7 Most Common RO Water Purifier Problems and Their Solutions

Unlike most home and kitchen appliances, RO purifiers need regular maintenance and servicing.

You must take the maintenance of your RO water purifier very seriously.

The maintenance and proper servicing of RO water purifiers are necessary for your health and the long life of your RO purifier. However, several common problems do appear in RO water purifiers.

In this post, we have tried to highlight 7 common RO problems and their possible solutions.

You may bookmark this post to use it as a ready reckoner, just in case you face any issues with your RO purifier.

Is your RO water purifier’s storage tank empty? Not even a drop of water flowing from the purifier tap?

a) The ‘Power On’ indicator is off – Check if the power switch is on/off. If the switch is on, check if the electricity supply is available or not.

In case both these conditions are met and the RO purifier is still not turning on then there is some fault with the wiring or the SMPS (power supply adapter). In such a case, you’ll have to call an RO service expert to diagnose the issue.

Click to read: Should You Buy An AMC Plan for Your RO Water Purifier?

b) The ‘Power ON’ indicator is on – The first thing you should check is your main valve. Is the water supply valve closed? If yes, turn it on and check if the purifier is now working.

If the valve is open and RO is not working then you need to check the water pressure. Most RO purifiers wouldn’t work if the water pressure is very low.

If the RO purifier is still not working then this may be due to

• The filters & membranes are choked and need to be cleaned or replaced.
• An internal part has malfunctioned and needs to be repaired or replaced

Solution: Take the recommended steps as guided above.

Water leakage from RO is one of the most common problems. Sometimes, you may see a pool of water near your RO. You may see this because the connectors of the pipes have loose connections, leading to the leaking of the water. You must ensure all the pipe fittings are correctly in place.

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If you notice any drips or leakages, call the RO professional. Leakages in a water purifier can create a lot of problems if not resolved on time. The professional will thoroughly check the water purifier to find the actual cause of the leakage.

Solution: Call the RO technician to find out the cause of the leakage.

The RO water purifier has no such foul odor or bad taste. But, you can still feel a difference in the taste or smell while drinking the RO water. The most common cause of the foul smell and bad taste is the presence of Chlorine, and that is what smells. This may happen if the filters are not filtering the water properly. And thus, there is a usual smell and taste in the water.

If you do not want this problem to go on, you need to change the filters every 12 months.

The purified water may also develop some smell if it is left unutilized in the storage tank for a long period.

You should discard the purified water if it is left in the storage tank for more than 2 days. You should also get the storage tank thoroughly cleaned and sanitized at the time of service or filter replacement.

Solution: Replace the filters on time, keep the storage tank clean, and discard all purified water if left unused for more than 2 days.

When the water storage tank of the RO fills over a defined level, it automatically shuts off the purification process.

If the auto shut-off feature is not working properly then the purifier would work continuously. This would result in water overflow from the storage tank.

Solution: Call an RO technician who will repair or replace the faulty part.

Is your RO purifier taking an unusually long time to fill the storage tank?

Each filter in the RO purifier is made to filter out specific types and sizes of impurities. These filtered impurities get stuck on the filter/membrane surface. If the filters are not cleaned or replaced on time then these impurities form a stubborn layer on the filter surface blocking the flow of water.

This problem is most common in areas where water quality is very poor (high concentration of sediment and other physical impurities).

Not sure when to change RO filters? Read this now.

Solution: Get the filters/membranes replaced.

The most common source of vibrations and noise in any water purifier is the RO pump.

RO pumps like any other water pump tend to become noisy over time because of the way they are designed to work. An RO pump has many parts, like bearings, that move at high speed to generate the required water pressure for RO purification.

The continuous movement and increase in friction take a toll on the health of these parts which makes them noisy and produces high vibrations.

The vibrations and noise can also emerge if the RO pump housing is not secured tightly.

Another common cause of vibrations and noise in RO purifiers is loose wires and connecting pipes. Connecting pipes between two filters should not be longer than what is required. All electric wires and connecting pipes should be properly secured using cable ties to minimize all vibrations.

You may also notice some vibrations if you have recently changed the filters. This is a temporary issue, the vibrations will automatically fizzle out after a few hours.

Solution: Please consult an RO technician to find out the cause and take the recommended action.

All RO water purifiers, irrespective of make and model, produce reject or wastewater. This rejected water contains dissolved solids and is not fit for drinking. TDS concentration and salt that is present in the water are the reason behind this.

Stop unnecessary wastage of water; learn to reuse the RO waste water.

If your purifier is producing an unusually high amount of wastewater then this is a clear sign of the RO membrane getting choked. If not replaced on time, the RO membrane will get choked with all the dissolved solids that get stuck on its surface.

There is no defined timeframe for when to change the RO membrane as it depends on the quality of input water. If the input water at your home has a high level of TDS then the RO membrane would need to be replaced sooner and vice-versa.

Read this to understand when to change the RO membrane.

Solution: Replace the RO membrane.

To ensure the health & safety of your family and to keep your RO purifier running in good condition for longer, you must take very good care of your RO purifier.

We tried to cover all common issues that you may face with your RO purifier. If you feel we have missed out on something then we welcome your feedback. You may please send your thoughts and suggestions using the comment section given below.

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