Berkey Shower Filter Review : Is The Berkey Shower Head Filter Really The Best Showerhead Water Filter?
Most of the time when you think of improving water quality, you would think of your drinking water. However, taking a shower with dirty water will not only be bad for your health, but also your skin too. To deal with this problem, you’ll need a good shower filter and if you’ve seen some reviews online, you might have come across the Berkey Shower Filter.
Now, you might not be sure if the Berkey Shower Filter is the best one for you, but it’ll definitely be easy for you to make that decision after you go through this review. This is an in-depth review of the Berkey Shower Filter that will cover all the things you need to know about it.
What’s So Special about Berkey Filter (Shower) Replacements
Firstly, let’s have a look at the overview of the Berkey Shower Filter. Berkey is a well-known manufacturer for water filters just like the Berkey Shower Filter. This is a unit that works even if you already have a shower head or you can choose to go for the option that comes with a shower head.
The Berkey Shower Filter has a uniquely designed KDF 55 filtration media to remove water-soluble heavy metals such as mercury and lead, while removing chlorine too. You can also expect reduced odors from hydrogen sulfide and also a reduction of mineral stains on surfaces.
Unlike the older version that has a shorter lifespan, this latest Berkey Shower Filter can last for up to 20,000 gallons or one year, whichever comes first. The KDF media is able to restrict the growth of bacteria and algae within the filter, but you can also use the backflush adapter provided to keep the filter in mint condition and maintain water pressure.
Features & Performance Reviews for Berker Shower Filters
Now, let’s discover some of the notable features and performance of the Berkey Shower Filter.
Reduction of Contaminants
The amount and type of contaminants in every house’s water is different and there isn’t one filter that will remove everything. Most importantly, the filter needs to be able to remove undesirable odors and also harmful contaminants like lead and mercury. If that is what you are looking for, then the Berkey Shower Filter is the best option.
The Berkey Shower Filter isn’t only good for removing lead and mercury, but it also reduces up to 95-percent of chlorine. Additionally, hydrogen sulfide, iron and other water-soluble heavy metals are reduced too.
With the KDF 55 filtration media, the growth of microorganisms like fungi, algae and bacteria in a shower head is also restricted. Although this shower head filter is unable to remove hard minerals, it can still help to reduce the build up of scale on your shower wall or tub.
High Capacity
When we talk about the capacity of a filter, we are talking about the gallons of water the shower head filter can clean before you need to replace it. Before this model was released on the market, there was another model that was rated for up to 10,000 gallons or 12 months.
However, this newer model of the Berkey Shower Filter has been upgraded and has an improved capacity of 20,000 to 25,000 gallons or one year, whichever comes first.
When you take the cost of a filter into consideration, it is necessary that you know how long it can last. Even though the up-front cost for Berkey is higher than some of its competitors, the capacity of its filter is actually four times longer than the others. Plus, there is a backflush tool included to let you clean the filter media for optimal filtration.
Decent Flow Rate
There are regulations in place that prohibits the maximum flow rate of shower head filters to exceed 2.5 gallons per minute. To preserve water and reduce water consumption, some states have enacted legislation and limit the maximum flow to 1.8 gallons only.
Unsurprisingly, this impressive shower head filter has a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. However, the flow rate will still heavily depend on the shower head that you use. The shower head is not the only factor that affects the flow of water. Other factors like water pressure and contaminant levels can decrease the flow as well.
To make sure the flow of your water remains consistent, use the backflush feature that comes with the unit to control the build-up of large particles and prevent premature clogging in your filter.
Easy Installation
One of the most important things that customers want are shower filters with an easy installation and installing the Berkey filter is like a walk in the park. All you need to do is unattach the shower head and screw the filter to the water source.
Be sure to use Teflon tape to seal the threads so there won’t be any leaks. After that, you just need to reconnect the shower head to the filter and you’ll be good to go, simple as that.
Unlike some filters that come with an integrated shower head, the Berkey only comes with the filter. As such, you won’t need to be stuck with the head and you can attach any type of shower head you desire and enjoy your preference.
Help and Support from Manufacturer
Being one of the top brands of water filtration products for over 20 years, Berkey has earned the trust of their customers with reliable and friendly support. Anytime you have an issue or question about the warranty or installation, you can just call them up and they’ll be more than happy to assist you.
Recently, there was a review stating the vagueness of Berkey’s warranty, but the company deserves the benefit of the doubt. This is because Berkey has a preference to work with their customers directly so that issues can be resolved and there won’t be any unnecessary or unreasonable returns.
How To Install Berkey Shower Head Filters and Maintain Berkey Shower Head
When it comes to installing the Berkey Shower Filter, there’s nothing that you need to worry about because the process is easier than most filters and will only take you a few minutes to install.
