How Often Should I Change My Water Filter?

You’ve done your homework, talked with a plumber, budgeted it all out, and now you’re taking the final step: purchasing a water filter. The rest is pretty easy. You put the filter in and it does the hard work: capturing contaminants before they cause your family harm.

However, there is a critical, ongoing step to ensure your water filter continues to do its job long after install: you must change your water filters.

Now you might wonder why filters need to be replaced. It’s simple, really. If you don’t replace your water filter, contaminants will clog the filter, leaving no room to capture any other chemicals or particles, which will then flow out along with the water.



This can also mean that your filter becomes a petri dish past its expiration date, acting as a bed for bacteria to grow and multiply. Imagine drinking that with your post-workout dinner.

As you rush to figure out when you bought your filter and when you should be replacing the cartridge, it is important to first know which system you have.

With a wide variety of filters on the market, it’s important to note that not all replacement schedules are the same. The change frequency of your water filter will depend on the system type, brand, and specific model. Most household drinking water filters last between 6 to 12 months and need to be changed to maintain effectiveness. However, some filters like those in pitchers have shorter lifespans and may need to be replaced every 1 to 2 months. On the other hand, some whole house water filters can last between 5 to 10 years. This can also be confusing if your system uses multiple stages of filtration, with each stage having a different replacement schedule.

To determine how long your filter lasts and how often it needs to be replaced, start by finding the exact system you have. Keep a copy of the manual, and if you lose it, try checking your product for a serial number or label indicating the model so you can look up the replacement schedule online.

When it comes to your post-filter, Aquasana uses the same 10" Post-Filter across all of our whole house systems and these should be replaced every 6 months.

Lastly, if you have any add-ons to your whole house system, don’t forget those need maintenance too. The Aquasana UV lamp is a popular addition for many whole house users that helps protect homeowners from bacteria and water-boil warnings. UV lamps need to be replaced every 12 months, but make sure to confirm if you need the original lamp or a new lamp replacement.

If you’re using our Salt-Free Water Conditioner, we recommend you replace your tank every 10 years or 1,000,000 gallons. Conditioners used with the Rhino®, Rhino® 600,000 Gallons, and the OptimH2O® need to be replaced with the base Salt-Free Water Conditioner replacement. If you have a conditioner for the Rhino® Max Flow, Rhino® Chloramines, Rhino® Chloramines Max Flow, and Rhino® Well Water with UV — replace it with the tall Salt-Free Water Conditioner replacement.