicator that other disease-causing organisms may have been in the water too.

Many times we are critical of our government. This is one instance where we should be thankful that there is an entity looking out for our health, and have implemented measures to help protect the safety of citizens.

To read more about this article visit http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aYLIYU.wWUiM . If you would like more information about drinking water contamination, and different water treatment and purification options please visit http://www.freshwatersystems.com/s-262-filters-by-contaminant.aspx

What is in the Drinking Water at your School?

2009-10-01T11:14:13-07:00

An alarming new report is out that the drinking water inside of your child’s school could be potentially very harmful to their health. In this new report, it points out that there are thousands of public schools whose drinking water across the country has been found to contain unsafe levels of lead, pesticides and dozens of other toxins.

The problem itself is a great concern but what officials currently are suggesting to do replaces one problem with another. To simple replace a child’s drinking water with plastic bottled water carrier is own inherent risks. These risks include leaching BPA and other possible toxins into the water. Then on the environmental front, Approximately 1,500 water bottles end up as garbage every second! Lastly if you assume the average cost of 1 bottle of water is $1, multiply that by the average school days in a year and that comes to a cost of $180 a year per child. Contrast that with the cost of a stainless steel water bottle such as a Klean Kanteen at $15 and the cost savings, health benefits, and environmental impact is huge! For more information about this subject please visit the following resource links.

Myths about Water Distiller Systems

2009-09-17T09:08:39-07:00

Why are Water Distillers the best solution for pure water? A steam water distillation system is the one water treatment technology that most completely and consistently removes the widest range of drinking water contaminants, effectively treating your water for more pollutants than any carbon filter or reverse osmosis system. Unlike the previous mentioned filtration systems water distillers operate by removing the water from the impurities rather than the impurities from the water. Below are some common myths about water distiller systems.

Myth: Simple H2O is not good enough.

Truth: Distilled water is simply pure water that functions perfectly to hydrate, flush, dissolves, transport, and lubricate. The essential functions of what we expect water to inside our bodies.

Myth: Drinking water has beneficial minerals in it.

Truth: There is still some debate among people if inorganic minerals in water, primarily from dissolved rock, can even be absorbed by the human body. We do know that the type and amounts of minerals found in drinking water have a great variance based on location. This in turn makes it an unreliable source of minerals. We know that a well balanced diet can provide you with the needed minerals. The American Medical Journal states, “The bodies need for minerals is largely met thought foods, not drinking water”. In essence pure distilled drinking water will not cause mineral deficiencies in people.

Myth: Distilled Water Taste Flat.

Truth: The first thing to think about is most people do not like the taste of there tainted tap water. As a result of this unpleasant taste a lot of people add flavoring to the water to make it more enjoyable. Unless you have tasted water produced by a water distiller you have no idea what pure water taste like.

Myth: Home and Counter Top Water Distillers are Complex and Very Expensive.

Truth: Compared to the uncertainty of water filter systems and the expense and storage issues of bottled water, a home water distiller is Easy! Many of the home and counter top water distiller systems are as easy to use as a coffee maker and cost a lot less that bottle water.

How to choose a Home Steam Water Distiller

There are a wide selection and variety of residential water distillation systems on the market. One of the most important decisions when choosing a system is how much water does the water distiller produce? Other important questions one might ask when selecting a system include, is the system a manual or automatic system? What types of materials are used in the construction of the water distiller? Below is a video that outlines some of these specifications of PureWater Distillers, describes how distiller systems work, and how easy these systems are to use.

FreshWaterSystems.com Mascot Contest

2009-08-17T07:51:03-07:00

We have designed a mascot for FreshWaterSystems.com but there is just one problem - he doesn't have a name! This is where you our valued visitors come in. If you are a creative person who is able to come up with fun nicknames, then enter this contest and you might win some great prizes!

The rules are simple and so is the entry process. All you need to do is fill out this form and come up with a fun, compelling, and appropriate name for the our new mascot. The contest has two steps.

Fill out our simple online form submitting your name for our Mascot. Submissions are due by September 7th, 2009
The Fresh Water Team will choose the top 10 user submitted names. We will open user voting for the best name with an online voting poll. Online voting starts September 8th and ends September 18th.

We will be offering prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winners.

1st Place: US-EZ-4 Drinking Water System w/ 27oz Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen w/ Neo Tote & Plastic S-Biner.
2nd Place: 27oz Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen w/ Neo Tote & Plastic S-Biner
3rd Place: FWS 25oz Polylite Sports Water Bottle

So put on your creative thinking caps, and suggest a name. It's definitely worth a try. Good luck!

Matt Damon Starts Safe Water Organization

2009-08-17T07:40:10-07:00

Matt Damon, H2O Africa co-founder, and Gary White, WaterPartners executive director and co-founder, and have joined forces to create a new organization: Water.org.

