Does boiling water remove chlorine

Chlorine in drinking water is a common nuisance in most homes. The truth however is chlorine in drinking water is beneficial, in moderation. Chlorine molecules are added to public water supply, like tap water, to remove disease-causing pathogens. While other harmful substances like sediments can be removed via filtration systems, it is necessary to add chlorine to the water to kill bacteria and other contaminants (such as pathogens).

Chlorinated tap water, although harmful in small amounts, can become hazardous to one’s health when the residual chlorine molecules are higher. As the water passes through the pipes, chlorine can kill bacteria, but the larger sediments of chlorine content might be left behind.

In this article, we will check how boiling water removes chlorine from water and how to effectively remove chlorine concentration from tap water using reliable water filtration systems. Let us understand if boiling chlorinated water is a beneficial solution to remove chlorine from the water supply and how to employ it.

How bad is chlorine in tap water for you?

It is important to establish that low chlorine or chloramine concentrations in tap or drinking water are harmless. The chlorine content in drinking water becomes a problem only when the concentration is higher and the frequency of drinking this chlorinated water is more. The following is the list of health issues that come with drinking chlorinated tap water frequently.

1. Odor and Taste

The first prominent problem one can face when the water’s chlorine levels are higher is the unpleasant taste and odor. Chlorinated water has a strong smell and taste. When the water’s chlorine levels are high and prominently change the taste and smell of the drinking water, this can certainly pose discomfort to drink or use for any other purpose.

2. Dehydration

When the water’s chlorine levels are high and make it difficult for consumption, the chances are high to end up with dehydration. It is easier to stay hydrated as essential only when the water tastes good. It is important to neutralize chlorine from water to make sure the unpleasant odor and taste don’t lead up to dehydration.

3. Respiratory problems

Did you know that inhaling chlorine gas or fumes can cause wheezing? Breathing difficulties and symptoms like tightness in the chest, cough, and sore throat are the common side effects of inhaling chlorine content in water while showering.

It is unfortunate that an alarmingly high chlorine concentration in tap water can trigger asthma and wheezing even in those who have no previous history of respiratory conditions. 

Complications in pregnancy and birth defects

Chlorinated water consumption is hazardous for pregnant women. THMs Trihalomethanes and other contaminants in municipal water can pose a threat to the pregnant woman and the fetus. Studies conducted to understand the effects of chlorinated water on pregnant mothers suggest that they potentially harm the baby.

Some of the birth defects that chlorine can cause include ventricular septal defects or holes in the heart, reduced brain development, and cleft palates. For this reason, it is crucial to invest in proper chlorine removal or test the levels of chlorine in the water before pregnant women consume it.

1. Dehydration

There is several ongoing research to study the severity of organic compounds and other contaminants in water, food, and air. While chlorine has been confirmed to display carcinogenic effects, it is still unsure of its severity. THMs and their byproducts have been found to be carcinogens causing rectal cancer and bladder cancer.

Although these studies and their severity are not conclusive, experts suggest that it is safer to keep the intake of chlorine from water under moderation. This further emphasizes the need to remove chlorine from water by employing successful water treatment facilities.

2. Skin diseases

Another common side effect of consuming for showering in chlorinated water is poor skin health. Heavy metals, chlorine, and chloramines in tap water can lead to dry skin problems. As chlorine works to kill bacterial growth, it will also likely end up destroying the population of beneficial bacteria from the skin’s surface.

Apart from dry skin and itchiness, those with pre-existing skin problems might also develop more serious skin conditions like psoriasis. Removing chlorine from the water with effective water treatment methods will help to resolve this problem at the earliest.

Does Boiling Water Remove Chlorine from Drinking Water?

The popular question when it comes to chlorine removal is ‘Does boiling water remove chlorine from water?’ and ‘How does boiling water remove chlorine from water? ‘. Most of the crowd is curious to know this to avoid employing other water filtration systems. The answer is Yes, you can remove chlorine from the water supply by boiling water. However, relying on boiling water alone to remove all the chlorine comes with a few hiccups.

It is impossible to assess how much chlorine is removed from the water via boiling and at what rate it takes place during the process. This is because, unlike water vapor, chlorine vapor is invisible and odorless in trace amounts. If you are looking to accurately gauge removing chlorine via boiling water and at which boiling point you can remove chlorine, this is not possible.

Although the answer to the question, ‘Does boiling remove chlorine?’ is a big Yes, it comes with a hitch. The boiling process only removes free chlorine. Chlorine that is on its own and is not bound to any other chemical element is called free chlorine. You can use the boiling process only to remove free chlorine, but not other types. Most water supply that is exposed to chlorine addition comes with chloramine. There is a slim difference between chlorine and chloramine. Chloramine is nothing but a mixture of free chlorine with ammonia. Water cannot be boiled with the hopes of removing chloramine content from it.

Even though boiling water removes chlorine, the process is quite lengthy. The water must be boiled, cooled down, and decanted into other containers to remove impurities and residual chlorine. This process will take time before the water is ready for consumption.

Chlorine Vs Chloramine

As aforementioned, chlorine and chloramine are not the same chemical element. Municipal tap water could be added either with chlorine or chloramine. Free chlorine that has been mixed with some amount of ammonia is called chloramine.

This is the difference between chlorine and chloramine and why dechlorinating tap water by boiling tap water is not as easy as it might seem. Free chlorine that comes in contact with air has the capacity to be dissipated quickly. On the contrary, chlorine has the ability to linger longer. This nature of chlorine and chloramine has an effect on water treatment methods.

