• Using a water filter without the proper care can create unsafe drinking water.Clean water and water bubbles in blue image by Suto Norbert from Fotolia.com
  
  Using a water filter is no reliable guarantee that the water you drink is safe and uncontaminated. The best water filters have been tested and certified by the American National Standards Institute. However, even a good water filter can create health hazards if it is old and fouled with contaminants, incorrectly replaced, or if it picks up radon in the home.
  
  

Age and Condition

• Even though you have a certified water filter, if you fail to maintain it properly, the filter may be ineffective and create the potential for contamination. With age, water filters eventually become clogged and fouled with contaminants, losing their ability to strain out or absorb pollutants. Using a water filter beyond its recommended time limit can create unsafe water in your home. Water filters must be replaced on time. Since the age of useful filters varies, always check the instruction manual. Although water filters can be placed under the sink, on a counter top or at the tip of a faucet, it is the under-the-sink variety which generally provides better performance and greater filtering capacity. If you have one that fits only on the tip of the faucet, harmful bacteria, parasites, heavy metals and organic chemicals may still pass into your water.
  
  

Incorrect Replacement Filter

• Choosing and installing the incorrect replacement filter can also create water filter hazards. In the US, thousands of toxic chemicals are used every day, and many of these end up in the drinking water. If the correct water filter is not used to replace the old filter, contaminants can pass into your drinking water. Purchasing your water filter replacement from a reputable dealer is important. There are water filter replacements that are not laboratory tested nor correctly labeled. However, they may appear to fit and even look similar to your old filter. Replace filters only with one listed at least with an "Absolute" 1-micron filter guarantee, which meets the standards of the American National Standards Institute.
  
  

Radon

• Penn State Agricultural and Biological Engineering reports that drinking water can pick up radon in the home. Radon is a colorless and odorless gas which is radioactive. Radon occurs naturally in the air when uranium breaks down. However, according to Penn State's research, if radon does contaminate drinking water, it is hazardous if this water passes through an activated carbon filter in your home. The water filter becomes radioactive itself, which makes all the water flowing through the filter radioactive, as well. It is advisable to use a radon detector in your home to avoid this hazard.