Water.org combines the powerful marketing platform of H2O Africa with WaterPartners’ proven track record of on-the-ground water project success. Why the change? The merger will increase efficiencies, leverage expertise, and increase the overall social return on donations. The result: far more people with access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Matt Damon and the other co-founders of H2O Africa did a tremendous job of advancing its mission by creating widespread public awareness of the water crisis in Africa and gathering support for clean water programs. The natural next question was how best to deploy the funds raised. That’s where WaterPartners entered the picture.

WaterPartners is a U.S.-based nonprofit bringing safe drinking water to people in developing countries. By working through certified local partner organizations and offering innovative financing through its WaterCredit Initiative, WaterPartners empowers local communities to develop and sustain solutions to their own water needs. Last year alone, WaterPartners reached more than 142,000 people in Africa, South Asia, and Central America with clean water.

Water.org will continue to deliver the same high-quality water and sanitation projects that have defined WaterPartners for nearly two decades and H2O Africa throughout its history. We’ll also continue our relentless pursuit of new, innovative ways to reach more people with safe water.

UV (Ultraviolet) water purification, a green alternative for public water treatment

2009-07-09T13:00:46-07:00

Back in 2008 there was a published report by Global Water Intelligence that came to the following conclusion. One of the fastest growing water treatment technologies is UV water disinfection and purification. The water treatment industry uses a high-powered form of UV light called UV-C or “germicidal UV” to disinfect water. UV water disinfection performance is tied to the first laws of Photochemistry where only the light that is absorbed by a molecule can be effective at producing a photochemical change in the molecule. What this means is that in order for UV Water Treatment systems to work the light must be absorbed by the organism(s) in the water. Then the UV light causes damage to the DNA and RNA structure preventing it form being able to replicate itself. UV Water treatment systems are effective in destroying 99.99% of harmful microorganisms, including E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia.

Municipal water treatment facilities are looking to this new form of water treatment as a viable green alternative for public water treatment. Public officials are looking to avoid water contamination problems with public sources such as the 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, WI. Currently California is leading the charge with UV water treatment implementation. Public elected officials, regional labor leaders, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) have recently broke ground on what will be California’s largest ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection facility when completed in 2011.

Whirlpool Refrigerator water filters

2009-06-18T14:03:55-07:00

With world, national, and even personal attention now being paid to the use of energy and our natural resources, businesses are now answering the call for more efficient and eco-friendly products. One of the largest consumers of your home's energy are kitchen appliances. The United States has developed a program to encourage both manufacturers and consumers to produce and shop for what are called ENERGY STAR Qualified products.

Home refrigerators are one of the major home appliances that consumes a lot of power. Many refrigerators have undergone a revolution in both features and energy consumption. In order to be an ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator, it requires that the appliance use only about half as much energy as models manufactured before 1993. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators provide energy savings without sacrificing the features you want, and one of the leaders in ENERGY STAR refrigerators is Whirlpool.
Of the 38 different refrigerator models offered on Whirlpool's website, 28 of them are ENERGY STAR compliant, and many of those offer the sought after in-door ice and water dispensing capability. Whirlpool refrigerators that offer ice and water dispensing capabilities require that the water running through these systems is kept clean and pure . This means replacing the filter cartridge according to the manufacturer's suggested schedule.

Not only are they energy efficient, but the Whirlpool refrigerator water filters are one of the most effective water filters when it comes to removing unhealthy contaminants from your drinking water.

Choosing the appropriate water filter cartridge is easier than you think. Normally, the filter has the model number right on the cartridge. Simply go to our website, FreshWaterSystems.com, and type in that model number to find the filter you need.

But wait....we've made it even easier for you to find your filter. These are the four most popular Whirlpool replacement filters.

FreshWaterSystems is committed to providing the best customer service and the highest quality products, and to improving the quality of life through the quality of water.

NEO•TOTE™ Insulated Water Bottle Holder

2009-06-11T11:19:21-07:00

We all have heard repeated over the past several years there has been a plethora of news about the benefits of using stainless steel water bottles over plastic water bottles. We all know about the biodegradable issues of plastics and how these plastic bottles keep piling up in landfills. We have also had scientist, water specialist, and researchers explain about the potential hazards of having BPA a chemical found in polycarbonate (plastic bottles) leached into the water. This leaching generally happens when the water is storage for a long time or over exposure to heat. As we see more and more people using these Eco friendly water bottles such as Kleen Kanteen, there still are two inherent issues

1. How do you we keep water, juice, or sports drink cold in a Steel Water Bottle?

2. Since these metal water bottles are only single walled, condensation on the outside makes them hard to handle and creates a watery mess?

If you are to look at the diameter of typical size Koozie, quick you realize not only will the water bottle not fit. Even if the fit was right, it would only cover about a third to a half of the bottle, and therefore leaving you with the same issues of how to keep cold and condensation dripping all over. Enter the New Neo Tote - Insulated water bottle holder from FreshWaterSystems.com. The Neo Tote fits and protects all Klean Kanteen Classic Water Bottles and most SIGG Water Bottles. Furthermore the neo tote is made of durable neoprene that can insulate cold drinks for hours, front zipper allows you to quickly add or remove the bottle, and it is machine washable.