When the chlorine levels diminish from the water source quickly (after chlorine reacts with air and dissipates), the very purpose of adding chlorine to water as a disinfectant is defeated. Adding chloramine that is able to last longer, unlike how chlorine reacts, proves to be a better disinfectant to water. The challenge occurs when the difficulty arises in removing chloramine from boiling water.

How Does Boiling Water Remove Chlorine?

It is true that boiling removes chlorine levels from the water, but we would like to re-emphasize that there is no available accurate method to estimate the amount. Nearly all impurities present in water and attempted to be removed via water treatment methods at home cannot be analyzed.

In order to boil water the container with water must reach a high heat temperature of 212°F. At this temperature, it can be observed that water will evaporate, and so will chlorine. To treat chlorine water with boiling, it takes roughly 4 minutes, which is; to remove 1 mg of chlorine in a 10-gallon batch of water it is going to take 4 minutes. If you want to know how long the water must be boiled, you must also see the chlorine levels in the chlorine water that you are dealing with.

The lack of assurance and transparency from the boiling process makes it difficult to rely on. If there is excess chlorine level in the water and even after boiling water you cannot eliminate chlorine odor or taste entirely, it is recommended that you resort to other water treatment methods.

How long to boil water to remove chlorine?

It can take roughly about 4 minutes to remove chlorine from water. This time limit can vary depending on the quality of the water and stove.

What is the effective way to remove chlorine from tap water?

Boiling water to remove chlorine is efficient. However, the most effective method is to invest in the SpringWell Whole House Water Filter System.

How is water dechlorinated? Here are 10 ways to do it.

There is more than one way to effectively remove chlorine. Chlorine removal can be done by either investing in filtration systems or by simpler methods. Here we have the 10 best ways that guarantee to remove chlorine from your water.

1. Reverse osmosis system

Reverse osmosis systems are one of the best filtration methods for not just removing chlorine or to remove chloramine or fluoride removal, but also for other contaminants. Reverse osmosis filters remove different kinds of pollutants. Most homes install a reverse osmosis system under the sink to get rid of nearly all impurities that are present in the water. The multiple levels of filtration techniques established will vary across the reverse osmosis systems depending on the model.

The feature that makes a reverse osmosis system different from the other techniques is its semi-permeable membrane. The tiny pores in the membrane aid in fluoride removal, bacteria, and lead. Although reverse osmosis filters are good at removing chlorine, it is not the most efficient. Reverse osmosis filters require high maintenance and the process itself wastes around 1/2 to 3 gallons of water for every 1 gallon produced.

2. Activated carbon filters

Activated carbon filters and catalytic carbon filters are effective in removing chlorine. The tiny pores in the activated carbon filters remove impurities by trapping them in their pores (chlorine and chloramine molecules are larger than water molecules). The large surface area of the activated carbon filter is an advantage. The surface area of a catalytic carbon filter is even larger and therefore more efficient to remove chloramine and chlorine.

3. Distillation process

Distilled water is the purest form of water that can be obtained. The distillation process heats water in a boiling chamber and the evaporated water gets condensed in a separate chamber. This distilled water obtained as a result is pure water.

The distillation process removes chlorine effectively since chlorine cannot evaporate. It gets left behind in the boiling chamber. The distillation process is time-consuming and gives very little pure water at a time, therefore ideal for small families alone. It is also an expensive process.

4. Ultraviolet or UV light

UV light technology is another method that removes chlorine. Wavelengths of between 200 and 400 nm are used to produce chemical reactions that result in up to 15 ppm of chlorine or chloramine removed. Even whole-house water filters can install UV light at the end of the filtration system to treat water. It is advantageous that UV light filters are not easily damaged by high chloramine and chlorine levels, which is not the case in other water filters.

5. Base anion exchange

Ex[losing the chlorine water to strong base anion exchange will assist chlorine and fluoride removal from water since these are negatively charged ions.

6. Evaporation

Allowing the water to sit still without being disturbed will promote evaporation and mixing of the chlorine gas into the surrounding air.

7. Neutralization with Potassium metabisulfite

Adding Potassium metabisulfite chemical (available in tablet form) to water will eradicate chlorine almost completely. A single tablet can be used to neutralize 20 gallons of water.

8. Vitamin C

Vitamin C as either sodium ascorbate or ascorbic acid is also effective for dechlorinating tap water. Vitamin C filters can be added under the sink or on a showerhead.

9. Kinetic Degradation Fluxion Filters (KDF)

KDF filters utilize copper and zinc mixed together to remove chlorine from the water source. KDF water filters are also effective to remove heavy metals.

10. Berkey water filter

Another popular choice among water filters that remove chlorine is the Berkey Water Filter. Water exposed to chlorine can be added to these gravity-fed water filters. It removes chlorine along with a wide range of other contaminants.

Is there a product that removes harmful minerals from your water, such as chlorine?

SpringWell Whole House Water Filter System is one of the most reliable filtration systems to treat municipal water. This system is equipped with the highest quality catalytic carbon and certified KDF media which will remove chlorine, chloramine, PFOA, PFAS PFOS, pesticides, herbicides, haloacetic acids, and more.

You are left with better-tasting water that is free from contaminants. With the removal of harmful chemicals, you can be assured of getting healthier skin and body as well. The specialized 4-stage water filtration method in the SpringWell Whole House Water Filter System also provides salt-free water softeners as an added benefit. This extremely low-maintenance water filter replacement has to take place only once every 6 to 9 months. This is indeed the best solution to remove chloramine and chlorine from drinking water.

Conclusion

That’s a wrap on the article. We hope the article answered your question on the efficiency of the boiling process to remove chlorine from water. Test the amounts of chlorine in your drinking water before you invest in a water filtration system to remove chlorine. Make sure that your water is safe to consume even after the chlorine has been removed.