According to our water filter manufacturer, filters should last one year of use before replacing. However, some customers report needing more frequent changes. We will outline what problems your water may be experiencing to cause premature filter clogging. We will also discuss how to extend the life of your filter to ensure you get to that one year mark.
How do I know if I am having problems with my water?
We are assuming in this article that you have 2 filters installed in your water filtration crock. If you are having flow rate issues with just one, you may want to install a second filter.
Now let’s say you have two new filters installed and your water is flowing just fine, but then a few days later it really starts slowing down until you need to clean the filter. You find yourself cleaning your water filter multiple times a week and you end up replacing your filter every 3-6 months just to keep up with your water demands. You most likely have excess particulates in your water.
Particulates
Our filters remove a plethora of chemical contaminates and particulates from your drinking water. The ceramic outer shell is the first line of defense on our filtration system and does the job of removing any particulates down to .5 microns in size. To give you a sense of perspective. A human hair is about 75 microns across. So anything in your water that is about 150th the width of a human hair is captured by our filter. That includes bacteria.
Now look at EPA regulations on drinking water, and there is no guideline to say that your municipal water has to be filtered down to a specific micron level. When it comes to particulates, they are simply interested in turbidity, or how cloudy your water is. But crystal clear water can still have a lot of stuff floating around in it that you just aren’t able to see.
Mind you, this is water tested at your municipal water facility. Water still has to travel miles of aging pipes and through the plumbing in your house. There is no guideline on what particulates get carried along the way. As for well water, you are on your own when it comes to what you pull out of the ground. The EPA is not involved.
The short of it is that by the time you open up the tap to fill up your water crock, there is going to be a lot of junk in the water that the crock is going to end up filtering out.
Depending on how well a job your municipal water supplier is doing, or how old/damaged the pipes are getting that water to you, there may be a lot of stuff floating around in your water; stuff you might not even be able to see but is going to clog up your water filter prematurely.
If you find you are cleaning your filters a lot and they are not lasting as long, you may want to add another line of defense before your water reaches your crock.
Whole House Filter
A whole house water filter is a great investment in your home. Not only will it filter out the big particulates, causing your water crock filters to last longer, but it will also protect things like your dishwasher and water heater, and filter the water you use to wash dishes, do laundry, brush your teeth, and shower (think of that steam you’re breathing).
Whole house filtration systems can be relatively simple and inexpensive, or they can be complex and very expensive. What you choose depends on what you’re trying to filter out and your budget. There are one-cartridge systems with integrated shutoff valve that can filter out particulates and/or some chemicals. Or there are more complex systems with multiple stages that filter a broader range of contaminates.
Depending on the filtration system you install and your comfort level with home improvement, a whole house filtration system may be a DIY project. However, if you are unsure of what you need to filter out of your water or what kind of capacity you need for your home, you may want to consult a professional.
For more information, you can check out a couple of the videos below to get an idea of how whole house filters are installed and how they work.
Ok, If I have a Whole House Filter, Why Do I Need a Water Crock?
While a whole house filter is great at reducing particulates and other contaminates from your water supply, many systems are not going to pump bottled water quality throughout your whole home. This is where a water filter crock comes in. You want the water you’re drinking to be of a higher purity than what’s going into your dishwasher or washing machine.
Our water filter crock is going to deliver bottled water quality, removing what whole house systems miss. In other words, your whole house filter will get rid of the big stuff that would prematurely clog your water crock, while your water crock will polish your water off, bringing it to a satisfying drinking experience.
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