According to the surveys, water is getting contaminated at an unstoppable rate. It has now become the primary reason for causing more than 70% of diseases.
It is highly advisable to have the water filter machine, commonly known as an RO system, installed at home to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones and provide safe and clean drinking water.
This article will help you understand how to maintain and replace your water filters and how long you should wait after changing the water filter.
Why Replace The Water Filter?
Installation of water filters in such crucial times has become one of the essential tasks in every household or workplace. But just installation is not enough; it needs regular maintenance and replacements of a few internal parts, the most important being its cartridge.
If this is not changed or serviced regularly, the system will stop functioning correctly, and it may house all the contamination. Moreover, the filter cartridge may become clogged, hindering the water flow and putting pressure on the pipes.
Therefore, it should be mandatory to check and replace the filters after a point of time for better performance.
Which Cartridges of the Filter Should be Replaced, and After What Amount of Time?
Generally, the RO has five stages of filtration parts installed within the machine itself. These five stages or five filters are
- The first is the sediment filter which removes all the larger sand particles and organic particles.
- The Granular Activated Carbon filter takes care of chlorine content and removes it.
- Next comes the RO Membrane, the focal point of all doing the vital removal of contaminants.
- The Prolonged contact time ensures that all the particulate dust gets removed from the water.
- Sending the water with a fresh taste is the job of the last one, i.e., carbon polishing post filter.
Water filters’ central maintenance is replacing sediment filters, carbon filters, water filters’ membrane, UV lamp (if present), and labor charges. The cost of sedimentary and carbon filters costs $50 each and might be replaced on a half-yearly basis.
On average, the water filter membranes are changed yearly or require a change after two years. Depending on their capacity, they tend to cost anywhere between $150-and $400 per filter. Their lifespan depends upon how much-contaminated water is absorbed by the cartridge filters, for which it is highly recommended to maintain the hygiene of the water filter.
Maintenance of The Water Filter
Through different stages of filtration, all the particulate matter in water gets filtered out, leaving altogether distilled water. Due to the consistent cleaning cycle, all the filters need to be cleaned on an annual basis.
The only filter that requires compatible replacement for better operations is the RO membrane.
The filter’s life can be prolonged by regular maintenance; however, they might start to show their age after a while. Some organic substances such as dust, minerals, and other substances can clog up the filters. One may reduce carbon filters as they may fail to absorb critical chemicals.
Precautions to Follow While Replacing The Water Filter
As already discussed, the need to replace water filters will be recurrent; hence it’s better to seek expert advice rather than trying hands-on skills.
Even though the repair person is an expert in his work; there are a few precautions mandatory in nature to be followed while replacing the water filter:
- Ensure all the water supply has been closed
- Release the air that may exist in the filter and pipes
- Place clothes and towels around the system to avoid unnecessary spills.
- Start to disassemble the housings of the filter and remove the O-ring.
- Ensure that all the screws are correctly stored to avoid misplacing them.
- Contact technicians when performing complex procedures and doing proper cleaning, especially with an old filtration system. One might be required to change all the storage tanks, tubing, and fittings.
How do you Determine the Condition of a Water Filter And When to Replace It?
There are many different types of water filters available on the market. On average, they come with a 6-8 months shelf life for filtered replacement.
Moreover, RO systems have an inbuilt alarm system to notify the filter replacement timeframe. While in others, after the stipulated time, one can go ahead with changing the filters.
Following are the signs that tell me that the filter needs a change:
- Water flow becomes slow
- The taste of water becomes stale
- The noisy sound coming from the outlets
- System alarms start warning
Conclusion
Now that you know the repercussions of not replacing your filters on schedule, we trust you’ll give your best to change your filters depending on the situation to keep your water filtration working.
Because if not paid attention to time, there is a risk of deterring the water filter’s performance and ingesting poisonous pollutants.
Replacement of the filters is simple and should be possible by adhering to the simple-to-use guide. Soon, your system will be back in full swing, providing clean, filtered water for you and your family.
FAQs
Does Using Old Filters Affect Your Health?
Yes, it does affect the health adversely as filters absorb a tremendous amount of water contamination over the time it was being used. After soaking all the impurities, it tends to become clogged, preventing the water from getting filtered and flowing on. Hence, the replacement is advised.
Are The New Water Filters Efficient?
Yes, new water filters will give better performance, cleansing and filtering the water of any contamination. It will provide safe and clean drinking water so that the filters are duly replaced timely and serviced with proper precautions. If need be, expert advice will help install and replace the filters.
