Filters Fast - Water and Air Filter Experts

Question: bought a house with a 7 filter system...only label says springhouse and ecotech....what is this? where do i get replacement cartridges for it....does it also have to have a water softener inline with it? what is the electric plug on one of the cartridges do??

Answer:
We found the Users Manual for the system that is installed in your home and it can be found at http://www.ecoquestintl.com/ownersmanuals_web/SpringHouseOM.pdf.
The plug appears to be for Ultra-Violet UV water filtration. UV Filtration is used to kill any bacteria present in water. They do not seem to make any claims to the effectivness of their system on bacteria and looking at the diagram of the the filter flow, it looks like the UV system may have some flaws. UV light can be blocked by larger particles in water. Since the filtration appears to have a 20 micron filter prior to the UV stage, any particles under 20 microns can enter the UV chamber and effectively protect bacteria by being between the UV light source and the bacteria. It seems like a better design would have the 1 micron carbon block filter prior to the UV chamber to remove all particles greater than 1 micron in size which would minimize the shadowing effect. Do not use this filter system with water that has been deemed unsafe for consumption. This system does not have a softener built in. If you have hard water, then you would need a seperate water softener to solve that problem. Replacement cartridges can be found from the manufacturer. Depening on the size of the cartridge, you may be able to use any brand of filter that meet the specifications.

Posted by Ray at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I have a reverse osmosis system GXRM10G. Family of 2. How often should I change the postfilter sump and prefilter sump and should I change the RO cartridge at the same time?

Most Revers Osmosis Filter Systems require pre and post filter changes at 6 month intervals to maintain peak performance. The membrane should be changed every 2 years or if you notice a significant drop in water passing through the reverse osmosis system. In your case the GXRM10G uses the FX12P pre and post filters which should be changed every 6 months and the fx12m membrane which should be changed every 2 years. The O-rings should be changed every other filter change on the pre and post filters and every change on the membrane.

Posted by Ray at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Some people are not aware that after you change your refrigerator water filter, there are two more steps that should be taken to complete the water filter change process.

Step 1:
Reset your water filter indicator light - Most new refrigerators come equiped with an indicator light that notifies you when it is time to change your water filter. This light does not automatically reset when you change your water filter. Here is a list of refrigerator manufacturers and how to reset the indicator light.
Amana Refrigerators - Press and hold the Auto and Dispenser Lock buttons until the water filter status indicator light flashes.
Frigidaire Refrigerators - Press and Hold the Reset Button Until the Indicator Light Flashes.
GE General Electric Refrigerators - Press and Hold the Reset Button for around 8 Seconds.
HotPoint Refrigerators - Press and Hold the Reset Button for around 8 Seconds.
Jenn-Air Refrigerators - Press and Hold The Light and Lock Buttons until the Water Filter light flashes.
Kitchen Aid Refrigerators - Press and Release the Light Button 5 times Quickly.
Maytag Refrigerators - Press and Hold The Light and Lock Buttons until the Water Filter light flashes.
Samsung Refrigerators - Press and Hold the Ice Type and Child Lock Buttons at the same time for 3 seconds.
Whirlpool Refrigerators - Press and Release the Light Button 5 times Quickly.

Step 2:
Flush a couple of gallons of water through your new filter. Since most refrigerator water filters are made of carbon, some carbon residue is present in the first gallon or two of water. This will leave a bitter taste and residue in your water. If you continue to have these problems after flushing a couple of gallons through the filter, it is possible that you have a defective water filter.

Once these two steps are completed, you are all set to enjoy great tasting ice and water through your refrigerator. If you don't see your manufacturer listed or the insructions don't work for your model please post a comment with your make and model number so that we can provide exact instructions for your model.

Posted by Ray at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (73) | TrackBacks (0)

Want to know what the EPA standards are for drinking water? Curious to find out just how much pollution the goverment will allow us to consume? Want to find out what's in the water where you live? Here are some interesting and informative links concerning water standards and contamination.

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/standard/setting.html

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/40cfr141_02.html

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html

Posted by Roxanne at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Does your water taste salty? If you don’t live near the ocean or a salt mine and you’re wondering how the heck salt got in your water you should know that in most cases what you’re tasting is Chloride. Chloride can make its way into your water source several different ways such as, agricultural runoff, wastewater from industries, natural deposits, and road salting. But my guess is that you care less about where it comes from and more about how to get it out of your water. You’ll need a reverse osmosis filtration system. RO is the most effective water filtration system and is the only system capable of desalinating water for drinking.

Posted by Roxanne at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

About 10 years ago the bottled water industry took off and has been showing record sales ever since. Everyone has there own reasons for drinking bottled water whether it’s convenience, health-concerns, taste, clever marketing, ect. But the clear consensus among most people is that they don’t trust the water that comes out of their tap. The bottled-water industry is riding this phobia straight to the bank with sales in the billions every year. So are bottled-water drinkers really getting a safer product or are they just paying for the illusion of safety?

Did you know that the FDA regulates the bottled-water industry and often adopts the same standards set by the EPA for municipal tap water? A common misconception is that people think when they buy a bottle of water that it is “pure” or void of any and all contaminants. This is not true. The FDA has established allowable levels for over 80 physical, microbiological, chemical, and radiological contaminants in bottled water. (Code of Federal Regulations: Food and Drugs 21 CFR 103.35)

For the moment let’s just ignore the fact that the Bottled Water Industry doesn’t require testing for a number of contaminants such as Cryptosporidium, and Giardia and instead consider what they do filter out. Fluoride. Many municipalities add Fluoride to their water because of its positive impact on tooth decay and the fact that it helps promote strong teeth. This can become an issue in small children who need Fluoride but only drink bottled water. Although, there are filtration systems that can remove fluoride most do not for this exact reason.

