Looking to take a gentle shower

Q: I would like to have my shower water filtered to be a little gentler on my hair. Since I live in a condo, larger water filter systems may not be an option. Are small filters available that can be installed right in my shower stall? - Beth, Ohio

A: You can find small shower filter units that connect directly to an existing hand shower setup. They usually hook up between the hand shower diverter valve and the hand shower hose connection.

Having the filter on the hand shower only is a good idea. Now the standard head coming out of the wall is used for washing and the hand shower is used for the final gentle rinse. This can cut down on filter cartridge changes.

Also, since the cylinder-shaped filters are exposed, most have been designed with attractive styling in mind. If you don't already have a hand shower set up, a licensed plumber can put together a custom hand shower with the filter included.

I hope all this filter information has cleared up your question.