How to Maintain Your Water Filter

Water is one of the most important substances that you need to survive, so you make sure that you drink enough every day. You also know that, since it is so important, you have to have a good water filter. Hopefully you also know that for your water filter to remain a good water filter, you have to replace the filter components regularly.

Consider this. Your water filter is removing things from your drinking water and holding on to them. Let’s say that you have a great water filter that removes chlorine (and all of the other chemicals that go along with chlorination), lead, and a bunch of VOCs that may be in your water. Your water filter manufacturer states in the manual that you need to change your filter cartridge every three months.

That means that sometime during the fourth month some of those contaminants that it removes so well may start to get through. And if those contaminants are in your source water then they are becoming more and more concentrated over time. Your filtered water may become worse than your unfiltered source water. Let’s look at how to maintain your water filter so that you are always getting the clean water you need.

Follow Your Water Filter Replacement Schedule

As I said above, the manual for your water filter will tell you how often to change your water filter components. In my experience most manufacturers recommend that you change out your filter cartridge every three or six months. Usually, the more contaminants that a water filter removes, the shorter the time before you have to change the filter cartridge.

I have had two water filters in the past ten years. For my first one they recommended that you change the filter cartridge every six months. They only claimed that it removed chlorine and other contaminants that affected the taste and smell of the water. It also made the water a little bit alkaline, around 7.8 pH.

My second one claimed to remove the chlorine and everything just like the first one and also lead, mercury, a bunch of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and alkalize the water up to an average 9.0 pH over the lifetime of the filter cartridge. The replacement time for this cartridge was only three months.

Make the Replacement Time Easy to Remember

It can be difficult to remember when to change your water filter, so make it easier by choosing specific times of the year. The easiest times are probably the equinoxes and solstices. They are probably already marked on your calendar as the first day of each season. If your replacement time is every three months, then change your parts out on every equinox and solstice. If your replacement time is six months then choose either both equinoxes or both solstices.

Keep Your Water Filter Clean

I use a gravity water filter. I find it more convenient because it doesn’t have to be in the way right next to the sink when I’m washing dishes or whatever. It also holds some water so that we have water to drink even when the power goes out. Because it does have tanks to hold source water and filtered water, they can get dirty or cloudy.

I find it best to wash the tanks out when I change the water filter cartridge. That way I know that I’m making it as easy as possible for the water filter itself to do its job. Plus, who wants to drink water from something that looks dirty? Keeping it clean and nice looking helps make it so that you want to drink the water more.

Oh no! I have algae growing in my water filter!

That’s another challenge that some people have with a gravity water system. I did once. Since a gravity water filter doesn’t have to be attached to the sink, you can put it anywhere you want to. If you set it somewhere that gets too much sunlight you may notice that it starts to turn green. Algae loves a warm, moist environment.

Like I said, this happened to me once. If the algae is growing inside the filter cartridge itself, throw it away and get a new one. Clean the tanks that hold the water then move your water filter somewhere that it won’t get so much sunlight.

That’s All There is To It

Replace your filtration components regularly, keep you water filter clean, and place it out of direct sunlight. That’s how to maintain your water filter. It’s pretty easy to make sure that you are getting good, clean water every day.

If you are looking for a good water filter, I wrote a post a few months ago to help you choose the best water filter for you. There are a lot of different technologies for filtering and treating your water, and it can get a bit overwhelming. If you don’t think you need a water filter, you might want to read this post about where your water comes from.

Disclosure

I am a distributor for the water filter that I use, so I have plenty of experience with it (and I absolutely love it). I may earn a commission if you place an order through any of the links on this page.

I really appreciate you taking the time to read this. What do you do to make sure that you are getting the best water? I look forward to reading your comments. I would also appreciate it if you would share this post with your followers on social media.