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Water filter

O

onlyconnect

pfm Member
We have a Brita jug filter. Brita says change the cartridge every 4 weeks but this is an estimate which I presume is tilted in favour of selling lots of cartridges. Is there any easy way to test the water to see when a replacement is needed?

Thanks for any responses!

Tim
 
I don't know how you can test it, but I agree with your assumption, therefore I only replace the cartridge on every alternate red light.
Doesn't seem to make any difference to the taste or clarity, but then lots of people (not me) will tell you that filtering serves no useful purpose anyway.
 
zippy said:
I don't know how you can test it, but I agree with your assumption, therefore I only replace the cartridge on every alternate red light.
Doesn't seem to make any difference to the taste or clarity, but then lots of people (not me) will tell you that filtering serves no useful purpose anyway.
Click to expand...

It does serve a purpose here since we have hard water and limescale is a real problem; I don’t want it to destroy my coffee maker for example.

Tim
 
I ignore the recommendations but can tell when mine is overdue a change as the water taste deteriorates down to a level close to what comes out of the tap. But this a heavily used filter in Birmingham, not championed for great water quality.

Easiest way I suppose is know your tap and filtered water tastes and trust yourself.

Reverse osmosis filters are much better than the carbon-based cartridge types, but reflected in the cost.
 
We’ve a water softener that will hopefully look after our washing machine etc, but the ex-girlfriend doesn’t like the taste of the softened water. Neither does the cat! I don’t mind it, but the two ladies in my life drink the very cheapest bottled water we can find.

The softener was already installed, by the previous owner, when we bought the place. I think most people would have had an unsoftened water tap next to the sink, but then we would have to use filters.
 
Softened water has high sodium levels and it's not advisable to drink.
I would guess the Brita filters include the same resin as a softener and will lose their charge over time depending on the levels that need to be removed.
They will also include activated carbon to remove chlorine,again once they are exhausted they will need replacing.
It would not be possible to set a time limit for replacing as there are to many variable's in tap water across the UK.
 
GJO said:
Softened water has high sodium levels and it's not advisable to drink.
Click to expand...

From Wikipedia:

“The CDC recommends limiting daily total sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, though the average American consumes 3,500 mg per day. Because the amount of sodium present in drinking water—even after softening—does not represent a significant percentage of a person's daily sodium intake, the EPA considers sodium in drinking water to be unlikely to cause adverse health effects.”

So I’ll just carry on, while it tastes ok.
 
GJO said:
Softened water has high sodium levels and it's not advisable to drink.
I would guess the Brita filters include the same resin as a softener and will lose their charge over time depending on the levels that need to be removed.
They will also include activated carbon to remove chlorine,again once they are exhausted they will need replacing.
It would not be possible to set a time limit for replacing as there are to many variable's in tap water across the UK.
Click to expand...

I suppose what I am looking for is an easy way to test the level of limescale.

Yim
 
onlyconnect said:
I suppose what I am looking for is an easy way to test the level of limescale.

Yim
Click to expand...
I wonder if simple pH papers would be sensitive enough for testing:

"pure water has a pH value of 7 and is considered neutral. As the pH value lowers, the water is considered more acidic and as it elevates above 7 it is considered more alkaline. Standards for drinking water suggest a pH value of between 6.5 and 8.5."
 
onlyconnect said:
I suppose what I am looking for is an easy way to test the level of limescale.

Yim
Click to expand...

About twenty years ago we bought some paper strips similar to litmus paper to test the hardness of the water. I didn't feel they gave consistent, reliable results.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
From Wikipedia:

“The CDC recommends limiting daily total sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, though the average American consumes 3,500 mg per day. Because the amount of sodium present in drinking water—even after softening—does not represent a significant percentage of a person's daily sodium intake, the EPA considers sodium in drinking water to be unlikely to cause adverse health effects.”

So I’ll just carry on, while it tastes ok.
Click to expand...

https://watersoftenerfacts.ca/faqs/?open=safe-to-drink
 
GJO said:
https://watersoftenerfacts.ca/faqs/?open=safe-to-drink
Click to expand...

From that link:

"How much sodium is added to the water by a water softener?
It all depends on the hardness of the water coming into the home. The harder the water, the more salt required to soften it. During the Waterloo study, softened water contained 300 parts per million (mg/l) of sodium. People on low sodium diets should consult with their physician before drinking softened water on a regular basis."

So, accepting that the limit is 2,300 mg/l, and that I avoid salt unless I add it (mostly) 300 mg/l isn't much at all. I rarely drink more than a litre of water from the tap.
 
In Malaysia it is usual to have a leased Korean brand reverse osmosis filter in your house. These also supply very hot water for tea/coffee and chilled water, so no kettle required. A technician comes around monthly to sanitize it and change cartridges as required. This costs the equivalent of UKP20 per month. There is an alkaline water variant to harden water.
 
Hi

The determining factor in scale formation from tap water is the calcium carbonate saturation level, this is determined by the Langelier index which considers a number of factors. If you want to know if your water is likely to be scale forming look in the kettle as this is where it is likeliest to form in a domestic environment or see how easy/difficult it is to form a lather with soap. The more difficult, the harder the water i.e more likely to scale form. Also bear in mind that if the water is too soft it tends to become more corrosive.

Water filters of any sort need careful "looking after" otherwise dirty media and/or internal components can become micro biologically contaminated.

Cheers
 
onlyconnect said:
I suppose what I am looking for is an easy way to test the level of limescale.

Yim
Click to expand...

Your water provider will be able to tell you on their website, you enter your postcode and it tells you where your water is supplied from and the hardness etc.

Mine is supplied from the chalk downs so is harder than a West Ham fan.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
We’ve a water softener that will hopefully look after our washing machine etc, but the ex-girlfriend doesn’t like the taste of the softened water. Neither does the cat! I don’t mind it, but the two ladies in my life drink the very cheapest bottled water we can find.
Click to expand...

I’d vote for a ban on bottled water in plastic bottles! I know, I know, not meaning to be an arse, but it’s insane to use plastic bottles for water at home in the UK.

The softener was already installed, by the previous owner, when we bought the place. I think most people would have had an unsoftened water tap next to the sink, but then we would have to use filters.
Click to expand...

I believe that’s a legal requirement? Can’t be that hard to instal retrospectively?
 
Whaleblue said:
I believe that’s a legal requirement? Can’t be that hard to instal retrospectively?
Click to expand...

But it wouldn’t get used anyway. My wife doesn’t like the local water. We’ve lived in four different places in Suffolk, and my northern lass can smell it from a few inches away. I’m from south Essex and couldn’t give a hoot!
 
thebiglebowski said:
Your water provider will be able to tell you on their website, you enter your postcode and it tells you where your water is supplied from and the hardness etc.

Mine is supplied from the chalk downs so is harder than a West Ham fan.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but slight misunderstanding. We know the water is hard and we know that scale builds up in the kettle. The issue is when the cartridge in our water filter jug, which softens the water, will need changing.

Tim
 
When in Spain I used Brita filters as both the limescale and chlorine levels were quite high.
The region even blames the water for elevated kidney problems compared to the national average.

Once I could start to taste the chlorine or get a film on hot drinks it was change the filter time. Soooooooo, an estimated average of 3 jugs a day would last approx. max. two months.
 
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