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.
Why filters need to be changed
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.
If you don’t replace the cartridge in your 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.
Determining which filtration 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. Now, we can only speak for Aquasana, but even within our own product line, make sure you know exactly which filtration system you have before you purchase a replacement filter.
How often water filters need to be replaced
Whole House
First, there are several different types of filters involved in a whole house system including the pre-filter, main filter and post-filter, plus you may have some optional add-ons that also need maintenance.
Let’s start with the pre-filter:
- 10” Pre-Filter: This is the standard pre-filter included with our Rhino® 600,000 Gallons whole house system. Replace it every two months.
- 20” Pre-Filter: This is the standard pre-filter included with our Rhino® Well Water and the Rhino® 1,000,000 Gallons. It’s also an optional upgrade available for purchase at any point for the Rhino® 600,000 Gallons. Replace it every two months.
- 20” x 4.5” OptimH2O® Pre-Filter Cartridge: Designed specifically for the OptimH2O® Whole House System, this pre-filter should be replaced every six months.
Then, take a look at your main filter, as it has its own replacement schedule as well:
- RHINO® Well Water: Main filter should be replaced every five years
- RHINO® 600,000 Gallons: Main filter should be replaced every six years
- RHINO® 1,000,000 Gallons: Main filter should be replaced every ten years
- OptimH2O® Whole House System: Main filter should be replaced once a year
When it comes to your post-filter, Aquasana uses the same one across all of our whole house systems and these should be replaced every six to 12 months, depending on sediment levels.
Lastly, if you have any add-ons to your whole house system, like a UV light or water conditioner, don’t forget those need maintenance too.
If you’re using our salt-free whole house water conditioner, we recommend you replace your tank every 6 years or 600,000 gallons.
The Aquasana UV lamp is also a popular addition for many whole house users that helps protect homeowners from bacteria and water-boil warnings. We recommend that you replace your UV lamp every 12 months.
Under Sink Water Filters
Because under sink water filters are much smaller than whole house systems, they need to be replaced more frequently. Here’s how that breaks down:
- OptimH2O® Reverse Osmosis + Claryum® Filter System
- Stage 2 RO Membrane Replacement: Replace annually
- Remineralizer Replacement: Replace annually
- Carbon & Claryum® Replacement Filters: Replace every 6 months or 365 gallons
- Claryum® 2-Stage Under Sink Filter
- Claryum® 2-Stage Under Sink Replacement Filters: Replace every 6 months or 500 gallons
- Claryum® 3-Stage Under Sink Filter
- Claryum® 3-Stage Under Sink Replacement Filters: Replace every 6 months or 600 gallons
- Claryum® 3-Stage Max Flow Under Sink Filter
- Claryum® 3-Stage Max Flow Under Sink Replacement Filters: Replace every 6 months or 800 gallons
- Claryum®Direct Connect Under Sink Filter
- Claryum® Direct Connect Under Sink Replacement Filters: Replace every 6 months or 784 gallons
Countertop Water Filters
Our most compact and portable filters are our countertop filter systems. This includes the Claryum® Countertop Filter, and our most popular, the Clean Water Machine. Filters for both systems will need to be replaced every 6 months and can be swapped out in a matter of minutes.
Shower Filters
Our BPA-free shower filter reduces 90% of chlorine, other harmful chemical vapors, and enhances pH balance. Made from patented copper/zinc media and coconut shell carbon, Aquasana’s shower filter replacement cartridges also last approximately six months.
For step-by-step guides on how to change your Aquasana shower, under sink or countertop water filter, hop on over to our YouTube channel to watch our easy how-to videos.
Get Replacement Filters Auto-Shipped When You Need Them
A dirty filter can become a source of bacteria and mold, and can eventually cause your system to stop working altogether. That’s why we started Water for Life — our filtration subscription service.
Water For Life® will keep track of when it’s time to change your filters and will ship a new batch to your door when you need it. The benefits of Water For Life include:
- Auto-delivery when it’s time to replace your filters
- 15% off the price of replacement filters
- Free shipping
- Extended warranty — free replacement parts any time you need them
- No contract required
To get started with Water For Life, simply add a product to your cart using the red Water For Life button, or reach out to one of our Water Experts at 866-662-6885 or support@aquasana.com.
Replacing your water filters means you’ll have access to clean, healthy water again and again. Gone are the days where drinking water means you’re also drinking the contaminants you’ve worked so hard to remove — finally, you can drink with confidence.
