Why Regular Water Filter Maintenance Is Important
Many homeowners are in the dark about how their water filters work and the obligations that come with having water filters in their homes. This is dangerous, as it can result in unsafe drinking water and, more or less, destroy your system. When this happens, all sorts of hard metals and microorganisms will be able to make their ways into your water, potentially infecting you and your loved ones. In this article, we’re going to go over:
- The different kinds of water filters
- How water filters work
- The average expected lifetime of a water filter
- The advantages of changing your water filter regularly
- The signs it’s time to replace your water filter
- Ways to make water filter maintenance easier
Here are the reasons why regular water filter maintenance is important!
Different Kinds of Water Filters
There’s a plethora of options to choose from when it comes to water filters. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common types of water filters include:
RO Filters
RO (reverse osmosis) filters use the process of osmosis to push water through a semipermeable membrane. This membrane is only small enough to let water molecules through, blocking any other particulates that may be in the water.
Sediment Filters
Sediment filters are a lot like RO filters, except they don’t use semipermeable membranes. Instead, they use a medium that traps particulates in the water as the water filters through. The result is clean water that may still contain microorganisms.
Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters use a ground-up carbon source to remove contaminants through absorption. These filters instantly suck up chemicals such as chlorine and pesticides as well as many other materials, leaving only clean water.
Distillation
Distillation is simply the process of boiling water to purge it of all harmful microorganisms. These systems aren’t exceedingly useful on their own, but they can fill in the gap between pure water and pure water without microorganisms. Other systems such as sediment filters will filter out the solid waste while leaving the biological organisms behind.
UV Filtering
UV filtering is a process that destroys all biological contaminants in the water using UV sterilization. These systems are extremely effective at eliminating all biological contaminants, but they lack any way to deal with solid contaminants.
The Average Life Span of a Water Filter
The average life span of a water filter varies depending on the filter, the amount of use it receives, and the amount of care it receives. In general, you can expect water filters to be permanent solutions for filtering water, with much less upkeep than using a filtering pitcher. As such, knowing when you need a new water filter can be difficult.
If you’re using an insert filter that utilizes cartridges, that’s a different subject. Filter cartridges will last 6 to 12 months on average. However, if the filter becomes clogged with dirt or contaminants, it will be much less effective.
All of this aside, a few main factors dictate the life span of a water filter:
Quality of the Water
The first main factor is the quality of the water, which will determine how many contaminants are present and thus how long it will take the filter to become clogged with debris. If the water contains more debris, clogging will happen much more quickly.
Water Usage
It’s natural to assume the amount of water you use is directly tied to the lifetime of your filter. In practice, your water filter can only successfully filter so many gallons of water before it’s rendered ineffective. If you use water at a greater rate than average, your water filter will need attention much more quickly.
The System in Place
Simply put, different systems have different life spans according to their filter capabilities. Some systems have better capabilities and can process water faster, while others are forced to purify water more slowly due to the method it uses. For example, RO filters pressurize water and push small amounts through the barrier at once, while sediment filters let large amounts of water pass through.
What Are the Advantages To Changing Your Water Filter Regularly?
If you change your water filter regularly, you can expect to experience a wide number of positive outcomes. Some of these may include:
- Peace of mind that your water is clean
- Better health
- Better-tasting water
These outcomes may not seem that pronounced, but keep in mind how essential water is to your body and how bad it is to supplement your water with harmful chemicals and minerals. For that reason, ensuring that you change your water filter whenever it requires attention is in your best interest.
Signs That It’s Time To Replace Your Water Filter
If you suspect it’s finally time to replace your water filter, there are a few simple ways to tell for certain:
- A change in the taste or smell of the water
- Buildup of slimy residue around the rim of the filter cartridge
- Floating bits of mold
- Scale buildup
- Higher TDS (total dissolved solids) in your filtered water
- Lower water pressure
If you find that you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, immediately check your water filter. The last thing you want is to poison yourself by drinking toxic water.
Are There Any Ways To Make Water Filter Maintenance Easier?
As technology has improved, the world of filters has changed, too. Currently, filter technology has enabled the end user to receive updates on changing their cartridges or mediums. Furthermore, these systems can provide you with real-time information on your water usage. Having access to this information can make water conservation a lot easier and give you the peace of mind to know when things such as leaks are occurring in the piping.
We hope this article has shown you why regular water filter maintenance is important and given you the information you need to keep yourself and your family safe. If you’re thinking about upgrading or getting a new water filter, stop by Premier H2O. We have an amazing selection of all different types of residential water filtration systems, making it easy for you to make the right decision.
