Distilled Water Association

Water Education through Science and Engineering

Water Distiller

Chlorine in Tap and Bottled Water, Not in Distilled Water

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Chlorine is commonly found in swimming pools. It is used to clean the water, and is known for stinging the eyes. However, did you know that it can also be found in regular drinking water? This is especially the case for bottled or tap water. It is possible to enjoy pure water through the distilling process.

Chlorine in Tap and Bottled Water

Chemicals and bacteria are found in water that is not fully purified. Chlorine is one of those chemicals that is actually used as part of the purification process. It is usually trace, and to the point where you can’t really taste it. However, that does not mean it is not dangerous or will not cause health problems. This is why you need to focus on pure, healthy water to drink.

No Chlorine in Distilled Water

Distilled water is the best purified water. The chemicals like chlorine are removed. This happens through the process of boiling the water and turning it into a vapor and with the resulting water passing through a carbon filter. The temperatures are high enough to boil the water, but not to vaporize the other elements. The impure elements, and others found in water, will remain in solid or liquid form at the bottom, while the water becomes a gas.

The water is then sent through a cooling chamber to become a liquid again. The chemicals that are not removed by the first step of distillation (i.e. evaporation) are removed via the charcoal filter.

Why Remove the Chlorine?

You may think that the process of distilling water is too time consuming. Is it really that important to remove the trace elements of chlorine and other chemicals and impurities? The truth is you have no idea how much of these are actually found in your tap or bottled water. You also have no idea what else is in there. Plus, if you buy a water distiller, the process is simple and automatic.

Removing the chlorine will mean you get water that will not harm your body as a whole. The water will also taste better.

It is time to make a switch to distilled water. It is pure water, so you get a better taste and will find it is better for your health.

When to Use an Emergency Water Distiller

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You may have heard of an emergency water distiller. The question is what one of these is. Really, it does everything that it says. It will purify your water through the distilling process and can be used in an emergency, without using electricity! So, when would you find an emergency water distiller useful?

While Out Camping

If you’re going camping, it could be worth taking a distiller with you. It won’t matter where you end up or the type of water source you have. You will be able to remove the impurities and enjoy fresh, pure water. These are great if you’re going on long camping trips, when you can’t take enough bottles of distilled water with you.

On Survival Expeditions

Another time to consider emergency water distillers is when you’re out on survival expeditions. You will usually need to drink from streams and even lakes. You have no idea what chemicals and harmful bacteria are in these. Having the distiller will mean you can quickly purify your water in a way that is very healthy for you.

When There Is No Electricity

Most distillers will require an electrical socket. This is great when you’re using it at home, until you get a power cut. There have been some areas hit with long power cuts lasting a few days. What would you do then? You would have to rely on the tap water. Is that something you really want?

An emergency distiller usually runs on heat, from a stove or fire. There is no need for an electrical supply, and you can still enjoy your pure water.

Can’t Clean Filters

A reverse osmosis system or filter system may be something you prefer to use. However, you will need to clean the filters with each use and it’s not easy to move around if you go on camping trips. This isn’t something that needs to happen with an emergency water distiller. There will also be fewer trace elements left behind, as they can get caught in filters.

Is an emergency water distiller worth your money? Think about getting pure water, no matter what your water source is like.

Purified Water vs. Distilled Water: Which Is Better?

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Distilled water is just purified water, right? Well, while that is the gist of things, there are differences between the several processes of water purification. It’s important to understand these differences to know the better type of water for you.

Distilling Water

Distilling water is the process of boiling the water to the point of vaporizing it. The heat will Not vaporize all the other elements in water, so all you’re left with is pure water. That vapor is then passed into a condensing tube and cooled so it becomes a liquid again, and most distillers come with a carbon filter to remove even those chemicals that might have been evaporated. If you have extremely dirty water, it might take another attempt to really get pure water.

The other elements, like minerals and bacteria, are left in the original section of the equipment. They are then discarded and the equipment is ready to use again.

Other methods of Purifying Water

This really refers to how pure the water is; the quality of that water. It is not a set process, but can involve a variety of methods. Distilling water is one of them. However, some purified water is gained through ion exchange and reverse osmosis. The water will be 10 parts-per-million (PPM) or fewer, which means that all the extra elements are removed.