Another interesting fact that bottled-water companies don’t put in their advertising is that in many cases the bottled water they sell comes directly from municipal water sources. So they are literally taking the water from the same source your tap water comes from, putting it through the same treatments that your local regulatory body puts your tap water through, and then selling it to you at an inflated price. And when I say inflated, that is an understatement. Depending on where you live and what brand you’re loyal to, bottled water costs between $.80 and $2.00+. It only costs these companies pennies per bottle to manufacture so they are making upwards of 90% profits on every sale.

Check out these stats that show how much bottled water costs vs filtration:

Bottled Water
- 1st Year $440.40
- Subsequent Years $440.40
- Five Year Avg. $440.40
- Five Year Total $2202.00

Under Sink Single Filter
- 1st Year $99.95
- Subsequent Years $29.99
- Five Year Avg. $43.98
- Five Year Total $219.90

Under Sink Double Filter
- 1st Year $189.95
- Subsequent Years $69.97
- Five Year Avg. $93.97
- Five Year Total $469.85

Reverse Osmosis System
- 1st Year as little as $263.85
- Subsequent Years $67.80
- Five Year Avg. $117.01
- Five Year Total $585.05

Bottled Water
- 1st Year $440.40
- Subsequent Years $440.40
- Five Year Avg. $440.40
- Five Year Total $2202.00

1. Based on the USDA 1194-96 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII), the average ingestion of water is 0.951 litres/person/day (0.251 gallons/person/day). From this it can be determined that an average household of 4 people would consume approximately 367 gallons of water per year (0.251 gallons/person/day x 4 people x 365 days/year).

Municipal water systems serving 25 people or more are subject to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. This means the water is constantly and thoroughly tested for harmful substances. If there is a problem, consumers will be warned through the media or other outlets. (http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/402_h2o.html).

Even though tap water may look or smell different that doesn’t always mean it’s unsafe. Viruses, which are the most harmful impurities in water, are tasteless and odorless. You can purchase a water testing kit for under $20 that will tell you exactly what is in your water. This is why having a filtration system comes in handy. Once you know exactly what’s in your water you can then select a filtration system that meets your needs. This will not only save you loads of money but can provide you with a sense of security knowing that you’re drinking safe, uncontaminated water.

Posted by Roxanne at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another Article we wrote on Comparing Refrigerator Filter Systems.

Posted by Ray at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Benefits of refrigerator water filters.

Posted by Ray at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here is a link to a previous article written to help explain why you should change refrigerator water filters every 6 months.

Posted by Ray at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Rust and sediment is the most common water problem and ranks right up there with Chlorine. If your water is cloudy or brown, and you can see particles floating in your water, then you have rust and sediment in your water. The dirt, rust, and sand sediment may not be harmful, but it does have it's bad attributes. Rust and sediment will reduce the life of your appliances, make your water look and taste bad and will shorten the life of your more expensive water filters as they will clog quicker. Luckily, rust and dirt sediment is also the easiest and cheapest water problem that water filters can solve. We recommend you look at a whole house water filter system such as the AquaPure AP101T with the AP110 water filter. This will do a great job in removing the sediment and extending the life of your appliances and carbon based water filters.

Posted by Ray at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Let’s start with a few definitions of water filters.

From WordNet - a filter to remove impurities from the water supply

From Wikipedia - A filter is a device which removes impurities from water by means of physical barrier. Filters are used to treat water for irrigation, drinking water, aquariums, and swimming pools.

A Water Filter can be best described as a device used to remove something from water. You can use a hat, shirt, paper, carbon, string or pretty much anything else as a water filter. A hat or shirt are not exactly going to be the best filter, but it will filter out large items like fish, tadpoles, sticks, and maybe some dirt.
Most people think of water filters as the pitcher filter or faucet filter that they have in their house, but there are many other kinds of consumer water filters as well. Many homes have point of entry water filters which are also called whole house water filters and/or point of use filters also referred to as under sink water filters, shower filters, faucet filters, refrigerator and icemaker filters.
The question is, what do these water filters filter out of your water? The answer depends on two factors, what contaminants are in your water and what the filter you choose is rated for. To find out what contaminants are in your water, you will need to have your water tested using a drinking water test kit. Just because you have tap water does not mean that your water has safe levels of contaminants as contaminants can pass through city filter systems at times and some may even come from your own pipes! The EPA has standards for allowable level of contaminants in your water and in some cases these levels are not as low as you might think. Chlorine is used as a disinfectant in public water systems which is why most tap water smells and tastes like a swimming pool. Only you can decide what contaminants and at what levels you are comfortable with. Once you know what contaminants you would like removed from your water, you should choose a type of water filter specifically designed to reduce it from your water. For example, if Chlorine is a concern for you and your family, you will need a carbon based water filter. Recent studies have shown dangers to showering in highly chlorinated water as well as drinking it, so a point of entry, whole house, carbon based water filter system may be the best choice. If Arsenic is your main concern, then you will need to look at point of use reverse osmosis water filter systems.
Every impurity can be reduced by some means of water filtration but it is first important to understand what you are trying to reduce to pick the correct water filter system. Water filters come in many types such as pleated polyester, carbon wrapped paper, GAC (granulated activated carbon), Carbon Block, string wound, Polyspun and more. We will cover the difference, strengths and weaknesses of each type above in a future topic.

Posted by Ray at 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Welcome to Filters Fast Ask the Water Filter Experts. We hope to clear up any questions about water filtration and assist consumers in making informed decisions on the many water filtration choices available. If you have any questions that you would like answered, this is the place to post them. We will open up new topics based on the comments left on this topic, so post away. We will cover any water filtration topic or question regardless of water filter brand, type, or water conditions.

Posted by Ray at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)