Are You Poisoning Yourself In The Shower?

It is shocking to learn that, of the estimated 2100 possible toxic chemicals found in water, only 75 are treated by public facilities. One toxin that is added and checked is chlorine. It is added because, over the distance and time public water has to travel before being consumed, bacteria and other pathogens could grow in it. The addition of chlorine rids the water of many of these toxins along with removing the possible presence of cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.

This benefit comes with serious side effects. Chlorine is able to form substances called THMs (trihalomethanes). These compounds can cause cancer and are able to damage cells. Chlorine can scar the arteries making them more susceptible to having cholesterol attach itself to the walls. Yet, it is common in many cities for the maximum level of chlorine allowed in the public water system to be greater than recommended swimming pools!

Furthermore, when extra chlorine is added in an emergency, the number of cases of cancers of the bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract rise. Drinking water in Mississippi, some report, contains as many as sixty-three cancer causing compounds that are made from chlorine combining with water pollutants such as carbon disulfide and methanol.

If you filter your drinking water or drink bottled water, will that eliminate the danger of chlorine poisoning? Not, not right. A greater risk of chlorine poisoning than drinking water occurs, of all places, in the shower! The steamy hot water provides far more chlorine than just drinking water. Steam can contain up to 20 times the concentration of chlorine that tap water has because it evaporates at a lower temperature than water. Some estimate a person takes in during a 20 minute shower the same amount of chlorine they would by drinking two quarts of water. This is because, in the confines of the shower or bathroom, the concentration increases. The result is chloroform gas in the air that may cause bronchitis, asthma, and a greater risk of cancer. Further, the warm open pores take in chlorine causing skin irritations such as eczema.

How do you know if you are getting chlorine poisoning? Some characteristics of mild chlorine toxicity may include headaches, eye, skin, or airway irritation, sore throat, and cough. Higher levels may also include chest tightness.

When a friend cleaned the bathtub, she would suffer from breathing problems and exhaustion. She later discovered the cause: the chlorine bleach and ammonia were reacting to give off chlorine gas in the confined tub area. In a similar way, the confined area of the shower along with heated, chlorinated water, can cause a person to inhale more chlorine than they realize.

This problem can be solved with a special chlorine shower filter designed to remove chlorine before the water comes out of the head. One example, made by Berkey, is able to remove up to ninety-five percent of the chlorine in the water, and in addition to remove hydrogen sulfide, scale, microorganisms, and water-soluble heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and iron. This model also inhibits the growth of bacteria, algae, and fungi. The showerhead filter also reduces cleaning time in the shower by filtering out lime scale and mold.

We have seen that chlorine poisoning can be a serious health issue for those using city water. You can eliminate this risk by filtering both your drinking and cooking water, and by filtering your shower water as well.

Don’t risk your health any longer. Learn about out the shower head filter from Berkey Filter and guard yourself from further poisoning in your shower today!