All you need to do is remove the existing shower head, then screw the Berkey Shower Filter between the shower pipe coming out of your wall and your old head or you can put on a new one if you want to. Just like that, the shower filter is installed and you can let the water run for a while to flush out any residue in the filter before screwing on the head.
The threads are designed to be self-sealing but just to be safe, you can wrap some Teflon tape to prevent any leaks.
The maintenance is also very simple. Whenever you clean your bathroom to prevent things like mold and fungi, just give the filter housing a wipe too. The most important maintenance is replacing the filter every year or when it uses more than 20,000 gallons of water already. By doing so, you’re ensuring that your water pressure stays consistent and preventing a drop in water pressure.
You will like this product if:
You are looking for a shower filter with great effectiveness. One thing that sets this Berkey filter apart from others on the market is the effectiveness that it offers regardless of the temperature of the water. The Berkey is effective for both hot and cold water so you can expect clean water no matter what temperature you take a shower in.
You prefer a unit that doesn’t reduce water pressure significantly. Some shower heads and filters on the market decrease the water pressure by a lot and it doesn’t make your showering experience better. However, that is not the case with this Berkey product because the drop in water pressure is insignificant and unnoticeable.
You don’t want your shower water to smell unpleasant. With the KDF 55 media that is used for this product, there are many harmful contaminants removed. At the same time, it can also reduce the unpleasant odor caused by hydrogen sulfide. The odor of hydrogen sulfide is similar to the odor of rotten egg and reducing this makes your shower water smells cleaner and fresher.
You want the benefits of showering without any chlorine problems with your water. Not only does the KDF 55 media great for the reduction of unpleasant odors, but it is also perfect to deal with chlorine issues. The KDF 55 media has a unique zinc formula that reacts with chlorine as the water passes through the filtration media. The filtration process ensures that free chlorine is converted into water-soluble chloride gas. The water-soluble chloride gas is harmless to hair and skin so there’s no need to worry.
You prefer a shower head filter with a warranty. A product with a warranty shows the confidence the company has in their product and that is exactly the case with Berkey. They provided a 6 months warranty for this item and in the event where their products are not working as they should within that time period, you will be given a replacement for it.
You like how this shower filter is designed. Some options on the market have a bulky design and it’s not ideal if you have a small bathroom or if you’re very tall. Thankfully, the design that Berkey utilized for this filtration unit is quite small and compact so it wouldn’t cause any problem. Plus, you can reattach it with your existing massage shower head so you don’t need to get a new one.
You will not like this product if:
You are not a fan of the price that it’s offered. With the enhancement of water quality and the long filter life of 20,000-25,000 gallons, it is no surprise that Berkey is offering this BPA-free product at a higher cost compared to the other options on the market. However, it is still worth the cost because you have more to gain from the improved water quality.
You are expecting it to last as long as Berkey claims. Berkey claims that their units can last up to 1 year or 20,000 to 25,000 gallons. However, there are some cases where it didn’t reach that capacity. This isn’t ideal since it will only add on to the cost of maintaining it.
You prefer a perfect operation for your house’s hard water. There are some customers that left a review saying that they don’t see the chlorine level in their water reducing. However, chlorine in hard water may be difficult to reduce if there is a high chloramine content in your water. So make sure to test for the levels of chlorine and chloramine in your water before you buy a filtering system.
Does Berkey Shower Filters Actually Work?
Overall, the Berkey Shower Filter is impressive. As a customer, you’ll find its traits to be helpful in providing you a healthier life. This is done so by improving the water quality through the removal of chlorine that could potentially make your hair or skin dry and itchy. Plus, it’s beneficial for people with asthma and eczema too.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does the Berkey filter have a replaceable interior filter?
No. It is integrated into the housing so when it’s time to be replaced, the entire piece has to be discarded. However, it should be filtering for at least a year or 20,000-25,000 gallons. When it’s time to be replaced, get a new one and reattach it to continue enjoying its perks.
Is the pressure at the tap affected?
It does to a certain extent. As a matter of fact, most filters do affect the pressure but the main factor still depends on your water quality. The KDF 55 media does promote a uniform flow for maximum pressure and most users don’t notice any change in pressure.
Can chloramine be filtered with Berkey’s product?
No. Unfortunately, the KDF 55 media only reduces chlorine and not chloramine. You may check with the water treatment authority to see if your water is treated with chloramine.
Does this shower filter out fluoride?
No, the shower filter only capable of removes fluoride traces from the tap water because this shower filter are mostly used for chlorine reduction and to reduce chlorine odor. This shower filter is built as such to prioritize chlorine reduction because fluoride only post a threat in drinking water.
Why do I need to backwash this shower filter?
Backwashing the shower filter is as simple as putting it under running hot water for approximately 4 minutes to remove any deposits which are possibly trapped within the filter media. This enables a longer span for your shower filter and always remember to follow the manual guide given to avoid any error or damage.
