Water filtration systems requires you to change out your water filters regularly in order to maintain purified clean water and prevent contamination within the unit itself. Water filters are just like a car, regardless of how many miles you drive – you still need to change the oil every 3-4 months to prevent dirty oil from damaging the engine. Water filters are exactly the same. Regardless of how many gallons of water you actually use, you still need to change out the filters at the minimum once a year to prevent build up and exhaustion.  Many water dealers recommend changing your water filtration systems’ filters every six months. 

There are several problems that can occur and perhaps you have noticed if you do not change your replacement water filters regularly.  One common occurrence is that the water pressure tends to decrease and is noticeably weaker than before.  This is just caused by the pores on the filter to be clogged and not allowing water to pass through. Another issue that is common is the buildup of something called biofilm. Biofilm is most recognized to be a thin brown slime found on the filter as well as on the inside of the filter housing.  It is also a sign that there is some form of microorganism in the water. The biofilm is found in non-chlorinated water like well water or when there is a carbon filter involved.  Carbon filters remove chlorine which is used to prevent microorganisms from growing; well water usually supplies non chlorinated water already which is susceptible to microorganism growth.  One of the worst problems to have is when the filters are exhausted and start to do something called “dumping”.  Dumping is when water filtration systems are over exhausted and starts to leave more contaminants in the water which makes the water worse than before.  It’s usually most noticeable by a rotten smell from the product water.  Each of these problems become a nuisance to fix and resolve and makes changing filters and resolving the problem more time consuming.  By changing your filters more often, you can easily avoid these problems.

Many filters have a gallon life span which needs to be monitored.  It’s very hard to keep track of how many gallons we actually use.  To make life easier, there products on the market to help you monitor these things called gallonage meters.  Sennotech makes something called “Flowmaster” which counts the accumulated gallons that has run through the filters.  “Waterminder” is another product which counts gallons as well but takes it a step further by cutting off the water supply once it reaches a pre-set limit. Both products work great for monitoring your water usage.

So the next time you change your water filters, make a mental note of the next time you have to change them. Write it down, note it in your calendar, or even put it in your phone for the reminders.  Water filtration systems help protect you from untreated water – so why not take care of it!