Water Filter is a vital device to ensure that there is fresh and clean water in any household. This device can also remove unwanted particles, chemicals, and bad odors from our drinking water. Due to this, more homeowners are now investing in quality water filters in their homes to ensure that their families will always have fresh potable water.
However, you still have to keep in mind that, like any device, a water filter must be properly maintained and cleaned to maximize its use. It’s also crucial to know when and how to change the water filter to ensure that you are still getting clean water. If you’re interested to learn more about how to properly maintain water filter, especially how to change them, read on.
What Is A Water Filter
A water filter is a tool or device used to lower water contamination by removing impurities through various physical, biological, and chemical processes. Since water is a valuable resource that affects human health, a device such as water filters has been gaining popularity because of its essential use in providing clean water in many households.
Due to their popularity, different types of water filters have been introduced in the market. This water filter may have various features that make them more potent in cleaning certain types of impurities from water. Here are some examples of water filters.
1. Activated Filter
Carbon filters are pre-filter that can remove big particles such as silt and sediments from the water. The filtration happened by attracting and absorbing pollutants from the water using activated carbon. The resulting water from this has no bad smell, and the majority of the contaminant was removed.
2. Under Sink Water Filter
An under sink water filter is sometimes termed as a point-of-use (POU) filter since it is installed in the location where you get water. Usually, this is placed directly in the faucet where water can run through the filter before it goes out. Homeowners sometimes prefer this due to the ease of maintenance and convenience.
3. Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is also a favorite filter system in most common households since it has the power to remove various kinds of pollutants. The resulting water is odor-free and clear, which makes it a good filter for the family.
4. Alkaline Ionizers
This filter uses the process known as electrolysis. The water from this process passed over electrically charged plates to remove pollutants. The resulting liquid is not only cleaned but also less acidic. So, find the best water ionizer systems to remove harmful water contaminants.
5. UV filters
The UV filter is a newly introduced technology in the market. This uses Ultraviolet technology to kill harmful entities in the water, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Although this costs a little bit more expensive, the result is satisfactory since you will surely get clean water free from disease-causing organisms. This process is also environment-friendly since it does not utilize any chemical while efficiently cleaning the water.
How To Change Water Filter
Most filtration units used in households utilize filter media to remove impurities in the water. Inevitably, there are times that the surface of the filter media is filled up with contaminants after prolonged use. For those using mechanical filtration, pores from the filter can be clogged with impurities that can block water from passing through.
In scenarios like these, you must be familiar with how to change the water filter to ensure that you can still maximize your water filters. If you’re interested in learning how to do it, the article listed the necessary steps to change your own water filters at home.
1. Prepare The Necessary Equipment
Since changing water filters can interrupt your water use, it’s better that you do it quickly and without interruption. To do this, you must ensure that you have the complete tools and equipment needed to change your filter. Here is a list of items that you usually need when changing your filter.
- New Filter-Your new filter is the most important item when changing your filter. Keep in mind that your new filter must compliment your filtration setup and the type of water you have in your house.
- Filter wrench-The wrench is vital for ease in unscrewing your unit. It would be beneficial if your filter wrench is designed to fit over the filter housing.
- New O-ring-Do not also forget to replace your old O-ring to prevent future leakage on your plumbing. Ensure that your replacement is the correct size so you will not have any leakage problem after changing your filter.
- Plumber’s Tape-It’s also good that your plumber tape is ready to reinforce your plumbing connections and prevent leakage.
2. Turn Off The Water Supply
If you have a water valve in the house, ensure that it is closed so that no water will flow when you change your water filter. It would be smart to store some water before replacing the filter so that you have available water in case you need it.
4. Don’t Forget To Depressurize the plumbing system
You must ensure that all pressure caught in the plumbing system is released before you install the new filter. The usual way to do this is by opening a bathtub tap or sink and letting the trapped pressure and water drain. You can also just leave the faucet open while you are still busy changing the filter media.
5. Reinstall The New Filter
Once the preparation is in place, you can now install the replacement filter carefully. Some manufacturers also suggest that you fully soaked the new filter with water before inserting it into the water filtration system.
6. Finish The Installation
If you’re finished installing the new filter, you can also try cleaning the water filtration system and the plumbing using a towel. Gently wipe the plumbing and the housing of the filtration system and ensure there will be no blockage once you open the water again.
Reinstall the filtration system and make sure that everything is back to its original place. Once done, try opening the water valve slowly so that you can repressurize the plumbing system. After a while, carefully assess if the water is flowing through the plumbing and the filtration setup.
Also, check the resulting water from the filtration setup. If there’s no problem, you can now use your new reinstall filter.
Bottom Line
To maximize the use of your water filtration units, ensure that you know how to maintain the device properly. Hopefully, this article has given you insights on how to do it so that your family can enjoy clean and potable drinking water anytime.