The different processes have their own pros and cons. It is important to find out how the water is purified before jumping straight for it. This will tell you whether all the other elements have been removed.

Normal Purified Water Can Still Have Chemicals and impurities

In some cases, the purified water may not have all the chemicals and impurities removed. The processes may not have been thorough enough. Distilling the water will make sure that all elements are removed. The water is only boiled to a point where only the water elements vaporize; some rare chemicals may evaporate too, that’s why most distillers also have a carbon filter for extra precaution.

Understanding the difference between the various processes will help you make a well-informed choice. Purified water is just the term for water without the chemicals etc. However, there are a few different options to get to that point, and distilling water is the best one of them.

The Hot Topic of Cold Distilled Water

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Many topics are considered “hot topics” and distilled water is certainly one of them. The usage of it – say for example – in household settings or for industrial purposes not so much.   It is in the drinking of distilled water where it becomes the aforementioned hot topic. We will be delving into the benefits derived from distilled water. Of course, in the interest of fairness we will also briefly touch upon the other side of the coin as well.

Face it, in many communities the tap water that comes out of our faucets, while undergoing any of a variety of treatments, is still not up to par according to many experts on the subject. While tap water for the most part is fine for things like watering the yard, cooking things and washing your clothes there are other instances where it is not advisable to use it. One perfect example is your good old steam iron. Tap water can spell a short lifespan for it.

A quick consultation of your steam iron’s user manual will in almost all instances tell you to use only distilled water in your iron to avoid calcium buildup and clogging of your spray system. And when one washes their dishes and utensils using nothing but tap water this will inevitably lead to stains or unsightly spotting. And your kettles or stove top coffee pots? Tap water will eventually cause scaling on the inside. If possible, it is always advised to use distilled water.

So how do you derive the benefits attributed to distilled water? Well, you can purchase a water distiller or other distilling equipment suitable for homes, as water distillers are very cheap when you compare to buying bottled water. This water can be used for both drinking and household use.

We earlier mentioned the usage of distilled water in your steam iron. The same goes for an aquarium if you happen to have one. Tap water can in many cases be harmful to your fish so it is always advisable to go the distilled water route; however, in fish tanks, you’re going to have to add minerals to your water, as fish need pure water that contains minerals. We hope this has served as a helpful explanation regarding the benefits of distilled water.

Distilled Water in Humidifiers

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Anyone who has used a humidifier has probably noticed that they collect a lot of white dust particles after filling them up with tap water. These white dust particles are actually minerals from the tap water that get released after the humidifier is turned on. These particles are not harmful, but they often float onto the surfaces of your furniture and other objects in the room. This means people have to clean the entire room every time they turn on the humidifier. Fortunately, there is a solution that will prevent these white dust particles from coming back. The solution is simply to use distilled water in the humidifier instead of tap water.

Distilled water is the purest kind of water that you can buy. It contains no minerals, vitamins, toxins or bacteria in it at all. This means when you fill your humidifier up with distilled water, there won’t be any minerals getting extracted from the water to form those annoying dust particles. Not only that, but you won’t have to clean the humidifier like you would with regular tap water. You see those dust particles also clog up the filter inside your humidifier, which means you have to clean it after each time you use it. With distilled water, you won’t have to clean the filter as much because there won’t be any particles caught in it. The best part is that the life of the filter will last longer, which will save you money from having to buy a new one more frequently.

Besides the minerals, water that is contaminated with bacteria could pose a threat if you use it in your humidifier. You will basically be putting the bacteria from the water into the air, which is guaranteed to make you sick if you breathe it for long enough. It will also make anyone else sick who is in the same room and breathing the same air. With all of these factors weighing in, the best choice you could make is to buy distilled water for your humidifier. Supermarkets generally sell gallon jugs of distilled water that you can just pour into your humidifier. If you want to save even more money then you could make your own distilled water at home by boiling tap water on the stove and then trapping the condensation in a glass container. This method might take more work, but it will save you money. The cheapest and easiest thing to do is to get a Water Distiller instead and conveniently make distilled water at your house for a fraction of the cost and without being time consuming.