Scum free tea (Brita Water Filter)

Member Name: lil'lou

Product:	Brita Water Filter
Date:	08/05/02 (188 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No more limescale, Better taste, More healthy

Disadvantages: Slow - need to keep filling jug, Expensive - depending on how much water you use

Living in Dorset in an exceptionally hard water area I am constantly battling with limescale build-up. There are tide marks on the bath, a clogged shower-head, calcium deposits on the draining board. This occurs when there is a high level of calcium in the water and levels vary from region to region. Quite honestly I have never seen anything like it and tend to despair. As well as being aesthetically displeasing (my taps never really shine) I wonder what it’s doing to my health every time I drink the stuff. I heard a rumour that too much calcium causes gall stones. Great ! ! In addition, shampoo and soaps don’t lather as well and my skin is always flaky after washing with water.
One of the greatest problems is build up on electrical elements such as the washing machine and kettle. Although there are many descaling products available I have found that many do not have a long lasting effect. It therefore made sense to stop the calcium getting into the kettle in the first place. This is why I went and bought a Brita water filter. It is advertised as a water purification system for better tasting water, but I wasn’t really that bothered about that as I didn’t feel there was a bad taste compared to the water in the rivers of India.
First of all I descaled the kettle as usual, but then any water going into the kettle from then on was filtered. Magic ! Weeks later there is still no limescale build-up and the water comes out looking clearer. In addition, drinks like tea nolonger get a layer of scum on the surface or small chunks of limescale floating around. As for the taste, I felt that it was unusual, but not unpleasant. There was a difference, but I think that I was so used to weird chemicals like chlorine and fluoride in my drinks that any change tasted odd.
I’m not sure if there any negative effects of the purification process. I think that a small amount of calcium and fluoride in the water does a per
son good and helps promote strong teeath and bones. After all, bottled mineral water is just that ie it contains minerals which filtered water doesn't.
Obviously this only works with small quantities of water and I can’t really channel water into my washing machine from the jug. Also I have to make sure I keep the jug filled otherwise I end up gasping for a cuppa and having to wait for the water to filter through. But I absolutely refuse to put normal tap water in my kettle now, or in my steam iron.
I’m now hoping to have a giant water filter installed in my garden so that every aspect of my life can be improved by the purest of waters!

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