The main function of water filters is to purify water by eliminating the risk of contaminants and pollutants to its minimum level and maintaining the purity of water for human consumption. The role of water filter is remarkably vital in removing the unwanted pollutants, harmful contaminants, and disease causing microorganisms from our daily use water. There are different kinds of these filters that work in their own particular way to provide best efficiency in purification of water.
However, there is also the risk of fluctuations in the efficiency level of these water filters. The performance level of water filters does not remain the same throughout its use. After a certain time, the efficiency of these water filters is most likely to depreciate from its average performance level. The performance level of the water filters is subject to their own environment in which they are installed. Therefore, it is necessary to clean and change water filters after a certain amount of time.
Reason for Changing Water Filter
Water filters act as a hindrance for the contaminants and harmful microbes present in the water. at the same time water filters are in direct contact with these pollutants. In the process, it is always exposed to the contaminants that are restrained from passing on to our consumption water. therefore, these contaminants are most likely to get accumulated on the filter’s surface. This phenomenon affects the performance level of these water filters in the purification process of untreated and contaminated water.
For the purpose, it is recommended for you to clean and change the water filter regularly. However, it is better to change your water filter than to clean it, keeping the performance level in view. As the filters gets contaminated itself with its functioning for purification for a long time, the performance level is also adversely affected. A time comes when the presence of filters in your purification system stop working. Therefore, the water is not safe for the consumption in such a case. If you do not change water filter, then it is of no use in the purification process.
Pitcher Water Filter
For practical implications, pitcher water filters are widely used in residential filtration system. They are practically convenient to use and are inexpensive too. Therefore, they are favored by general masses. Pitcher water filter can easily avail you fresh and pure water. It does not require any installation process. These filters bear resemblance with regular water pitchers. However, the difference lies in their composition. Pitcher water filters are composed of two parts i.e. a filling reservoir and a holding tank. Mostly, carbon filters are used in pitcher water.
Water pitchers are commonly used because they are easily handled and can be availed conveniently. Water filters in these pitchers are also subject to the contaminants’ impact on their purification level. Therefore, they need proper maintenance for their effective functioning in water purification process. The contaminants that are removed from purified water by filters are most likely to clog up the filter. In this way, the purification level of these filters decreases with each use. The performance level of such filters worsens if continued for further usage.
Clean Your Filter
Generally, it is advised to clean your filter in every two months or after every 40 gallons of water purification. However, there are some other factors that also require to clean or change your water filter. These factors are as follows:
Household Consumption of Water
For greater household water consumption greater amount of water purification is required. Therefore, greater amount of contaminants is expected to reside in large amount of water. These contaminants are removed and prevented by water filters, hence increasing the risk of filters getting clogged up by these pollutants. Due to this reason, it is advised for you to change your filter in every 2-6 weeks of consuming purified water if there are large number of people residing in your home using the filtered water.
In addition to that, following are some of the factors that require you to take into consideration while cleaning your water filter:
- Unit of Filtration system
- Elements Required to be Filtered
- Level of Hardness of Water
Electronic Indicator
Electronic indicators are also used in this regard nowadays. It is quite commonly installed in residential water filters. These electronic indicators can effectively determine the time for changing the filter by giving an indication. The electronic indicators can effectively measure the performance level of water filters. When the performance level is not up to mark or as expected, then these electronic indictors gives indication by blinking light or illumination that signify the time for filter change.
Most of the times, people are likely to pour water into the filtration system mindlessly, without taking notice of any electronic indication. In such a situation, you are advised to take the necessary measures in advance to take care of such incidents. For the purpose, you can easily set a reminder in our cell phone or mark a date on a calendar alternatively. These additional options aid in reminding the time for filter change and minimize the chances of missing out on an indication for changing the water filter.
Moreover, in residential water filters, a cling calendar is used mostly. Cling calendars are used to remind us about the last time of changing the water filter. It also determines the next time for filter change.
Changing the Water Filter in Pitcher
The replacement of water filter in any system is subject to the amount of usage in term of its purification functioning. Normally, it is recommended by experts to change water filters in every six months of usage on average scale. However, if the usage of water filters occurs frequently and multiple times each day, then you recommended to change water filters accordingly.
It is significantly important to note that a pitcher filter is never recommended for a duration more than six months. It is because pitcher filter is continuously exposed to water that it purifies. Due to constant exposure of pitcher filters to water, oxidization process takes place eventually. This phenomenon seriously affects the performance level of pitcher filter in water purification process. Consequently, the pitcher filters are no more functional in purifying the water as they were before.
Recommended Duration for Pitcher Filter Change
If you are having a large family with high water consumption, then it is advised for you to change water filter in every two to three months. For average water consumption, you are recommended to change water filter in every three to four months. For a couple, average water consumption is estimated. Therefore, couples fall in the category of filter replacement schedule of 3-4-month.
Similarly, for a single user four to six months’ duration is safer for filter usage continuously. It is recommended for a single user to change the pitcher filter in every six months.
Other Factors
Apart from the frequency and consumption rate, there are also other conditions that signal the filter replacement for your water purification. These conditions establish the fact that your filter is not working properly in purification of water. therefore, it is recommended in your best interest to replace your water filter with a new one. These conditions are as given as follows:
- If your purified water gives unpleasant taste
- If your water produces bad odor
- If you observe discoloration in your water or in your filter
- If you observe that the water flow rate is decreased
Moreover, it is also advised to change the water filter even before the appearance of the above stated conditions. once these conditions appear prominently then it might be too late. It is because in such a situation you will be using unfiltered contaminated water already.
Conclusion
The filtration system that ensures the purity and healthy nature of the water for our consumption, also demands its own maintenance for its effective functioning in purification of water. One must be careful in maintaining the water filters regularly. One should always observe the different factors that can affect the purification performance of the filters. One can easily calculate the duration and frequency for filter replacement in water pitchers by taking the consumption rate and other affecting factors into account that have been stated above. Therefore, it is best to change the water filters in pitchers on regular basis to ensure the proper functioning of water filters maintaining the purity level of water for our consumption.