Are you wondering how often to change the water filter?
Just having a water filter is not enough. You need to maintain it regularly and change it on time to make sure the water is clean and pure. Replacing the water filter is key to avoid harmful contaminants from polluting the water.
But the question is, how often to change water filter?
In this blog, I am sharing handy tips on when to change the water filter for your appliances.
What’s the Role of a Water Filter in an Appliance?
Think about your laundry machine?
It has a lint tray to catch all the gunk and dirty particles present in the clothes. The lint tray acts as a filter to pull out those particles.
A water filter works exactly like the lint tray and catches all the contaminants in the water. In the end, what you get is pure and filtered water.
With time, the dirty particles get stuck in the water filter and clog it with grime. As a result, it may not function properly and become less effective at catching contaminants.
Changing the water filter is essential to enhance the life of an appliance and allow it to function properly. Let’s learn how we can change the water filters in different appliances to get fresh and clean water.
How Often Should I Change Water Filter?
Here’s an easy guide for changing your water filters based on the type of appliance:
Feel free to bookmark it for future reference!
1. When to Change the Pitcher Water Filter
If you want to calculate the average life span of a pitcher filter, here are a few things you should note.
- The number of people using the pitcher
- Purpose of using the pitcher water
You should ideally use a pitcher water filter for not more than 6 months.
Extended usage over 6 months can oxidize it and make it less effective at removing water contaminants.
Look at the water consumption to see how frequently the water filter needs a change:
- For a 4-member family (high water consumption) – change water filter in 2-3 months
- For a 2-member family (average water consumption) – change water filter in 3-4 months
- For 1 user (low water consumption) – change water filters every 4-5 months
Here’s a simple video that shows how to change the pitcher water filter:
2. When to Change the Under the Sink Water Filter
Knowing when to change the under the sink water filter is quite simple.
Typically, an under the sink water filter system only connects to and filters cold water.
The majority of people use cold water for drinking, cooking, washing fresh produce, and making ice.
Hot water is most often used for washing dishes and also takes up the bulk of water usage.
The average lifespan for an under the sink water filter is about 11-12 months. Here you should note that every kitchen sink faucet has a different rate of water flow.
As per recent research and individual water flow rates, a simple formula can help you determine your water filter change schedule:
- For a 4-member family – change water filters every 8-9 months
- For a 2-member family – change water filters every 12 months
- For a single user – change water filters every 15 months
Here’s a video that shows how to change an under-sink water filter:
3. When to Change the Shower Head Water Filter
A shower head is one of the most frequently used appliances. But, people tend to miss changing the shower head water filter as per manufacturer recommendations.
The best way to know when to change the water filter is to keep track of how often the shower is used.
It is recommended to change the shower head water filter once every 6 months.
Showerheads generally have a clear casing. You can see when it has a used filter or a new one. If you live in an area that has high chlorine, the used filter is likely to have a blue/green tint.
Changing shower head water filters timely is vital to make sure that your water doesn’t have any harmful contaminants. Here is a simple guide on how often you should change the shower head water filter:
- If the shower is used more than twice a day – change the water filter every 2-3 months
- If the shower is used once a day – change the water filter every 4-5 months
- If the shower is used 3-4 times a week – change the water filter every 6 months
Here’s a video that shows how to install a shower head water filter:
4. When to Change the Bottle Water Filter
Wondering when to change the water filter for your bottle?
Here are a few simple tips to help you know the right time to change the water filter.
Track how many times a day you refill your bottle. Once you find this out, you will know how many liters or gallons of water are used in a day or a week.
Let’s say you have a 24oz water bottle. It also has a filter and straw fitted inside the bottle.
That means filling up this bottle 5 times will make up for one gallon of filtered water.
- Change water filter every 3 months – if you fill up your bottle more than 2 times a day
- Change water filter every 4-5 months – if you fill up your bottle 1-2 times a day
- Change water filter every 6 months – if you fill your bottle once a day
How You Can Change Water Filters for an Appliance
A water filter is the best way to have access to clean water for your health, home, and family. Regularly Changing your water filter is necessary for an effective water filtration system.
A water filter should be changed once you cross a usage limit of 40 gallons. Replacing a water filter depends upon some key factors, such as:
- Water consumption of the family
- Type of appliance
- The built-in filtration system in the appliance
- Level of the hardness of water
Consider changing the water filter of every as per manufacturer recommendations and water usage in your home. Have questions or suggestions? Share your ideas with us in the comments section below.
