how to replace an under sink water filter cartridge

How to Replace an Under Sink Water Filter Cartridge Properly

Have you ever wondered how to replace an under sink water filter cartridge? The good news is that it could be a lot simpler than you’d think. Under sink water, filters make high-quality and safe water more accessible to the masses. With an under sink water filter system, you can reduce the strain involved with installing and managing a full house filtration system.

At the same time, while an under sink water filtration system isn’t as complex or expensive as a full-house solution, it still ensures you get the highest quality of water for drinking in your household.

As many homeowners grow increasingly concerned with the water supply quality in their homes and the number of contaminants that can get into the water, installing an under sink water filter is becoming more popular. Read on to know everything about replacing the filter cartridges of your system.

How Often Should You Change Your Water Filter Under the Sink?

There are various components involved in the standard under sink water filtration systems for kitchens. One of the most important parts is the filter cartridge. The cartridge in your sink water filter system is responsible for ensuring you get a high quality of water by capturing various contaminants. Over time, your under sink filters can become dirty and need replacing.

Rather than just giving your filter a rinse from time to time, most carbon filters will require you to invest in a filter change now and again to keep your system working properly. Replacing your cartridge regularly, usually around every six months, should stop you from having to buy an entirely new filter system.

Keep in mind that higher use of your water filter and increased water pressure will usually require replacing your filters more regularly. Carefully inspect your filters and system regularly to ensure you’re replacing the filter system regularly enough.

If you’re not sure, speak to an expert when having your sump valve and water filter system connected in the first place. A plumber will tell you how to save money and protect your system by replacing filters on a regular basis based on your water pressure.

A Step by Step Guide to Replacing an Under Sink Water Filter Cartridge

Most of the time, when you buy a new water filter system for your under-sink environment, you’ll receive a manual with a set of instructions. These instructions will let you know how often you need to replace the filters in your system. It should also give you a good idea of how to replace the filter cartridge safely without causing any damage.

If you can’t find any information on how to replace the cartridges for your water filter system in your instructions, you can usually check online for more information. Usually, the process will look something like this.

Step 1: Turn Off the Water

Open the door to your cabinet and turn off the water supply to your old filter and water filtration system. You should be able to turn the water off quite easily to avoid water flowing onto your floor when you retrieve your tools.

Step 2: Remove Your Old Filter

Find the filter and disconnect the tubing from both ends of the filter housing. You should double-check the ends are cut squarely on the tubing leading into the filter valve sections. Check for any burrs or scratches, and consider trimming the tube back slightly if necessary to help improve water flow.

Step 3: Fit Your New Filter

Check the flow direction arrow on your new filter housing. The arrows on the housing should point in the direction your water is going to flow. If you have any connectors already attached to the tubes for your faucet, cut these off before trying to attach your new cartridges.

Step 4: Select Your First Tube

Take one of the plastic nuts included with your cartridge housing and push the tube end through the middle so the nut hangs loose on the tube. Push the tube end onto the fitting for the filter, making sure it goes all the way in. You can twist as you push the tube into the housing to ensure a clean fit.

Step 5: Screw the Nut Onto the Filter

Slide the nut down the tube neck and screw it into the filter housings to ensure they’re locked tight together. While the cartridges’ connection needs to be tight, try not to make it too tight.

Step 6: Connect the Other Tube

Connect the other end of the cartridge housings to the other tube and follow the same process above. One or two turns with a spanner after finger tightening should be enough to make your connection tight enough.

Extra Advice

Depending on the design of your under sink water filter system, you may need to look into using additional tools. For instance, some filter elements require you to use a sanitising solution like household bleach to clean the system before you use them.

Other water filters and sink filter system solutions come with bonus parts to help ensure the secure fit of your filter housings to your water supply. For instance, you might need one or two o-rings; an o-ring can help to prevent over-tightening when you’re using the strap wrench or housing wrench on the valves connecting to your drain or faucet.

Sometimes, you can simply remove the filter cartridges and rinse them with soapy water when your filtered water is a little dirty, but the cartridges don’t need replacing yet.

What to Do After Replacing Your Cartridge

installing a filtration device

Once you’re done, and you’re sure every valve and tube is connected correctly to the housings on your filter unit, you can turn your water systems back on. You should run the water on your cold tap and allow the liquid to flush through your systems for about two minutes or so. This will help to remove any of the natural dust and carbon left behind on the housings and valve sections.

You shouldn’t need to apply any bleach to clean the water system out; simply allow the solution to work as it normally would for a couple of minutes.

As you’re flushing the system and allowing the clean water to drain, check for any leaks in the valve and line sections connecting your water system to your faucet. You should keep the cabinet door open at this point and your tools out so you can see if there are any leaks.

Make the Most of Your Under Sink Water Filter

And that is is on how to replace an under sink water filter. So, are you asking if you can replace your own filter system yourself? If you want to save money and avoid the additional cost of having someone come out to replace your filter unit filtration systems every six months, you should be able to manage the job by following the steps above. An under sink water filter system is usually a straightforward solution for most people.

However, if you have a specific kind of water dispenser for your filtration system, or a special sump pump set up, you might need to consider speaking to an expert. You may also have an additional cost to think about if your systems have additional sediment built up in the unit over time.

If you replace your own sump or faucet filter, make sure you turn the water back on slowly. Extra pressure can damage your system, break o rings, and mean you have to disconnect your water supply again.

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