When to Change Water Filters
What each stage does, how it wears out, and the signs it needs changing.
Filters don’t stop water flowing when they wear out. They simply stop doing their job. How long each stage lasts depends on your water quality and how much you use, so the best schedule is the one set for your system after a water test.
How each stage wears out
- Sediment filter: catches sand and rust, so it clogs fastest, especially with tanker or bore water. It is usually the most frequent change.
- Carbon filters: gradually lose their ability to absorb chlorine and smells. Changed less often than sediment filters.
- RO membrane: the longest-lasting part when the pre-filters are changed on time. Neglected pre-filters shorten its life considerably.
- UV lamp: keeps glowing after it stops being effective, so it is replaced on a schedule rather than when it fails.
- Post-carbon and mineral cartridges: affect taste; changed when taste starts to slip.
Signs a filter needs changing
- Water tastes or smells different
- Flow from the tap has slowed
- The TDS reading of filtered water has gone up
- The tank takes longer to fill or the pump runs constantly
Why it pays to stay on schedule
A clogged pre-filter makes the pump work harder and lets chlorine and particles reach the RO membrane, which is the most expensive part to replace. Changing small filters on time protects the big ones.
Let us keep track for you
With a maintenance plan, we schedule filter changes so you don’t have to remember.