6 Easy Tips for Effective Maintenance of RO Water Purifier
Do you know your RO purifier can last for as long as 10 to 15 years?
Do you find this a little hard to believe?
Well, that’s quite possible and from our experience, we’ve seen many RO purifiers last as long.
Any good-quality RO purifier can easily last for such a long period if it is properly maintained.
Proper maintenance of the RO purifier will not only make it last longer but will also ensure clean and safe drinking water.
If you have been neglecting your RO purifier for a long then you are risking the health of your family members as they may end up drinking contaminated water.
Here are some useful tips on how you can maintain your RO system for effective, trouble-free, and long-lasting operation.
RO Water Purifier Maintenance Tips
1. Read and follow the User Manual
The first and the most basic tip for proper maintenance of your RO water purifier is to read and follow the guidelines given in the user manual.
All RO purifiers come with a user manual. Most reputed brands have detailed manuals that provide complete details on installation instructions, purifier’s working, parts, dos and don’ts, and maintenance tips.
A good user manual will also have information on common errors and their solutions and the standard schedule for replacing filters and cartridges.
The manual will help you maintain and keep your water purifier in perfect condition. It can also help you avoid unnecessary visits from the RO technicians as a lot of common issues can also be resolved by referring to the instructions in the manual.
That’s why you should always keep the user manual safe and not throw it away in the dustbin.
Click to read: Quick Tips on Moving Your Water Purifier to New Location
2. Change RO filters as Per the Maintenance Schedule
Timely replacement of the filters and membrane is the most essential requirement for the effective maintenance of your RO water purifier.
The easiest way, to find out the replacement schedule of all the filters and membranes, is to look for the information provided in the user manual.
RO purifiers have several stages, the user manual will provide you with all the information regarding which all filters are used and when they should be replaced.
Apart from improving the purification capacity and water quality, timely replacement of filters and membranes will also save water and electricity.
Automatic Filter Change Alerts
Over the years, there has been a lot of advancement in RO water purifiers. Some of the advanced purifiers, like Kent Grand Plus, Kent Superb Star, HUL Pureit Copper+, etc., now feature ‘Filter-change’ and UV failure alarms. This technology alerts you in advance if a particular filter needs to be replaced.
Below is the standard replacement schedule for the common filters and RO membrane.
- Pre Filter: 6 months*
- Sediment Filter: 12 months*
- Pre-RO Carbon Filter: 12 months*
- RO Membrane: 2-3 years*
- Post-RO Carbon Filter or Polishing Filter: 12 months*
* The standard replacement schedule may vary for different brands and models. For the exact replacement schedule please refer to the user manual.
* If the water has a very high level of impurities, a high TDS level, or if you use your RO purifier to purify large quantities of water, then the filters and RO membrane might need to be replaced earlier than the given timeframes.
* For an average Indian household of 4-6 family members.
3. Cleaning and Sanitization
Another often overlooked yet important part of proper maintenance of your RO system is the cleaning of all internal pipes of the RO system. An RO system uses several connecting pipes that move the water from one purification stage to the other.
Ideally, these pipes should be cleaned at a time when the filters are being replaced by the technician.
There are very high chances of microbial contamination if the water is stored for too long. The first sign of microbial contamination is the foul smell and taste. Therefore the water storage tank must be regularly emptied and filled with fresh water.
That is why we always advise you to turn off the water purifier and empty the storage tank if you are going out of the house for a while.
Since sanitization and cleaning of the tank may require some assembly and disassembly, it is best to get it done when you call the service technician for filter replacement or service.
You may also follow our detailed guide on how to clean the RO tank.
A typical RO system requires a thorough cleaning of the tank, at least once every 6 months or a year.
4. Check for Leakages
You should immediately call a trained technician as soon as you notice any drips or leakages. Leakages can seriously damage your water purifier if not fixed promptly. Leaks and drips also lead to unnecessary wastage of water.
There can be several reasons for drips and leakages in a water purifier, like pipes not connected properly or broken, or malfunctioning parts.
A thorough check of the water purifier by the technician can easily reveal the cause of the leakage and avoid any further damage to the water purifier.
5. Keep the Exteriors of the RO System Clean
Apart from cleaning and sanitizing the internal parts, you should also keep the RO purifier’s exterior clean. This will not only help you keep your purifier looking brand new but will also reduce the chances of water contamination.
Not sure, how?
All RO purifiers have an external tap for dispensing water stored in the storage tank. If the tap and the area around the tap are not kept clean, then it may result in water getting contaminated while dispensing.
Therefore, you must keep the external surface of the purifier neat and clean, especially the area around the dispensing tap.
6. Get it Serviced by a Good Technician
If you want an efficient and trouble-free RO water purifier then we recommend getting it serviced by a trained professional after every 6 months. Make sure you choose the services of an authorized technician of the brand or someone you trust.
Regular servicing will maintain the purity of water and greatly reduce the chances of any serious problem with your RO purifier.
As discussed before, the timely replacement of filters is an important part of proper maintenance. Always opt for genuine and high-quality filters and parts because an RO purifier is as good as its filters. Moreover, you wouldn’t want to risk your health with cheap and unreliable filters you can’t trust.
Wrapping Up
If you are someone who takes your family members’ health very seriously then it’s time you understand the importance of proper maintenance of your RO water purifier.
Maintaining an RO purifier is not that difficult. Simply follow these tips to keep your water purifier working in perfect condition.
I am a Technician. I want to do servicing of the system myself if someone gives training. I cannot afford the costly service charges. Please help me in this regard. Thanks.