Ionic shower head filters are among the most searched-for water products in Ireland, and a lot of what is written about them isn't true. This is a straight account of what one does, what it doesn't do, and who it suits.
What is an ionic shower head filter?
It's a hand-held shower head with two differences from a normal one. The spray plate has much finer holes, and the handle is filled with small mineral beads that the water runs over before it comes out. It screws onto a standard shower hose by hand, in place of the handset you have now.
What it does
Gives a stronger spray
The same water is pushed through much smaller holes, so the shower feels stronger. That helps most in homes where the water pressure is poor.
Filters the water
The water passes over the mineral beads in the handle, which filter out sediment and impurities before it reaches you.
Fits in a minute
It fits most standard shower hoses, with no tools and no plumber. It replaces the handset on a hose, so it isn't suitable for a fixed overhead shower head plumbed into the wall.
What it doesn't do
It doesn't soften hard water
Hard water is dissolved calcium and magnesium. A shower head can't take them out, so it won't stop limescale on the shower screen, the tiles or the taps. The only thing that removes hardness is a water softener on the supply to the whole house.
It isn't a treatment for skin or hair
Plenty of people like the feel of a finer, stronger spray, but a shower head filter is not a treatment for eczema, dry skin or hair problems, and we don't sell it as one. If you think hard water is the cause, it is the hardness that needs dealing with.
It doesn't make unsafe water safe
It is not a disinfection system. If you are on a private well and worried about bacteria, that needs proper well water treatment.
Is it worth buying?
If your shower is weak, or you'd like a finer and stronger spray for a small outlay, yes. If limescale is what's bothering you, put the money towards a softener instead. You can check how hard your water is by Eircode before you decide.
Shower head filters at EcoFilter Ireland
Our ionic filter shower head comes with two bead refill packs and a spare rubber plate, and replacement beads are sold in sets of three. See the full shower head filters range.