Berkey Shower Filter Review 2020
How can a Berkey shower unit help?
You may have heard of Berkey already if you have taken steps to improve the safety of your drinking water. They’re a big player in the water filtration scene, and they focus on high-quality products that can filter pond water to make quality, healthy water for your consumption.
Berkey’s shower filter is an excellent example of their dedication to improving water conditions. This filter is in a league of its own among shower filters and removes a shocking variety of junk from your water. Their understanding of the way contagions enter our body through inhalation, and the pores in our skin has fueled their development of this product. Only healthful minerals are left after the water passes through the filter.
Pros:
- One year or 20,000-gallon filter life.
- Max water temperature of 120° F.
- Can be used with any showerhead
- BPA free plastic filter housing.
Cons:
- Does not remove 100% of the fluoride in fluorinated water.
- If you’re very tall the extra 5 inches the filter lowers the head may make showering more difficult.
- Berkey is very popular so their products sell out quickly
Berkey shower filtration performance features
The science behind it
The studs over at Berkey took the time to understand the chemistry of the contaminants they want to remove. Using a patented filtration blend of copper, zinc, and calcium, the elements in compounds like chlorine react as they pass through the filter and are converted to benign compounds instead. Chlorine becomes a water-soluble chloride that doesn’t vaporize and get inhaled with the steam in your shower.
Activated charcoal is another component of their filtering blend. Activated charcoal has long been known for its ability to remove unpleasant odors from water and the air. The way it works is surprisingly simple: charcoal has a huge surface area and lots of pores. Off odors and bacteria get caught in the pores and absorbed into the charcoal. They can’t escape and re-enter the water.
Contaminants removed
We already know Berkey’s shower filter removes chlorine by converting it to chloride, which isn’t harmful to our health. You might be okay with calling it a day at that, but this shower filter packs a lot more of a punch than that.
That funky, rotten egg smell? Hydrogen sulfide is hanging out in your water. You can kiss it goodbye, along with heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Limescale is reduced, and iron oxide is also removed. These are the prominent causes of unsightly buildup and stains on your shower walls and fixtures.
Do you remember us talking about the ick-factor of microorganisms that are building a colony in your existing showerhead? You know, the ones that are linked to pulmonary disease and asthma? Buh-bye. Those unpleasant germs are wicked up into the filtering media where they can’t bother you and your family.
The Berkey filter eradicates one more unwelcome intruder. You may know, if you’re a gardener, that copper has a negative effect on fungi. The copper used in that patented blend we discussed kills fungal spores in your water before they can make you sick.
Water pressure
If you’ve used subpar shower filters in the past, you are already well aware of the effect filtration systems can have on water pressure. Berkey has answered the call for an effective shower filter that allows adequate flow. Water is evenly dispersed through the filtering media ensuring continuous water flow and pressure. The EPA currently limits showerheads to 2.5 gallons per minute, and the Berkey shower filter maintains that easily.
Installation and maintenance
We had to lump maintenance in here because the installation is absurdly easy. Screw it on to the pipe coming out of the shower wall. There, you are done.
The maintenance aspect is likewise a cakewalk. There’s a cool feature for purging the filter called the backflush adapter. You use the adapter to flip the filter around. All you do next is run water through the filter for four minutes. Done. You’ve rinsed your filter clean and extended its life.
Help and support
When you purchase a Berkey, you expect high quality, and they know that. Their products are backed with a lifetime guarantee.
Remember, this company is owned by real people; you can’t abuse your filter and except freebies. They want to be treated fairly, too. Carelessness voids the warranty. So if you rip it out of your wall and are upset with Berkey, don’t expect a free replacement in the mail.
Berkey does their best to keep customers happy. If you have issues or are unhappy with your filter, they’re glad to help you. You can call for assistance with installation, or to request a refund or exchange within ten days of delivery. Returns are expected to be in the unopened boxes they came in. An exchange is done on products that came damaged or defective but were already opened.
Final thoughts
Knowing that there are some nasty health implications to showering in unclean water, purchasing a shower filter seems like a no-brainer. Even if you have well water, there are most likely heavy metals and microorganisms in it that you really don’t want to wash yourself and your children in.
Berkey’s shower filter safely and effectively removes those chemicals and metals that worry you. You also know your showerhead is no longer a breeding ground for fungi and germs that can cause illness when you use one.
With a one-year life expectancy, the small cost justifies the peace of mind the Berkey adds to your daily hygiene routine. If you opt for the Berkey you no longer have to ask yourself if your water is sage and healthful – you already know.
