Refrigerator repair can cost you a tremendous amount if you don’t identify issues and resolve them immediately. Similarly, maintenance is also something you should pay attention to if you want to increase the life of your refrigerator. Now, some of the most commonly existing issues with refrigerators are always around the refrigerator water filter. As you may know, today, most refrigerators come equipped with a refrigerator water filter, which gives you easy access to clean water. Considering how important it is to have safe drinking water coming out of the filter, you simply cannot miss out on its maintenance.
For ensuring clean drinking water, you must always replace your water filters on time. But, when is the right time for doing so? Do you constantly find yourself confused deciding when exactly it’s time to change your water filter? Well, if that’s the case, here’s a comprehensive guide that will help you understand whether your water filter needs a replacement or not.
Contents
Weird Smelling Ice
Have you ever added a couple of ice cubes to your drink and immediately sensed a weird smell? Well, the ice and water in your refrigerator come from the same water filtration system. So if your ice maker gives out oddly smelling ice, then maybe it’s time to replace the water filter. However, you may also check your freezer and ice bin. If the ice bin is clean and nothing is out of the ordinary, then you know it’s time to replace the filter.
Water Tastes Unpleasant
There is no reason your drinking water should taste unpleasant or simply a little too different from regular water. Ideally, clean water has no taste or flavor as such. So if you start suspecting an odd taste in the water, it is probably because your water filter is not producing clean water, which is a clear indication that it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The weird taste may come from harmful or unclean substances from the tap water that the filter did not eliminate.
Black Flecks Start Appearing
All water filters primarily work around carbon particles. The carbon particles are the medium of turning tap water into clean drinking water. Occasionally, a carbon particle or two may escape the mesh lining and come with the water into your glass, which is quite normal. However, when you start seeing too many black specks, as in the carbon particles, that’s when the trouble begins. The mesh is probably not doing its job right, and it’s time to change the filter.
The Water Dispenser Is Slow
Usually, when you turn the knob on, the dispensed water runs quickly. But, if you notice that the water trickles down very slowly through the dispenser, it is probably because the mesh lining is full of filtered particles. This may clog the filter unit, which is why the water is being filtered and processed very slow. At such times, a water filter replacement is necessary. Once you get it replaced, you will again see a smooth flow of water.
Murky Water
The ice or water coming out of the system is usually clear. And if it starts turning murky and cloudy, consider it an urgent sign of replacing the water filter. The murkiness in the water, or even the ice for that matter, is a sign that contaminants are present. This ultimately means that the filter is not doing its job right and needs a replacement. You may also consider getting the water lines cleaned to remove any toxic elements present in the system.
Conclusion
Well, these are the most common signs that indicate you need to change the water filter. However, if you don’t see any prominent signs, you may want to replace the filter every eight months. This is because the water filtration units generally work well for approximately six to nine months.
