THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE URBAN FALLS FILTER

Two air filter components and a showerhead filter on a white background

CARBON AND SALT

Decades of international studies have repeatedly shown the effectiveness of activated carbon and SOHE salt at reducing impurities in water.

At URBAN FALLS, we leveraged the benefits of both materials to create a compact, powerful filtration system built for everyday use.

THE MATERIALS

ACF -- ACTIVATED CARBON FIBER

Activated carbon is a form of carbon treated to increase its porosity and surface area, making it highly effective at removing contaminants. It's widely used in water filtration to reduce chlorine, PFAS, pesticides, and heavy metals by binding them to its surface through a process called adsorption.

In fiber form, the molecular structure takes these properties even further, delivering greater performance in a smaller footprint.

PROS

Extremely fast absorption of contaminants

Higher filtration capacity

Consistent performance with no channeling effect

Ideal for compact systems

CONS

Fills up with contaminants faster

Higher manufacturing costs due to the complex production process

SOHE SALT

SOHE (sodium hexametaphosphate) is a food-grade type of salt that acts as a sequestering agent. In simple terms, it binds to minerals and heavy metals in tap water. By binding to calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and others, it helps keep them in a stable form, preventing them from building up on the showerhead, hair, and skin.

HOW IT WORKS

ADVANCED AND MULTILAYERED

The ACF (activated carbon fiber) works in unison with SOHE salts (sodium hexametaphosphate). As water flows through layer after layer of the ACF, more and more contaminants are removed along the way, trapped within the complex molecular structure of the filter. The SOHE salts complement this process by chemically binding to minerals and heavy metals that the carbon isn't optimized for. The process takes milliseconds. And the filter's permeable structure lets water pass through unrestricted, delivering powerful filtration without sacrificing flow.

COMPACT AND EFFICIENT

The special treatment process changes the carbon’s structure at a molecular level, making it incredibly porous and significantly increasing its surface area. This allows it to capture a wide range of contaminants in milliseconds, making it the ideal choice for compact designs and perfect for a showerhead.

Fun fact, the fiber's surface area is so massive relative to its size that just a few grams of this material have enough surface area to cover an entire professional football field.

TARGETED CONTAMINANTS

CHLORINE

01

The activated carbon in the URBAN FALLS filter excels at targeting chlorine in water. As water passes through, chlorine molecules are trapped within the fiber's porous structure through adsorption, reducing chlorine levels and the fumes and odor you may notice during a shower. (Activated carbon can remove and break down residual disinfectants (chlorine and chloramine))

PFAS, PESTICIDES

02

The activated carbon in the URBAN FALLS filter effectively reduces PFAS and pesticides in tap water. Its complex surface structure acts like a trap, catching these pollutants through adsorption. Activated carbon also has a natural affinity for organic compounds, allowing it to selectively target and reduce these harmful substances from your water. (Activated carbon has been shown to be effective at removing both PFAS and pesticides)

HEAVY METALS

03

The ACF and SOHE work together to significantly reduce heavy metals in water. Activated carbon catches heavy metals in its microscopic pores, while SOHE salt chemically binds to and sequesters them. (Activated carbon is effective at reducing heavy metals, with varying efficiency depending on concentration)

LIMESCALE, SEDIMENT

04

The URBAN FALLS filter includes SOHE salt (sodium hexametaphosphate), which binds to and sequesters minerals and metals in water. It helps keep calcium and magnesium ions dissolved, preventing them from crystallizing and forming hard deposits. (SOHE inhibits the buildup of limescale deposits)

TARGETED CONTAMINANTS

HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR SKIN AND HAIR

Heavy metals and minerals such as iron, lead, manganese, calcium, and magnesium can significantly damage your skin and hair by stripping away natural oils, disrupting the skin's barrier, clogging pores and hair follicles, and causing oxidative stress. Constant exposure can lead to dryness and irritation, and over time to thinning hair, breakouts, and early appearance of fine lines.

Hard water has a significant effect on the condition of hair and skin. But it's not everything. Factors like product choice (shampoo, skincare), lifestyle, and genetics all play a role in your hair and skin health.

It's important to understand that governments do regulate and treat water before it reaches your home. So a good place to start would be to check your local water quality report before committing to any sort of solution.

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