Before tap water reaches your house, the water treatment plant thoroughly cleans it, so it is safe for consumption. However, despite being cleaned, sediment, contaminants, and chloramine can still enter your home through the pipes.
Chlorine and chloramine exposure may cause dry skin, itchy scalp, and respiratory problems (source). However, the EPA states that drinking water containing chloramines (and chlorine) is “safe for drinking, cooking, bathing, and other household uses” (source).
Water treatment facilities have been using chlorine and chloramines to treat water since the 1930s.
But understandably, many people have their reservations about what goes onto and into their body, and chloramine is no different. This is where shower filters come in.
But do shower filters remove chloramine?
In short, no. Shower filters are not capable of removing chloramine from water. One of the few ways to remove chloramine from water is reverse osmosis or passing it through a catalytic carbon filter.
Reverse osmosis is a water filtration process that forces water through a semi-permeable membrane, leaving contaminants behind. This is the same process used in water purification systems for homes and businesses. In comparison, a catalytic carbon filter is a type of activated carbon filter that uses catalysts to speed up the removal of chlorine and chloramine from water.
This filtering process takes time and a shower filter just simply isn’t capable of filtering at the rate at which water flows from your shower stall.
With that being said, many companies state that shower filters will reduce (not remove) the amount of chloramine in your water. So, suppose you are concerned about your exposure to these chemicals. In that case, a shower filter may help – especially if you are in a rental home or apartment where installing a reverse osmosis system is not possible.
Note: A quality shower filter can remove 90%+ of chlorine from your shower water.
Which Shower Filters to Reduce Chloramine?
Some companies claim that ascorbic acid is an effective means of reducing chloramine in the water. However, ascorbic acid is more commonly known as vitamin C. Therefore, we recommend considering a vitamin C shower filter with abundant concentrated ascorbic acid pellets or balls.
These pellets are contained within a housing unit that is installed in line with your shower head. As water passes through the housing, it comes into contact with the ascorbic acid, which helps reduce the chloramine in the water.
Conclusion
Shower filters will not remove chloramine from water but may help to reduce your exposure to this chemical. If you are concerned about your exposure to chloramine, consider a whole-house water filtration system. However, if this is not an economical or practical option for you, a vitamin C shower filter may help to reduce the chloramine in your water.
