Your home's water filtration system makes use of individual filters to remove dissolved minerals and contaminants from your water supply. This means that over time your filter will become clogged with these materials, and will no longer be able to function properly, and your water supply will no longer be adequately filtered. Thankfully, there are a few different warning signs that you can keep an eye out for to determine when you need to replace the filter.
Reduced Flow Rate
A filter that has reached the end of its lifespan will have collected a great deal of dissolved contaminants within it. These materials will make the filter denser and thus make it harder for water to pass through the filter at all, effectively acting like a clog in your faucet. This will likely be the first sign that your filter needs to be replaced.
Change in Taste
Perhaps the clearest indication that your filter is in dire need of being replaced is if your water changes taste. Just like reduced flow rate, this is caused by a buildup of minerals and other dissolved contaminants in your filter, to the point where the filter cannot keep them out of the water. This can lead to minerals like calcium and magnesium, as well as any microbes and bacteria in your water supply from ending up in your water filter, which can noticeably alter the taste of your water.
Change in Smell
In a similar vein to the above point, if you notice that the smell of your water changes suddenly, your filter may be clogged and in need of replacement. However, keep in mind that there are few different plumbing reasons why your water could smell strongly – your water filter is likely to blame when your filtered water fixture is the one that smells, or if any of the above points have also manifested themselves. Issues throughout your home point to a problem with your water supply itself, which a water filter can help alleviate but should be investigated by a plumber.
Change in Color
Though this won't happen with every water supply, a clogged filter can result in the discoloration of the water leaves the tap. This is usually only the case with water supplies that are already heavily contaminated but can also occur if your filter is extremely old and has collected a lot of minerals within it.
For more information, contact a business such as Roto-Rooter.
Share30 November 2017
Hello, my name is Yvonne Michaels. Welcome to my website about plumbing components. Plumbing systems of all kinds use interconnected components to bring fresh water in and waste water out of the building. By clearly understanding the plumbing components used in your commercial or residential building, you can ensure your systems remain in great operational condition for years to come. On this site, I will help you learn all about plumbing components for every system imaginable. I hope to inspire you to learn about these components and understand how they operate to keep your plumbing system in great shape. Thanks for coming by.
