Hello

Hello. You opened the box.

Here is why it said that, and what to do with what is inside. It installs tonight, in about a minute, with no tools.

The side of the box

Same job. Different behavior.

Both disinfect tap water. Only one goes away on its own.

Chlorine

Disinfects your tap water. Fades on its own. It reacts fast and leaves water that stands or heats. The EPA caps the residual at 4.0 mg/L. Most shower filters are rated for this one.

Chloramine

Chlorine plus ammonia. Made to stay. It is stable for days, so standing or heating the water does not remove it. More than one in five Americans has water treated with it, at the same 4.0 mg/L cap. Boston's utility notes that chlorine-rated filters may not work effectively on it.

Sources: US EPA, Chloramines in Drinking Water (more than one in five Americans); EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (4.0 mg/L cap for both); MWRA, FAQs about MWRA tap water (chlorine-rated NSF/ANSI 177 filters may not work effectively). Your utility's annual water quality report names which one you have. See your city's water under Questions below, or at secondshower.us/pages/your-water.

What filters are rated for.

The table inside the lid, with the conditions attached.

What filters are rated for.
KDF or carbon filters
Chlorine Independent third-party laboratory testing reduced free chlorine to non-detectable levels at shower temperature, the basis for 99.9%+. A laboratory result, not an NSF chlorine certification. Chlorine-rated KDF and carbon filters also reduce chlorine; the percentage depends on the product and the test. 99.9%+ removedIndependent lab, non-detectable Rated for this
Chloramine Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) neutralizes chloramine. Our claim is 99.9% within the tested peak-use window, up to 60 days for the Showerhead and 30 days for the Showerhand; local water and use vary. A chlorine rating alone does not establish chloramine performance. Boston's utility notes chlorine-rated NSF/ANSI 177 filters may not work effectively on chloramine. 99.9% removedWithin the peak-use window Often not rated for it
Performance during use Vitamin C reacts with disinfectants as water passes through, while active media remains. Carbon can become exhausted and reactive media is consumed. Replace your filter on schedule; actual service life depends on water quality and use. This is not a measured lifespan comparison with every other brand. Doesn't degrade during use Media can lose capacity
Hot water Our Vitamin C filtration works in hot shower water. Temperature, flow and contact time all matter when comparing filters. Some KDF and carbon-based products are also designed for hot water; media type alone cannot establish a product's removal rate. Works in hot water Depends on the design

*Micron PP sediment filter certified by NSF/ANSI 42 standards. Certification applies to this component, not the complete showerhead. Chlorine removal is independently lab tested.

Comparing common KDF and carbon-based filters, the media most shower filters use. Performance and certification vary by product; this is not a head-to-head laboratory test. The box says it shorter. This is the version with the conditions.

"This does."

"I tried all the other filters ... none of the other filters I had tried removed that. This does."

Emma Jade Morrison, stylist, writing in Long Live.

Read the piece on Long Live

Install tonight.

Before you start

About a minute, no tools. The Showerhead fits a standard 1/2 inch shower arm, which is most US showers. Hand-tighten only; a wrench can damage the connection.

The photo guide is at secondshower.us/setup-head, the same link as the card in the box.

  1. Remove your old showerhead

    Twist it counterclockwise to remove it.

  2. Screw on the Second Shower

    Turn it clockwise onto the shower arm until snug. Hand-tightening is enough; no tape or tools in most cases.

  3. Turn on the water

    Check the connection for drips. If it leaks, add one or two wraps of plumber's tape to the threads and make sure the rubber washer is seated.

Before you finish

Look at the window. The filter starts white. That is your Day 1.

Have the handheld?

Showerhand guide

What happens next.

The first two months

60 secondsHand-tight, no tools. The filter starts white.

Day 14The core turns amber, then brown, as it catches sediment. Its colour shows sediment; it does not measure chlorine or chloramine levels.

60 daysReplace the Showerhead filter every 60 days, sooner in hard water. Email us and we send the next one.

Ask for a refill

When the filter runs out.

The box holds one filter. When the core is spent, email hello@secondshower.us with your name and address and we send the next one. No account, no subscription.

  • 60 days Showerhead filter cadenceSooner in hard water
  • 30 days Showerhand filter cadenceIf you have the handheld
Email for a refill

You have questions. We like that.

Every answer
Why did the box say my filter doesn't work?

Most shower filters are rated for chlorine. Many cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington DC, use chloramine: chlorine plus ammonia, which does not fade, and Boston's utility notes chlorine-rated filters may not work effectively on it. Vitamin C neutralizes both.

See your city's water
Do I have to post about this?

No. Nothing is expected. If you do share it, please say it was a gift.

Will it fit my shower?

The Showerhead uses a standard 1/2 inch NPT connection, which is most US showers, and needs no adapter. Unusual setup? Send a photo of your shower arm to hello@secondshower.us and we will check.

Install tonight
What does the window show?

Sediment. The core starts white and turns amber, then brown, as it catches particles. Its colour does not measure chlorine or chloramine levels.

What happens next
What happens when the filter runs out?

Email hello@secondshower.us and we send the next one. The Showerhead filter is replaced every 60 days, the Showerhand every 30, sooner in hard water.

How refills work
Who do I talk to?

hello@secondshower.us. A person answers, within 24 hours on business days.

Pass it on.

If someone comes to mind, a client or a colleague, tell us who. We would rather send the next box to them than run an ad.

Write to hello@secondshower.us